Chapter 346: The Taste of Bitter Herbs

Chapter 345: The Taste of Bitter Herbs

Lyria’s POV

I pushed the cup away.

The motion was instinctive, almost reflexive, as though my hand had moved before my mind could catch up. The faint, unappetising brown liquid sloshed slightly within the cup, and I found myself glaring at it with all the righteous indignation I could muster.

A throat cleared.

I turned slowly, already knowing who I would find.

Kathryn stood where she had been standing the entire time, her arms folded across her chest, her expression one of patient expectation. She had not moved. She had not looked away. She had simply waited, watching me with the calm certainty of someone who knew exactly how this would end.

I sighed.

The sound was long and heavy, filled with all the resignation I could pour into it.

Slowly, reluctantly, I brought the cup closer.

The smell hit me all at once.

It was earthy and sharp, with an undertone of something acrid that made my nose wrinkle. My stomach turned, and I felt the sudden, overwhelming urge to push the cup away again.

But Kathryn was watching.

So I held my nose with my fingers, squeezed my eyes shut, and took the herbs down at once.

The liquid burned as it went down.

It was bitter—bitter in a way that seemed to reach into my very soul and demand recognition. I gagged immediately, my body rebelling against the taste even as I forced myself to swallow.

Kathryn’s voice came from somewhere to my left.

"It was not that bad."

I turned to stare at her, my expression one of utter disbelief.

"It w-was w-worse," I said, my voice carrying a note of genuine outrage. "It w-was s-so m-much w-worse."

Pippa was at my side in an instant, a small piece of chocolate held out to me. I snatched it from her hand and threw it into my mouth, letting the sweetness melt across my tongue and chase away the lingering bitterness.

The herbs had been extremely bitter.

If they were supposed to be nourishing, why then did they have to taste so awful? Why could they not simply be bland? Or perhaps even sweet? It was as though Kathryn had a personal vendetta against me and had vowed to ensure that every herb she gave me would be as unpleasant as possible.

Kathryn though hid a smile.

I knew she rather enjoyed seeing me suffer.

"Now that that is done," she said, "I must take my leave."

She paused, her gaze meeting mine.

"But I would urge you to pay more attention to your body, Your Highness. You need the rest even more than we do. Your body needs to heal and recover fully. You have been through a great deal, and it will take time for your strength to return."

I nodded.

Kathryn bowed and excused herself, her footsteps soft against the polished floor as she made her way to the door.

Once the door closed behind her, I let out a breath I had not realised I was holding.

Pippa glanced at me.

"You survived."

I looked at her solemnly.

"B-barely."

She giggled.

Elara shook her head, though there was a small smile on her lips.

"I believe you shall recover from the ordeal."

"I d-do not."

"You are remarkably dramatic for someone who has merely swallowed a cup of herbs."

I gave her an offended look.

"Y-you did not t-taste it."

"That is true," Elara admitted.

"Then y-you cannot j-judge me."

"I would not dare."

Pippa laughed again as she began clearing away the dishes.

I watched them for a moment, feeling the heaviness in my body becoming more noticeable now that the herbs were down.

Kathryn had not been exaggerating.

I was tired.

Not simply sleepy, but deeply exhausted. It felt as though every part of me had reached its limit and was begging me to stop.

Elara seemed to notice.

"Perhaps we should help you bathe, Your Highness," she said. "It will help you feel more refreshed before the competition."

I nodded, too tired to argue.

They helped me bathe, their movements gentle and careful. The warmth of the water soothed some of the tension from my muscles, and for a while, I simply sat there with my eyes closed.

The maids spoke quietly amongst themselves, careful not to disturb me.

I barely followed their conversation.

Everything seemed to blur together.

By the time they were done, I was already falling asleep, my eyelids heavy and my limbs weighted with exhaustion.

I did not doubt that Kathryn’s herbs were one of the reasons why.

Margery and Bridget helped me change into something comfortable, their hands gentle as they guided me into the soft fabric. Debbie and Elara adjusted the curtains so that the light would not disturb me.

I lay on my bed, the sheets cool against my skin.

For a moment, I simply stared at the ceiling.

I had intended to spend the remainder of the day working.

There were still pages left to complete in the third book. I had wanted to finish it before the competition. Perhaps I could have done so if I had only rested for a short while.

But the moment I closed my eyes, even that thought became difficult to hold.

My body had made the decision for me.

Rest.

And, I allowed it.

Just before the maids excused themselves, I mumbled a thank you.

But I was too sleepy to see the smiles on their faces as they left.

My wing was quiet even with the few servants around and that silence perhaps was what made sleep come easier.

It was not until I heard a knock at the door that I stirred, my mind slow to surface from the depths of sleep. I blinked, disoriented, and for a moment, I did not know where I was.

Then I remembered.

I wondered if I really had been that tired.

I sat up slowly, my body protesting the movement. My hair had fallen messily around my face, and I rubbed my eyes as I tried to clear the lingering haze of sleep.

Just then, the door opened, and my maids walked in, their faces bright with anticipation.

Elara smiled.

"It is time to prepare for today’s competition, Your Highness," she said. "I hope you are well rested."