Rhea was sinking, choked by the endless blue of a vast ocean. She had been going to the depths below for what felt like an eternity. She found it odd, that though she was drowning, she could not feel most of her body: not the water which filled her lungs, not the taste of salt on her tongue, and not even the urge to breathe. Yet, she could see. Visions of her, as a beast that stalked the night, always hungry, always filled with bloodlust.

The princess could only watch as the bloodthirsty beast ravaged through its helpless victims. She felt a wrenching pain in her gut, and she wanted to scream, but no sound could leave her mouth. The sight was ghastly, and Rhea couldn't bear to look away, even as the beast continued to shred through the flesh and bones of anyone in its path. The sounds of the beast's victims filled the waters surrounding the princess, their wails and cries echoing in her ears.

It was numbing. At some point, the princess no longer felt disturbed by the visions she saw, by the cacophony of screeches ringing in her eardrums. It all became white noise to her numbed senses. Slowly but surely, the princess began to accept her fate, feeling resigned to the idea that this would be her existence until her consciousness inevitably faded into nothingness. The weight of hopelessness settled in her chest like an anchor, dragging her down further into the abyss.

However, when Rhea saw Remuria through the beast’s eyes, she began to hope once again. The princess’s faithful attendant had transformed into her demonic form. Rhea saw as the beast seemed wary of Remuria, it did not attack her immediately like it had done so many times before. Steadily, Rhea watched as the beast was beaten back by Remuria, until finally, it was pinned and screeching underneath Remuria’s blade,

Rhea didn’t care if the beast dying would end her life too. She was beyond grateful that one way or the other, she would be freed of her burden of inaction. She would finally be relieved of her torture, she would finally be able to rest. Thank you, Remuria, the princess thought to herself, as she conceded to whatever fate had in store for her.

***

At some point, Rhea's consciousness broke free from the waters that once suffocated her. Gradually, she began to register the softness of her bed beneath her. As she lay there, mind adrift between the waking world and her dreams, she became aware of a gentle, comforting touch on her head. Fingers trailed softly through her hair, tracing the contours of her scalp. Though she was still too drowsy to open her eyes, Rhea felt a great sense of tranquility. There was only one person who could give her peace and comfort: someone whose touch she knew so well that it felt like a part of her own being.

“Remuria, is that you?” Rhea's voice strained slightly as she spoke.

“Yes, it's me. How are you feeling?”

“Terrible,” Rhea replied, her voice weak.

“Then you should rest,” Remuria urged.

“I killed all those people, didn’t I?”

“It wasn’t you, Rhea. You couldn’t control yourself.”

Rhea's voice trembled as she spoke, “I... I saw everything that happened. It was like a terrible dream that would never end. You’re right that I couldn’t act, but still, it doesn’t feel right.”

“That Thing wasn’t you, it was a monster, nothing less, nothing more.”

“But it was also me!” Rhea shouted out, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Rhea, what’s done is done. There is nothing you can do to change the past. You need to look forward. After all, isn't that what's fit for a member of the royal family?” Remuria said as she rested her right hand gently on Rhea's shoulder, trying to calm the princess.

“I suppose you’re right, Remuria,” Rhea replied, her voice filled with uncertainty.

Remuria looked at Rhea with a gentle expression, trying to ease her discomfort. “Now, let’s move on for now, is there anything I could do for you to make you feel better?” she asked with a soft voice.

"My shoulders do feel rather stiff. Do you think you could massage them for me?"

"Of course," Remuria replied, shifting her position to reach Rhea's tense muscles. As she settled her fingers on the princess's back, she began to apply steady, firm pressure, skillfully kneading the knots she found there.

"You're way too good at this," Rhea muttered out, her voice softening as she relaxed into Remuria's ministrations. She felt her muscles gradually loosen under the skilled hands of her attendant, her tension and pain slowly melting away.

Remuria looked at Rhea, her eyes gleaming mischievously. "You are looking rather helpless at the moment. A would-be assassin would relish this chance," she joked.

Rhea giggled softly, "Like you would let an assassin get anywhere near me."

Remuria ran a finger down Rhea's spine, causing the princess to shudder with pleasure. "You're right, only I am allowed to see you like this," she whispered.

Rhea closed her eyes and savored the sensation of Remuria's touch. "Consider it your reward for your dutiful service," she murmured.

Remuria smiled, "oh believe me, I do," she said softly.

“I love you, you’re the best.” Rhea mumbled dozily.

Remuria paused as her heart filled with warmth at Rhea's words. She stopped her fingers and looked at the princess with a blush creeping up her cheeks. "I...I love you too, Rhea," she stuttered. "Um...Rhea?" But the princess had already drifted off to sleep, snoring softly.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Remuria felt a pang of disappointment, but she knew there would be other opportunities to express her feelings. For now, she contented herself with tucking the princess in and planting a gentle kiss on her forehead.

As Rhea's consciousness slowly returned, she was first greeted by an exquisite aroma that permeated the air. The scent was so deliciously tempting that it stirred her senses. When she slowly opened her eyes, she saw an impeccable bedside breakfast that had been arranged by Remuria. The dish consisted of succulent lamb blood sausages, accompanied by a side of red-tinted noodles which were infused with blood. Her attendant had adjusted the meal to suit her altered palate. Remuria, with a gentle smile on her face, was preparing a pot of chamomile tea on a separate table, ready to deliver it to Rhea's bedside as soon as she wished.

“I hope the food is to your liking, Rhea.”

“This looks amazing! And hopefully I can actually eat it this time, I’ve missed your cooking.”

“All we can do is hope.” Remuria said with a chuckle.

When Rhea took her first bite of her food, she was delighted to find that she could appreciate the taste of cooking once more. Though the princess’s tongue is now only suitable to taste blood, Remuria had managed to incorporate enough blood to sate Rhea’s needs.

“So, how is it this time?”

With a contented sigh, Rhea set down her fork and turned to Remuria. "This is exquisite," she said, "I'm so glad I can at least eat some of the foods you make now."

Remuria's smile was warm and genuine. "You and I both," she replied.

As Rhea continued to eat, her mind drifted to the questions that had been nagging at her. With a sense of resolve, she set down her fork and looked up at Remuria. "Can I ask you something?" she said.

Remuria paused. She took a deep breath before responding. "Of course, Rhea. What would you like to know?"

Rhea steeled herself for the inevitable surge of emotions that would follow her question. She knew that asking about her own death would be difficult for Remuria. The princess took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, before finally summoning the courage to speak.

"What happened after I died?" Rhea asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Remuria hesitated, trying to find the right words to convey what she needed to say without causing Rhea to fall into despair. "After your apparent death, all charges against you were dropped and preparations for your funeral began."

Rhea nodded, her eyes locked on Remuria's face. "Continue please."

"King Hadaron and Queen Phaedra promoted me to head butler and Sir Falkner was given a sizable plot of land for his service," Remuria said.

Rhea's mind reeled as she processed the information. "I see." After a moment of silence, she gathered the courage to ask one more question. "Did you know that I was actually alive?"

Remuria's eyes widened in surprise. "No, I was not aware, Rhea. I genuinely thought you had died. It was hard to think otherwise after what I saw."

“What of my time as the Night Terror?” Rhea asked.

“I had heard rumors, but at first I dismissed them as local folklore, then some of the other servants in the castle began to disappear.”

“Did you ever suspect that the Night Terror could have been me, Remuria? Please be honest.”

“I… I had the inklings of doubt at the back of my mind. I actually did try to use clairvoyance to search for you, but it did not yield results, so I continued to assume you were dead.”

"I’m sorry for worrying you Remuria.”

“It is fine, what matters is that you’re here now.”

“Apologies, but I have one last question to ask, Remuria," Rhea said, her tone hesitant.

Remuria turned her head to face her, her eyebrows raised. "What is it?"

"How did you restore me back to how I am now?"

Remuria's chest tightened as she tried to come up with an answer. She had hoped that Rhea wouldn't ask, but her piercing gaze made her reconsider. "I made a bargain with the deathbringer," she finally blurted out.

"Vhael?" Rhea asked, her eyes widening in surprise.

"That's correct," Remuria confirmed, trying to keep her voice steady.

"What did you offer to the harbinger?" Rhea asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

Remuria hesitated before responding, unsure of how to explain her deal with Vhael. "Nothing," she said finally, hoping to downplay the situation.

"Nothing? Doesn't he always ask for a price?" Rhea's eyes widened in disbelief.

"He usually does, yes," Remuria said, averting Rhea’s gaze.

"And he didn't this time?" Rhea pressed on.

Remuria shook her head, "No, but let's not worry about that now. We need to focus on your claim to the Ishgrian throne."

Rhea knew that Remuria was hiding something, but the princess did not want to pry much further. She always trusted that Remuria had her best interests in mind, and if her attendant wished to keep her lips sealed, so be it.

“Alright, if you insist.” Rhea said with a furrowed brow. “Though to be frank, I’m not sure on what my next course of action should even be.”

"In that case, perhaps receiving a divination would serve you well." Remuria explained.

Remuria's suggestion caught Rhea off guard, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "Divination? I don't recall anyone in the kingdom who can perform such a task," Rhea said with a puzzled expression.

Remuria nodded. "You are correct, which is why we will not visit any temples."

Rhea caught on quickly. "I see where you're going with this. The prophet?"

Remuria confirmed Rhea's suspicion with another nod. "That is correct."

"The prophet is an enigmatic figure. They aren't known to hand out divinations so freely," Rhea said.

"It's still worth a chance. Who knows? We may receive some other form of enlightenment or blessing instead if we can convince them to aid us." Remuria said.

Rhea pondered for a moment, weighing her options. "I suppose you are right. In that case, let us prepare. We have a prophet to see."