Elswyth understood that those who participated in her plans for her and her captive little brother's escape ran the risk of losing their lives, as the leader of the mysterious group of kidnappers had warned.
But she also understood that the enemy could only do so much to restrain her.
If any spy was watching her and her brother in her bedroom now, he would only see the prince holding his bed-ridden sister's hand as a gesture of comfort, nothing more. The spy highly had no means of knowing that Elswyth had taken from strings of silk that the mysterious leader wore when she clasped his robe in "desperation." The leader himself showed no suspicion.
She knew her eldest brother was fully capable of immediately understanding the situation and would not reveal any suspicious visual movements.
In fact, her brother seemed incredibly good at receiving her hidden intentions, because she could not tell even if her brother realized her objective of passing on these physical pieces of evidence; his eyes gave nothing away but an endless deep ocean of obscurity.
The first prince continued to hold her hand with the bits of silk between their palms.
Then, his fingers lightly curled in, transferring the silk threads completely into his hand.
"Your palm--I feel scars." He growled, his brows furrowing deeper. "What did they do to you?"
She appreciated his cooperation. ππͺπ€π¦ π°π―π¦, π£π³π°π΅π©π¦π³.
Elswyth allowed herself to flinch and averted her gaze, refusing to speak. If the enemy was watching at this moment, it is best to let them be deceived.
Her brother, seeing this, softened his gaze and patted her head. "I will not force you to speak about what happened. Rest well."
Strong, sure footsteps padded against the carpet, and the door clapped gently as it closed.
She began to close her eyes again, her head spinning uncontrollably as her thoughts jumbled together. A physician that visited before the prince had treated her wounds with salve that numbed the majority of the pain. As her original body condition was not used to physically strenuous activity, she was expected to heal completely only after one full month instead of two weeks.
The physician also advised that the princess stay in bed and within her room for at least one week, and try to attempt at light exercise only during the second week.
Worry and stress coursed through her mind. This meant that she barely do anything, much less visit her father's private office to supposedly steal the military map.
Elswyth wanted to pull her long locks in frustration, but even her arm was too fatigued to budge more than an inch. The sooner she was finished "completing" the enemy's plans for her to steal the royal military document, the lesser time her captive brother had to suffer. But her body was just not cooperating with her urge to quickly finish her objectives.
She wished for the hundredth time that her vigorous body during her time as Li An had transferred with her to this life.
"Your Highness." A worried, gentle voice drifted across the room: "Do you need anything?"
Elswyth glanced to her side and watched in shock when a familiar elderly lady with a noble but quiet bearing walked up to her.
"Whatever you ask, I'll provide for to the best of my ability."
Lady Althea. She looked into the comforting faint gray hues that moved slowly within her lady-in-waiting's eyes, and smiled. "I know what I need. Please give me your hand."
"Yes."
When a cool hand met with a burning palm, Elswyth felt her heart become warmer.
Both of them, as if with one mind, turned to look silently out the thinly veiled window, where thin willow trees swayed gently along with the wind, waving to them.
There was a reason why Elswyth--even while she was just a naΓ―ve princess in her previous life as the princess of Gerwenia--chose an elderly, noble woman who did not have a high status as her lady-in-waiting. She recognized her own kind when she saw one.
"Princess," Lady Althea voice glided into the still air. "The banquet celebrating your father's 20th year of his reign over Gerwenia is occurring 2 weeks from now."
Elswyth dipped her head slightly. "I know."
"Will your body be able to handle it?"
"... I hope so," the princess watched two golden leaves flounder weakly along the wind. It seems they had strayed far away from their mother trees in the forest. "I just wish it would end quickly."
ππΆπͺπ€π¬ππΊ? Lady Althea was surprised. Why did the princess want her father's banquet celebration to end quickly? Her Royal Highness had a wonderful relationship with the king. Her wrinkled right hand reached into a hidden pocket within her dress. Was it merely due to the weak state of her body?
The elderly woman's gray eyes hardened a small fraction. "Princess, whatever you had experienced during your capture--"
The princess's burning hand flinched. "Please stop, Lady Althea, that's in the past and I am already back, don't speak of it."
"--know that I am here to protect you."
Princess Elswyth shut her eyes tightly. Her life-companion read her too well. Lady Althea does not even know what those mysterious group that kidnapped her and her brother were like, nor their abilities. She knew neither as well. Why did Lady Althea sound so confident? It was almost as confident as that mysterious man who threatened the lives of those who might cooperate with her if she planned anything. "No need; as I have said--I am now back home, so don't worry about it."
As her eyes were closed, Elswyth missed catching her lady-in-waiting quietly twirling a dagger behind her back, opposite the window, with her free hand. Lady Althea's jaw clenched with resolve. "As you wish, your Highness."