{Elira}
~**^**~
"How do you see your room?" Lennon asked with his hands tucked into his pockets.
His eyes flicked around the room like he was seeing it again through my eyes.
I nodded slowly, offering a faint smile. "It's… beautiful. I like it." I meant it.
Lennon beamed at Rennon like a child who just won a medal. "Told you I had taste."
Rennon shook his head beside him. "You picked just one curtain colour, Lennon."
"And it's the perfect curtain colour," he muttered defensively.
Rennon didn't argue.
But Lennon turned to me. "Due to our different schedules, our family rarely have lunch together. So, your lunch will be brought to you here."
"Oh... okay. Thank you," I said, glancing at both brothers.
Rennon set the bags on the beautifully carved, round table and gently grabbed his brother by the arm. "We will take our leave. Rest up, Elira."
Lennon glanced back as Rennon pulled him toward the door. "See you at dinner, Elira!"
The door closed with a soft click, and silence followed.
I exhaled deeply, only now realizing how tightly I had been holding myself together. Then, I turned toward the bed and sat at the edge, only to spring up again. It was too soft.
I pressed my palm against it, fingers sinking gently into the plush mattress.
Was this real?
Was this luxurious bedroom actually for me?
I blinked, withdrawing my fingers. "If this is a dream," I whispered, "then I never want to wake up from it."
I moved to the table where Rennon had set the shopping bags, drawn by curiosity and a strange heat blooming behind my ribs.
I opened the first bag.
Inside were bath products—an expensive-looking bottle of lotion, a pink sugar scrub, creamy body wash, even a fizzy bath bomb wrapped in gold foil.
Everything felt like something a princess might own.
How did he shop so fast? How did he pick so well?
Even I would have taken some time to choose for myself these if I had the opportunity and the resources.
The second bag was larger. I peeked inside and lifted out two folded dresses.
The first was a white, mid-length dress with blue floral patterns near the hem. The soft blue reminded me of my eyes. My lips curved faintly.
The second dress was a light black fabric with a square neckline and puff sleeves. It was sleek, elegant, and simple.
They were perfect for this summer. And just enough to carry me until I could collect my things from Uncle Marc's house tomorrow.
I folded the dresses gently onto the bed.
But something else peeked from the bottom of the bag. I bent down again… and froze.
There was a cotton nightgown, and below that—
Oh. My. Life.
My heart shut down briefly, and my eyes blinked consistently.
A black bra with slim straps and light padding. The cup was smaller. I stared at it for a second too long.
And then—two pairs of white cotton panties.
My cheeks flamed. I clutched the fabric, my thoughts spinning.
He bought me underwear?
Quickly, I stuffed the items back into the bag and turned away, pressing my palms to my face.
"Goddess…" I muttered. "How could he... How am I supposed to look Rennon in the eye at dinner?"
Still, I knew he didn't mean any harm. He probably just… thought practically. I came here with nothing, and he didn't want me to be uncomfortable.
He was thoughtful.
But still, why didn't he send a maid to do the shopping?
The image of Rennon standing in a women's boutique, calmly selecting a bra and asking for cotton panties, made me groan and bury my face into the bedspread.
"AH!"
I wish this were a dream I could wake up from.
Eventually, I collected myself and stored everything in its proper place, then went to the bathroom for a bath with warm water, floral soap and a sugar scrub that smelled like candied heaven.
I washed away sweat, memory, shame, and sorrow. I scrubbed until my skin felt like my own again.
Then I wore the soft, light black dress. It clung to my waist in a way that felt comfortable.
For once, I didn't smell like laundry starch, damp rags, or refuse bin.
The lotion absorbed into my skin, leaving behind subtle hints of vanilla and cocoa butter. The body wash featured cherry blossom undertones, while the perfume was delicate, with notes of strawberry and spun sugar.
I smelled warm, sweet and new.
---
Lunch came in a knock.
A maid brought a tray and placed it gently on the table. She didn't ask questions or say anything unnecessary.
"I will return later for the tray," she said quietly, then left.
I ate the food: fish pie, baked root vegetables, and a creamy fruit blend, all of which I slowly and comfortably enjoyed.
The flavours were delicate, perfectly balanced, and not too rich.
There were no loud voices. No footsteps stomping down hallways. No one is shouting my name to fetch bathwater, polish shoes, or scrub toilets.
Just quiet.
By the time I finished, I was full in my stomach and my chest, too.
---
An hour passed.
I lay on the bed. My body was still, and my eyes were wide.
Back at my uncle's house, I never had this much time. I never experienced silence in the middle of the day.
By now, Regina would have already summoned me five times just to keep my hands and feet moving.
Resting was an abomination for me.
This stillness felt… strange, as if I was committing an error by doing nothing.
I stared up at the ceiling, then at the window, and back at the ceiling again, sighing. I felt as if I might go mad if I didn't find something to occupy my time.
My thoughts refocused on Regina. Knowing her temper, she was probably taking out her anger on a servant right now since I wasn't there.
Poor girl, whoever it was.
I pressed my hand over my chest. "Thank you, Moon Goddess," I whispered. "For taking me out before she broke me completely."
My body would have received a new print by now, either through mere slaps or other harsh methods.
My mind drifted, and at some point, sleep took me.
---
A few knocks on the door sent me bolting upright immediately.
The room spun for a moment as I grabbed the bedpost for balance. I looked around, completely disoriented as my heart pounded harshly in my chest.
For a moment, I thought I was back in the Beta house, had overslept, and that Lady Maren had sent a servant to drag me up.
But my life in the past twenty hours flashed before my eyes. I blinked, realizing where I was.
I felt relief wash over me like rain upon parched earth when another knock sounded.
I padded to the door and opened it slowly.
It was the same maid from lunch. She nodded politely and stepped in to collect the tray.
As I turned back toward the bed, her voice stopped me.
"Luna Gwenith requests your presence in the tea garden. Immediately."
My breath caught.
Luna Gwenith?
She hadn't regarded me kindly when we met. She didn't even stay through breakfast because of my presence.
And now she wanted to see me?
My heart thudded harder in my chest.
"Okay," I whispered, though I wasn't sure she heard me.
Was this it?
Was I finally about to pay the price for bonding with her sons?
As the maid stepped out, I stood frozen in the middle of the room, wondering if I had just walked into another phase of misery.