Chapter 57: Dawn’s Visitation To Eiravelle

Afternoon, and Dawn was in a carriage. Her servants followed outside as they went to Eiravelle’s palace. The carriage moved smoothly through the palace grounds, its wheels barely making a sound against the polished stone paths.

Dawn sat inside, her hands are clasped in her lap, her eyes are fixed on the window as the landscape passed by. She had been waiting for this moment since she first heard of Eiravelle’s arrival, and now that it was finally happening, she could barely contain her excitement.

She had spent the entire morning preparing, choosing her dress, selecting the gift, rehearsing what she would say. She wanted everything to be perfect.

The palace grounds were beautiful in the afternoon light, the gardens are bursting with colors that seemed almost too vivid to be real. Flowers of every shape and size lined the pathways, their petals are shimmering with dew despite the warmth of the sun.

Fountains carved from white stone bubbled softly, their water was catching the light and scattering it into tiny rainbows. It was a paradise, the kind of place that poets wrote about and artists tried to capture, but Dawn barely noticed any of it.

Her mind was elsewhere, focused entirely on the omega she was about to meet.

She thought about what she knew of Eiravelle. The stories had reached her even before the omega arrived at the palace, whispered in corridors and passed between servants who did not realize she was listening.

Eiravelle had been held captive by the Akhyas, had endured something terrible, something that would have broken a lesser person. And yet, she had survived and she had returned without breaking down.

She was here, in this palace, carrying the sovereign’s child, trying to build a new life from the ashes of the old one. Dawn admired that. She admired the strength it took to keep going when everything seemed hopeless.

The carriage slowed as they approached the gates, and Dawn felt her heart beat faster. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. She had rehearsed this moment a hundred times, had imagined what she would say and how she would say it.

But now that it was finally here, she felt nervous. What if Eiravelle did not want to see her?

What if she was too tired, too overwhelmed, too distrustful of strangers? Dawn would understand, of course. She would not push.

But she hoped, more than anything, that Eiravelle would give her a chance.

Then they stopped at the gates of Eiravelle’s palace. The gates were tall and ornate, wrought from silver and inlaid with precious stones that glittered in the sunlight. Guards stood at attention on either side, their expressions were carefully neutral, their hands are resting on the hilts of their weapons.

They bowed as Dawn’s carriage approached, recognizing her instantly. She was, after all, the future Phoenix empress, and her presence commanded respect wherever she went.

Dawn stepped out of the carriage, her servants were hurrying to assist her. She was wearing her smile so wide that Eiravelle’s servant saw her enthusiasm from where she stood at the entrance.

The servants and guards bowed as she passed, their movements were synchronized and precise.

Dawn walked past the guards and approached Saye, who was standing near the door with a look of mild surprise on her face.

"May I ask where your lady is?" Dawn politely asked, her voice was warm and gentle.

Saye looked at her directly in the eye, her posture was respectful but not subservient. "Greetings, Your Highness. Lady Eiravelle was resting. Should I wake her?"

Dawn nodded in understanding, though her heart sank a little at the news. She was aware that Eiravelle was very tired after being held captive by the Akhyas. The thought of what Eiravelle had endured made Dawn’s chest tighten with sympathy.

She had heard the stories, had listened to the reports that filtered through the palace. She knew that Eiravelle had been through something terrible, and something that would take time to heal. She did not want to add to that burden by demanding attention when Eiravelle needed rest.

Dawn tried to hide her frown, forcing her expression to remain pleasant. "It’s fine, don’t wake your lady. She needs more rest. I’ll just visit some other time, then." She said, and she turned her back.

She descended down the stairs, her footsteps were slow and deliberate, and stopped midstep after realizing she won’t be able to meet Eiravelle today. The disappointment was sharp, a bitter taste in the back of her throat.

She had been so looking forward to this, had spent so long preparing. But she could not be selfish. Dawn would not be the one to disturb her peace.

But then Eiravelle opened the door herself. "Please come in."

Dawn spun around, her eyes are widening. Eiravelle was standing in the doorway, wearing a cashmere cardigan with a small blanket draped over her shoulders. She looked tired, her eyes were heavy with exhaustion, but there was a quiet strength in the way she held herself. She looked small and fragile, but there was something in her gaze that spoke of resilience and a spirit that refused to be broken.

Dawn’s face lit up in excitement when she saw Eiravelle. "Lady Eiravelle!" She was very happy to finally see Eiravelle that she ran back upstairs and hugged Eiravelle without thinking.

The servants were taken aback because Princess Dawn haven’t greeted anyone like this ever since she came to Solkanaia. They exchanged glances, their expressions were a mixture of shock and bewilderment.

They had never seen their mistress behave this way, had never seen her embrace a stranger with such enthusiasm. It was so unlike her, so out of character, that for a moment, they did not know how to react.

"I finally met you, Eiravelle!" Dawn shrieked in so much excitement that even Eiravelle was taken aback by Dawn’s behavior.

Eiravelle glanced at Saye, her eyes were wide with confusion. She did not know who this woman was, did not understand why she was being hugged by a stranger. Saye gestured for her to cut it off, her expression was apologetic but firm.

Eiravelle didn’t understand much but she slightly withdrew from Dawn’s embrace and looked at Dawn. "May I know... You are?" Eiravelle hesitated.

Dawn blinked, as if only now realizing that she had not introduced herself. She released Eiravelle and took a step back, her cheeks are flushed with embarrassment. "Oh! My name is Dawn! Second princess of Ashrein."

When Eiravelle heard that she is a princess, her eyes widened and she immediately bowed, her body moved on instinct. "Forgive me, Your Highness! I did not know!"

"No! No no no, please rise." Dawn urged Eiravelle to stand up straight, her hands are reaching out to gently lift the omega. "It’s fine. I was the one who came here uninvited, so it is my mistake. Don’t apologize, I have nothing to forgive." Dawn explained with a smile on her lips.

Eiravelle didn’t even know if she can sigh in relief by Dawn’s reassurances. The princess was nothing like she had expected. She had imagined royalty to be cold and distant, to look down on those beneath them. But Dawn was warm and kind, her smile was genuine and her eyes were free of judgment. It was disorienting, and Eiravelle did not know how to respond.

"What brings you here, Your Highness?" Eiravelle asked. She clearly don’t have enough strength for pleasantries. Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper, and she swayed slightly on her feet as if standing was taking all her energy.

Dawn noticed the exhaustion in Eiravelle’s face, the way her shoulders sagged, the way her hands trembled slightly. She felt a pang of guilt for keeping her standing when she should be resting. But she had come here for a reason, and she could not leave without at least trying.

"Oh! I... I am here to meet you. I was one of the people who went out there in looking out for you, but... May I request to talk to you in private, Lady Eiravelle?" Dawn asked.

Eiravelle suddenly felt the shift in the atmosphere. The princess’s voice had changed, had become more serious and more urgent. There was something in her eyes that had not been there before, something that made Eiravelle’s instincts prickle with warning. But she did not show it.

She kept her expression neutral, her body was still, even as her mind raced with questions.

"What for, Your Highness?" Eiravelle asked.

"It’s urgent, and I want it to be between the two of us only." Dawn answered, her voice was low and earnest.

Eiravelle studied the princess for a long moment. She did not know Dawn, did not know if she could be trusted. But there was something in Dawn’s eyes that looked almost like desperation, like she was carrying a weight that she could no longer bear alone.

Eiravelle understood that feeling all too well. She had been carrying her own weight for so long that she had forgotten what it felt like to be free of it.

She nodded and let Dawn in. Dawn smiled widely as she entered, her relief was evident in the way her shoulders relaxed. Eiravelle closed the door behind Dawn as they talked in private, leaving the servants outside. The door clicked shut, and the two women stood alone in the vast, silent room.

Eiravelle turned to face Dawn, her expression was guarded but curious. She did not know what the princess wanted, did not know what was so urgent that it could not be said in front of the servants.

But she was willing to listen. She had learned, over the past few weeks, that sometimes the most unexpected people could become the most important allies. She had learned that kindness could come from the strangest places.

Dawn took a breath, steadying herself. She had rehearsed this moment in her head a hundred times, had imagined what she would say and how she would say it. But now that she was here, now that Eiravelle was standing in front of her, the words felt inadequate. She did not know where to begin.

The silence stretched between them, thick and expectant. Eiravelle waited, her hands are clasped loosely in front of her, the blanket was still draped over her shoulders.

She did not rush the princess, did not demand answers. She simply stood there, patient and watchful, giving Dawn the space she needed to gather her thoughts.

Dawn looked at Eiravelle—really looked at her—and saw the exhaustion etched into every line of her face. She saw the way Eiravelle held herself, careful and guarded, as if expecting a blow at any moment.

She had come here with a purpose, with something important to say. But now, standing in front of Eiravelle, she realized that the words she had rehearsed were not the right ones. They were too formal, too distant, too much like a speech.

What she needed was honesty, to speak from the heart.

"I know you don’t know me," Dawn began, her voice was softer than before. "And I know you have no reason to trust me. But I need to tell you something. Something that I think you deserve to know."

Eiravelle said nothing, simply waited. Her expression did not change, but there was a flicker in her eyes—a spark of curiosity, or perhaps caution.

Dawn took another breath, steadying herself. She thought of everything she had heard about Eiravelle, everything she had learned from the reports and the whispers. She thought of the omega’s strength, her resilience, and her determination to survive.

And she thought of her own experiences, her own struggles, and her own journey to find a place in a world that had never quite accepted her.

She knew what it was like to be alone. She knew what it was like to be afraid. And she knew, more than anything, that she did not want Eiravelle to feel that way. Not if she could help it.

She opened her mouth to speak, to finally say what she had come here to say. But before she could, Eiravelle swayed on her feet, her exhaustion was finally catching up with her.

Dawn reached out instinctively, her hands are steadying the omega before she could fall.

"Please," Dawn said, her voice was gentle but firm. "Sit down. You shouldn’t be standing."

Eiravelle hesitated, her pride was warring with her body’s needs. But the exhaustion won, and she allowed Dawn to guide her to a nearby chair. She sat down heavily, her body was sinking into the cushions as if all the strength had drained from her.

Dawn knelt beside her, her expression was filled with concern. "I’m sorry," she said. "I should have realized you were too tired for this. I should have waited."

Eiravelle shook her head. "No," she said, her voice was barely above a whisper. "You came here for a reason. I want to know what it is, your highness."

Dawn looked at her for a long moment, at the determination in her eyes, at the strength that still burned beneath the exhaustion. And she knew, in that moment, that she had made the right choice in coming here.