This time she kept her eyes firmly closed, her thoughts swirling in a whirlwind of confusion. I am the princess, my name is Seraphina she repeated silently to herself, trying to anchor her identity amidst the chaos.  The conversation between deities played on loop, their names familiar yet shrouded in mystery. She knew of them, not they themselves. She pondered her previous dealings, the details of her bargain, and the overwhelming magnitude of her current situation. A grimace etched itself across her features as she grappled with the most pressing question: could she escape from this fate?

“Princess, your emotions,” the sudden voice broke through her internal turmoil. Opening her eyes, she found herself back in bed, the sheets pulled up to her neck and a warm cloth wiping her brow by the maid with white hair—Susan, she recalled.

“The more emotional you become, the less control you have over Morthos’s powers.” Susan’s words were laced with a mixture of concern and sternness, her blue eyes seeming to implore Seraphina to heed her advice. Despite the urge to scream in frustration, Seraphina swallowed down her rising emotions. She filled her lungs with air and began to count back..

10... Focus on what you can control.

9... You've become Princess Seraphina, and that's where you begin.

8... Remember, she's not exactly popular. 

7... Allies might be scarce for her.

6... Recall what you've learned; it's not a highly advanced society, and there's a clear hierarchy.

5... Magic exists in this world.

4... You now possess magic, something known as Morthos's Touch.

3... Be mindful, your emotions govern this power.

2... Concentrate on the things within your grasp.

1.. This is just another role to play.

She opened her eyes, she was met with the curious gaze of two sets of blue eyes. The sunlight now bathed the marble chamber in a golden glow, indicating it was well past noon. In front of her, two basins filled with swirling metallic silver caught her attention.

“I apologize for the spectacle. Please, clean this up and draw me a bath,” Seraphina gently spoke, opposite of what she felt. The maids exchanged glances, their confusion evident as they glanced at the peculiar liquid.

"Princess, what of..." They trailed off, their voices faltering as they glanced back at the basins, uncertainty flickering in their eyes. Sensing their hesitation, Seraphina paused, recalling Susan's cautious avoidance of the swirling water. It was evident that this was a secret that needed to be safeguarded.

"Don't tell anyone. Bottle it up and hide it. Protect yourselves with leather gloves and handle it discreetly," she instructed firmly. Both maids nodded in understanding, a sense of relief washing over Seraphina as she watched them comply without resistance. She slipped out of the sheets as Eve moved to the mirror hiding the bathroom and Susan disappeared past the guards.

Seraphina trailed behind Eve, quietly observing her movements. The maid, with her long black hair cascading down her back, stood a few inches taller than Seraphina, though her uniform seemed ill-fitted, hanging loosely from her slender frame. Despite this, she moved with a grace that belied her awkwardness in the oversized dress. As her gaze lingered on Eve’s figure, the maid blushed, shrinking herself under the weight of Seraphina’s scrutiny.

Fumbling for the mirror, Eve opened the door to reveal a room that took her by surprise. Her face scrunched up. Gone were the previous notions of modern bathrooms. The ideas of flushing and bidets disappeared from thought replaced by a chair with a pot tucked beneath, its purpose clear. Also instead of the familiar waterfall shower heads and glass walls, she was met with a large copper soaking tub and a small table filled with assorted soaps and potions. Leaning against the doorframe, her mind wandered, it was all the same embellishments as the bedroom and the emphasis on appearance, even in the bathroom struck her as excessive. Were looks that important to the old Princess? Seraphina sighed,she knew all too well the importance placed on looks, but the idea of constantly having your appearance follow you seemed unnerving and self-indulgent.

Lost in her thoughts, Seraphina almost missed the quiet yelp that escaped Eve's lips.Turning her attention to the maid, she saw Eve reaching for a red rock hidden among the potions in a clear pouch. In her attempts to retrieve it, Eve seemed to have burned herself, causing the pouch and rock to fall, scattering the expensive bottles. With a sharp intake of breath, Eve bowed her head, closing her eyes in pain. A pang of guilt shot through Seraphina as she watched, knowing all too well the hazards of serving powerful clients. With a soft click Seraphina found herself kneeling in front of Eve. She extended her hand expectantly and said, ”Show me.”

Despite her confusion and fear, Eve hesitantly showed Seraphina her injured hand. With gentle care, Seraphina took the hand, flipping it over to inspect the damage. The skin was already blistering from the heat of the stone, indicating its danger. Seraphina glanced at the copper tub nearby, she tested the water quickly noticing its icy contents.

"Here," she murmured softly, guiding Eve's hand over the tub. Carefully, she cupped the water and let it wash over Eve's injured hand. As she inspected the damage, she noted large blisters forming on the index, middle, and thumb. It was clear that immediate treatment was necessary. “Do you have any antiseptic gel?” 

“Princess, you shouldn’t waste time. It was-” Eve began to protest, but Seraphina tightened her grasp, holding Eve’s injured hand firmly in place. 

“Stop, accidents happen. We must get you treated. Please, show me to the medical room.” Seraphina interrupted, as she began to rise to her feet. Eve followed suit, her expression helpless as they prepared to move. As they turned to move, Eve stopped in the doorway of the bathroom.

“Princess you can’t go out dressed like that. People will talk,” Eve shook her head.Glancing down, Seraphina realized she wore a thin pink negligee and something that wouldn’t earn her looks in her past but here, she shuddered at the thought. Depending on the politics she could be branded something even worse than merely self-involved.

"Fine. Let's find something more suitable, and then we'll head to the medical room," Seraphina relented, allowing Eve to guide her towards another mirrored door on the left. As it swung open, revealing an array of twenty or thirty different gowns, Seraphina felt a pang of apprehension about the choices that lay ahead.