It wasn’t quite like sleeping, but it was like a waking dream. I was somewhat aware of the passage of time, but the dense fog blocked my perception of the world outside. Everything was peaceful and calm, and my consciousness existed somewhere else for a while.

But only for a while. Eventually, I had to return to and face whatever awaited me in reality.

It was a knock on the door that brought me back to awareness. I felt a surge of fear course through me. I must have been gone too long and they were here to take me away. I quickly got up off the floor, my heart pounding painfully fast in my chest.

I looked up and saw that the sun was still shining in the sky. It was early afternoon when I'd arrived, so I hadn't actually lost all that much time. My head began to clear and I realized that I should probably answer the door. But before I could put that thought into action, the door opened of its own accord and a servant entered with a food cart.

“My Lord,” she said, giving me a gentle nod of the head before she walked across the room and began taking the contents of the cart and placing them on the table by the hearth. I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm the panic I had felt upon waking. I still had time.

When she finished unloading, the servant turned to me and observed me carefully, making no attempt to mask her curiosity. I looked back at her, still trembling slightly, wondering what she wanted from me. She tilted her head and gazed at me with an indecipherable expression.

After a moment, she moved to take her cart and head back out the door. As she passed me, still standing frozen in the center of the room, softly, so softly I might have imagined it, she whispered, “You're not alone. Don’t let your fate be decided by fear.” Then, at an audible volume, she informed me, “Someone will come with dinner in a few movements time. Please advise the knights if you require anything before then. I will take my leave.”

With another quick nod, she exited the room, and the door closed behind her. I stood in place for a moment, wondering if I'd imagined those hushed words of comfort.

My stomach rumbled and I realized that I hadn’t eaten since the early morning. I made my way over to the table and found a plate with small, triangle shaped sandwiches on it, another with cookies and miniature tarts, and one more with a variety of sliced fruits. I ate with no regard for propriety, shoving the bite sized snacks into my mouth two or three at a time. 

Don’t let your fate be decided by fear. Those softly spoken words echoed in my mind. 

But I had nothing but fear. Only a fool wouldn't be afraid in my situation. However, if I ignored the fears that plagued my mind, perhaps there was still a thread of hope for me to grasp onto.

The beastmen had asked for the marriage treaty as a show of good faith because they didn’t trust our intentions, but they definitely wanted peace. Offering a male bride made a clear statement about Vrayna’s intentions in this. It was a union that couldn't produce a child; a treaty with an expiration date. The fact that I was damaged goods only added to the insult.

My father and the Second Prince assumed the general would react violently, but I had a feeling that they were underestimating the generals's intelligence. I could only hope that the general wouldn't play into their hands. 

Still, I had no idea what the beastmen actually wanted. They were the inevitable victors, yet they sued for peace first. They had to be aware that the humans they were treating with hated them and looked down on them, yet they persisted with peace. So maybe they would accept this too. Maybe I didn't have to die.

I got up from my chair by the hearth, and walked over to the bookshelf. I looked at the various titles, and eventually settled on a story about a knight, a princess, and a magical bullfrog. I’d never read something that’s primary purpose wasn’t education, and I found myself completely engrossed in it until a servant came with dinner. 

To my disappointment, it wasn’t the servant girl from before. This time, the servant walked in unannounced, placed my food on the table, and left without so much as a glance in my direction. There was enough delicious looking food to feed three of me, but if this was to be my last meal, I intended savour every last bite.

A while later, overstuffed to the point of discomfort, I climbed into bed. I lit some candles, wrapped myself in the blankets with the book from earlier, and looked up at the open sky ceiling. There was still the tiniest hint of color in the sky, the sun’s final finale before it sank below the horizon. 

I gazed at the stars scattered across the night sky for a long while before turning back to the book. I finished the story by candlelight and fell asleep by the light of the moon.