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Valda wondered if she would ever step up to be the ruler everyone thought she would be. If when the time came could she make the right decisions for her kingdom? As of lately, Valda felt that her decisions weren’t the best. Or at least that’s how Arwin made her feel.

She pushed her thoughts away to the far corners of her mind as she greeted the guards by her door. Settling in her bedroom, she sat on a small sofa by the fire in the living space. She stretched out her legs, and leaned back, exhaling as the tension in her back eased.

Suddenly something stroked her legs. Looking down, her large black cat, Cerberus, welcomed her with a loud meow.

“Hello there.”

The cat stretched her front legs and then the back before shaking her head, the tufts at the tip of her ears swayed. Valda chuckled and complimented the stretch before patting her lap. Cerberus jumped right away and bumped her face against Valda’s. The vibration of her purrs relaxed Valda after her strenuous ordeal.

“Missed me?” Valda asked, stroking under the cat’s chin. Cerberus closed her large yellow eyes and purred louder, leaning into the soft caress. “I will take that as a ‘yes, I did’.”

They were interrupted by a soft knock on the door. Valda placed Cerberus on the floor before a young, terrified maid peeked her head inside. Valda frowned before sitting up straight, as Cerberus waltzed to the entrance. “The healer is really gone, isn’t he?” Valda’s voice boomed inside the large room.

The maid cringed before rubbing her hands together and nodding. “Queen Rionach sent me. I have some knowledge in medicine…” She looked down at the large cat and visibly swallowed.

Valda stared at the maid. She had common Skylian features, sun-kissed skin, dark raven hair, and light eyes. She was probably new to her position. Her eyes traveled over the young woman’s body before deciding she was too tired.

It was an open secret that Valda enjoyed sleeping around with the help. The power play involved in every interaction left her craving more. She knew she shouldn’t, now that her twenty- fifth birthday was days away.

Nine years ago, against Arwin’s wishes, her mother had brought the kingdom’s Oracle to the castle. Not man nor woman, not alive nor dead, the Oracle was a creature cursed with the burden of being a vessel to The Fates. They could see into the future. They roamed the desert of Umbriel, with scorched skin from the blazing sun, not dying, not living, just existing to foretell whatever tragedy or good fortune of whoever asked. A person with a query could only ask one question every twenty years.

Valda did just that. “Oracle, when will I meet my mate?”

The Oracle’s answer was forever engraved in Valda’s mind. “You will meet her on your twenty-fifth birthday.”

Valda needed to focus on finding her mate and that meant she had to stop sleeping around.

“What’s your name?”

The maid’s lips twitched, she cleared her throat and answered, “Melvian, your highness.”

Valda nodded. “Melvian, come. Take my boots off.”

Melvian hurried to Valda while Cerberus crawled near the fireplace. Her yellow eyes studied Valda, giving her slow blinks now and then.

Lowering to her knees, Melvian hastily undid the knots, slipping the boots off. Her hands trembled when she noticed the blood staining the boots.

Peering up to Valda with a questioning gaze, Melvian set them aside. Valda grunted as she moved forward, unclasped the heavy armor from her shoulders and torso, letting it fall onto the marble ground. In doing so, she revealed the slashes of her arm, and a small wound over her right shoulder. Valda sighed; she touched her left shoulder before removing the stained shirt, leaving only a black wrap covering her breasts. Not saying a word, Valda showed off the wounds that needed tending.

“I shall bring the kit,” Melvian said, standing and heading to the bathroom.

“Draw my bath while you are at it.”?

Melvian nodded, leaving Valda to look down at the extent of her injuries. She had it worse, but she was more than sure that they would scar.

Melvian came back with a large box. She placed the kit near the night table before opening it and turning to Valda. “These are deep,” Melvian said as she roamed the wound further. “You will need stitches.”?

Valda grunted as Melvian worked on her arm.

“I suggest you consume ginger and turmeric. Tea is always good. It will help you keep an infection away. In a few days you will feel better.”?

Valda nodded. “You do know a lot.”?

Melvian smiled at Valda. “Thank you.”

“When did you get this training in healing? You seem rather young,” Valda said, feeling Melvian tense at the word.

The younger woman pursed her lips as she began to tend to the wounds. She didn’t answer until Valda grabbed her wrist, stopping her movements altogether. “My mother is a healer!”she yelped.