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“Y-yes, ma’am.” Maris scrambled with the soap and the cloth towards Valda. The princess’s hand was already extended, waiting for her. After handing the soap and cloth to Valda, Maris left the room by the princess’s command.

It was for her own good. She shouldn’t invade the princess’s privacy. She needed her time to wash up, and maybe get used to the fact that she couldn’t see.

Maris rubbed the goosebumps from her arms and let out a frustrated groan as she looked at the ceiling. She wanted to concentrate on something other than the image of the princess bathing herself.

“I need to get a hold of myself. I need—” She exhaled and squeezed the tension forming at the base of her neck. She was there to help, and she was going to do just that, right?

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. She frowned. It was rather late. The only people in the castle were guards, and most of the maids were cleaning the mess in the throne room. It couldn’t be the queen; she wouldn’t knock on the door.

Maris unlocked the latch and peeked outside. “Melvian!” She opened the door completely and pulled her friend for a tight hug.

“Gods! Maris! What in Tartarus!” Melvian hugged her right back, squeezing her for a moment before pulling back. “I thought you got kicked out!”

“I thought the same, but I think they liked that I rough-handled her.”

Melvian shrugged confused. “Why”

“I am kind of like her personal maid now.”

Melvian’s eyes grew wide in terror. “Oh, no.”

“Oh, yes. I don’t think she will be much trouble though.”

Melvian frowned. “Is she dead?”

Maris blinked. “How can I be the personal maid of a corpse, Melvian?”

Melvian muttered something and shrugged again.

“She is blind.”

Melvian’s expression changed from surprised to sad in a matter of seconds. “Blind?”

Maris nodded. “She is taking a bath right now and as you can see; she wasn’t happy about being blind. She almost destroyed the entire room.”

“Well, that fucking sucks.”

“Melvian!”

“No!” Melvian raised her hands. “Listen, she won’t be able to fight alongside her army. I’ve never heard of a blind soldier surviving a war, not even joining one.”

Maris swallowed hard. She hadn’t thought about that. What would become of the princess now that she was blind? Would they even respect her or see her as their superior? Maris frowned, tracing back to General Arwin. She hadn’t been able to see him at all after this. Was he even in the castle?

“Have you seen the general?”

Melvian shook her head. “After what happened in the throne room he disappeared.”

Maris bit her lower lip and turned back to the mess in the room. “What do you think he will say when he knows about this?”

“Why do you care?”

“I… don’t?”

“You are weird,” Melvian said, before scoffing.

“Everything will be fine because an Asclepius worshiper will come and heal Valda, right?”

Melvian was apprehensive to answer. She shrugged her shoulders and nodded reluctantly. “True, but there is no healer in the castle. He is gone.”