Empress | The Remarried Empress

[13] Aftermath

Mentions of SA

Callista's POV

"King Callista!" he exclaimed. "What's the matter? What has you so shaken?"

I only looked up to him, tears beginning to spill from my eyes as my vision began to fade into darkness. "Please..." I trembled, holding back a sob as he helped me to my feet again.

"Take me back to my room."

The next things he said were difficult to hear, but I understood that he would do as I asked.

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Heinrey's POV

Just what happened to her for her to break down like this? I had laid her down onto her bed, removing her shoes and heavy jewelry so that she could relax. I attempted to get her attention but she didn't respond. She just... lied there. Crying. Looking at nothing. She had been like this for the last ten minutes..

Looking at nothing....

..but there was such fear in her eyes.

Fear, and...

..frustration.

She must have been reliving an awful memory of the past.

But what memory?

Her words from the last time we met began to echo in my mind.

"....I am not yet ready to share that with you, Prince Heinrey. No one outside of myself and my retainers know, and for the time being, it shall remain that way."

Something that no one outside of herself and her retainers know...

I thought back to our first meeting. I had grabbed her by the collar, and she was frightened...

..but not of me..

...the collar...

..she was fiddling with the fabric around her neck when she approached Navier and I today.

Why....?

Her neck..?

I eyed her still shaking form as the thought crossed my mind.

She's vulnerable when someone touches her neck...

She finds comfort in the fabrics she wears...

..oh...

Oh.

I mumbled to myself, putting the pieces together. "Callista... were you..." I couldn't even say it. She definitely was. As gently as I possibly could while containing my anger, I took one of her hands into my own. I began rubbing my thumbs across it in a circle as I spoke again.

"Callista. It's alright." She looked up in my direction, but still not meeting my gaze. Any response is good right now. "You're safe. No one is hurting you. You're safe...." I wasn't really sure what to say. She mumbled something I couldn't understand..

"Callista, could you repeat that? I couldn't hear you properly.."

"I-I want to see him." she stammered, finally meeting my eyes. Her tears had stopped, and she moved her hand to wipe her eyes. They were still glossed over, but she seemed to be coming back.