Chapter 13 - Confinement

“I apologize. You are right, your Majesty. As you have stated, now and previously, I cannot truly understand what exhaustion is. Similar to how I cannot comprehend what true pain is.” Syra brought her face to her neutral mask she often used in court and near her mother when she wasn’t forced to fake smile.

“Are you mocking me, child?” Her Majesty stepped back and glared.

“Of course not, your Majesty. I am simply giving you the respect you deserve as my sovereign and mother. I thought you would be pleased that I am listening to your words and taking them so seriously.” Syra was like a statue throughout her body as her monotone voice spoke.

“You,” The Queen sighed and walked back to her throne and sat before looking at Syra again, “you, as punishment, are not allowed outside of your bed chamber.” Queen Opal looked down at Syra with poorly hidden anger.

“Of course, your Majesty. How long is my punishment for and if anyone asks what is my punishment for?” Syra curtsied and looked back towards her mother with her face set in stone.

“Until I lift your punishment. You are being punished for disobedience. Stop looking at me with those eyes. Leave my sight.” Queen Opal waved her hand dismissively as she sighed loudly.

Syra turned and held her head high as she walked back to the door. She knocked and the guards outside opened the door for her. She looked towards Hestia and Lia and they followed her down the hallway. She kept her face of stone as she walked the hallways and saw servants and nobles. 

As she entered her bedchamber she walked straight to her bed and collapsed onto it. Hestia shut the door as Lia rushed to her side.

“Syra, what happened? What did Grandmother say?” Lia placed a gentle hand onto Syra.

“I am not allowed to leave my bedchamber until she decides I am allowed to.” Syra’s monotone voice spoke, but Syra felt everything was distant. 

She felt numb. Even the pain she knew she should feel was replaced with an emptiness.

“What?! What for?” Lia’s voice was angry, but Syra couldn’t understand why.

“Disobedience. She did not like me doing exactly as she said and thought I was mocking her.” Syra sat up and began to take off her jewelry as Hestia rushed over to assist.

“What? That makes no sense. She thought you were mocking her for doing what she said? And how is that being disobedient?” Lia looked confused as Hestia left with the jewelry and returned with a clean nightgown.

“Well, to be fair, I was mocking her for thinking she is the only person who has ever suffered. She told me I do not know the meaning of the words tired, exhausted, or pain.” Syra counted on her fingers as she changed.

“I don’t understand. You have had a lot of health problems. Does she not count any of your illnesses as being in pain or exhausted?” Lia’s confused face almost made Syra laugh, she wasn’t even sure why that was what she felt.

“Apparently not. It’s fine. I don’t have to see Aurelian if I am stuck in here.” Syra collapsed back onto the bed.

“I should let you rest. I will try to talk to Grandmother.” Lia began to head towards the door.

“Lia, Don’t. If you try to speak to her right now, she will likely punish you too. Likely the same and I would appreciate visitors if I cannot leave.” Syra reached out a hand towards her.

“Okay, get some rest. I will be back tomorrow.” Hestia closed the door behind Lia and helped Syra climb under the blankets before leaving herself.

Syra felt her eyelids droop. She was so angry, she was having trouble falling asleep despite her exhaustion. She looked around her bedchamber. She was stuck with her room that held her bed, a sitting area, a dressing table, a large closet, and a bathroom. It was the mirror image of Pearl’s as her room was next to hers. 

She sighed as she wondered how to pass the time since she couldn’t sleep. She sat up and opened her dresser drawer and pulled out Icar’s card. There was no way for her to sneak to the tower, but she wanted to talk to them. She heard a knock on her door.

 She grabbed her dressing gown and opened the door. She was surprised at the closeness of a familiar set of purple eyes and stepped back.

“I apologize for startling you. I had heard you had safely returned, but I had to see for myself that you were alright.” Duke Eclipse’s voice was a low rumble as he spoke quietly.

“I am safe within the castle walls. I am to remain within these four walls specifically.” Syra spoke through the gap in the door.

“You are confined? But there is no guard on your door?” The Duke looked puzzled and looked around to confirm.

“My mother probably does not wish for my confinement to become court gossip. A guard would make people talk.” Syra peeked out the door and saw no one in the hallway, “Come in, I don’t want my mother to hear of any visitors.” Syra opened the door and Duke Eclipse stepped inside quickly before Syra shut the door.

“I do not wish for her to remove my ability to have visitors as well.” Syra turned from the door and when she looked at the black haired man, her eyes were drawn to his purple eyes.

“I am unsure if it is wise to have a man in your room alone, your Highness. I am unsure which is worse for your reputation in court.” Eclipse looked around the room and sat down on the nearby sofa.

“Oh, Oceania. I cannot do anything right.” Syra sank into a chair opposite him and let her head fall into her hands.

As her head hit her injured hand she jumped slightly and shook it. The motion caught the eyes of the Duke who reached out and took her hand in his. He looked at it closely.

“What happened to your hand, your Highness?” His eyes narrowed as he examined it.

“It was an accident.” Syra pulled her hand away, she felt her face go hot.

“May I look at it closer?” Duke Eclipse held out his hand waiting for her.

Syra looked at his hand before placing her hand in his. Her hand looked small in comparison and she watched as he slowly unwrapped her hand. Her hand was still swollen and the bruising was worse than when Icar first wrapped it. She watched him look at her hand and turn it over. His movements were gentle as he looked over her injury.

“Your Highness… These bruises look like handprints. Did someone do this?” Duke Eclipse looked up at Syra with a glow to his purple eyes and a slight amount of anger that surprised Syra.

“It was not on purpose.” Syra blushed and looked away from the intense eye contact.

“Whether or not it was intentional does not change the harm done, your Highness. You should never accept anyone causing you harm, in any way.” Duke Eclipse gently touched her face so Syra would look back towards him. His eyes were soft and pleading.

“You can call me by my name when we are alone.” Syra looked down and peeked back up to gauge his reaction.

“Then I insist you call me by mine when we are alone.” He smiled and then in a mischievous tone asked, “How often are you planning on us being alone?” As Syra blushed deeply he laughed in his low rumbling voice.

“I wasn’t thinking that! I just wanted to not have this awkward ‘your highness’ at the end of every sentence.” Syra looked away feeling her face hot, she then felt a warm hand touch her chin and pull her face back towards him.

“Syra.” Hearing her name in his deep rumbling voice made a shiver go up her spine, “Then I want to hear you say my name.” His hand stayed on her chin so she could not turn away, his eyes wandered around her face seeming to relish in her blush.

“E-Eclipse.” She closed her eyes as she said his name, but she could still hear his rumbling chuckle.

“I want to see your beautiful eyes as you call my name.” His thumb stroked her cheek, but each movement felt like electricity dancing across her skin.

“Eclipse.” She looked at his purple eyes and felt his hand shift to cup her cheek as he glanced at her lips. 

“Yes, Syra? Is there anything I can do for you?” His eyes flicked between hers and her lips. Syra felt torn as she tried to decide between what was right and what she wanted.

“For tonight, Eclipse? I simply need to sleep. I am exhausted from swimming a long distance.” Syra turned her face away from his hand as she realized how heavy her body felt and felt the ache in her bones once more.

“Of course Syra, would you like me to leave?” Eclipse took his hand back slowly as he gazed at her.

“Yes, for tonight. I would like you to visit again soon.” Syra stood with shaking legs and Eclipse moved to her and helped her to her bedside. He kissed her hand before turning to head towards the door.

“I will visit again.” Eclipse slipped out the door and Syra took a deep breath. 

Syra took off her dressing gown and climbed under her covers. It felt oddly cold tonight. She thought about Eclipse and Icar as she drifted off to sleep. Her dreams were filled with a mixture of fear and dread as she dreamt of her mother and Pythia. Her other dreams were filled with warmth and a feeling that she had felt before, but not nearly as strongly. Desire.