The door creaked open, and a tall, dark-haired maid, Emily, entered with a tray of steaming food. "Your dinner is here, my lady," she said, curtsying.
Eliana's stomach growled at the savory aroma, and she instructed, "Place it on the table." As Emily set the tray down, her eyes darted to Sarah's, whose hands were still in Eliana's hair. Emily's gaze was filled with distaste, but she quickly returned her attention to Eliana and curtsied. "That will be all, you may go." With that, Emily departed, leaving Eliana alone with Sarah.
"Who is she?" Eliana asked as soon as the door closed.
Sarah hesitated, "She's a close friend of the head maid and was favored by the king...after the head maid." Sarah's voice trailed off, and she nodded in affirmation.
Eliana noticed the tension in Sarah's voice. "I guess you don't have many friends, given the way she looked at you."
Sarah's expression turned solemn. "Yes, my lady, being human is enough reason for some to hate."
Eliana laughed, feeling a sense of solidarity. "We are both unlucky, then."
Sarah's eyes filled with tears. "No, my lady, you are indeed lucky. We are all lucky to have you here."
Eliana smiled, reassured by Sarah's words. As her stomach growled again, Sarah quickly finished washing her hair and helped her into a nightdress. Eliana sat down to eat, and Sarah combed out her hair. As she ate, she couldn't help but think about the tension between her and Ryker, and her cheeks flushed at the memory of his cheeky words.
Just as she was about to take another bite, she felt a sudden pain in her abdomen, causing her to clutch her stomach. But the pain quickly subsided. After finishing her meal, Sarah took the tray and wished her a good night's rest before leaving Eliana to get ready for bed. As she climbed into bed, Eliana felt a slight pain in her stomach again and hoped it was just a minor discomfort from the walk. With a yawn, she settled in for the night.