Bath
She sat still in the warm cozy bath as Ana brushed her back gently. The sweet scent of her soap calmed her and for a moment, she forgot someone like Haeden existed in her life.
"Have the people left?" She asked.
"No, My lady. I'm sure they'll leave very soon. You don't have to worry".
"I'm not worried". She said immediately. She didn't want to be honest with herself. She knew Ana could see right through her because she'd been her maid since she was little. Ana was the closest person to her and the only person she could trust.
"Ana, Do you also think I'm a monster?" She asked even though she knew Ana would say no. She only wanted to hear it from someone apart from the voice in her head.
"What? No My lady! You're not anything close to it. The people blaming you for everything are just being ignorant. It's not your fault this is happening to you". Ana quickly said. Saeria was sure she'd been waiting for her to ask. "You're the last person anyone should blame. They should be thanking you because you're leaving your kingdom to a strange one for the sake of everyone's safety".
Saeria almost smiled. Ana seemed to be right. Those were what she wanted to hear and the turmoil in her tummy seemed to still for a bit.
"You're even a goddess". She added, packing up her white hair from the water as she laughed.
"You know how many people I'd have killed if i was?" She laughed, swearing her cheeckbones cracked as she did.
"You should be. I've searched every book in the kingdom but I still can't find the theory behind your hair turning white when it touches water". She continued.
Saeria heaved heavily. There used to be a time when she'd beat herself up and call herself a witch because of her hair. Her father didn't know about her hair and she had no plans of telling him. Ana was the only one who knew and it scared her at first. She tried asking her younger siblings but they laughed and asked her why their hair would turn into another colour in water. She was the only one in her family and it scared her to death. Even her dead mother didn't have two hair colours.
"It must have been from my great grandmother or something. Only if mother was alive". She heaved again as she set the foam on the water apart with her arms. "Do you think I'll ever leave this house?" She asked instinctively.
"Of course. I'm sure he'll still come for you". She paused. "And if he doesn't, you'll go to him".
"Go to him?" Saeria turned her head, looking up at her.
Ana nodded slowly, wondering if she had said something wrong.
Saeria slowly turned to the water, staring at her reflection as her thought ran wild. "Do you think it's okay to go to him?"
"You might end up going to him". She stopped washing her hair. "I don't think it's okay to say this....but I think the people are voting His Lord out of the palace".
"What?"
"I heard from one of the maids. They're giving the king a hard time and he has ordered His Lord to shut the people up in a week. He's close to losing his rank in the palace".
Saeria's blood drained from her face and the warm water she was in suddenly turned cold. Her eyes spun for a second and her throat suddenly didn't know how to bring out words. Was her father going to take the head for a decision the king made? How could the king do that?
"Where is father?" Saeria started stepping out of the water, her hair turning brown as she did.
"No, My lady. He doesn't want you to know. I don't think it's best if you let him know that you know".
Saeria stood still for a moment, her chest rising and falling. Her fist tightened firmly and her sharp nails had began to make its way into her skin. The problem was her. The reason everything was happening was her and her family would fall apart miserably if she continued to stay. She had to leave.
Since her groom—she couldn't call him her husband—decided not to come for her, she was going to do it the other way round.
"Pack our bags. We're leaving".
Ana's eyes fell out of her eyes.