Sioggard - The Moon Flower Luna

8.

Waking up at the first light of dawn after trying in vain to fall asleep, watching the sky change its colors, Isadore waited for the sun to rise, marking the beginning of the day.

It was not before eight, however, that she got up to prepare herself, taking a bath and then wearing a pair of jeans and a pullover.

At half past nine, Chlea brought her the breakfast and later Isadore spent some time with the healers forcing herself to stay calm and bear with them for the sake of uncle Viktor.

It was almost noon when Chlea finally agreed to accompany her downstairs to get some fresh air, hoping that the morning chill would invigorate her even though Isadore felt better.

If she was looking tired and restless it was mostly because she hadn't slept at all that night, tormented by her worries. It was therefore to her relief that she discovered that Chlea had been shrewd enough to prepare a blanket for her that the woman had spread out in the faint sun. Some books and fruits were also waiting invitingly for her arrival and Isadore could not help but be thankful for those attentions.

"Easy .." Chlea helped her sit down, then buzzed around for a few minutes making sure she was fine and was lacking nothing before leaving her alone as she begged her to. "I'll be nearby…" the woman informed her before leaving.

"Thank you." Isadore nodded, folding her lips in the imitation of a faint smile, and when the woman was gone she closed her eyes and surrendered to the tiredness of which she was prey.

For a few moments Isadore remained motionless, inhaling the air that smelled of nature, but sadness took over when she thought how much she had missed being touched by the familiar wind.

Seeking a distraction from her thoughts, Isadore took one of the books Chlea had prepared for her and for an hour or so she forced her weary mind to dive into the reading.

In the early afternoon, however, she got bored and could no longer concentrate.

Hit by a stiff gust of wind, Isadore put aside the book she had opened in her lap and laid the cloak on her feet, creating a crimson puddle all around herself.

Like a swollen river, she saw the wind shake the velvet flaps while ripping off her hood, leaving her vulnerable to its strength.

Her hair slipped out of the ponytail in which she had tied it and Isadore set it free to create a heavy golden red curtain over her slender shoulders as she turned her pale face to the sun that shone in the north.

Closing her eyes, Isadore let its rays warm her face with their breath, savoring the peace of the moment because she knew it wasn't lasting long.

The air smelled like rain and rainy clouds started to cover the vast sky.

The sun shifted slightly to the east and Isadore followed the heat chasing its trail and when the light dazzled her eyes she raised a hand, smiling and playing with the shadows it created behind her eyelids.

A feeling of chill that stung her heart throbbing in her chest extinguished her smile as a strong feeling of awareness slipped into her thoughts, ruining her bliss.

Rhys, she didn't need to turn around to know but she looked anyway, her eyes found him long before she could find within her the strength to reject the instinct to look for him.

The rancor and hatred that grew hand in hand in her chest, Isadore forced her gaze away and pinned it on the army of warriors behind him. Their keen gazes disturbed the quietness she had allowed herself into and the intensity in their eyes reminded her of who she was bringing her back abruptly to the present.

Isadore had not seen Rhys for days but not even for a moment did she forget how close they were.

"Miss Hellery." Thanks god, Chlea arrived just then to remind her it was quite late.

No longer enjoying the fresh air as she saw Rhys approaching, Isadore let the woman help her up and followed her inside the castle.

They were about to go up to the second floor towards her rooms when Isadore heard someone calling her.

Turning around, Isadore stopped to allow Georgianna to join them when she recognized the girl.

"Isadore.."breathing heavily, the girl struggled to put the words together since she was out of breath from running.

"I'm going to arrange lunch." Chlea commented, taking her leave when the girl had joined them.

"Thank you." Isadore nodded as she turned to face Georgianna.

"I'm sorry..." the girl apologized when she was able to catch her breath.

"What for?”

"For yesterday..." the girl explained, nodding sadly. “Mom always tells me I talk too much, I should listen to her more often.” She commented with a sigh. “I'm sorry for what I said to you, I didn't mean…”

Surprised to receive her apologies, Isadore took a few moments to observe Goergianna, frowning in confusion.

The girl seemed really distraught and intimidated by her silence. She was surprised, but not because the girl was afraid of having offended her, but because she was apologizing.

Over the years, Isadore had never interacted much with others and, given her name and status, even if she hadn't spent her life running away from company, she would never have been very popular with her peers. Precisely because it wasn't easy to be next to her, fearing they could offend her in some way, her companions would have constantly avoided her.

But this girl with her disarming smile and huge eyes had come back to apologize when even the adults trembled to displease her so they wouldn't have to suffer Rhys' wrath.

“Are they for me?” Isadore asked, pointing to the flowers the girl was holding, breaking the tense silence.

"Yes..." Georgianna nodded, handing her the flowers. “I didn't know what…I mean you already have everything so…” she added sheepishly.

"They are very beautiful." Isadore answered sincerely.

"I picked them up in the woods, I know you spend a lot of time in the forest and I thought you might like them." Georgiana commented, visibly relieved.

"Thank you." Isadore nodded with a thin smile. "Did you already had lunch?"

"I'm going to the kitchen now, I just wanted to apologize, I really didn't mean…" the girl murmured, looking down in embarrassment.

"You didn't say anything that wasn't true." Isadore replied calmly. "And I'm not easily offended." She commented piqued, she had actually always been too selfish to care about anyone's opinion, except for Uncle Viktor and Aileen. “Do you want to have lunch with me?”

"Who? Me?” Georgianna surprised herself as her gray eyes widened.

“If you have no other commitments.”

"No, I have none but..." the girl hesitated visibly in difficulty. “Are you sure?” she asked when Isadore raised an eyebrow. “I mean I'm not…my family is very humble and…” the girl tried to explain.

"So you don't like castle food?"

"I love castle's food." Georgianna replied, laughing, because she perfectly knew that Isadore had undoubtedly understood her hesitations. "I eat it every day, my mother works in the kitchens." She explained. "That's why I spend so much time here."

"I'll ask Chlea to inform her that you will have lunch with me unless you want us to go in person."

"No it's fine, thanks."

"Come then." Isadore invited her, preceding the girl towards the stairs.

"Yes." Georgianna murmured, following her excitedly, looking around with feverish eyes admiring the tapestries and towering columns as they made their way to her apartments.

"Halt!" Two guards prevented them from passing when they were about to turn the corner and Georgiana gasped in fear, taking a few steps back.

"Is there any problem?" Isadore asked, stepping forward instead.

"Miss Hellery." When the two recognized her, they immediately stepped aside respectfully.

"Geoergianna is a friend of mine." Isadore explained, seeing the two guards eyeing her with suspicion.

"Sure." Replied the guards who waved at her and then let them go on.

"Wow." Georgiana whispered, smiling excitedly as they passed the two. "I have been to the castle almost every day for years but despite wandering around in the hall, I don't have the permit to get close to restricted areas, would never thought that one day I will be able to walk through this wing."

“You did not lose much.”replied Isadore holding back a sigh, but then she could not continue.

Frozen by her side, Georgiana was unable to utter a word and, moreover, she too was unable to remain indifferent.

Though unlike the girl, over the years she had sporadically bumped into Alpha Cedric, the awe he inspired affected even her. Yet, towards her, the old king had always been very kind and that day, as well, he smiled kindly when he came near them.

"Isadore, you've grown a lot ." he greeted her warmly.

"Alpha Cedric." she greeted him with a hint of a bow and so did Georgianna, still petrified.

"A friend of yours?" the Alpha asked courteously, pointing to the girl.

"Georgianna." Isadore nodded because the girl hesitated a few moments to introduce herself.

Alpha Cedric gave Georgianna a smile and then turned back to her. "I note with pleasure that you are better, you have made us very worried in the last few days."

"I'm sorry." she nodded neutrally.

"You've grown quite a lot and became even more beautiful." Alpha Cedric replied, smiling.

"Thank you."

"Why don't you come and see me one of these days? We could engage in some chatter." the old king invited her and Isadore nodded because that wasn't an invitation she could refuse.

"Yes." Isadore promised curtly, smiled to greet the Alpha and waited for him to leave accompanied by his procession of royal guards. "Let's go." She then added, nodding to Georgianna, but the girl seemed unable to move. "Are you ok?"

"It was..it was..Alpha Cedric.." Georgianna murmured again out of breath. “And he greeted you and…”

"I grew up in the castle." Isadore replied with a shrug.

"Yes but the way he smiled at you..you really are.."

"What?"

"You really are Rhys' mate aren't you, the future Luna?" Georgianna asked her in a reverent whisper.

"Let's go." Isadore answered, suppressing a grimace.

"But but..." the girl commented, hurrying after her, but once she reached her rooms Georgianna lost her words again.

"Miss Hellery.." Chlea welcomed her, having already had lunch served.

“Georgianna will have lunch with me. Could you get another cover and inform her mother please?” Isadore asked her and the housekeeper nodded with an approving smile.

Chlea had always tried to get her to socialize more, so she enjoyed seeing her spend time in company.

Meanwhile, Goergianna still seemed lost in wonder and, giving her time to recover, Isadore started tidying up the place a bit, putting away some gifts that were still unescorted.

Uncle Viktor had sent her dozens over the last few days as an apology for displeasing her.

Chlea knocked shortly after and when Isadore invited her in she opened the door and, stepping aside, brought the lunch for an intimidated Georgiana.

When the housekeeper left them alone again, the girl shook herself out of her amazement.

"Wow!" she sighed, in fact terribly excited as soon as she heard the door close. "It's like being in a novel, one of those with the kings and knights and the queen's ladies-in-waiting at the court." the girl sighed smiling.

"Mhh..?" Isadore asked with a smile, because actually they were in a real castle with a king and knights and a real court.

"I've been coming to the castle for years, you know, but this wing is forbidden, it was so exciting when they let me up even though the guards downstairs looked at me like I wanted to attack the crown or something, but… are you okay ?" Georgiana asked catching her pallor after having flooded her with a torrent of cheerful chatter.

"Mhh." Isadore nodded, not very prolific, still intent on putting away the gifts of Uncle Viktor. She was a little tired but it was nothing serious.

"You look so fragile.." the girl murmured, staring at her apprehensively.

"I'm fine." Isadore assured her, stifling a grimace.

"You are very pale and ..." Georgiana replied, but then she noticed the multitude of gifts that surrounded her. "Are they all yours?" She asked, her eyes widening in amazement with an expression that made her blush.

Uncle Viktor had always spoiled her too much, showering her with gifts and affection at every opportunity.

"How lucky you are!" Georgiana sighed enviously, taking one of the books that Isadore had just discarded to study the cover. "With three older brothers and two younger sisters, it is already a long time since my parents remembered my birthday even though I have never received more than two or three gifts every year." She told her but there was no rancor in her cheerful smile. And the warmth was reflected in the girl smiling gray eyes. "What the hell is this?" then asked Georgianna, frowning, and Isadore looked at her questioningly, surprised by that abrupt change of mood. "What language is this?" the girl inquired, flipping through the book pages with a frown.

"Heraldic."

"And can you read and understand it?"

"You don't?"

"You want to joke, no one has spoken it for centuries." Georgiana replied astonished.

"Someone yes." Isadore smiled sadly.

"Weird people." The girl replied, shaking her head in perplexity. "Where do all these gifts come from?" She asked smiling again while hugging with her eyes the packages that Isadore still hadn't unwrapped.

"Uncle Victor." She answered, preparing to be judged, but Georgiana just nodded, smiling knowingly.

"You're lucky." The girl repeated. "I…" she added, but promptly stopped widening her eyes and Isadore stared back at her curious about what this time had captured her interest, taking her breath away. "Wow!" Georgiana sighed with a light in her eyes that made her smile. "Wow!" She repeated in awe and seemed to know nothing more. "It is.."

"Beautiful?" suggested Isadore as the girl stared around, looking at every single detail of her apartment.

"Amazing!" Georgiana sighed. “So vast and elegant and majestic and luxurious… wow!” She concluded, infusing into that one syllable all her wonder. "How do you…"

"I got used to it." Isadore replied sadly even though she knew that, unlike her, the girl did not find her rooms oppressive at all.

"You're so lucky." Georgiana sighed again.

“Really?" Isadore replied calmly, because never for a second in her life would she hesitate to give up all her privileges in exchange for freedom.

"Me and my mouth .." the girl replied bitterly, biting her lip. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

"Anyway I'm sorry, it is unforgivable of me when you .." Georgiana replied, interrupting herself, blushing mortified when she realized she was falling back again. "I always talk too much when I'm nervous."

“Let's eat.” proposed Isadore, changing the subject.

She did not want to break the pleasant harmony and, anyway, denying the truth was not going to change it.

She was dying, it was only a matter of time now.