Roen closed the door to her room in the Quicksand, her back resting against it as the lock clicked quietly behind her. She arched her head back, her eyes closing, as the silence of the room fell around her like a cloak. She only had a few bells before the Royal Ball was to start, when she would be called upon to perform her duties of assuring the Sultana's safety.
Could she do it? Report to duty, stand next to the Sultana, watch those gathered in their fanciful garb and gowns, dancing and drinking merrily... and pretend nothing was amiss?
"You must not let on that I told you this. That we even met. Nothing must seem amiss." Delial had said when they met above Drybone many suns ago. When the Highlander had brought her a grisly gift, and even darker news.
Since that day, Roen had been walking about in a trance. Natalie had sworn her in as Sultansworn, but on that day when she should have felt nothing but joy, she could only struggle to keep afloat, to breath, to keep up appearance that nothing was amiss.Â
And today would be no different. She had to look and act normal. Else the consequence would be something she could not bare.
Inhaling deeply, Roen opened her eyes and pushed off from the door, her eyes going to the bed where her Sultansworn tabard and armor awaited her. But next to the armor also awaited a box, fancifully wrapped in an ornate silk ribbon. It had a single carnation laid upon it.
Roen studied the box with a confused frown, lifting the single carnation before her eyes. Surely this was a mistake. She had received someone else's delivery. But when she pulled the ribbon loose and opened the box, a note laid there upon a neatly folded ornate white and gold dress.
Grey eyes narrowed as she read the elegant writing on the note:
A gift of beauty and elegance for an aspiring knight.
Could she do it? Report to duty, stand next to the Sultana, watch those gathered in their fanciful garb and gowns, dancing and drinking merrily... and pretend nothing was amiss?
"You must not let on that I told you this. That we even met. Nothing must seem amiss." Delial had said when they met above Drybone many suns ago. When the Highlander had brought her a grisly gift, and even darker news.
Since that day, Roen had been walking about in a trance. Natalie had sworn her in as Sultansworn, but on that day when she should have felt nothing but joy, she could only struggle to keep afloat, to breath, to keep up appearance that nothing was amiss.Â
And today would be no different. She had to look and act normal. Else the consequence would be something she could not bare.
Inhaling deeply, Roen opened her eyes and pushed off from the door, her eyes going to the bed where her Sultansworn tabard and armor awaited her. But next to the armor also awaited a box, fancifully wrapped in an ornate silk ribbon. It had a single carnation laid upon it.
Roen studied the box with a confused frown, lifting the single carnation before her eyes. Surely this was a mistake. She had received someone else's delivery. But when she pulled the ribbon loose and opened the box, a note laid there upon a neatly folded ornate white and gold dress.
Grey eyes narrowed as she read the elegant writing on the note:
A gift of beauty and elegance for an aspiring knight.
