Elysia woke up early as usual and prepared for her day, she had breakfast quickly and made way to the writing room where her governess was seated waiting for her.
"Good morning, Miss Rebecca." Elysia greeted with a polite smile, as she moved to take a seat opposite the woman. The rays of early afternoon sunlight streamed through the tall windows of the room.
"Good morning, Lady Elysia, I do hope you had a wonderful night rest?" Rebecca asked, her hands placed on her lap.
"I did, thank you. Did you sleep well too?" Elysia inquired, observing the woman's soft features.
"I did too, thank you. You are such a sweet young Lady." Rebecca praised, making Elysia to blush.
Elysia struggled to keep her posture right, as instructed by her governess with shoulders back, chin slightly raised, her hands clasped delicately in her lap.
"Are you listening, Elysia?" Rebecca voice cut through her thoughts, stern but not unkind.
Elysia blinked, nodding quickly. "Yes, of course." She was so focused on her already aching back that she forgot to listen to the woman speak
Rebecca regarded her with a knowing look. "You have come far with these lessons, Are you sure everything is all right? "
There was a silence between them, the sound of birds chirping faintly from outside the window. Elysia hesitated before speaking. "I am alright." Due to the woman's piercing gaze, she now doubted if she was truly alright.
Rebecca's expression softened, and she set down the small cup she had been holding. "You know you can tell me whenever it is that is causing you to think."
Elysia's gaze fell to her hands. "I guess I do miss my family sometimes, and my hometown."
Rebecca stood and moved toward the window, staring out. Her voice was quiet but steady when she spoke. "I believe I have not told the whole truth. I was not always a governess, you know."
This caught Elysia's attention. She looked up, surprised. "You were not?"
Rebecca smiled faintly, her back still to Elysia. "No, as a matter of fact, I used to design dresses for the nobles since a very young age, that was before my father learned of my rebellion and decided to marry me off to a man twice my age."
Elysia blinked in surprise. "And what did you do? You ran away?"
"Not really, I told my family I was leaving." Rebecca chuckled softly. "I made a choice. I chose not to marry, not to live a life where I had no voice. I wanted independence."
Elysia frowned. "But… do you not miss your family?"
Rebecca gaze softened. "I do sometimes Elysia, but this is the life I chose for myself. And I have accepted the consequences that came with it."
Elysia swallowed. "Did they ever contact you since you left your house?"
A sigh escaped Rebecca's lips. "Well, just twice. Once my father sent me a letter of how disappointed he was at me. And the second was from my mother, telling me of my father's passing."
"I am sorry about your loss." Elysia placed her hand on her chest, a sign of sadness.
"Thank you, I have moved on now." Rebecca replied, smiling.
"You are a brave and strong woman Miss Rebecca, I am envious of your strength." Elysia admitted, her eyes on her hands.
Rebecca returned to her seat, this time closer to Elysia. "Strength is not something you are born with, my dear. It is something you gain. And you've already shown incredible strength just by surviving everything you have been through."
The governess took Elysia's hands in hers, a gesture of affection. "You are capable of so much more. But you must believe in yourself, and you must prepare for the opportunity when it comes."
Elysia met Rebecca's gaze. "I have no idea what to do?" she whispered.
"What do you want Elysia?" This was the first time, the governess had called her by her name without adding a title.
Elysia bit her lip, her mind racing. "I-I do not know." Her voice low.
Rebecca's smile was gentle. "Deep within you, you know what you want. You have the chance to decide your fate."
The words hung in the air between them. Elysia felt the tiniest flicker of hope begin to take root in her heart. It was fragile, but it was there.
"Do you think I can really escape this life?" she asked softly.
"Is that what you want my Lady? Do you want to escape this life?" Rebecca's eyes softened.
Elysia looked down at her hands again, imagining what her life could be like if she were free from the confines of her current existence. The idea seemed impossible yet not impossible.
"I wonder what life would be for me outside the palace walls but, the King saved me from being sold as a slave." Elysia explained.
"And do you not think you have been grateful enough?" Rebecca questioned, placing her hands on Elysia's hand.
"I-I,"
"You are still a slave to the King my Lady, not a lowly slave scrubbing the floor but, you are still a slave. Not a free woman." Rebecca said.
A moment of silence passed between them. "I want you to think about all that we have discussed today, put yourself first and think about what you want." The governess added.
Elysia let out a shaky breath, staring at their joined hands. "I will think about it."
Rebecca offered her a warm smile, releasing her hands. "That is all I ask."
The governess rose from her seat, returning to the table where the lesson materials lay. "Now, let us go over the finer points of dining etiquette. A lady must always know how to conduct herself at the table, no matter the company."
Elysia frowned, at how quickly the governess moved back to being a governess, the woman kept surprising her. "More rules?"
"Yes, more rules," Rebecca said, but her tone was lighter too, playful. "And one day, you will thank me for it."