Sometime after breakfast, I made my way to my father’s office. When I got there I discovered that my eldest brother, Eleden, was with him with the other scribes.

“Estelia, what brings you here?” my brother asked.

“Just have something to tell Father. Are you here to help him?”

“Yes. Given that Lucious left for the time being, father and I decided to merge our job for now.”

After the death of his uncle, Lucious left to return to his household to grieve with their family. It might take more or less than a month for him to return. As for the funeral, would be sooner than expected given the state of Marquis Vekenas’s corpse, or they would just seal the coffin tight. It’s up to them.

Nobles would be invited to the funeral. As for the royal family, we all don’t need to go. For example, the monarchs can’t just go out of the city for a funeral, dangerous. The least we could do was send a royal child.

I don’t think I would be able to attend. I would be busy. Mostly depend on the time of the funeral and my activities.

“Father also ordered my help in checking the flow of goods… Which is a sudden pile of work,” he added as he looked at father with a somewhat annoyed expression.

Father merely smiled. “It is an important job, my son.”

“Yes, of course...”

“So, daughter?”

“Ah yes, I am here to tell you that I will be visiting Allie.”

“Now? Just visit?”

“Yes, to check on her.”

“...Alright sure. I have already told the knights what you requested yesterday, so you need only speak with the guards.”

“Thank you, father.”

“Just… um, be prepared for what you may see,” he said with concern.

“Of course.”

I think I know what he was talking about. My visit was quite sudden, so they must have yet to make her quite ‘presentable.’ Well, I did say she was to be under my jurisdiction and I didn’t say anything yet about what to do with her. But given Father’s reaction, she must be the way she was.

“Estelia, you’re visiting your former chef? The one that almost killed you?”

I slowly turned to my brother. “Yes…”

“I would like to come with you.”

“Eleden, what are you thinking of doing?” my father asked, a bit of sternness in his voice.

“... Father… I just want to see something. I would pretty much like to come with Estelia.”

“Being stubborn now…?” father lowered his gaze, contemplating. “Fine, see what you want to see. And I hope you get to learn something.”

“...” Eleden didn’t respond but merely bowed his head before facing me. “Let’s go, Estelia.”

“Uh, y-yes.”

I left the room and together we walked down the hallway, my servants following behind us. I turned a curious look at Eleden.

“Brother, why do you want to come with me?”

He looked at me as if hesitating to answer. “... I want to confirm something…”

“What is it?”

“I have been meaning to see this former chef of yours… Mainly to check how she is being treated as a lone prisoner.”

Ah crap. Dammit. I didn’t have the chance to deny him, everything just happened. Father didn’t even try to stop him.

He continued. “Father has been keeping me from doing so.”

“I see.”

Fuck, whatever, do whatever you want brother. Just don’t intervene with my business.

When we reached the first floor, I stopped and turned to look at Mera.

“Mera, the cuisine I had the kitchen made, bring it.”

Mera bowed her head and left for the kitchen. Eleden gave me a curious look.

“Are you giving it to your former chef?”

“Yes… I just think that she might appreciate food from the royal chef for once after being in her prison cell for such a long time.”

“I see… She certainly wouldn’t have any good food to eat in there.”

It took a while, but Mera returned with a covered tray in her hands. Afterward, we made our way to our destination.

Moments later, we arrived at the dungeon entrance, a pair of guards stationed at the door. They straightened themselves as they greeted me with a smile, add to that my brother of course.

“Princess Estelia, Prince Eleden, how may we help you?”

“I am here to see the prisoner,” I replied.

The two knights looked at each other before one responded to me. “Of course, princess. We’ll take you to her.”

They opened the metal door with a loud creak of metal. The smell of air from the inside came to my face, I wrinkled my nose slightly. Dusty and grimy. Like any other unsanitized prison.

“Please be careful with your steps, princess. And I apologize, but everything is dirty.”

“That is fine. Let us go.”

“Yes.”

With the knights taking the lead, I stepped inside.

***

She clasped her shoulders, sitting at a corner, her knees by her muddy and dirty face. Her lips were dry, her hair sticky and grimy. The cell was cold and smelled foul, one she had been enduring for a very long, long time. She slowly breathed as she stared emptily at the dreary floor.

She heard footsteps echoing across the corridor. They stopped right before the metal bars, there was a click and the door loudly opened with a metallic creak.

Then, a voice spoke in an ever so familiar stern tone.

“Allie Jelimis, her highness, Princess Estelia, wishes to speak with you.”

She twitched slightly at the mention of that name. One she remembered so brightly, so pure and wholesome. One that treated her kindly and sweetly. One that she attempted… to kill. She hesitated to gaze at that person, fear crawling into her heart.

Indeed, she carried regrets.

Even so, knowing that kind princess was here to meet her, brought a tiny amount of relief. Along with it curiosity.

Allie slowly looked up when a single footstep stopped close to her. And she saw her, that ever so sweet and kind face… But now looking at Allie with concern. It pained her heart to see the one she attempted to kill still showed concern for her.

The guilt was eating her, she didn’t want to see her. The princess was like the sun, one she cannot endure gazing, lest she would be blind.

The princess slowly kneeled down before her, the edge of her dress darkened on the dirty floor. Nobles should have not been willing to do so, but she didn’t seem to mind. There was pain in the princess’s eyes.

“Allie…” the princess whispered so softly before slowly reaching for her. However, Allie recoiled and turned away her face.

She was afraid for the guilt to grow. If the princess touches her, she was certain that with the guilt she was now feeling after all that suffering… she would suffer once again. She didn’t want that, never again. How she would give her hands away just to save herself from torment.

Stay away… please… please.

She begged within her mind, as she could not bring herself to speak. However, she felt the gentle touch from the princess even still. Her extremely clean fingers were now smeared with her grime. The princess slowly turned Allie’s head until they were looking at each other.

Allie slightly trembled.

The princess did not smile, but her gaze remained so tender. Then her gaze shifted away toward her servants. Aside from the knights guarding the dungeon, there was that familiar maid, the personal maid of the princess, one that Allie had made acquaintance with. Then the other was a man Allie did not recognize.

“Water...” the princess said.

The man picked up a glass of water from Mera’s tray and gave it to the princess. The princess returned her tender gaze toward Allie.

“Drink.”

The princess slowly extended her hand. Allie hesitated, but in the end opened her mouth and drank the water from the cup in the princess’s hand. Thirsty as she was, she did not pause drinking. The water was so tasteful, extremely tasteful. Delicious.

Her dry throat now felt a little better, and her tongue felt more energized. Allie savored the taste of plain water. Every last drop she could have.

When none was left, she couldn’t help but feel dejected.

“... There is more, but, let’s clean your face first, okay?” said the princess.

The princess was given a wet piece of cloth, which she used to gently wipe the grime off Allie’s cheek. Allie was confused as to why was the princess doing this. But this time, she did not resist. That was because everything felt so pleasant.

She had not felt this much peace in a long time. The sensation as the princess wipe her face was soothing. Allie gazed at the princess’s face, to her eyes. She was so lost in the moment that she had forgotten the other people that came with her. But in this world with the princess alone, it made her forget all the suffering, the loneliness, the cold… the doubts, and abandonment.

Which that had been lost in darkness, has found its light.

The princess’s touch halted when she was done cleaning Allie’s face. After returning the cloth, she rubbed her hands on her dress and received a bowl from Mera. A soup still steaming just a little.

“I have prepared a soft food, your stomach might not take well to any other kind.”

The princess scooped a spoonful and offered it to Allie.

“Eat.”

And Allie did. The sensation of decent food filled her with vigor. Never have food tasted more delicious. Tears began welling up in her eyes. She wanted to hold them back but they would not stop. She couldn’t help it.

But the princess gently wiped her tears with her hand. Allie looked at her, she saw a smile. Small, and yet a beautiful and peace-bringing smile.

The princess fed her. Then gave her water when she seemed to need it. And continued feeding her until the bowl was empty.

Allie’s belly was full. The first she had felt after so long.

The princess gave the empty bowl back to her servants and then returned her gentle gaze to Allie. She raised her hand and slowly patted Allie’s head.

“I hope that this helped you, at least for a little.”

Allie’s chest grew warm, life growing. The princess’s touch was so soothing, so peaceful as if she was sent by the gods to save her from her torment.

However, the princess stood up and began stepping away. Allie’s eyes widened as she gazed desperately at the princess, her hand lifted a little as if attempting to reach out to her. But before she knew it, the door of her cell closed and locked again.

Her only light was now standing on the other side, and Allie was left behind. The princess smiled at her before walking away.

“Uh…” Allie tried calling out, but her light had already vanished.

And now, she was left here once again in this dreary dark cell. Left alone to suffer in solitude. Tears fell down from her eyes.