It was already the following day by the time he woke up. Rumius opened his eyes and took in the unfamiliar environment around him.
His room's beige ceiling and its characteristically wide windows were nowhere to be found. Covering his body were still his own white sheets and around him, his familiar white crib, with its polished white wood, curved edges and baby proof fences that kept him in.
But he was in a different room. His limbs felt heavy and fatigued, his mind weighed heavy with the memory of the events of the night before. Never had he felt such terror and oppression.
Rumius opened his mouth and a wailing sound filled the air, the action coming reflexively and attracting the attention of anyone nearby.
A maid burst into the room before long. She was unfamiliar, but not completely. Rumius recognised her form, although distant, wet and runny, as one of the maids that often attended to his mother. She had been there when Maman had fussed over his attire for the party, and even before that when his mother had summoned him to the dining hall.
" Young master!" She exclaimed. A younger looking maid had appeared behind her, peeking her head in with curiosity.
The older maid spun and gave the younger girl a push, ushering away while barking orders.
" Inform The Mistress that her son is awake! Go! Hurry! GO!"
The young woman stumbled as she ran, her footsteps echoing even on the carpeted floor.
Rumius listened to the sounds recede as a piercing pain suddenly stabbed through his head like a red hot needle making him cry out.
He was still grimacing and holding his head when his Maman arrived. The maid had helped him much by applying an ointment that she had on her person. Her fingers moved delicately and skilfully, massaging the ointment across his head, bringing with it a lingering cold breeze that numbed his pain.
" Baby! Oh my sweet baby!" She cried.
The maid moved away as Reverie enveloped Rumius in a hug. Rumius was grateful for his mother's touch and hugged her back just as fiercely, tears began to well up in his eyes again.
He tried to blink them away but as Maman pulled away, Rumius was sure that they were plain for her to see. If not the tears then his red eyes and if not that, then the sticky fluid that ran in an endless stream from his nose.
A delicate finger from his mother's hand came up and as gentle as a kiss, wiped the tears from his vision as her other hand held a handkerchief to his nose. Her voice was soft with love and caring.
" It's alright. It's all alright now child. Maman is here."
The tender feeling only made him cry more. Tears fell as freely as rain and by the time he was done, his mother's sleeves were drenched in fluids.
" I-I'm so-sorry Maman.." Rumius sniffled, feeling guilty.
His mother only shook her head and rubbed his his, ruffling the small tufts of hair that had begun to grow.
" It's alright. Maman doesn't mind. As long as you are well."
The desperation and fear left with the tears and as the moment passed, Rumius's breathing eased and his mind calmed. His head still ached but it was a boon to not have to not have to feel as if his brains were going to break apart.
He didn't want to continue taking up his Maman's time. She was so busy he knew yet here she was babying him. He had that to apologize for, and so much more. Recollections of the night before flashed in an unpleasant instant through his mind.
Rumius wanted to apologize, but his mother never gave him the chance.
" Are you well enough to eat breakfast yet?" She smiled jokingly, tugging at her dress's chest. But joke sounded heavy, and it lacked the usual energy that his mother infused in her words.
Now that his tears were gone, he could clearly see the dark circles under his mother's eyes, powdered and covered with makeup yet still visible if one looked closely enough.
Another wave of guilt hit him like a battering ram.
' Did she….did I make her stay up all night?'
Rumius looked down.
One of the maids took this chance to get close and whisper something in Reverie's ear. Reverie's face contorted in irritation and whispered something back fiercely. The maid stood her ground and a pained expression appeared on her face.
She looked back at Rumius and reached out to cover his hand with hers.
" Do you want to come with Maman? Maman will show you something fun." Reverie forced herself to sound cheerful for her son.
Rumius's curiosity was piqued, but he didn't want to inconvenience his mother any further.
She was sure to have duties to attend to and meetings to host. She must attend to town councillors and merchants and businessmen and diplomats. She had to manage the city that stretched out below and ensure their livelihoods and those of the people.
She had to be anywhere….anywhere else but here.
But as the thought filled him that Maman was going to leave him, alone again and with his thoughts, a cold blade of fear once more pressed against his neck.
Rumius hand shot out reflexively, grabbing a handful of fabric from his mother's long sleeve. The fabric wrinkled and scrunched in his iron grip, his knuckles white.
He swallowed hard and heard himself say.
" A little longer."
" Please stay with me….just a little longer."
The look in his mother's eyes hardened as she shot a look back towards the maid behind her, daring her to argue.
The maid bowed her head.
" I will try to rearrange your schedule, mistress." Rumius heard her whisper she left.
' Ah..now I've gone and done it.' He thought, not daring to look up into his mother's eyes. He'd made things even worse for his mother now.. and for..'
The thoughts melted away unanswered and unheard as Rumius curled up in his mother's arms. Arms that warmed him as he buried his face in her chest.
This was his little nest and he was safe here. From his thoughts and his demons and that shitty princess or whatever she was.
It was a long time until his mother pulled away. Or at least it felt that way to him. Her hand felt warm on his shoulder as he looked into her amber eyes.
" Are you better now?" He heard and he could feel himself nodding.
Reverie smiled and her hand moved from his shoulder to his head, rubbing it softly.
" Bin hon."( Good boy)
Rumius saw the maid from earlier standing behind his mother. He knew what that meant.
The guilt stung. And it did even harder when he felt how unwilling he was to let her go.
' Godammit stop being so selfish! You're a grown man! Did you actually think you were a baby?"
Rumius forced the words out.
" I'm sorry Maman. I've kept you for too long."
Reverie craned her neck.
" Whats that?"
" I've kept you for too long. You're busy right?" He mumbled, not much louder. But enough for Reverie to hear him.
Reverie placed her hand to her chin and looked back at her maid. Her lips pulled up curiously.
" Anna say…what's my schedule like today?"
Rumius looked up. He could practically taste the playful edge that lined his mother's voice. A insane feeling of hope filled his heart.
The look on the maid's face showed how thoroughly she enjoyed answering the question.
" Mistress, your schedule is empty until past midday. All the prior meetings have been rescheduled to the morrow."
Reverie nodded and turned back to face Rumius.
" You heard her. So… you want to come with Maman to see that fun thing?"
Rumius only realized later whilst walking hand in hand with his Maman down the long hallway outside, how long he'd been smiling.