Chapter 35: Breakfast, But Not A Proper Meal
Aideen shifted her body lazily, still reluctant to let go of the heavy but comforting embrace of slumber.
Slowly, she moved her arms around and jerked her body into a sitting position, realizing that she was back in her bed again. The princess shook her head, disposing of the last sleeping strings still attached to her body. Then, she slid her hands across the soft surface of the bed once more and wondered silently,
’How strange. I thought I ended up sitting on the floor with His Grace... Was all of that just a dream?’
She turned her face towards the place where Tillian was supposed to be and focused her senses.
’It’s really quiet, and his scent is no longer in the air. I guess he left the room quite some time ago... I wonder what time it is... I do not smell food in here, which means it is not yet time for breakfast. Where did he go? Did he get upset that I sat next to him without his permission? But he was never opposed to my touch before...’
A new wave of anxiety crashed over Aideen, drowning her mind in the whirlwind of unsettling emotions.
Wrapping the blanket around her shoulders, the princess got up from the bed, walked up to the tall window, and struggled with the old, rusty window handle for a few moments before she could finally open the window.
A strong wave of cold wind hit her entire body, making her tighten her grip on the blanket. However, the harsh wind did not bother her at all. What attracted her attention was the unusual warmth that seeped into the room together with the cold – it was a sunny day.
Aideen decided to take a few moments to bask in the light but pleasant touch of the sunlight. Since her quarters were situated behind the towering walls of the Royal Palace, her building was always shrouded in shadows. Therefore, even during summer, the only way for her to get even a little bit of sunlight was to sneak out to the gardens in front of the main quarters.