The barking finally stopped, and I heard a voice before we rounded the corner and stumbled upon a woman kneeling before a multicolored dog, petting it lovingly as its tongue flopped out of its mouth happily.
The dog’s fur was a sparkling blue and green, with bits of silver, which indicated a mixed breed from what little I knew. I was used to street dogs, after all. But I always relished any time I was able to get one to trust me enough to cuddle. This one looked like it might be a cross between a diamond-dust and an emerald-beryl breed.
Its long ears flopped adorably to the side, and its long fur shook as the woman petted it. Her sapphire blue hair was down to her waist, not done up at all for court, and her eyes looked…weary, was the only word I could use to describe it. The fabric of her silver dress wrinkled a bit as she stooped down to pet the excited animal.
Our entrance caused her to look up, her lips twitching as if she wanted to smile, but couldn’t. The weariness in her eyes seemed to extend to herentire being.
“Queen Mother.” Alfrikr bowed, and I quickly followed his action in surprise.
This was Azurill’s mother?
I looked her over critically, seeing nothing of the queen before me, merely a worn woman who’d lost something vital to her spirit.
Her son, I realized in a rush. Azurill’s grief over his brother had been clear, and watching the woman before me, I didn’t doubt that she grieved fiercely for her lost child. One of her three boys, now gone forever.
I tried desperately not to think about how what I planned to do would affect her.
“Queen Mother.” I reiterated, lagging slightly behind Alfrikr in my shock.
“Alfrikr, darling, you needn’t be so formal here.” She tried to smile again and failed.
“I do around this one.” He winked at the queen mother, nudging me in the process. I rolled my eyes before I could stop myself, but the woman finally managed the slightest smile in response, so I considered that a victory at least.
“Ah, yes.” She took a step toward us, the dog rolling back over to his feet now that his mistress had abandoned him. “This must be Lady Jacinth.”
“That would be me.” I smiled, nerves fluttering in my stomach for some reason.
“You were quite a surprise to many of us,” she mused, inspecting me shamelessly.
“Well, that’s me, surprising.” I shrugged, not sure how to respond to Azurill’s mother of all people.
My flippant words made her smile more prominent, however, and as the dog at her feet trotted over to us, ignoring Alfrikr and making its way straight to me, she watched curiously. The dog nudged my leg, so I leaned down to pet her, smiling to myself at the simple joy of not having to fake my pleased reaction to the friendly dog.
Its head butted against me again, but this time in pure pleasure as my fingers scratched along her head, making her pant in happiness.
“Well, I can’t say I’ve ever seen Neasa so enthusiastic about a stranger before.” Azurill’s voice made my head snap up, my hand falling still on the dog’s head as I looked up. The dog’s—Neasa, apparently—petulant whine had my fingers digging back into her fur.
“She’s beautiful,” I told him quietly—honestly, which had to be a first between us. I loved mixed-breed dogs, seeing how the different gem combinations turned out in them. It was so much like the alchemy we used to make our potions, as if dogs were their own kind of magic.
“She’s spoiled,” he countered, raising a brow as he watched me relent to the dog’s demands. I blushed lightly, but Azurill laughed quietly, patting his thigh softly. Neasa quickly abandoned me to rush to Azurill. He knelt down and let the dog headbutt him as he ran his hands up and down her body in quick, rough pats that the canine seemed to love.
“That’s because you spoil her, dear.” His mother interjected, a fond look on her face. “You always have.”
“And who could blame me?” he asked, as the dog licked up his cheek. I laughed softly, and his mother turned to look at me once more. She examined me closely, making me nervous.
“Well, you two have a date to be on.” She suddenly clapped her hands. The weary look was already beginning to reappear in her sapphire eyes. “I’m quite curious to hear where you’re taking him, based on your outfits.”
I bit my lip, embarrassed despite myself. I looked down, but was surprised to find a finger lifting my chin back up. Azurill’s mother stood before me, smiling softly. “I was known to slip out from my father’s manor from time totime when I was younger. I’d often wear such clothes to disappear among the commoners.”
“You did?” Azurill asked, clearly bewildered, but she didn’t turn to look at him. Instead, her attention remained fixed on me.
“It’s good to get out of here every once in a while.” She winked but then sighed deeply. “Perhaps I was remiss in keeping my sons so close. I thought if I kept them in the palace, there would be no real danger, but…”
She trailed off, her eyes watering, and I couldn’t help myself from reaching out to grab her hand, squeezing lightly.
“I’m truly sorry for your loss,” I told her honestly. It wasn’t her fault I’d lost my family, even though she gave life to the man responsible. Even still, I couldn’t imagine losing a child. The loss of everyone else had damaged me forever, but a child? I was lucky I was one myself at the time and didn’t have to worry about that. But if I ever had one…I would burn the world before I let anyone hurt them.
“The loss of those we love will always leave a hole inside of us,” I told her quietly. “But over time, the holecanbe patched. Hold on to those around you, let them begin patching that hole.”
