The people in the palace interiors cleared out, leaving the king and Elara to their provinces.
Elara was beyond shocked, as her hand stood idly by her side. The king nuzzled his nose in the crook of her neck; taking a deep breath.
Her sweet strawberry scent is intoxicating. He grips her shoulders before looking at her.
"What do you shower with?" Elara's brows knit together confused. Why is the king asking her such a random thing?
"Lilies" he frowns wondering why she smells of strawberry when she baths with lillies.
"Your majesty, may I ask what you're doing here?" He pushes back before sitting properly on the sofa, giving them some gaps.
"I asked for your audience but the guards said you were unconscious" he grumbles before clearing his throat.
"Oh" Elara detested. She thought; for a millisecond that the king cared about her.
The palace interiors was quiet and laced with an unrecognisable tension.
"Well why do you seek my audience?" Elara later then asks, turning to face the king.
The king was about to reply when the general came in disheveled and disturbed.
"Your majesty" the king turns around with a worried expression. His general never gets disturbed unless it's really that bad.
"What is it?" The general points behind him but words weren't coming out
"The princess,... she's she—" the general couldn't finish his words but the king understood very clearly.
He rushes to the door before glancing back at Elara. "Rest up, we can talk about this tomorrow"
Elara nods absentmindedly, but her mind was thinking about princess Selene.
She remembers when she saw princess Selene having a panic attack, could this be another one.
Elara remembered when she used to have her episodes with no one to help her.
She sits up with the sole determination of checking up on her but the moment she stood up—a splitting headache pounded her skull.
"No no, you lie down till colour come back on your skin" Madame Tilda instructed before gently pushing Elara back on the chair.
Elara wanted to protest but sleep enveloped her in a sweet promising way.
Meanwhile in the royal courtyard, princess Selene was hyperventilating as her brother soothes her.
"It's okay I'm right here" she was rocking herself with her head hidden between her knees and chest.
Princess Selene has been having a panic attack since she was twelve year old, some comes out heavy while others calm down after a hug.
The king gently rubs her back, saying soft and sweet things that sound so unlike him.
After a while, princess Selene unfolded herself before resting her head on her brother's lap.
Soon she fell asleep and the king took her to his quarters and laying her down in his guest bedroom.
The morning followed with the king being busy with his duties in the hall of sultans.
And Elara is finally better and was getting ready, she plans to go and check up on princess Selene.
She wanted to check up on her since last night but sleep enveloped her.
She walked to the moon garden before asking her court maid to seek Princess Selene and request her audience to the moon garden.
The court maiden got back and told Elara that princess Selene is not in the shape to see other people.
Elara waited for a while; basking in the warm breeze, to the soft chirps and the utter sense of freedom it's giving her.
By the time the sun is setting. Elara walks back to the palace interiors.
King's quarters
"Your majesty. Tonight is the auspicious time for the marital act" the high priest reminds the king softly.
The king hums before looking up. "Then call the Queen and inform her of the event happening"
"I already did your majesty and the Queen has travelled to her hometown seeing as her brother is sick"
The king looks up from his scroll with a frown on his face. "Well then, can't we wait for the next time"
"I'm afraid we can't your majesty. We don't know how long the auspicious time is going to take before coming back"
The king stayed silent, grounding his jaw. The high priest hid his smile by blowing before clearing his throat.
"I suggest you spend the night with the royal consort, your majesty" the king sighs already seeing that coming. It's as if the high priest has some kind of love for Elara.
Elara was sitting in the palace interiors trying to think things through about princess Selene.
The court maiden comes in to inform Elara about the king's arrival to the house of petals.
Madame Tilda and the maidens rush Elara to get her ready for the king and hers moment.