Lael glanced at the clock and resumed pacing. Princess Serenah had been gone for almost five hours and worry gnawed at her gut. She knew something must have happened between her princess and the king. She nervously bit her fingernails and gasped when the door opened, and Alastar strode in.
"Alastar, have you found her?"
"No. I can sense her magic. She is still on the grounds, though I don't know where."
Lael cursed under her breath and went to the door. She would find the princess even if she had to tear the place apart. Her hand was on the door handle when it was abruptly pushed open, forcing her to step back.
One of the king's personal guards stood in the doorway. He nodded at her but turned his attention to Alastar.
"Sir Alastar, His Majesty has ordered that you bring Princess Serenah back to her room. She is to be confined for the next three days, is to go without food or water, and is not allowed any magical healing. She is allowed to go to school, but still not allowed food or water."
Lael opened her mouth to protest but clamped it shut at a shake of Alastar's head.
"Understood," Alastar replied.
"She is in the punishment chamber." The guard bowed and left the room.
Lael's eyes widened in horror. She didn't hold back. She immediately cursed long and loudly before taking a calming breath.
"Let's go," growled Alastar.
It took them fifteen minutes to reach the dungeon area and find Princess Serenah. The guard standing outside, unlocked the door, pushed it open, and stepped aside for them to enter.
They walked in and Lael gasped in horror.
"Oh Autem, help us! My Lady!" She ran over to the unconscious Serenah and gingerly lifted her to assess her wounds.
Her beloved princess was covered in blood and lash marks littered her back, butt, and legs. She took the shawl she wore and carefully wrapped it around Serenah's torso. It was just big enough to cover all the important parts.
"Alastar," she looked at him and he crouched down, scooping Serenah into his arms.
Lael swiftly stood and they hurried back to the princess's room. She directed Alastar to lay Serenah on her stomach while she left and retrieved medicinal herbs to make a salve for Serenah's wounds. It took about twenty minutes to get everything ready. By the time she got back, Serenah was still unconscious.
She set about mixing the herbs and creating the salve. Alastar helped her. The silence was broken when Serenah's phone started ringing. Lael ignored it. It could go to voicemail. A minute later, Alastar's phone rang. He picked it up, stared at the screen, and put it down.
"Who is it?"
"No one important. It can wait."
For the next few minutes, both phones rang constantly. Lael tried to ignore it. She couldn't take it anymore and snatched up Serenah's phone. She saw the name Romeo and frowned. This was the human her princess was dating. She pressed the button and heard the phone connect.
"Sera! Thank god! I was trying to reach you. Are you okay?"
Lael committed the boy's voice to memory before responding, "I'm sorry, Sera is busy right now."
"Who is this and why are you answering Sera's phone?" he demanded.
"My name is Lael, and I'm Sera's cousin. She's busy right now and can't talk."
"Can you please ask her to call me when she is able?"
There was a long pause before the Lael answered.
"I can do that. Have a good night."
Click. Lael hung up the phone and put it on the bedside table. She finished applying the salve and gently stroked Serenah's cheek.
"I'm right here, Your Highness. Please wake soon."
Lael turned off the light and left, her thoughts on what she could do to help her princess.
~***~
Pain. It burned her synapses and caused agony to swallow her senses. She opened her eyes and blinked. She was tied to a tree. The ropes were adding to her hurt and battered body. A searing stab of fiery pain ripped through her abdomen, and she screamed. Her screams continued as the fire that started in her belly spread throughout her body.
"No, no, no," she whimpered. She prayed to Autem that it would stop. She heard a wailing, and it raised the hairs on her body. She sobbed in terror, her body trembling in fear. Just as she was about to lose her mind from the pain and fear, she felt a touch on her arm and smelled his scent.
"Romeo," she whimpered and fainted.
~***~
Serenah awoke with a groan. She turned her head to her right and saw sunlight peeking through the curtains. What day was it? She didn't know. She winced and whimpered when pain flared in her back, butt, and legs.
"My Lady!"
"Lael?"
"Thank Autem, you are awake, My Lady." Lael grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. "How do you feel?"
"It hurts a lot. Please, may I have painkillers?"
"Of course!" Lael let go of her hand, poured some water, and helped her sit up to drink it.
Serenah hissed as she slowly moved from her stomach to sit back on her butt. She yelped at the sting in her legs and butt.
"What day is it?"
"It is Sunday afternoon, My Lady."
She drank the water and handed the cup back to Lael. With a groan she laid back down, closing her eyes. She didn't want to remember the whipping or her father's delight in hurting her.
"My Lady, you are running a fever and need to rest. You shouldn't go to school tomorrow. Besides, His Majesty has ordered that you are not to have any food or water for the next three days."
Serenah's eyes widened in panic as she eyed the glass she just drank from. "Lael! You'll, I," she trailed off, eyes wide in horror. What would happen to Lael if her father found out? She couldn't bear the thought.
"My Lady, it's fine. I will not be telling anyone you took a sip. It is our secret." Lael patted Serenah's hand reassuringly.
She tried to relax but she was still worried about Lael. Her phone rang and she picked it up. She saw the name and glanced away before putting it down. She couldn't talk to him right now. She didn't know what to say.
"I'm going to school tomorrow."
"My Lady!"
"I will not stay here. I refuse to miss school because of my punishment," she told Lael firmly.
She caressed her phone, her thoughts on Romeo. She would talk to him tomorrow. For now, she would rest.