CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: SURPRISE DECORATION

"What if it is?!" Amira raised her brow before she asked with a dangerous smile on the corner of her lip.

After a long stare as she awaits Dryan reaction, she eyed him before she pushed him out of the way.

"Didn't I warn you about her?" A voice asked from the corner of the study room.

Apparently, it is Queen Aro. She has been watching them, and heard everything they said.

"Mother! Will you just stop blaming me?!" His loud voice echoed as he turned to face his mother, who was already fuming due to the way he sounded, and made her feel like she was the cruelest person in the world.

"Why can't I blame you? Why?" She asked her son, whose eyes were piercing into hers.

"All this endless fight, and pain, happened because of you!" After he echoed those words which made Aro heart skip, he walked out on her.

Unable to bear it in, she called out her son's name continuously, her voice shaky, her hand shivering, and tears streaming down from her reddened cheeks. "Dryan! Dryan!"

"Is he at it?" Taliyah whose attention was drawn by her mother's scream, asked after she walked inside.

"He was right. I shouldn't have given birth to him in the first place. I shouldn't have come this far for his sake. I shouldn't have turned into my opposite self for his sake".

***

"Dasya," Luciana, who didn't want to break from the hug, asked after she finally released her arm from his broad back.

It wasn't clear to her why she felt a strange urge each time she touched him. She wants to feel his warm breath on her, his touch on her smooth skin, but can she? Will he even do that?

"Yes?" He raised his brow gently, giving her a questionable look.

"I… I…" Dasya chuckled as he watched her stutter.

"My Lord, stop laughing at me". She frowned as she echoed shyly.

"Oh, what did you want to tell me?" He ignored her behavior, which made him want to laugh more, but had no choice rather than to suppress the laughter.

"Can I have my maid?" Her request made him stare sternly at her.

Why will she need her maid when there are many maids to take care of her in the palace?

"Which of your maids? Is Tani not treating you well?" Pretending not to understand what she meant, he asked.

His question made her feel jealous, and sad, as she bit her lower lips. 'Is Tani going to be his mistress? Did he like her?'

"I want Maid Azirin".

"Why did you want her when you have almost ten maids, who take good care of you?" He asked with his red eyes piercing into her innocent soul.

He is curious to know the reason their bond was closed, and unbreakable.

Firstly, it was Azirin who wanted to sacrifice her life for her, now Luciana talks rudely to him because of her.

'I think I will watch, and see what really lies in between the lines'. He concluded before he echoed. "Mel will be back with her. Just exercise a little patient".

"Thank you so much". In excitement, she jumped on him.

"I have to visit somewhere". He slightly took her hands off his body before he walked out of the room.

'Why is he acting strange, and weird?' She asked herself before she walked back to her room.

She froze in excitement as she stared at her room, then at the maids, whose gazes were fixed on the ground.

"Why did you all have to decorate my room this way?" With her gaze on them, she asked.

Tani exhaled deeply before she took a few steps toward Luciana, who moved backwards in fright. "My Lord ordered for it. We can pull it away if you don't like it".

Tani's words made her chuckled. Will she dare to take the pretty flower away from her mattress side?

Many thoughts followed a short while of chuckles as the thought of how comfortable it will be for her, all thanks to the decorations, and her maids.

"I like it". She uttered those words in a rush before she took a step closer to the window.

Her eyes rolled at the sight of the beautiful flowers, wooden designs, paintings, and the new mirror which faced her.

"Thank you all for this wonderful design. I really love it". She complemented the maids who smiled before they took their leaves, except for Tani.

"Maid Tani, don't you need rest?" She asked.

"I am not here for rest". She muttered in response to Luciana's question.

Luciana, who knew how exhausted Tani was, took her small hands in before cuddling it softly. "Tani, I am grateful to have a maid like you. I don't want that maid which I like so much to get hurt or exhausted". She paused.

"Tani, take a rest. Visit places you haven't visited for a while. Eat food you miss a lot, and do things you always wanted to do". As she uttered those words, tears rolled down from Tani's eyes.

"Why are you crying?" She asked loudly.

Tani, she knew, will never cry over compliments nor feel moved by them, instead it makes her smirk, and smile dangerously.

She did not know the reason behind it, she feared Tani, and pitied her. She did not see her as a weakling who would cry easily.

"What is wrong? Did I say something bad?" After waiting for a while without a response, she asked curiously.

"Princess Luciana". Tani called out her name slowly.

"Yes?" She raised her brow.

Tani cleaned her eyes with the back of her palm before she began. "Princess Luciana, you don't have to be kind to me. Just act like the other princess who doesn't care! Please don't care about me. I would appreciate it if you allow me to work as a maid, not your friend".

Luciana's eyes rolled as she watched Tani echo those words that made her feel hurt, and stupid.

Slowly, she stood up, and walked closer to Tani who was already walking to the edge of the window. "Tani, why can't I do that? Is there any special reason for that? What is wrong?" She asked amusingly.

"Everything is wrong about it". With that, Tani ran out of the room.

'What is wrong with her?'