Seeking Justice

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Five Days Later

Carissa brushed her fingers against the rosebushes as they walked by, feeling the oncoming darkness like a physical pressure bearing down on her shoulders. Aleck had yet to appear, and she was to leave for Esmeray on the morrow. And though Elon and she had only bonded that once, he was more often in her room and oftentimes dismissed her lady-in-waiting, saying he would see to Carissa's needs himself.

She appreciated his thoughtfulness, but she didn't like how he treated her so protectively. It seemed after they'd bonded, he'd come to think of her as fragile. But just because she cried after their bonding didn't mean—

"What was it like?" Cylia skipped forward, blue eyes bright.

The lady smiled. "It was the most amazing thing I've ever experienced. He was so gentle and thoughtful and romantic. Each night we stayed on the island, he covered the bed with different flower petals. And the food there was exquisite, and the shoreline had the softest sand—"

Cylia huffed. "I didn't want to know about that part of the honeymoon. I wanted to know about the other part."

The ladies tittered, and Dara clucked her tongue. "Such impudence. I do declare, every new generation seems to have less discretion than the last."

Carissa caressed the curve of a rose, trying to think about the velvety feel of its petals, its flushed color. She touched the stem, trailed her fingers over its thorns.

The lady laughed softly. "While I most certainly won't impart... particular details, every single night was amazing. He's just wonderful, and I will forever anticipate sharing a bed with him."

Pain flared in Carissa's finger, and she pulled her hand back. It seemed one of the thorns had pricked her.

A few of the ladies sighed, and one snorted, muttering, "Just give it a few decades, dearie."

Carissa turned towards the ladies, a false smile on her lips and an excuse on her tongue. But she was saved from using either as a boy darted through the cluster of ladies, earning a few glares.

"Carissa!"

She blinked as he leapt towards her, squeezing her waist. She ran her fingers through Aleck's surprisingly clean hair. "Aleck." Her chin wobbled, and she covered her mouth.

Then he drew away. "I need to tell you something, Carissa." And then he darted off into the depths of the gardens, his brown vest flapping in the wind. A frown knotted her brows. A brown vest? Servants wore those. Why was Aleck—

"Your majesty?" Cylia approached her, eyes bright with curiosity. "Who was that little servant? And why did he approach you so boldly?"

"I'm afraid I must be off, Cylia. Perhaps I'll tell you about it another time." Carissa held up her skirt as she hurried after Aleck, glad for the excuse to leave the women's company. If she had to hear more about the lady's romantic, sensual honeymoon, she feared she'd start crying.

Aleck was just around the corner, and she slowed, wiping the shame and sorrow from her expression. "I'm so glad to see you, Aleck."

He blinked up at her. "You don't look glad."

"It's not you, Aleck..." She widened her smile. "There's just been a few things bothering me lately, that's all. I am glad to see you. Why did you come back?"

He shrugged. "I just kept thinking of my uncle—and the expression on his face when I left. Maybe he does care for me. Maybe he made an honest mistake in Zonah."

"So you've made amends with him?"

Aleck shook his head. "I came to see you first. I've been in the palace for about a week now, and—"

"A week? And you didn't come to see anyone earlier?"

He curled his fingers around hers. "Please don't be upset, Carissa. I was going to, I promise, but when I approached the palace, a grumpy guard wouldn't let me in, until I convinced him I was there looking for employment. Once they allowed me inside, I was going to go see you, but I got sidetracked..."

"By what?"

Aleck's cheeks pinked. "You mean by who."

Carissa raised her eyebrows. "Was it a girl?"

He shrugged, the color in his face deepening. "The other children thought she was strange, and they kept picking on her. She didn't have anyone who was willing to take care of her—other than the old gardener."

"The old gardener?"

Aleck nodded. "The one who was murdered. So then I began spending time with her... but she was strange. She'd sneak off, and no one would be able to find her. When she returned, the head maid would spank her." Aleck's jaw tensed. "It wasn't like in the pub—she used a thick belt and the slaps barely hurt, just enough to leave red welts."

"And how would you know that?"

"Because I'd hold the girl whenever she was spanked, so the belt hit me instead. The head maid asked me to get out of the way, but when I didn't, she continued."

Carissa squeezed Aleck's hand. "Oh, Aleck—"

Aleck held out his palm, gesturing for her to stop. "I just turned nine, Carissa, and I'm nearly a man now. You needn't coddle me."

Sometimes, she swore he was a grave old man trapped in the body of a child... Though she was tempted to smile, she nodded for him to continue.

"So one day, she was gone for the entire day—the day the gardener died." Aleck sank his teeth into his lower lip. "I think she's in trouble, somehow. I think someone might be forcing her to help the murderer... or she might have killed him herself."

***

Author's Note: Yes, I know it's short. I would've tried to expand it a little, but I have an economics project in a few hours, and it's putting me behind schedule 😓

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