My eyes slowly started to open as I kept drifting in and out of consciousness. I felt like I heard deep voice say "Don't move" but it couldn't have been right as when my eyes fully opened, I saw Una by my beside. I tried to sit up but then I remembered as I felt the pain in the side of my head, feeling like it might explode.
"No, you mustn't move" Una pleaded as she took my hand and I nodded in understanding, I didn't want to move.
"The doctors have fixed you up, you needed a few stitches in your hairline, and you lost a lot of blood, but they say you will recover fine" Una informed me as I tried to take it all in. I touched the side of my head and felt the layers of bandages.
"How long have I been out?" I whispered, my voice dry.
"Only a day" Una patted my hand as she looked tearful "I am so sorry this happened to you, I should have been keeping a better eye on you'
I squeezed her hand "It wasn't your fault."
"I have told my father to have a stern word to Secundus. He shall not get away with it" she told me, and I realised I'd never seen her angry before. I knew he would seek his revenge one way or another, I just didn't expect it to be so soon. I would have to hope that this was it, he had got his own back and now we were even. But either way, I would never stop fighting for myself if I was treated wrongly even if that person was a prince.
I hoped that this was a brief dark chapter that would now be closed.
A few weeks past, and I was now fully recovered. I felt bad for causing a rift in the dynamic, you could tell a few of the other Princes along with Una were being off with Secundus. Not that he was a big part of their picture anyway, he always seemed to be obsessed with impressing his group of peers. I guess in a way, it was a sensible approach if you considered that the brothers were all in competition with each other.
I stayed out of the way, especially as I recovered. And my thoughts were still preoccupied by the masked ball. Though the longer the weeks that passed, the sadder I begun to feel. This stranger had not made any attempt to find me therefore it made me think to him the evening was just a bit of fun. Maybe playing with my heart was his idea of fun and he was mocking me even now?
The few times I had been for dinner in the hall, I looked out for any hope that someone would be creating some sort of signal to me but nothing.
They must have known by now that I was the raven since Secundus had ousted me. Una had spotted my mood plummet; I think for the first week she assumed it was the injury but then she started to tell it was something a bit more as kept finding myself zoning out.
"You keep thinking about him, don't you?" Una gave me a sympathetic smile.
I sighed, she had caught me as I confessed 'I don't understand, there was such a force between us. Why won't he reveal who he truly is? I fear the longer it goes on, the more I feel I have been misled"
"Have you perhaps thought that he might not be ready to reveal his identity?" Una planted another question in my mind, it did make sense. But what would make him ready? How long would it take? I was desperate to feel how he made me feel once again.
"As always Una, you are always so wise" I smiled, she had made me feel somewhat brighter. It was getting late, and I could tell we were both feeling tired as I made my leave.