The palace felt quieter than usual, though that may have been because Beatrice hadn't left her guest chambers since the tea incident. The burn on her arm had blistered slightly despite the ointment, and the skin around her collarbone still stung whenever the fabric of her dress shifted too roughly. She kept her movements minimal and her expression blank, and no one pressed her to rejoin the court.
The archery session that Lila had once arranged never happened. Nor did the silly wooden dueling match with Francois, back when things were easier. She remembered it clearly from the first time around. Lila's smug challenge, the laughter from the sidelines, Francois surprising everyone by siding with her instead. That version of Beatrice had fought awkwardly but laughed until her stomach hurt.
Now, no one even knocked on her door.
It was sometime past noon when another knock finally came. Beatrice rose carefully, her arm still bandaged, and opened the door.
