After everyone had gone, Lyra quietly entered the grand bedchamber, her heart heavy in her chest. She saw that her mother-in-law, the Dowager Duchess Elena, was now sitting up in the large, canopied bed, her back resting against a mountain of plush pillows. Her face was pale, but her eyes were clear and sharp as ever.
"Mother, You're awake," Lyra said softly, dropping the pitcher of water and the empty cup she had been holding onto a nearby table with a soft clink.
Elena looked at her, a small, weary smile on her lips. "How could I not wake up with that loud, commanding voice of yours echoing through the entire house?" she teased gently.
Lyra poured a fresh glass of water and gave it to Elena, her own hands not quite steady. She stood beside the bed, feeling like a disappointed child, a mother who had failed to control her own family. Elena drank the water slowly. When she was done, Lyra broke the heavy silence.
