Mattias looked up as the door to his room opened and the Empress entered. He didn't even bother to sit up from the bed. “How are you feeling, Your Imperial Highness?” the Empress asked. Mattias chose to remain silent, even though he wanted to confront her about the Empress's decision.
“Have you eaten anything yet?” The Empress reached out and gently touched Mattias's forehead. “You're burning up with fever,” she said before taking a washcloth from the tray by the bed and wetting it with cool water from a pitcher beside it. She then wiped Mattias's face. Mattias flinched away, pulling himself to sit and lean against the headboard of his bed, but he did not protest when she continued to wipe his face with cool cloths until every inch was clean.
The Empress slowly and gracefully approached
