The rhythmic bumping of the royal carriage was slow and steady but extremely torturous. Outside, the wheels kicked up clouds of dry dust that crept through the cracks of the wooden doors, leaving a gritty taste in the air.
Rissa sat on the cushioned bench, her muscles stiff and aching from hours of staying perfectly still. Leaning heavily against her shoulder was the Queen.
Aeryn felt impossibly light, almost weightless, like a bird with broken wings. Her skin was pale and dry, and her forehead was burning with a quiet, consuming fever. To anyone else, she was the terrifying monarch of the realm. But to Rissa, holding her in the dim light of the carriage, she felt like a candle flame drowning in a sudden gust of wind.
The carriage slowed down slightly as it navigated a rough patch of the road. A moment later, the small window shutter slid open.
Through the opening, the weathered, scarred face of the Captain appeared. He was a veteran of the previous realm, a knight who had served Aeryn's father decades ago. His silver hair was caked with dust, and his eyes were heavy with worry as he looked at the ailing Queen.
"Your Highness," the Captain whispered, his voice a low, respectful rumble over the creaking of the wheels. "We are near the capital. Tomorrow, we will be inside the gates."
Aeryn didn't open her eyes. She merely let out a weak, tired sound. "Hmm..." she murmured, her head shifting slightly but remaining rested on Rissa's shoulder. She gave a small, barely visible nod.
"Any orders, my Lady?" the Captain asked, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. He looked ready to fight the entire world if she gave the command, but he also looked terrified of what lay ahead.
Aeryn slowly shook her head. The movement was so faint it was almost hard to see.
Seeing the Queen's extreme exhaustion, Rissa caught the Captain's eye. She softly waved her hand and shook her head, silently telling him to let her rest. The old knight stared at Rissa for a long moment, his brow furrowed with deep concern, before he quietly slid the shutter closed.
The silence returned to the carriage, save for the steady clack-clack of the horse hooves.
Rissa looked down at the woman in her arms. The anxiety that had been building inside her for the last two days finally boiled over. They were going back to the palace—a place full of politicians, court guards, and hidden enemies. A place where a weak Queen was nothing more than prey.
"My Lady?" Rissa whispered softly.
There was no response. Aeryn's breathing was shallow and fast.
"My Lady?" Rissa tried again, her voice trembling slightly. She gently squeezed Aeryn's cold hand.
This time, the Queen's fingers twitched. She didn't open her eyes, but she gave a tiny, tired hum to show she was listening.
"My Lady... can you handle it?" Rissa asked, her voice cracking with genuine worry. "The capital... it isn't like the open road. When we get there tomorrow, everyone will be watching. The ministers, the lords, the guards. They will expect to see the Queen of Blood and Air. If they see you like this..."
"Hmm..." Aeryn responded weakly, her chest rising and falling with effort.
"Are you sure?" Rissa questioned, her grip tightening on Aeryn's hand. "We can turn back. We can tell the Captain to steer the horses away. We can hide in the mountains, or go back to the sea. You don't have to face them like this. You're so sick, Aeryn. You can barely hold your head up."
Aeryn slowly exhaled, a long, shaky breath that felt hot against Rissa's neck.
"Why do you think... I am reserving my energy?" Aeryn replied, her voice barely more than a dry whisper. Her eyes remained tightly closed, her brow furrowed in a quiet battle against the pain wracking her body.
Rissa swallowed hard, her throat feeling incredibly tight. "But it's too risky. Even if you're saving every spark of your power, you're running on nothing. What if they attack the moment the carriage door opens? What if the traitor is waiting right at the gates?"
"Let them wait," Aeryn whispered, her voice carrying a tiny, jagged trace of her old, dangerous authority. "A predator... does not hunt when it is weak. It hides. It watches. It lets the prey... grow bold."
"I don't care about the prey," Rissa muttered, her eyes stinging with tears she refused to let fall. She reached up with her free hand, gently brushing a stray lock of white hair away from Aeryn's damp forehead. "I care about you. A few weeks ago, you were just a scary name in a story to me. A legend. But now... you're real. And you're hurting."
Aeryn was silent for a long time. The carriage bumped over a stone, and she leaned a little heavier into Rissa, as if seeking the warmth.
"You hurt me once, Rissa," Aeryn murmured, her breathing still heavy and labored. "In the hut. You thought you made everything worse."
Rissa's heart sank, the guilt of their past conflict rushing back. "I did. I'm sorry."
"Do not be," Aeryn whispered, her hand weakly squeezing Rissa's fingers back. "You are the only one... who does not look at me and see a crown. You see me. That is why... I can rest my head here. That is why... I will survive tomorrow."
Rissa let out a shaky breath, her chest swelling with a mixture of fear and a fierce, protective loyalty. She wrapped her arm a little tighter around the Queen, shielding her from the rough bumps of the road.
"I won't let them touch you," Rissa promised, her voice turning fierce and steady in the dim carriage. "I don't care who is waiting at those gates. They'll have to go through me first. i will protect you." a smile came on aeryn's lips.
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