I finished rinsing the bath, the water cooling around me as I lifted myself carefully out and wrapped a towel around my shoulders. Steam still curled from the porcelain, and the warmth lingered in my skin.
The maid appeared almost instantly, drying my hair with soft efficiency and adjusting the bathrobe.
"Thank you," I said quietly.
"Of course, Your Highness."
Once I was dressed, I made my way to the dining hall. The table had been set with simple but elegant fare—roasted vegetables, a small cut of meat, bread, and a carafe of water. Mother had already begun eating, eyes bright when they met mine.
"You're late," she said lightly.
"I was… occupied," I replied. A subtle understatement. She raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
[Host, that was a very villainous way of saying 'I just had a bath.' Ten points for understatement.]
I smiled faintly and took a seat.
