Matilda, keeping a close eye on Elestria, pulled her into a gentle hug while her hands patted her back softly over her thin cotton dress.
In a soft, motherly tone, Matilda said, "My child, it's okay; don't worry, everything will be fine. But for now, you can't go outside.".
Elestria, after being hugged by this motherly figure, felt the warmth and comfort that her body was in desperate need of, causing her body to stiffen. She missed her mother terribly and her tender kisses on her forehead. Her hands trembled aimlessly; she didn't know where to keep them, so she let them hang like a dead body by her side and didn't hug Matilda back.
Stepping back while holding Elestria's shoulder, Matilda continued, "You can call me Aunt Matilda; your mother was like a sister to me." Her voice caught in her throat for a moment, but she quickly composed herself. Matilda knew in her heart that she couldn't let herself be vulnerable right in front of this heartbroken girl.
Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, Elestria nodded her head timidly.
Matilda held Elestria's hand while guiding her towards a small mirror placed near the bedside table and urged her to "look into the mirror once.".
Elestria was confused about why she was being asked to look into the mirror and stood before it. As soon as her eyes landed on her reflection, a heavy gasp escaped her lips, causing her to question, "Who's that?".
Unaware of the fact that it was her own reflection whom she was staring at, Matilda responded, "Look carefully; it's you.".
Elestria, grappling with disbelief, slowly raised her hand to touch just below her eyes.
A wave of confusion swept across her whole body. She questioned herself, 'What just happened to me? My eyelashes... have turned pale white?'
Her trembling hand moved to her hair, her heart pounding against her chest. She clenched her hands on her chest as her breathing hitched. The fear of another panic attack threatening to take hold once again, she mumbled to herself, "Why? Why do I look like this? It's not me."
Her eyes shifted towards Matilda, panic evident in her voice as she pointed her fingers at the mirror. "Aunt Matilda, you see, it's not me. This mirror is fake," her voice echoed throughout the room.
Elestria wanted to cry, to let her build up emotions, but her tears refused to fall. She was gripped with the frustration of not being able to shed them. Clutching her own hair in her hands, she fell down on the rough surface while pulling her hair aggressively.
Blood dripped down her knees, painting the soft white carpet in red color. She wanted to get this hair away from her head, these eyes she hates the most. Her beautiful brown eyes, where are they?
"Why is God doing this to me?" she wondered loudly. Why did he take away her mother, and now this, she can't even recognize who she is now. The room was filled with Elestria's desperate pleas.
Matilda sat down beside Elestria, hugging her close to her chest, tears dripping down her cheeks. Elestria clung to Matilda's sweater, fingers digging into the fabric as she repeated, "Everything is fake. It's just a dream. You see, I can't look like this," she choked on her words.
She continued to console Elestria until the storm of emotions subsided. "We need to get you ready for Agatha's funeral, and then you have been called by the crown prince. Don't be too tough on yourself, my child," Matilda urged, her voice breaking at the end.
Elestria, with the lingering ache of her mother's impending funeral, rose from the floor and asked in a soft voice, "Please get me ready." Her throat ached from the heartbreak.
She thought internally that once she bid her mother goodbye, she would leave this place and head straight back to her home after having a word with the prince. She can't let anyone know about her possible appearance changes. She needs to stay strong.
Matilda instructed Elestria to take a seat on the bed as she shuffled towards the old closet. Retrieving some dresses that once belonged to her deceased daughter, Matilda hoped they would fit Elestria just right.
She picked up the dress, placing it gently on the bed beside Elestria.
"My child, let's first change your bandage," Matilda suggested, settling down on the floor. From the bedside table, she pulled out a medical kit. She lifted Elestria's dress just above her knees and began cleaning the wound with a soft touch of cotton.
Elestria observed the old woman, who was now engrossed in tending her wound. A wave of gratitude passed over her entire body. Matilda's touch felt unfamiliar yet comforting, a stark contrast to the love she had known from her mother.
As Matilda finished tending to her wound, Elestria's thoughts swirled with confusion. Why was Matilda being so kind to her? Until now, the only love she had known was from her mother.
The unexpected sense of safety and comfort she felt in Matilda's presence perplexed her. She never imagined feeling this secure with anyone other than her mother.