I had been terribly anxious, waking up only to find that my mother was no longer in my room, for some reason I thought I should look for her in her chambers, so I did, but I would never had imagined, not in a million years what was going to happen next, that I would come to find her in the condition I did, in a pool of blood, it was one of the worse moments of my life, and in that short while it felt like my whole world had come crumbling down.
Without waiting even a second more, I rushed to her, holding her bloodied hands, my eyes ran from her head to the very tip of her toes, the white gown she wore was stained with blood, she tried speaking, but I couldn't process anything, I could barely think straight, my hands were shaking, my knees quaked and if I hadn't held onto her, I was sure I would've fallen flat on the ground.
Tears welled up in my eyes, and in no time rushed down my cheeks, my heart raced inside my chest, pounding hard and beating just as fast, for a minute I tried to speak, but the words failed me.
I didn't understand why the servants stood around us like statues instead of calling for help, I wanted to scream at them, and scratch, but I couldn't do anything, the panic had gotten the better of me, rendered me almost completely dump, I stuttered and mumbled and stared in disbelief, my mother tried to speak again, but I didn't let her, it surprised me how she could keep such composure despite having lost so much blood, but I got an even bigger surprise when I grabbed a napkin from one of the servants, and used it to wipe the blood off her hand.
It was perfect, not a scratch, or a scar, not even a bruise, her hands were flawless, as flawless as they had ever been, I pressed against them, turning them to have a thorough look, nothing, it was like all that blood came out of nowhere, almost as if she hadn't been injured in the first place.
" But.... how ? " I asked
" That's what I have been trying to tell you Camille, I'm alright, this isn't my blood, " she said, but even after I had heard this, I still felt the anxiety cutting at my chest like a two edged dagger.
" But it's on your hands, It's all over you " I protested.
" One of the maids had dropped a glass tray, and cut herself, I have blood on my hands because I was trying to help her " she said.
I was so worried before that hearing this now, I threw my hands around her in a tight hug.
" I was so scared " I said, my voice still shaking, as I rested my head against her chest, I could hear her heart beat, pounding softly, and it calmed me down.
" So... whose blood was that ? " I asked, after the servants had cleaned the mess and gone out, mother had equally changed her clothes, she walked out of the fitting room and was now wearing a sky blue satin gown, the colors complemented her eyes wonderfully, they sparkled with so much life and I couldn't possibly imagine them any other way.
" I'm not sure, but poor girl, almost had a heart attack after the whole thing, I asked the other servants to dress the wound, she should be fine now " she said confidently, but the worried expression on my face made her smile.
" Camille ? " she called softly, and walked towards me, she sat beside me on the bed, " is anything the matter ? " she asked, looking worried.
I wanted to tell her what I had seen the other day, about the stranger with the creature on his robe, but then she only got back, I didn't want anything to make her worry, so i didn't mention it, how I wish I had, maybe things would have turned out differently, maybe our future would have been different.
" Everything is fine, I'm just glad you're alright " I said and smiled, then she drew me in for a hug, and that was the end of the matter.
I was careful not to sleep too deeply that evening, I could say I hardly slept at all, I was afraid she would leave again while I slept, it was childish of me, but she didn't, she stayed, and when I woke up she was lying right beside me.
" Did you sleep well ? " she asked, when she opened her eyes and saw me staring back at her.
" Not really " I confessed .
The servants had already drawn a bath for mother, mine waited in my chamber, still, I didn't feel easy leaving her, I was probably just scared, I had good reason to be, many of my father's concubines despised my mother, his other wives too, they thought he loved her the most, she was always his favorite, and that made them jealous, of course, jealousy was never a good thing, and with that in mind I always felt the need to be around her, as if my presence would somehow keep her safe.
I was probably overreacting, women get jealous all the time, it was probably nothing to worry about.
" You're still here ? " my mother asked, walking into the room to find me still seating on the bed, one look at me, and she knew something was bothering me, " Maybe you should go out with Jupiter, I mean he must've missed you a lot, and that might help to lift your spirit a little" she suggested, then caressed my cheeks lightly, " we'll have dinner together when you get back, okay " she smiled and said, " I'll even make your favorite " she promised.
Jupiter and I took a little run out in the field, mother was right, a run with him did lift my spirit, and in no time I forgot all about what had been bothering me, I fed him some apples, he enjoyed them, licking my face in appreciation, then I heard a sound I knew all too well, racing horses, they were headed for the palace, they were far off but I could make out the signet on the carriage, it was our household signet, that was father's carriage, he had returned.