[P] pale laughter in the empty room.

[Elena]

Yesterday, she had brought Elliana to where she had first arrived, to the first place she had been taken when she had emerged from the waters and into Dusk, like rising from a tub of a baptism. It had been comforting, in small ways, to stand in the garden, adorned in the frost of winter. “Come spring, this entire garden will be filled with flowers.” Elliana had walked around, picturing the small garden in her mother’s house, but even bigger, more colorful. “You can come here and paint,” she said, bumping her daughter’s shoulder. Elliana, for her part, smiled like something bloomed underneath her skin, flowers peek from behind her eyes. 

The heat of Day Court provides a quietness that Elena feels like she rarely experiences within Terrastella, especially with a child, no matter how contemplative and thoughtful Elliana is. And then there is Nic, she has stories and keeps Elliana entertained, while her daughter paints their new house guest. Elena knows it is temporary, but she really, she hopes Nic is able to stay through the season at least, she has brought a light into their tiny cottage, and Elena is not quite ready to give her up just yet. 

For so much of her life, Elena has wanted stillness, now she wanted anything but. So she had been grateful when one of the doctor’s at the hospital had provided her the opportunity to take over one of his patients in Solterra. He says it is for one of the noble families, and that any discussion of his ailment, or treatment would need to be kept quiet, even from the other healers. Elena agreed to the arrangements, and so she was handed his information, his health history, and given instructions of his care. While it all seemed strange to her, coming from a land where even the princess ate with the ‘commoners’ and the king did not call himself king but a guardian. There was strict decorum to be held by, and it seemed as if he had a number of siblings. 

Stomach upsets.

Headaches. 

Shortness of breath.

Inappropriate response to light.

Confusion. 

The list of symptoms goes on and on, until it reaches the latest note. Patient stable….as stable as can be. Elena looks at the words. Stable as can be? Her stomach clenches at the words, the empath feels something like guilts in her veins. Elena has not been presented with such a complicated case before. She sighs, walking into the palace, thinking what would happen to her if she could not do what needed to be done. Her heart lifts when she remembers she has Orestes, the sovereign would never let any ill fate befall the golden girl. 

It is this thought that gives her the confidence to push open the door and enter into his bedroom. “Excuse me, Prince Adonai?” She asks, soft and in a voice like silver, her eyes wandering gently over the delicate angles of that pale face of the man that lays there and she wonders what sort of paths in his life had led him to this. She wonders if, without her family, without Elli, without Nic, she would confine herself to such a fate. 

“I am Elena, the healer from Terrastella, I am here to take care of you,” she says gently, going to his bed side. She wonders if he is even aware she is there. “Prince Adonai?”

picture by cannon <3

@Adonai