Strangers Still

Atelier wakes in her room. She recognises the crack in the ceiling and knows right away she is home.

Her head feels heavy and she can't really organise her thoughts. Her gaze floats to the window and she sees her jar of stars, Lucy's gold one glistening in the sunlight. She struggles to sit up, feeling disoriented still but rather pain-free, and it's strange.

The blanket falls to reveal that she is not wearing the white dress, but instead, a plain brown shirt she normally wears at home. Perhaps it was all just a nightmare after all. Perhaps she was so tired she slept through the weekend and didn't actually attend the ball and –

The door creaks open. Her heart sinks when she sees who it is.

"You're awake, your highness," the man – Lucem is his name, isn't it? – says. His smile bears relief. "We were worried. Do you still hurt?"