In a special wing of the infirmary of the palace, set aside for precious and delicate occupants, lay the Queen of the Naiad. She'd been here for a few weeks, recuperating and healing from her harrowing ordeal at sea. While her injuries were nothing near her Captain's, she still had malnutrition issues and some wounds to tend. Due to her station and importance to the Lake, the island and Naiad, her health -- including mental condition -- is closely monitored.
Nothing to do but lay and wait. Gave her plenty to think about regarding her future with the Naiad, changes she'd like to make to the kingdom, and most importantly, her feelings about Turin.
The only real visitors she received, which was depressing enough, were Tua and a few random Ladies to tend to her superficial needs. At first the gasps and looks from her pretty Ladies were embarrassing because as much as she tried to hide it, the Queen was vain and wanted to be the most beautiful Naiad in the Lake. Knowing that she looked sickly and emaciated hit a nerve. But as time passed and color returned as well as much needed muscle and strength, she was looking more and more like her voluptuous self.
She had started rehabilitation and training exercises with a new set of Hunters as per her own orders. She did not want another Naiad stuck outside of the ocean and unprepared to survive or take care of themselves. She'd seen firsthand the effects of this terrible land's magic on her home waters and it wasn't a pretty mix. Orders were still being processed to assign stations outside the island for patrols and exploration and to establish some restoration projects under the island for memorials and to make the sea safe.
There was still the matter of investigating that vortex, which Tariel had no idea how to even go about if it was powerful enough even she nor Turin could get near it. She wondered how they'd even approach, let alone solve that problem.
In addition to the problems encountered out in the wild, while Aeroniel was trying to maintain the kingdom in the Queen's absence, more and more reports of strange-looking Naiad had been surfacing. Why this was an issue, Tariel didn't know but Tua informed her that it was worth looking in to, considering the assault at the Marsh and the reports of the twisted animals coming from that area of the lake. Taint, was the word Tua used, but Tariel knew very little of it, other than the effect it had on her and her mapmaker, Serafina.
"So many things to do, so few Naiad to do it. So few willing Naiad to do it."
After getting a clean bill of health from the healers, Tariel was instructed to stick to the Throne Room, and her own quarters till things quieted down in the palace. Also because she had assigned guards now that she was considered a flight-risk. Until the healers and spirits deemed her safe, she'd have a group of guards posted at all times. This did not do well for her social life, she ended up retreating in to herself.
She spent a lot of time thinking about Turin, the things he said, the things she did and everything that transpired. Even tried to distract those thoughts with other thoughts of fantasies involving other Naiad to get him off her mind. She was mostly unsuccessful, so she just tried to avoid him as best she could to avoid stirring up those emotions.
