It was only one more day until the designated time of the duel. Rather than making any sort of last-minute preparations, Remuria decided to spend the day with the princess. Rhea sat within a luxurious wooden gazebo in the royal gardens. The gazebo's design featured carefully carved wooden beams and pillars, each depicting legendary beasts of Ishgrian myth. The interior was spacious, with intricate lattice work and drapes, many showcasing aspects of either the Ishgrian gods or symbols of Ishgrian heroes past. Though the sun’s rays were not bearable for the princess, she still enjoyed the view of the various flowers and exotic plants which the royal family had gathered throughout the ages.
Remuria slowly walked towards the princess with a silver tray in her hands. On it sat a delicate teapot and matching tea cups. Rhea's eyes lit up as she recognized her favorite blend of chamomile tea. The steam from the teapot wafted towards her nose, the soothing scent comforting her mind. She gave Remuria an enthusiastic wave, grateful for some company.
“Did I keep you waiting, Rhea?”
“Not at all, please, take a seat.”
Remuria gave a nod to Rhea and sat across from her. The butler poured tea for the princess, who reciprocated with a smile.
“Thank you, Remuria, you should have some of this tea as well.” Rhea said as she took a cup of tea near her lips, enjoying the aromatic fragrance of the beverage.
“I’ll help myself then.” Remuria replied as she poured a cup of tea for herself as well.
From the gazebo, Rhea could see the castle she called home in all its glory. It was an imposing structure, with walls and towers that rose high to the clouds above. Rhea would normally be content with admiring the rich architecture of the castle, yet, a sense of worry had wormed its way to her mind, preventing her from relaxing completely.
“So, how are you feeling, Remuria?” Rhea asked, her face appearing somewhat tense.
Remuria gave a reassuring smile before replying, “I’m doing fine, if it’s the duel you’re worried about, I wouldn’t be so concerned if I were you.”
“I know you’re capable, but Sir Falkner is Ishgria's best knight, it’s hard to not be concerned,” Rhea responded, her expression still anxious.
Remuria's eyes shone with confidence as she said, "I can take him. Trust me, I won't let you down."
Rhea's pout deepened slightly. "I just can't help worrying about you. You're important to me."
"I'll promise you that I will win, in fact, you should be thinking about what to do after I do win."
"I suppose that's a good problem to have.”
As they sat in the gazebo, Rhea eventually opened up to Remuria. "I haven't quite adjusted to this new body of mine."
Remuria's brows furrowed with concern. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"The sun," Rhea said, looking down. "I wasn't the biggest outdoors person, yet now the sun's rays feel as if they are draining my vitality."
Remuria nodded in understanding. "Is that why you chose to sit in the gazebo rather than take your usual walks?"
Rhea nodded back. "You read my mind."
In truth, the princess had noticed many changes to her body since her rebirth. She had developed a thirst for blood that she could not ignore, and the sun's rays now seemed to sear her skin, weakening her during the day. Despite these changes, however, Rhea was determined to venture out into the gardens while the sun was still out. It was a place of comfort for the princess since childhood, one of the few places she went to whenever she sought refuge from whatever troubled her mind.
“I just hope the people won’t react harshly to my new appearance.” Rhea said with a sigh, looking down on her ghastly pale arms.
“Once we clear your name, it shouldn’t be difficult trying to convince the public of your virtues.”
“Perhaps, but Ishgria is under difficult times, no?”
“I’ve heard from the other servants that there have been widespread droughts in the countryside, some people have taken to the streets to demand grain.” Remuria explained, taking time to refill Rhea’s cup with more tea.
“I wonder what the gods are doing in such times, I’m sure they have received no shortage of prayers from the hungry and needy.” Rhea pondered aloud.
“Who knows, perhaps they’re too busy with their own affair in the heavens above.” Remuria said with a shrug.
“Still, isn’t it in their interest to keep their worshippers happy?”
“I’m not sure, I haven’t been the most devout person if I’m honest.”
“The dutiful and stoic Remuria isn’t a pious devotee of the gods? Scandalous!” Rhea exclaimed in a sarcastic tone, as she pressed her right hand to her forehead, pretending to faint in an overexaggerated manner.
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“Careful, Rhea, that kind of rhetoric could cause trouble for me.” Remuria said back in a half joking manner, her hand brushing against Rhea’s.
“Oh please, anyone who dares try anything with you is going to have to go through me first.” Rhea said proudly.
The two continued to converse underneath the Gazebo for hours, discussing Ishgrian life and how the kingdom fared compared to its neighbors. The Ishgrian monarchy had a reputation for implementing progressive policies that sought to improve the lives of its citizens. King Hadaron was determined to build a formidable military force, so he made admittance into military academies free for all across the land, so long as those who attend such academies signed contracts to serve the military for a minimum of three years upon graduation.
Queen Phaedra, on the other hand, had a different agenda. She was a patron of the arts and literature, and wanted to see Ishgria become a cultural center. To this end, she promoted the construction of public libraries in nearly all city centers and even some larger villages. These libraries were stocked with books and manuscripts that extolled the virtues of the Ishgrian Monarchy.
Despite the fact that these policies were not motivated purely by altruism, they had a positive impact on the kingdom. Signing up to study in an Ishgrian military academy did force one to commit to serve, yet, it was also seen by many as a way to guarantee employment for their sons and daughters. Similarly, the expansion of public libraries meant more and more people became literate, as parents could more easily teach their children how to read. People from all walks of life were drawn to Ishgria, hoping to trade, learn new trades or professions, or simply even just to study culture and history.
Rhea herself recounted how she had no shortage of tutors from foreign lands throughout her life. Even though the King and Queen did not care much for her, part of her admired the work that the two monarchs had done.
“As much as I hate them, the king and queen have done much good in terms of governance.” Rhea sighed out.
“Need I remind you that it was them who brought me to your attention?” Remuria said with a smirk, her eyes twinkling mischievously.
Rhea’s eyes widened with a sudden realization. “Right! I could have sworn that you had been born and raised here in the castle with me all this time.” She said, letting out a chuckle.
“I wish. Did you remember when I first came to the castle?”
Rhea paused, trying to recollect the memory. “Yeah, of course I do. Just uh… give me a moment.” She said, furrowing her brows in concentration.
“I’m waiting.”
“Ok fine. I don’t actually remember that much, all I knew was that you had come from a small kingdom far removed from Ishgria.”
“That’s correct, I was brought here by my uncle to be left in the king and queen’s care.”
“You were brought here to be a servant?”
“Yes, I was the one who requested it, actually.” Remuria said with a small smile, pouring more tea for herself.
Rhea’s curiosity was piqued. “How come?” She asked eagerly.
“That story, I’ll save for another day.”
“Boo, you always say that when things get interesting.” Rhea pouted.
“Patience is a virtue, Rhea.” Remuria said with a soft smile.
Rhea let out a sigh, rolling her eyes at Remuria’s response. “Fine. I suppose you’re right.”
The sun was close to resting for the day, casting a soft, amber light over the sprawling gardens. The carefully tended beds of flowers of the garden seemed to come alive in the glow of the setting sun. As the light of day began to fade, the princess felt her vitality return to her, the darkening skies empowering her.
"Care to join me for a walk, Remuria?" Rhea's voice broke through the tranquility, as she extended a hand to Remuria.
"Of course," Remuria replied, taking Rhea's hand and falling into step beside her.
***
As day transitioned into night, Rhea returned to her bed chamber. Despite the late hour, the princess remained awake, tossing and turning on her bed. She felt confused, as she couldn't quite pinpoint why she was unable to fall asleep. She continued to lay on her bed for several hours, staring up at the ceiling, trying to make sense of the restlessness that had taken hold of her.
Frustrated by her inability to sleep, Rhea sat up and reached for a book on her nightstand. Her book of choice was a collection of Ishgrian folktales and myths, a favorite subject of the princess, one she had fond memories of since childhood. If I can't sleep, I might as well enjoy myself. The princess thought to herself.
Hours passed as Rhea lost herself in her book. She turned page after page, until she reached a tale that drew her in more than any other. The story was about a young boy who was belligerent to their parents and ran away from the family farm when he just came of age. The child eventually came across an old witch who offered the child a sack full of gold coins. The boy was eager to accept, but the witch demanded that the child do something for her first. She asked the child if she could have a small taste of their blood, promising to give him the gold in return.
Blinded by greed, the boy accepted the witch’s offer. The story then describes how the witch gave a wicked smile, before plunging a dagger into the boy’s heart, however, the boy did not die. Instead, he slowly warped and transformed into a twisted version of his original form. Though the boy still appeared roughly humanoid, his fingers now ended with scything talons, and his eyes glinted a bright scarlet: hungry for the taste of blood. The boy had now become the Night Terror, a monster destined to stalk the night for all eternity.
So much hassle for such a simple message. Rhea thought to herself, breathing out a sigh. Despite her mixed feelings about the story, it did help her to pass time, enough so that the princess thought it would be worth trying to sleep once more. As Rhea tried to settle into her bed, she couldn't help but notice that her bedchamber appeared to be unusually bright. Her gaze wandered around the room, checking the candles, but they were all extinguished, and it appeared they had been for quite some time. She rubbed her eyes, trying to make sense of what she was seeing, but the brightness persisted.
Suddenly, a voice spoke, jolting Rhea out of her confusion, saying only one word: Sleep. The princess spun around, searching for the source of the sound, but she was alone in the room. Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to make sense of what was happening.
“Who said that?” she asked aloud, her voice shaky. But there was no response. Once again, the voice spoke, more insistent this time. Sleep. it repeated, and Rhea felt a strange compulsion to obey. Her eyelids grew heavy, and she felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. Within seconds, she collapsed onto her bed and fell into a deep slumber.