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Chapter 15: Lioras Story

The room was dimly lit, the heavy drapes drawn to block out the midday sun. A cool breeze drifted in from the partially open window, rustling the curtains softly. Eamon lay in his bed, his face pale and eyes half-lidded. His body was wracked with fatigue, the remnants of the strange and overwhelming flashbacks that had seized him days ago. He felt as if he had been torn between two worlds, leaving him weak and disoriented.

Beside him, Liora sat quietly, her eyes fixed on him with a mixture of worry and determination. She had been there since the moment he had collapsed, refusing to leave his side despite the urgings of other servants. In those tense hours, her loyalty had been as steadfast as ever, offering silent support and comfort.

Eamon stirred slightly, blinking against the dim light as he turned his head to face her. "Liora?" His voice was a weak rasp, but there was a firmness in his eyes that suggested his mind was regaining its clarity.

Liora leaned forward, her hand instinctively reaching out to smooth a lock of hair from his forehead. "Yes, Your Highness?" she asked softly.

He studied her for a moment, taking in the way she carried herself—how she always managed to blend into the background yet remained ever-present. She was a constant in his life, and yet, he realized, he knew very little about her beyond her role as his maid.

"You've been here the whole time," he said slowly, his voice gaining a bit of strength. "Watching over me."

She nodded, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Of course, Your Highness. It is my duty."

He shook his head slightly, frowning. "Not just duty. You chose to stay. That means something... something more."

Liora hesitated, not used to being the center of attention in such a manner. She glanced down at her hands, clasped tightly in her lap. "Your Highness has always been kind to me," she said after a moment. "More than most would be."

Eamon's gaze softened. "Liora, we've been through a lot together. You've stood by me and my sisters through everything. But I realize now... I don't know much about you. Not really." He paused, watching her reaction. "Would you tell me about your childhood? And... your relationship with Isolde? I've always wondered how you came to be so close."

Liora bit her lip, clearly uncomfortable with the attention. She shifted slightly in her chair, but Eamon's expectant gaze held her in place. She sighed softly, resigning herself to his curiosity. "I don't know where to start," she admitted.

"Start at the beginning," Eamon encouraged gently. "Whatever you feel comfortable sharing."

She nodded slowly, her gaze distant as she began to speak. "I was born into a family of servants. My parents worked in the castle long before I was born. They were loyal to the royal family, but they were... strict. My father was a stern man, demanding perfection in everything. My mother... she wasn't much kinder. They believed that to serve the royal family was the highest honor, and they wanted me to be perfect at it. There was no room for mistakes."

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Eamon listened intently, sensing the pain behind her words. Liora had always been shy, always hesitant to speak up or assert herself, and now he was beginning to understand why.

"Every day was a lesson in what not to do," she continued, her voice steady but tinged with a sadness that made Eamon's heart ache. "If I was too slow, I was punished. If I spoke out of turn, I was punished. If I smiled at the wrong time, I was punished. It was drilled into me that I was only as good as my service. I... I learned to be quiet, to keep my head down, to avoid notice. It was safer that way."

Eamon's frown deepened. "That's not right," he said softly. "No one should be made to feel like that."

Liora shook her head slightly. "It's how I grew up. It's all I knew. When I was old enough, I was assigned to serve your sister Isolde. At first, I was terrified of making mistakes. Isolde was kind, but I didn't know how to respond to kindness. I kept expecting to be scolded or punished for the smallest things. But she was patient with me. She... she saw me as more than just a servant."

A small, wistful smile crossed Liora's lips as she continued. "She started to teach me things. She showed me that there was more to life than just serving. For a while, I began to believe it. I started to think that maybe I could be more than just an obedient shadow. Isolde became like a sister to me."

"But then something changed," Eamon prompted gently. "I remember there was a time when you seemed more withdrawn, more... lost."

Liora nodded, her eyes clouding with the memory. "My parents noticed that I was becoming more... independent. They didn't like it. They said I was getting ideas above my station. They... they threatened to send me away if I didn't fall back in line. They said Isolde would be better off with a maid who knew her place. I was terrified. The thought of being separated from the only person who had ever shown me kindness was... unbearable."

"So you withdrew," Eamon said softly, understanding dawning on him.

"Yes," Liora whispered. "I distanced myself from Isolde. I went back to being the quiet, obedient servant my parents wanted. It broke my heart, but I thought it was the only way to stay close to her. To stay in the castle. I felt... trapped. I was a lost soul, as you put it."

Eamon felt a surge of anger on her behalf, but he forced himself to remain calm. "But you aren't lost anymore, Liora," he said firmly. "You've come so far since then."

"Only because of you and your sisters," she replied, her voice trembling slightly. "When I was assigned to you, I was terrified all over again. I thought... I thought it would be the same. But you treated me with respect, with kindness. You listened to me, even when I was too scared to speak."

Eamon reached out and took her hand in his. "Liora, you are more than the role others have forced upon you. I want to help you find a path that makes you happy, one where you can be who you truly are without fear."

She looked at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of hope and uncertainty. "But what if I fail?" she whispered. "What if I'm not strong enough?"

"Then we'll try again," Eamon said softly. "Together. You don't have to be perfect. You just have to be you."

Tears welled up in Liora's eyes, but she blinked them away, a small, determined smile forming on her lips. "Thank you, Your Highness," she said, her voice stronger now. "I... I will try."

"That's all I ask," Eamon replied, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "You're not alone anymore, Liora. You never were. And you never will be."

As Eamon closed his eyes, drifting back into an uneasy sleep, Liora sat beside him, her mind racing with thoughts of the possibilities he had laid before her. For now, she would stay by his side. But perhaps, in time, she would find the courage to step out of the shadows and into a life of her own making.