Chapter 4 (Myra)

                                    

                                          
4
                          
Myra
                          
“It has been six months since Prince Nyght and Prince Luka disappeared. The princess hasn’t said a word since.” Bridge, the maid with the frizzy brown hair, dropped the bucket she was holding with a loud thud. “They found her the next morning staring off into the forest.” I never liked her; thought she knew everything.
                          
I sat high in the crisscross of the rafters in the unfinished wing that was to be Nyght and my suite once we were married. With his absence, construction had stopped and the wing that should have been abandoned. I liked to come here to think about what could have been an escape. I guess I wasn’t the only one. I listened to the household staff gossip below.
                          
The girl, who was about my age and dressed in yards of heavy layered fabric, which covered her body, “Is she cursed?” She pulled on one of the blond curls that escaped the scarf she wore on her head.
                          
Was I cursed? That would explain my behavior. Too bad it’s not true.
                          
“She may be,” Bridge replied.
                          
The blond girl, Laura, I think that was her name, gasped.
                          
 “I was there that day. The day they found her, her face stained with tears, eyes empty. Been here a long time, never knew the princess to cry.” With a bit of sadness she continued, “She didn’t speak, even when the Queen begged her to and the King raged.” I remember mother crying at my feet I wanted to tell her they were fine. I should have. Almost did. When King Garik came to me with tears in his eyes and asked one simple question “does my son still live.” It took all I had to stay quiet.
                          
“How odd that she would be affected so,” Laura said. “King Garik’s daughter is in the same state as Princess Myra. To lose one’s mother in such a way.” She tsked.  “Myra has lost her voice and the young princess lost her soul.”
                          
How did she know that? I thought only the family knew about Eliri.
                          
Bridge shrugged with indifference, but her posture showed irritation. “The people of Deirdre have many secrets,” she said as she turned to walk away.
                          
Laura adjusted her covering. “Why do you think the Dusk did not take the princess?”
                          
Bridge turned back to the girl, her eyes flashed with anger. For a moment then before her face turned pale and fear danced in her vision. “Princess Myra’s ability is unstable, not seen for many years.” She stuttered.
                          
The gossip was nothing I had not heard before.  On any other occasion I would have let my presence be known by now... Bridge’s quick temper was legendary in the castle. She never backed down from an argument with anyone, except maybe my mother. Who was this girl? Mother mentioned she was from Vail and the customs were different from our own. She had told Brooke not to tease her about her clothing.
                          
“It protected her. Huh.” Laura murmured.
                          
Bridge looked around the room, then whispered. “She can take your breath away with one touch.”
                          
Not wanting to hear any more, I left my hiding spot, dropping down with a loud thump to face Bridge and Laura.  Bridge jumped, Laura didn’t move. They both watched me, pity for the poor mute princess.
                          
I had heard what came next so many times in the last few months I could recite it in my sleep. People tended not to notice you when you don’t talk and some didn’t care if you heard. Who was I going to tell anyways? I should not be surprised that people acted this way. It was how Nyght’s sister Eliri was spoken of. It was why her father sent her away. The gossip was starting to bother me.