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"Lady Zira, I'm Padget, Prince Saboa's personal attendant, and as such, yours. If you need anything, please just ask. I'm number eight on the comms." She gestured to the communications system next to the sitting-room door.
"Water," I barely voiced, my emotions still strangling me. Padget stopped, looked at me as if I had insulted her, then moved to the table to collect a glass of water. "No, not to drink. A body of water in which I can swim."
Padget looked to Hartwin then back to me. "I'm sorry, Lady Zira, but we were directed you were not to leave quarters for the rest of the day. The most I can do is pour you a bath."
Eyes on the floor, I nodded. "Then make it deep, please."
Hesitating a moment, worry clearly etched in her tanned face, she looked to Hartwin for direction again. "Go ahead, Padg, an Avalonian can't drown themselves." Bobbing her head, Padget went back into the bedroom before opening a door disguised as a wall and moved through it.
"She thinks I'm suicidal?"
"She overheard the Commander cursing how your parents left you completely in the dark about everything when he bought you in. She knows you are grieving, and grief makes people do stupid things."
"You're my guard, aren't you?"
"I am one of them. Luther is still to complete your personal guard, but I was the first to be reassigned."
"When?"
"The day after your parent's execution."
I couldn't meet his eyes. He'd known for nearly a week what my fate would be. "I thought you abandoned me as a traitor."
"No one on this planet believed you were involved for even a second, Lady Zira." His eyes flicked over my shoulder. For Hartwin to be using my title meant Padget was standing there listening. "Prince Saboa made sure at your parent's execution that everyone knew you to be innocent."
"Why didn't you come?" Padget suddenly blurted from behind me. "We all expected you to come running into the chamber begging mercy for your parents, but you didn't."
Bowing my head with the pain in my heart, this time, my eyes stayed dry as I lifted them to meet hers before looking out the window to the ocean.
"I learned that lesson long ago. When word the Barbarian was moving to attack our king reached us, my brother and I rushed to the castle to help protect it. The barbarian was already there. He'd murdered the king and killed the royal envoy originally sent to collect us. The one who carried word to us was one of his men. When we arrived, he spilled my brother's blood at my feet."
Setting my eyes on Padget, I filled my eyes and voice with the anger I still harbored. "I possessed no desire to be left standing alone in a throne room full of the enemy, with my family's blood soaking through my shoes, while the king told me of his plans for me again. I barely survived the first time."
Behind me, Hartwin cursed and activated his comms.
"Yes?" Commander Stark's voice came through as clear as if he were in the room.
"Send up Jervaise. I need to talk to you privately." There were no farewells. Hartwin simply disconnected and turned to look at me with anger burning in his eyes. "You never told me."
I'd never told anyone. Turning my attention back to Padget, I ignored him. "Is the bath ready?"
Padget curtsied. Following Padget into the bathroom, she showed me where a small pool was set into the floor. I almost sighed with relief. I'd imagined the bath would barely fit me like most Praldian bathrooms, but this could fit multiple Cyrans and still allow me to float on the surface. The bathroom window was floor to ceiling and provided an uninterrupted view of the city.
"I added lavender and geranium, Lady Zira. I thought you might want something relaxing."
Keeping my back to her, I nodded. I didn't want her to see the tears threatening to overcome me.
"I brought a selection of dresses in earlier that the prince ordered for you." A door clicked open behind me. "I'll hang them up in the wardrobe, and you can select one after your bath. Prince Saboa gave me permission to purchase any other clothing items or personal products that you'd prefer. If you'd like to make me a list, I'll make the purchases when I take your dress for cleaning."
"Thank you. Master Fabrice knows my sizing and preference for clothing and personal wear. I have my shopping delivered to the estate from Chalvey's. They will have a record of my most recent order, which will cover personal items and food preferences."
"Of course, Lady, that will make things a lot easier."
"Padget, I can undress myself. If you could close the bathroom door on your way out and the bedroom doors. Let Elite Hartwin know when you leave that no one is to come through the bedroom door until I open it."
"Of course, Lady Zira, but your dress?"
"I'll leave the dress by the door for you. You can collect it after a few minutes."
