Isabelle's POV:
Isabelle went to her room and as she walked across she just realised how bad her state was. Her hair was messy and covered in ash making it look matte and dirty. Her face was smeared with ash, too. And her dress was ripped so much that it barely was held together by the corset, revealing her undergarments. She stared blankly at her reflection, not recognising who she truly was.
She run towards the fire to save people from a kingdom that wasn't hers. She was often reminded, especially by Annette, that she's Galborian, even though she didn't feel like Galborian either. She didn't feel like she belonged anywhere, but because of being born and raised in Galbore, people of Galbore were being punished because of her failings. It was not fair!
Nothing went right. Nothing.
Isabelle started crying in frustration, and coughing in between as the smoke irritated her throat.
She pulled pins out of her hair and threw them at the dresser carelessly. She was furious and upset.
As she was taking out the hairpins she noticed her own wedding ring safely tucked away in the dresser. She didn't wear it for weeks. There was nothing left to indicate her marriage with Cassian. Not from her, and now, not from him. There was nothing that bound them. Nothing aside of a stupid vows they exchanged.
She ripped the remainder of the dress off, able to breathe better again. She marched into the bathroom and washed her hands and face.
Isabelle was hurting for all those people that will die because of her. She lay on the bed, sobbing and shaking and coughing, until she fell asleep as her body started to burn up.
She slept for a long time, her body recovering from all the smoke she inhaled.
Cassian's POV:
It took a long while to contain his worry. By dinner time his emotions settled and he hoped to see Isabelle. He sat down with Annette on his side who was talking to him of something boring again.
He awaited Isabelle, fidgeting uncomfortably as minutes have passed.
Matilda entered the dining room.
"Your highness, her highness fell asleep. Would you like me to wake her to attend to dinner?" She asked.
"No, Matilda. It won't be necessary." Cassian decided. Isabelle must've exited herself earlier and she needed the rest.
As Matilda left, Annette looked at him in surprise.
"Oh my, Cassian, are you okay?"
"Yes." Cassian nodded as he started eating.
"You seem unbothered. I truly applaud you and your patience."
"What do you mean?"
"Her highness has crossed a line earlier and now avoids seeing you. That's bound to create more tension between you two."
"She's bound to be tired from earlier. It's wise that she rests and recovers."
"Do you really think that she's sleeping? I thought she had her maid cover up for her so that she can avoid facing you."
Cassian looked at Annette thinking that her suggestion was ridiculous but it planted a seed of doubt.
After dinner, he stopped by Isabelle's chamber. He quietly opened the door to see Isabelle sleeping on the bed, and breathing rhythmically. He smiled, reassured that Isabelle didn't purposely avoid him.
When he laid in his bed, he thought through the events of earlier. What was overshadowed by his worry earlier in the day, now shone through differently. Isabelle's courage and quick wits quite likely saved many lives that day. Her idea to close the windows to slow down the spreading fire was ingenious.
He went to fiddle with his ring, like he did over past few weeks whenever he thought of Isabelle, when he realised it was gone.
He got up in his nightwear and started searching through his chamber and then made his way to the dining room, and then study. It was nowhere. He threw the papers off his desk and searched every crevice possible but still nothing.
After a few hour of search, and a reoccurring memory of having it before he went out to help with the fire, he concluded that that is where he must've lost it. He was heartbroken as he sat down in his study's chair. As hard as it was to admit it, that wedding band was really the only thing that still showed off his marriage, and the only bond he had with Isabelle.
Upset and exhausted, as the new day dawned, he went to lay down, finally giving up the search for a silver ring he cherished so much.
He woke up covered in sweat not long after, having had another nightmare of the events from the past few years. He was coughing this morning, and each cough hurt his ribs which still didn't heal, causing a shooting pain through his body.
He went down for breakfast, unsure whether he should have. He was pale and dishevelled. His clothes somehow seemed all askew today.
Annette welcomed him straight away as he entered the dining room. Isabelle wasn't there. He remembered Annette's accusation that Isabelle was trying to avoid him and he started to worry that it might've been true after all. He clenched his jaw as he tried to contain his discomfort.
"Good morning, your highness." Isabelle entered the room and said straight away with a curtsy, sitting down at the other end of the table.
"Good morning." Cassian smiled and then started coughing again. Isabelle looked up at him with her head tilted, as if she was studying him carefully. Her eyes lacked the recent glimmer of happiness. He knew that she was upset with him by how she looked at him, biting the insides of her cheeks.
She barely ate that morning and hasn't spoke a word whilst Annette carried on a full conversation. Cassian didn't care for it. He wished Isabelle spoke to him. No matter how boring the topic would've been, he still would listen to her.
"I've said so to Annette already, but I think you should both have a day off today. It is so that you recover fully from yesterday's events." Cassian spoke with surprising difficulty. Between fighting the cough, his chest felt as if an elephant sat on it. Isabelle nodded before taking a few more bites of her breakfast. She didn't eat well, again.
As soon as Cassian finished his breakfast, Isabelle dismissed herself and vanished. Cassian later enquired about her but he was told that she went out to the city with her maid and she didn't come back for lunch or dinner. Finally, it was almost the time for him to return to his chamber that he was informed of her return to the castle.
Isabelle's POV:
Isabelle woke up feeling as if something hit her head. It felt sore and heavy. Not quite like a normal headache. She felt quite sluggish when she started moving. She still smelled of smoke so she decided to get washed.
As much as she usually appreciated Jane, she was glad it was Matilda who attended to her.
"Did you have a good rest?" Matilda asked as she prepared her a set of clothes. She looked at Isabelle who barely kept her eyes opened and with anticipation that she wasn't feeling well, she prepared her a slightly more comfortable clothing to what Annette forced them to in the past few days.
"I've slept well but I still feel exhausted." Isabelle admitted.
"You did a lot of good yesterday, Adeline. You should take it easy today."
"Perhaps. I suppose that it depends on what Annette has in store for me." Isabelle responded yet she quickly remembered Cassian's fury, him taking off the wedding band, and his letter to her father. She delayed coming down for breakfast as much as possible in fear that he was going to continue either screaming at her, or that he will punish her, but Matilda didn't allow for her to postpone it much longer as she physically pushed her into the dining room.
Isabelle did her usual welcome and curtsy before sitting down. Her mouth was dry and she was dehydrated. She was keen on having as much water as she could but didn't bother much with food. Her gaze fell onto Cassian more so than ever. Her eyes were glued to his hand, his ring finger still bare. Her stomach was turning at the potential meaning of this silent protest against their marriage. If he were to break off their marriage, she wanted the ring back. It was her grandfather's ring, gifted to her many years before for her future husband. Her grandfather asked her what the inscription should be and she decided on it. It was not intended for Cassian at a time, of course. She had someone else in mind when she decided on a Latin writing.
But since she grieved, since she moved on, and since she was getting married, she decided that it was a right thing to do. The wedding band was hers and she wanted it back if he didn't want it. Her father and step-mother took almost everything she ever had from her, but they didn't know about that ring. Isabelle swapped a cheap steel band they prepared for the precious ring she had just before the ceremony. She hoped that her marriage was going to be an escape of sorts.
She was getting angry again. Her heart was pounding so much that she heard it in her ears. She bit the insides of her cheeks as to not utter a word that was definitely going to be used against her. She wanted to ask him to give the ring back to her if he were to send it back, she wanted to ask what people of Galbore did to him that he was punishing them too, and she wanted to ask why did he hate her so much. And lastly, she wanted to say just how different he was to Atlas, who she thought was his brother, and how he could never live up to his name.
Her train of thought was interrupted as Cassian started coughing. His face twisted momentarily in pain. As much as Isabelle wanted to swear at him, she remembered that he still had broken ribs. Going out to the fire must've been unbearably painful as a horse ride wasn't the most steady. Now, he was coughing violently and each cough must've been pressing on his sore ribs.
Isabelle hated when people were in pain. Her anger didn't overshadow that.
She tried to devise a plan as to how to help him ease it. Chiron might have all the required herbs that could help. If she could only sneak away from Annette for long enough.
"I've said so to Annette already, but I think you should both have a day off today. It is so that you recover fully from yesterday's events." Cassian spoke as if he read her mind. And now her mind was occupied by trying to plan the way to work out what herbs were the best to use and then how to get them.
As soon as she could, she dismissed herself and run to find her notes in her chamber on all of the herbs she learnt about so far.
"Anise Hyssop and Dandelion." She decided out loud before running out of her room. Down the corridor, at the entrance to the floor, she bumped into Annette. "I'm sorry." Isabelle mumbled.
"Walk, for goodness sake." Annette grumbled. Isabelle nodded as she walked past. It was only a few steps down the stairs that she realised how odd it was for Annette to be there. The royal quarters only housed her and Cassian in two somewhat opposing rooms. The remaining rooms remained empty. Her room was empty and Cassian was downstairs.
Isabelle shrugged and continued running downstairs, dismissing her suspicions.
"Chiron." Isabelle knocked on the door to Chiron's quarters.
"Good morning, your highness." Chiron answered the door whilst trying to conceal his yawn. He looked behind Isabelle warily in anticipation of Samuel and smiled once he realised that Samuel wasn't there.
"Good morning. Do you have any Anise Hyssop and dandelion?"
"Ehhh… no. What do you need it for?"
"Anise hyssop for cough and chest pains. And dandelion to strengthen bones."
"I see. I didn't know anise hyssop can be used for such."
"Oh, it's fairly rare because of where anise hyssop grows."
"I'm afraid I cannot be of help. Go to the city and speak to the healers or botanists. They might have some. But dandelion isn't in season for another three or so months and I'm not sure when anise hyssop blooms."
"Mid-summer to fall. I'll go to the city then." Isabelle decided.
"Don't you have anything growing in your greenhouse that could be used instead?"
"Nothing is as effective as anise hyssop. I can do without dandelion. I can replace it with something else. But dandelion is so much more common so I hoped it'll be easier to find."
"Perhaps."
"Thanks, Chiron!" Isabelle waved at him and run towards the servants' quarters to find Matilda.
"Matilda, I need an assistance."
"Oh, what's the matter?" Matilda looked up at Isabelle with surprise.
"I need to go to the city. I need to find some herbs."
"I see. When would you like to go?"
"Now."
"Now?" Matilda put down the cloth she had in her hand. "Okay. Put on a cape. Weather is really miserable today."
"I will." Isabelle nodded running out eagerly. She sprinted upstairs towards her chamber, not spotting Annette anywhere near.
Before long she was walking with Matilda with a basket in her hand.
"What herbs are you needing?"
"Anise hyssop and dandelion."
"What are they used for?" Matilda already knew of Isabelle's interest in medical herbs and encouraged her enthusiasm as much as she could.
"They have many uses, of course, but I am looking for something that can strengthen the bones and help with the cough and chest health." Isabelle looked away as she added. "His highness had a bothersome cough this morning. He is still recovering from his injury. It must be truly bothersome." Her cheeks flushed from the annoyance that she still felt about what he was going to do about Galbore but she started to switch her attitude to treat it rather like a problem she can solve.
"That's so very thoughtful of you." Matilda believed that Isabelle truly cared for Cassian and that their love must be blooming. She would never expect that Isabelle was so upset at Cassian.
"You!" Someone shouted and pointed at Isabelle as she entered the city. Isabelle widened her eyes with worry. "It was you yesterday!"
"Me?" Isabelle answered quietly, ready to run if needed.
"You helped and saved us!" The man laughed. "Mrs Geraldine's saviour is here!" The man yelled towards the stalls of the market. Mary dashed out suddenly.
"Steven?" Mary asked the man.
"You were looking for a person who saved your mother, Mary. Here she is." The man pointed back at Isabelle.
"Really?" Mary looked at Isabelle with her eyes suddenly watering. "Thank you, your highness!" Mary dropped to her knees and bowed her head low.
"Mary, for goodness sake, get up." Isabelle pulled Mary up by her hand.
"You saved my mother from the fire."
"It's nothing, Mary. I just did what was right."
Mary hugged Isabelle tightly.
"You didn't have to. But you did."
"Mary, please."
Mary moved a step away, laughing and wiping her tears.
"I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't touch the princess…"
"No, that's not a bother, Mary." Isabelle shook her head. "I just really do not need your thanks. I couldn't let Mrs Geraldine get hurt. I just did what was right. It deserves no thanks."
"We realised once you were gone that we didn't know who you were." A man who Mary called by the name Steven spoke to Isabelle. "And you did so much to save our lot."
"Steven, this is our princess." Mary stopped crying the happy tears and said in a formal tone.
"Oh yes, you were crowned the Princess of the People during the winter fair!" Steven recognised her.
"Well, yes." Mary nodded. "But she is the real princess too."
"Shush, Mary." Isabelle looked worried. She didn't know what the people will do once they learn her to be the Galborian princess they all must've hated.
"But why, your highness?" Mary raised her brows. "They should know who you are."
"No, they…" Isabelle went pale.
"Your highness, is anything a matter?" Matilda chipped in with concern.
"I'm just worried that not everyone will be happy to know who I am." Isabelle mumbled to Matilda.
"They absolutely will be!" Mary said with confidence.
"I'm not certain if I understand." Steven spoke to Mary.
"It her highness, princess of Ariadna. She's his highness's wife."
"Oh my, your highness!" Steven bowed deeply which drew a few people's attention.
"What brings you to the city?" Mary asked kindly.
"I am in search of some herbs. I was going to the botanist and the healer to see if they have them in stock."
"I see." Mary nodded. "I hope that you find what you need."
"I hope so. I hope to see you soon. Farewell, Mary."
Isabelle hurried away, blushing in embarrassment.
Matilda led her to the right shops but she had no luck finding the anise hyssop with the healer or a botanist but the latter suggested that she might find someone up North of the country, hours of horse ride away. The botanist managed to find her some dried leaves and roots of the dandelion.
Defeated, Isabelle walked back to the castle with Matilda.
Matilda excused herself when Isabelle hid away in one of the rooms, with a bunch of books, where she hoped to find an alternative to the plants she needed.
"Good afternoon, Isabelle." Samuel appeared in the doorway.
"Good afternoon, Samuel." Isabelle was surprised to see him. He entered the room without much of an invitation.
"Are you here to lecture me too?" Isabelle looked down and her cheeks reddened in frustration.
"No." Samuel shook his head. "Actually, I was very impressed with you yesterday."
"Impressed?" Isabelle's head sprung up.
"You can ride bareback."
"Ahh, yes." Isabelle was disappointed that this was what Samuel was impressed with.
"Besides, you did good." He walked towards her and stood on the opposite side of the desk she was using. "What's the matter?"
"I am trying to get a plant but it seems that the only place I might get it is a few hours of horse ride away."
"Okay." Samuel didn't understand what the problem was. "Do you want to send someone or…?"
"Send someone?" Isabelle looked back up at him from the book. "No, not really. In ideal scenario I would have gone myself."
"Then go."
"I'm already out of grace."
"I'll cover for you if need be. Take one of the guards with you so you're safe. Maybe two."
"Are you sure?" Isabelle opened her eyes wide.
"You want a plant, you get that plant. Seems simple enough. What plant even is it?"
"Anise hyssop."
"Whatever do you need it for?"
"Cassian." Isabelle said quietly. "He had a bad cough this morning. It's quite likely that it's making his injury worse."
"I'm sure he'll appreciate it." Samuel smiled encouragingly. "Go ahead of you wish or send someone to get it."
Isabelle nodded as she quickly started tidying the books away.
"By the way, where was Cassian after breakfast?" Isabelle asked as she remembered Annette walking into the royal quarters earlier in the morning.
"Switching between his study and a gathering room, as per usual. Why?"
"Nothing. At least not yet." Isabelle furrowed her brows in a deep thought.
"Is something else bothering you?"
"Many things, actually. But I need to deal with one thing at a time."
"Smart choice."
Isabelle waved goodbye to Samuel and rushed through the castle. Samuel send the guard towards her which helped her immensely. They've set off on the way not long after, with Isabelle mounting Midnight, fully equipped this time.