Water

The dresses were held up by the corsets but Maria hadn't tied them tightly upon my request. If they got to tight, we found it would barderline strangle me where I stood. The dresses were finer quality than I had ever gotten myself or had received; silk skirts cascading down to drag on the floor. The lace sewed tightly to the silk depicted flowers of many kinds and the darker shade contrasted nicely with the base color of the silks it adorned. Maria was the one leading me around, her attire changed due to the dress before becoming wet from the incident.

I had tried to say something as soon as I was free of the water, my voice clogging in my throat and barely a squeak coming out. It added questions to my condition and I tucked it away with the many that were for the Emperor. Maria stopped and pushed a door open, bowing her head with a warm smile, "This is the dining room, my lady. His Majesty is already here and he requested you eat with him and his guests." I nodded and straightened myself before stepping in.

My father's back was to me, as was Count Farkas' and Lady Caitlin as they stared at the Emperor. I couldn't see their expressions and they didn't bother to turn to see who had entered the dining hall. The Emperor glanced from them for a moment, his eyes narrowing. I had started to shake and while it was normal for me, anyone would think I couldn't handle stress properly. I walked and took a seat next to my father, Farkas and Caitlin doing a double take as they caught sight of me.

I didn't say a word as my father slowly turned with wide eyes. Food was placed in front of me and the Emperor cleared his throat.

"This is what I wished to discuss with the three of you," he stated. "Countess Holland was spotted in the river within the palace's territory. We don't know what happened nor how she survived."

"Your majesty," the Count laughed nervously as Caitlin grabbed his arm for comfort. "How can this be? She had been gone three months before she was pronounced dead."

"And I'm sure you will stay silent about her livelihood until she has recovered," the Emperor snapped. I didn't look up from my plate, beginning to eat slowly. So I was gone for five months? How was I alive if that was the truth?

"She was missing and you didn't say anything," my father stood from his seat, fury making him grip the sword at his hip.

"We didn't have the resources to search for her, Sir Holland," Farkas waves his hands quickly. I looked to Caitlin and she stared back, unable to tear her gaze from mine as they locked together. She was nervous, scared stiff. I looked her over and the grip on the fork tightened at her long sleeved dress.

"I had the resources," my father yelled. The Emperor stayed silent, eating from his own dish as the two began to argue. It was more like Farkas was trying to make excuses while my father pointed to all the avenues that could have been taken to find me. The fork in my hand suddenly snapped and the whole table jumped including myself. I dropped the pieces and slowly turned my hand.

It bled, there was a shard of the metal embedded into my palm, but I felt nothing. I didn't see the subtle smile on the Emperor's face as Maria was by my side in seconds.

"My lady," she gasped. She covered my hand with a handkerchief and carefully removed the metal before tying it.

I went to say it was fine, that I didn't feel it, but nothing came of it. I choked instead. I shot to my feet, my other hand on the table as Maria carefully held the injured one.

"Helga," my father grabbed my arms, panic written into his eyes. I stared at him and then the Emperor to ask for help.

"When she woke early this morning, we discovered she couldn't speak," he informed the three.

"But your majesty," I stared at Maria who caught my glance as no one had heard her whisper. She shut her mouth, bowing her head. If they discovered I could speak with my body in water, I'd never leave the baths. I caught the look of relief on Farkas' face and I wanted to hit him to wipe the smile.

"Maria will stay with her and she will be under this roof," the Emperor finally stood and he stepped around the table. His arm was held out to me and I stared at it before hesitantly taking it. "Until she is well, I believe it best to keep her in one location. Sir Holland, Sir Farkas, we will have further discussions when she is well again."

"Yes your majesty," the three bowed their heads in unison as the Emperor pulled me along with him. I stared back at the dining room, soon turning my head to meet the Emperor's eyes as he studied me. "We have much to discuss and I'm sure you have many questions. However, we need to find the loophole so that you may ask what you need to know."

I stared for a moment before looking forward and pulled him with me. He kept up easily, making it seem as though he was the one leading. If he knew something about the time I lost, it wouldn't harm anyone if I showed him how I could speak. I could only hope as we came to the bathroom. He scowled slightly, glancing my way as I pushed the doors opened and curtsied him in. The steam had dissipated, leaving just the pool and the cupboards filled with soaps and oils in the room.

"Countess," he looked around before turning and waving the maids and servants away. "Why are we here?" I stared at him before approaching the bath. My feet stuttered are the edge and I bit my lip before stepping down into it. I stopped when the water was at my knees, the fabric of the dress floating as it began to soak in the water.

My back was to him and I closed my eyes, praying that it would work, that my voice wasn't just a fluke earlier. He stood at the edge, watching over me as I tried to gather my bearing.

"Is this working," I asked. I opened my eyes at the question that was motioned to the air. My shoulders relaxed from their unconscious stiffness and I turned to face the man behind me. His face was gentle, the amber orbs holding a sort of miserable pride.

"It is, Countess," he pulled his shoes off and pulled his trousers up before sitting at the edge of the water. His feet dipped in as he placed his hands besides him. "They're cruel in their irony."

I stared for a long moment before looking to the water, "I don't understand."

"It's hard to grasp at first," he nodded, "but it's a blessing disguised as a curse."

"What is," I asked. We stared into each other's eyes and his lips rose in a gentle smile.

"Becoming a Specter, dear Countess," he replied. "A creature not of the dead yet not of the living either." I stared back at the water, pushing the skirts down as they continued to float. Why weren't they soaking in the water? Is this part of whatever the Emperor was talking about?

"I've never heard of that condition," I said.

"Not many have. It took a lot of digging on my part," he nodded. "You are one of the few who now exist and to put it lightly, we are very rare and it's very difficult to make us."

"Make us," my eyes widened a bit as he nodded.

"Though as it stands, you have no control. You're like a fawn that was just birthed," he stood up and held his hand to me. I made my way to him and took it, allowing him to pull me from the water. The dress was dry, as were my legs as I stared at them. "Countess, you will have to tread lightly from here. Please bear with it until we find a way to work with this," he bowed his head.

I opened my mouth to speak, stopping as my throat clogged. I bowed my head instead and the Emperor's smile faded a bit.

"Your voice was lovely before. Now it's enchanting," he commented. My face turned a bit red as he left me, my feet glued to the floor as my face heated slightly. It was another moment before I was walking from the bathroom, Maria standing by the door and waiting patiently.

"I think he likes you," she whispered. A light glimmered in her eyes as I stared at her. She smiled brightly and held her arm out, old behaviors drawing forth a nostalgia that made it seem like years to me. I made it so that her arm was entertained with mine and I began to walk. "Shall I catch you up in everything going on, my lady? There's much that's happened outside the estate and I know you love to hear news."

I slowly nodded, my bearing returning slowly in my comfort.

"Let's head to the physician while we're at it, okay," she hummed.