Chapter 231: A glimpse of the past 5
My sweet girl is broken.
The light in her eyes—the spark that once made her leap from trees, debate historical facts, and dream of true mates and small villages—is gone. What remains is a hollow emptiness that twists my heart into knots. I no longer see the vivacious, mischievous girl who once climbed trees and talked about running away to live in a quiet village by the sea.
Now, she sits still, too still, like a porcelain doll left to gather dust on a forgotten shelf. Her emerald eyes, once filled with curiosity and mischief, are dull and distant. The bruises on her skin will fade, but the ones on her soul... I fear those are permanent.
The small bag of coins in my palm feels heavier than it should as I hand it to the hooded woman standing in the shadows of the marble pillar. The physician takes it wordlessly, her face hidden beneath the fabric. I don’t ask her name. I don’t want to know. All I needed from her was confirmation—a truth we can no longer ignore.
Mirelle is pregnant.
The woman disappears into the night, leaving me standing alone beneath the cold moonlight. My hands tremble as I walk back toward the princess’s chambers. Each step echoes in the silent corridors, the oppressive cold of the marble floors seeping into my bones.
I reach her door and hesitate. I close my eyes and take a deep breath before pushing it open.
The fire crackles softly in the hearth. Mirelle sits on the bed, knees drawn up slightly, her hands resting on her stomach as she traces small circles through the silk of her nightgown. Her head is bowed, her lips moving in silent whispers. Her face, so young, looks pale and hollow.
She doesn’t react to the door closing.
I walk toward her, the plush carpet muting my footsteps. When I sit beside her, she doesn’t lift her head. I reach out and brush a strand of hair from her face, my heart aching at how thin and brittle it feels beneath my fingers.
"You should eat something, sweetheart," I whisper, stroking her temple gently. "You need your strength."