Mia woke up the next morning to find Alex gone to her disappointment. She couldn't feel anything through the bond. Not since the day at the river.
Mia didn't understand what he had accused her of or what had happened in the river or what he even was, but she was willing to wait patiently for him to tell her. She would wait until he was ready.
"Good morning your highness,"
Anne walked into Mia's room with a tray in her hands. "Hope you slept well."
She smiled down at Mia and Mia smiled up at her, thankful for some company.
"I did," Mia replied cheerily and regretted it cause her throat was quick to protest.
"That's good to know, Luna." Anne handed her a cup of her medicine. It was green and unpleasant but Jericho had said it'd work and so far so good, it had, so she couldn't complain even if that was all she wanted to do.
"You know, the girls and I really miss you and of course, your tales." Anne pointed out and they both chuckled lightly. "We wish you a quick recovery."
"Thanks, Anne." Mia couldn't recognize her own voice anymore, she sounded like a frog.
"Please, don't stress yourself, your majesty." Anne was very polite and genuine. Mia liked it but, she was also very law abiding and she was anything but daring, hence they weren't very close.
Mia handed over the almost empty cup to her after she was sure she would throw up her intestine if she drank anymore of it.
"What would you like to eat?"
Anne asked as Mia struggled out of her bed. Mia was certain she had been hit by a train but Alex just wouldn't admit it to her.
Why she couldn't remember, she wasn't sure but it would be the second time in her life time that she'd be losing her memory.
The first time was when she was still a kid. She had been involved in an accident with her Nanny but the older woman, goddess rest her soul, didn't make it. She was only seven then and her mother told her she hit her head badly. And just like that, all her childhood memories, from age one to seven vanished.
She never recovered those ones, but she was determined to recover these ones.
Anne still stood patiently, waiting for her order.
"Nevermind, Anne. I'd go to the kitchen myself ," she told Anne, struggling to speak.
"But-" Anne tried to speak but was cut short by Mia who raised her hand, stopping her objections.
"I need go to meet the cook anyways," Mia shrugged.
Anne bowed slowly after that, and exited the room.
Alex had been with her for the past two days and she wondered if he'd come see her today. She looked forward to it.
When she had seen him crying and holding unto her the way he had that day, she was really pleased to know that he did care about her. Even if she had to get hurt to find that out, she regretted nothing and she would do it all over again.
Mia was quick to have her bath, she was more than happy to start her day. She had never had to be so quiet in her life and it was taking its roll on her but she didn't have a choice.
Mia walked into the kitchen where the magic happened.
Once she entered, everyone halted what they were doing and bowed in respect to her.
"Your majesty..." A plumpy woman approach her from the left end of the kitchen as she shook in... fear?
Why was she even scared? Mia had a smile on her face even. She looked harmless but the cooks and every other attendant in the palace had had their own fair share of a wicked queen. Alex's mother was a good example.
"Is anything wrong? " The woman asked in deep worry and Mia thought the woman's head was a bit too small for her body. Her eyes were a dark brown, and she was short but her hair was what caught Mia's attention. Her hair was white and short. Strange.
"Tell them to return to work,"
Mia screeched out with much difficulty when she noticed the workers still standing like statues.
This place was so much different from hers and she found herself feeling awkward and misplaced.
After the plumpy young woman had instructed them to resume their various works, she asked her for the head cook.
"She is in the store room. I'll go get her," she replied and hurried into he large store room.
Mia waited in the middle of the room, feeling awkward and shy. But she didn't have to because no one dared look her way.
Alpha Alex wasn't an easy man. They had learnt that over the years.
"You asked for me your highness?" An old woman with gray hair inquired meekly with her eyes on the floor away from Mia's face.
Mia couldn't understand what she felt but she felt a fondness towards the woman. Like she had known her before.
"Hi, I'm Mia,"
Mia said, stretching forth her hand for a handshake.
The old woman looked up at her with eyes full of years of experience and wisdom and smiled. "I know, my dear."
Mia was truly surprised to meet someone as old as she was. Wolves aged slowly and for this woman to look so old, Mia could only imagine how old she was.
"So why did you ask to see me your highness?" The woman asked and wrinkles could be seen below her eyes.
"Mia." Mia corrected while taking her hand in hers, and walking back into the store room. The plumpy woman stared after them in surprise.
The old woman was already bent over with. She patted Mia's cheek gently.
"I can't call you that for the sake of protocol, my child." The woman sounded happy to be with her, Mia felt the same way and it was strange, yet exciting.
Mia held her breath and began to speak, praising the old woman's cooking and ending her sentence with a question, "How do you cook so well?"
The woman grinned and crinkles highlighted the sides of her eyes.
"I wanted to know your secret recipe," Mia confessed once they were seated comfortably at a slicing table.
The old woman's smile deepened. "You're relentlessly, child. It's been years now, yet, you won't give up," she chuckled lightly, smiling brightly at Mia.
Mia was taken aback. What was she talking about?
"What do you mean years?"
Mia inquired in confusion and the old woman's eyes widened a bit, and Mia's lips fell into a grim line as her frown deepened.