Claiming The Remnant

Chapter 25

[ Taiya ]

Grace helped me dry my eyes. It turned out that my little break down had occurred only one hallway from the King’s study. It made me feel even sillier and more embarrassed. The servant at the door greeted us both before announcing our arrival to His Majesty and then permitting us entry.

His Majesty’s study wasn’t as I expected it to be. I had thought it would be crowded and dark but it was open and light, even without any windows. Immediately inside there was a large desk, extremely neat with only a magic imbued lamp and an inkwell on show. A simple chair on one side, the side nearest the door, and an ornate chair, that was clearly the King’s on the opposing side. The King however wasn’t in it. He was off to the right sitting in a grey armchair near the hearth.

The set up looked exceptionally cosy. There were three other arm chairs and a small couch all in different colours arranged around a squat coffee table. The table had a tall ornate cake stand set upon it, full of little sandwiches and cakes. A little rumble tumbled in my belly. Oh how lovely it would be to eat something that wasn’t soup or eggs. There was also a pot of tea and a stack of tea cups. None of them matched, just like the armchairs and couch they were in an assortment of colours and designs.

On the top of the stack was an electric blue teacup with a gold handle. I knew in my heart it was the teacup I would have chosen if it weren’t for Benton’s words. It was strange really, people tended to have an affinity for colours based on their magic but I had none. So why blue seemed to draw me in I didn’t know.

The King did not rise, but I hadn’t expected him to. Grace and I both curtsied.

“My King,” The Housekeeper spoke before I could, “my apologies for our lateness, Lady Esther had an unfortunate turn enroute.”

“No apologies required, Gracie.” The King gave her a genuine smile, I saw it light his eyes. So, Gracie. She’d explicitly told me not to call her that, I’d assumed that it was because she hated it but it appeared I was mistaken. It was in fact reserved just for His Majesty. “Zach told me everything I needed to know.” His eyes twinkled with a mysterious delight. I was a little unnerved.

“I am glad to hear that, My King.” Ms Doran curtsied again.

“Thank you for bringing Lady Esther, I’m sure we shall have a wonderful afternoon together.” His Majesty said subtly dismissing the Housekeeper. My feet were on fire and I felt out of place. I was just standing there, completely lost on what I should do. Surely a Lady was well versed in how to behave in front of royalty? A small throb began in my head, the pain peeking over the necklace’s repressive ability.

“My King.” She curtsied once more and left.

“Come, Lady Esther,” The King waved me into the room, “no need to be shy, join me, choose a seat.”

“Your Majesty.” I gave a small curtsy and moved to take a seat. Choosing one felt like a mammoth task and I worried at how it might reflect on me. Of course the blue armchair called to me, but the orange chair was closest to the fire. King Leoré, seeing my eye’s flick between the two, took pity on me.

“You look cold, Lady Esther, why not come sit by the fire?” The smile that he gave me was no less genuine than the one he had given Grace but it did not hold the same brightness.

“Thank you, My King.” I curtsied again.

“Come, dear, enough with the formalities. It is just we two and I promise I shall hold no contempt for any faux pas you might make.” The King said with unmistakable gentleness. I blushed.

“My apologies, but what is a faux pas?” The heat of the fire added to the heat of my blush.

“A faux pas is a false step, a mistake that is considered impolite or socially unacceptable.” He chuckled lightly but not in a way that made me feel like I was being mocked. “Would you like some tea? It will help to warm you some.”

“That would be most welcome.” I hesitated for a moment. There was no one here but the two of us, one of us had to pour the tea.

“Choose a cup, I will pour the tea. Sometimes it’s nice to do things for others.” His soft grey eyes were watching me intently as I leant forward in my chair. “Matching tea sets are all well and good, but I enjoy a little variety.” I lifted the blue cup to take from underneath. Risking a ‘faux pas’ as the King had put it I placed a grey tea cup on a saucer with Yelka flowers in front of him and the opposite for myself - a grey saucer and the cup with Yelka flowers. It was quite presumptuous of me to choose china for his Majesty but he smiled widely and poured the tea.

“Rose Congou tea.” There was a carefulness in his words that I couldn’t quite place. “A fragrant blend of rose petals and tea leaves. It has been steeping for longer than usual, I hope you do not find it too strong.” Tea poured, the King took his cup and I followed suit. It was indeed a little strong but not too unpleasant that it hadn’t become unpalatable.

“Healer Poflorin tells me that you are recovering well, certainly I can see the difference.” I blushed at his words, recalling our previous meetings. The King rumbled on in an easy, almost Fatherly tone. “All though, perhaps, he should have considered a less taxing schedule. You appear to be exhausted already.” Had it not been the King saying these words and had he not been so kindly with them I might have been a little offended. It was quite rude to comment about a Lady in such a way but he was also not wrong. My eyes felt heavy and my hands seemed to be forgetting about the tea they were holding.

“Healer Poflorin has been most diligent and attentive. Truthfully I am tired, more than I expected given the mildness of today's exertions but as lovely as my quarters are it is most pleasant to have a change of scenery and,” I took a deep breath, aware that what I planned to say next was very bold, “I hope to …” I faltered, tears had risen unrequested and a little fear trembled in my chest.

“It’s alright dear, I understand. You need answers for your predicament.” The King’s smile was easy and sympathetic, his words and tone a perfect match. I sipped my tea and soaked in the heat of the fire next to me. “It pains me to tell you but I do not have all the answers that you seek. What I know, I will share, but some of what has been pieced together is more speculative than factual.” He warned me. My head throbbed a little harder and I rubbed my temples.

“Sorry, my head…” Most embarrassingly a small moan of pain escaped my lips.

“Would you like me to call for Poflorin?” His Majesty asked calmly but with concern.

“It won’t be necessary, it will pass. My thoughts seem to tumble and churn as though all is about to be revealed but then nothing, they fall like raindrops with nowhere to land.” I explained whilst also trying to breathe through the pain in my head.

“That is quite profound.” The King mused, a little surprised. Was it unseemly for a Lady to be profound? I was unsure. "Have some more tea and perhaps some cake. Cake always makes me feel better."

I forced myself to drink a few mouthfuls and chose a small cake that had a little jam and minimal frosting. While I nibbled it cautiously, expecting my stomach to rebel at any moment, His Majesty began to speak.

“This week has been most trying for you, I am sure. I shall start with what I know. You were detained as a suspect in a number of thefts, captured on the streets of my city. Witnesses, when presented with you, not only placed you at the scene but stated to have observed some of the crimes occur. We were very sure that you were the person in question, you were obviously adamant that you were not.” King Leoré took pause for a moment, I presume to see if I had any questions (I did not), before continuing in a calm and apologetic manner. “The stolen item in question that caused the matter to be so pressing and therefore the treatment of the prisoner to be so severe was none other than a Remnant.”

I nodded, recalling having been asked about its whereabouts. However I was confused.

“Not that I recall my protests prior to… the final incident, but why believe me then and not before?” I frowned, my head boiling with something.

“Well my dear, before that fateful meeting you had only protested innocence, which almost all in a similar position do, and nothing else. No name, no alibi, nothing that indicated you were anyone other than who we thought you were.” He sipped his tea, seemingly measuring his words. “In the course of looking to extract information from our incarcerated thief a substance was injected and despite the severe allergic reaction and the damage it unfortunately did it also appeared to unlock some memories. It was clear to me at that moment that we were in fact mistaken.”

I looked into the bottom of my teacup feeling rather sick, not from the cake but from how close I had been to a very different outcome.

“How did I even come to be here?” I mumbled almost to myself.

“It has been concluded that you may have been abducted, we are waiting on confirmation from your homestead. Do you realise how far from home you are?” The King asked. I did not want to look up and see the pity that I could hear in his voice displayed on his face but it would be outright rude to answer into my teacup and not to the King before me.

“Um,” I looked up, there it was; pity for the young girl who was lost in herself, “at least two weeks' ride in good weather. Both the forest and the mountains block the most direct route, if they were passable the journey would only be half.”

“Indeed, and thus I have no more answers for you as of yet Lady Esther. A letter has been sent but it will be at least another week before it is received by your Brother or whoever is tending to the household.” The King’s face darkened with worry. “I would send you home if you were well enough to travel and if I could be sure of what would await you at your destination.” He was right of course, if I had been abducted from my home who knows what disarray I might be greeted with should I return.

“Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty.” Something about something did not sit evenly with me, a mystery feeling that I could not place but the King had been nothing but kind and I had everything to thank him for.

“Oh my dear, there is nothing to thank me for. What kind of King would I be if I did not take care of a Lady in need? I only wish that I could do more.” He reached over and patted my arm. I blushed at the unexpected gesture. It was, I thought, a 'faux pas' on his behalf.

I was sick of crying, and annoyed by the blushes that seemed to come to my cheeks without warning. Despite how the discussion had eased my thoughts I still did not feel like 'me' but also did not know who 'I' was.

Conversation turned lighter now the unsavoury aspects had been covered. King Leoré spoke about his daughters and his son. Crown Prince Ethyn, his eldest, was currently on a trip to the icy Kingdom of Velexarin with his sister Princess Colette. His youngest, Princess Noémie, was in residence and I would see her at dinner. His Majesty thought her too young, at 13, to go on such a long expedition. He also tried speaking with me about my extended family and our business in fine silks and cloth but I had to take his word for it because I was drawing a blank.

I was calm, my headache had eased back to the point that the necklace masked the pain and I had relaxed in the presence of the King but everything changed with a simple knock at the door.