Yavanna grabbed what clothes she needed before she practically ran to the screen and dropped her sheet. Staring at the clothes she'd brought she frowned. There were only six articles; a shift, a corset, an underdress, the dress, underwear and stockings.
She heaved a sigh and decided to start small. After tying her woollen stockings up she pulled the shift over and then the corset. She tried to tie it, but to no avail. When she'd finally had enough, she called Amory, "Could you send for Christa or Lorraine please?"
"Why?" He called back and she heard him walking towards her.
Her ears burned, "I can't get dressed on my own."
"Then let me help you." He returned and she gave out a muffled shriek when he turned around the corner of the screen.
"No! I would rather you get Christa." She said emphatically. But his eyes flickered slightly and she saw a tiredness in them. It was a sad, lonely tiredness and her heart ached at the sight of it.
"Very well." He nodded and broke her from her contemplations.
"No. Wait." She grabbed his arms and the corset slipped down to her feet. "You—you can help. If you like."
And there it was. His old emotionless face. Her heart crumbled a bit at the sight. She had been hoping to see happiness on his face. Yavanna frowned internally as he began to lace her corset. Why did she care if he was happy or not? He certainly didn't.
"Where did you learn this?" She blurted out in an attempt to change the course of her mind.
"Do you really want the answer?" He asked in a low tone as he pulled another string. Her breath stiffened for a moment before she relaxed.
"I suppose not then." She muttered.
He continued on in silence. Whenever she inhaled too sharply or gasped she could feel him loosening it. It was rather kind of him. When he was finished he walked over and she pointed to the underdress which was next. He pulled it over her head followed by the dress.
It was silver in colour and cut by her elbows to allow the flowing sleeves of the underdress through.
"I'll never understand why women's clothes have so much about them."
She hid a smile as she fastened a loose belt around her waist. "It's for modesty's sake."
He huffed a breath and she looked at him through the mirror, he replied, "I'd much prefer you wearing nothing than all of this heavy fabric."
Her eyes glued onto his and her heart hammered in her chest. Did he just say that he wanted her naked? He turned, "We are expected in the court soon. Finish up. I'll be waiting for you outside."
She nodded and quickly combed through her mess of hair before putting a delicate necklace with matching earrings on. Leaving through the cracked door, Amory was indeed waiting just outside. Her feet approached him, but her mind was still trudging through the myriads of moments shared behind the doors.
She was forcing herself to remember how she was supposed to act outside of the warm room. She jumped when his hand maneuvered her arm to rest in his. As he led her down the dark stone hallways, the carpet and furs muffling their steps, she asked in a quiet voice, as though the heavy walls were listening, "Where are our crowns?"
"We will receive them once we sit on our thrones."
She nodded, "What do I have to do?"
"Absolutely nothing. You will sit, listen and learn."
They arrived at the stairs that led outside and she shivered as they entered the frigid afternoon. There were clouds covering every inch of the vast sky and she was tempted to crawl into Amory's coat. She should've brought a cloak—
Just as those thoughts crossed her mind she felt a weight on her shoulders. Amory's hands left her shoulders but his warm bear-skin cloak remained. She didn't hide the warm smile at the kind act.
She grasped his hand and skipped to keep up with him. Luckily, she'd thought to wear her warm boots—her feet were always cold.
They entered the castle and Yavanna raised her head to see the tall arched beams holding up the stone above them. Tapestries and shields lined the walls. Every so often an animal's head was nailed to the wall with an inscription in Noth beneath it.
"After this can you help me find a tutor to help me learn Noth." She asked, unaware that they'd arrived at the doors of the throne room.
He grunted and she looked up to see the doors creaking open. He led them in without ceasing in his never ceasing gait. Eyes followed her every step and her feet faltered when he recalled that this would be her first public appearance without her veil.
Amory tugged her along and helped to wake her from her thoughts. When he gestured that she was to face the room from where they stood at the end of the carpet, she did and her breath caught in her throat. Four round tables were established at the base of the steps. Each had five men around them. In the centre of each, there was a fire crackling that gave off warmth and light.
Amory announced something in Noth and they began to cheer happily. They sat and were crowned. And as the meeting droned on, she wasn't sure why she was there. All she could hear were slow, drawling voices in Noth. Nothing made sense.
She was covering a yawn, again, when she felt a sharp pain resound within her. She jerked and gasped when it increased. She gripped the wooden arms of her throne as a wave of pain rocked through her.
"Yavanna?"
"It hurts." She whispered. It hurt so bad. Arms wrapped around her and she felt the atmosphere change rapidly from the stuffy, tepid one of the throne room, to the cozy warm one of their shared room.
"What happened?" He asked and she felt her clothes being removed.
"I do-" She stemmed a pained groan. The pain was ebbing from everywhere. "I don't know." She eventually whispered.
"Is this because of your magic?" He growled as his hands tore through the rest of what clothed her.
She shook her head as tears stung her eyes. It shouldn't have. Her magic had never done this to her. He lifted her and she felt her body being submerged under warm water. But it did nothing to ease the breathtaking pain. Amory was still holding her.
"Then what do you think caused it?" He whispered into her ear.
She whimpered again, doing her best to stop the sounds of torture from her mouth. But she couldn't breathe.
"Yavanna." He urged and she dug her hands into something, trying to ground herself from the aching pain. It had never hurt this bad after using magic. At most she would get a headache.
"Do you think Niran taught you to poison yourself with magic?"
His question caught her off guard and she squinted her eyes open to see him watching her with worried and angered eyes.
"I'm not sure." She gasped out and continued clinging to him.