First time

Her sight was welcomed by the large room. Princess Olivia took a step into the room, with her mouth still slacking open. The maid had entered before her, and due to the numerous candles that lit up the room, Olivia was able to see her face.

She studied the maid's face, commiting it to memory. Then she returned to studying the room again.

A Queen-sized canopy bed was in the center, draped with dark curtains. There was a chiffon, dark curtain to serve as a veil before the main curtain on it. She admired the silver embroideries on the fabric.

There was a dark carpet leading toward the bed. She was intrigued with this color. Olivia was glad that she chose this room after all. She was used to staying among red and gold, and now other colors intrigued her.

"I will go prepare your bath." The maid bowed her head, concealing her electric eyes from Olivia. Before the Princess could oppose, the maid had left the chamber, shutting the door behind her.

Princess Olivia sighed as she took slow steps while observing everything. She had decided to bask in the moment of being alone.

She was glad Reginald never refused her offer to stay in the guest room. She shut her eyes and sighed in contentment. This was the little time she had being comfortable. She was sure that after tonight, more dramas would unfold.

Well, Olivia was ready for them all. And she was going to ruin the dramas with a good faceslap.

======

Zain couldn't sleep. He had made a decision to head to the study. He had walked into it only to be stunned to see the orange glow of a candle.

When he walked in, his figure got buried in between the tall shelves of books. His gaze was fixed on the man who was staring at the book with a bothered expression etched on his face.

The orange glow coming from the candle made his skin look bronze. His dark eyes looked darker in the lighting, and he lifted his eyes slowly to stare at the intruder.

"Couldn't sleep?" Zain chuckled out in a hoarse voice. He meandered toward the desk, ignoring the glares he was receiving from Reginald.

He knew obviously that his friend wanted him out of the study. Zain also knew that Reginald might just be staying away from his room in order to prevent anything from happening.

What he never knew was that Reginald's wife had requested to stay in the guest room, and had gotten what she wanted. His friend would have gone to bed now, but his eyes couldn't get some sleep. Olivia's saddened gaze by the balcony kept occupying his mind.

He wondered why her eyes looked genuine all of a sudden, before they turned blank. Was there something she was not telling him?

He brought himself back from his worrying thoughts before relaxing on his seat.

Zain grabbed a seat and plunged himself before Reginald. The man never sent him a glare which was a good thing. He wanted to speak to him, but he had a hunch Reginald also wanted to say something, so he was quiet.

"She's a puzzle." Reginald's expression was blank, his eyes were still on the book he was reading. But one knew better that he wasn't reading at all.

Zain immediately got the hint of what his friend was saying. A smile appeared on his face then he leaned toward him, turning into a grin that spoke of mischief.

"Keep those lose suggestions to yourself. You know well I have no emotional interest towards her." Reginald had beat him up to it. The smile fell off his face and he could only frown.

Reginald re-thought of the words he just said to his friend. He could clearly recall that electrocuted feeling he kept receiving whenever he stared at her eyes. He would have asked Zain, but he knew the idiot wouldn't have an answer to that.

Zain never had that feeling before. He knew this because his friend wouldn't keep anything to himself. He was too open for Reginald's liking, but it was also a good thing. That way he knew he could trust him.

Because he knew of his friend's mischievous deeds toward the other gender, he was sure Zain never had this feeling before. If he did, he would have sang those words into his ears until Reginald was tired of hearing them.

"Women are quite complicated. They want you to stay away, but the same time want to lean on someone. They are pissed at you, but the same aren't. I'm done with those sets of being, brother." Zain commented, raising his hands on air. His expression looked troubled and it seemed as though he was making an inner vow.

Reginald rolled his eyes knowing fully well the kind of friend he had. His words were contradictory to his actions.

"A great advice for you, brother. If she keeps playing hard-to-get, ignore her completely. That'll do the trick." Reginald narrowed his eyes staring at Zain. He wondered if his friend was drunk.

There was no way that rude Princess was playing hard-to-get. She did not seem like the one who would even do that. Why was he even thinking about her? Sigh...

"Get out." Reginald pinched his glabella while he leaned forward.

Zain chuckled before he rose from his seat. He probably knew better than refuting his friend's orders, so he left. Reginald remained in that position without moving an inch.

___

The clouds were dark. It looked as though a storm was about to happen. A figure stood in the dark-stoned palace. Her hair that was satiny smooth, and shiny looked rough.

Her skin looked like it was covered with dried blood, sweat and dirt. The wind made her hair dance in the air. The corner of her lips looked like it was bleeding. More blood seeped from it while she kept staring at nothing.

Her body jerked and she coughed out a spoonful of dark, thick blood. Her gray eyes dilated, while her dirty, torn gown fluttered in the wind.

There was no sign of anyone anywhere. The place was quiet, and gloomy. A significance of her loneliness. It felt as though her soul was leaving her body.

The depressing atmosphere made the castle look darker than it was. She crumbled into a dying mess, while her eyes showed visible sadness in them.

The breeze had turned fiercer slapping against her frame. It made her shudder badly on the ground, as she did nothing but remained fixed on the spot.

She was done with hoping that someone would appear out of nowhere. That hope ceased to exist after her wedding. Now, she was waiting for the storm to kill her on the spot. With its harsh raindrops and wind that could crash her against the castle's wall.

She shut her eyes while she wheezed out a cough again. A stinging pain pierced through her chest as she shut her eyes while her lungs burned hot at the dry cough she released again. She almost tasted blood in her mouth while feeling the blood in her veins turn ice.

That was when she felt a thick blanket covering her frame. She wanted to peel her eyes open but couldn't.

Olivia felt a warm hand interweave itself through her rough hair and tears started to seep from her eyelids.

For the first time, she felt care from that gesture alone. And it made her to breakdown all of a sudden.

...

While writing the last scene of this chapter, I was listening to space between by Sia.

Try it out if you want to get the mental image of the Princess's state of mind.☹️

Try that if you wanna cry though.🤪

Hope you enjoyed the book so far?

Would appreciate your comment or review. Thanks for reading.

Empress D.