Chapter 32
Chapter 32
"Goodnight," Anastasia said, staring at him for a moment before closing the door. As she lay on her bed to sleep, she closed her eyes, her mind wandering back to how he had touched her at the tailor's shop. She placed her hand on her chest to feel her heart beating fast.
She would be married to Cassius by tomorrow, and she began to think about her life after the wedding. It wouldn't make any difference, as the people would still see her as a traitor no matter what. Feeling suffocated, Anastasia stood up from the bed and decided to take a stroll in the hall. As she opened the door, she peeked outside, her eyes scanning the place to find no one around. Then she stepped out of the room, walking down the hallway to find Cassius.
"What are you doing out here?" He asked, his voice soft. "You are supposed to be sleeping."
"I don't feel sleepy," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She was just thinking about tomorrow. Did her mother hear that she was going to get married to the Prince? Anastasia knew how much her mother was hungry for wealth and power. She wanted Anastasia to be courted by noblemen of high class. She guessed her mother wouldn't think twice before attending the wedding.
"Why do you have that expression?" Cassius asked, his voice soft with concern.
"I was just thinking of someone," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Who is it?" He questioned, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"My mother…" she trailed off, her eyes gazing into the distance.
He frowned, walking closer to her. "I thought you were an orphan," he said, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"I have a mother; it's my father who is dead," she responded.
"Do you want me to send guards to invite her to the wedding early in the morning?" He asked.
She quickly shook her head. "No... I don't want her here. But I know she will surely come after hearing the news."
"So why are you still awake?" He asked, his eyes searching hers.
She raised her head, her eyes locking onto his. "I was also thinking about my mother," he replied. "How she waited more than five hundred years for me to find a wife. She wanted grandchildren."
"She would have also been angry if she found out that this wedding was fake," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
She caught sight of the frown on his face that quickly disappeared within a few seconds.
"It's almost midnight," he said, his voice gentle. "Try to sleep because tomorrow is our wedding."
She forced a smile, turning around when she heard a loud scream piercing her ears. She almost fell to the ground, but Cassius caught her in his arms.
"Easy," he said, placing his hand around her waist and guiding her back to her feet.
"What happened?" He asked, his voice filled with concern.
"I feel dizzy," she said, closing her eyes.
He guided her inside her room, and she lay on the bed, her body feeling weak.
"Didn't you hear it?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
"Hear what?" he asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"The loud piercing scream," she replied, her eyes wide with alarm.
"Anastasia, are you alright? Because I didn't hear anything," He asked, his voice soft with worry.
She looked at him, feeling confused for a moment, before she then realized the scream might be from the ocean. A mermaid. But why was she the only one to hear it? Was someone calling her to the water? She brought her hand to her ears, still hearing the ringing sound. It felt as if she had turned deaf for a moment.
When Cassius left the room, she found herself falling asleep. She thought she was going to have a dream about the ocean, but she saw nothing. She didn't sleep well.
The next morning, when she woke up from sleep, she was feeling hot and dizzy. She was dehydrated again.
"Do you think you can still attend the wedding?" Hannah asked, her expression worried.
"I don't want to disappoint Cassius," she replied, managing to stand up. "The people would mock him if I don't show up at the wedding."
"This isn't a good sign," Hannah said. "For the bride to fall sick on her wedding day."
She drank the water from the cup before handing it back to the maid and headed inside the bathroom. Stepping out, the maids dressed her in the wedding gown. As they began to adjust the corset, Anastasia turned to the other maid.
"How late are we?" She inquired, her voice laced with concern.
"Thirty minutes," the maid replied, her expression apologetic.
"Where is Cassius?" she queried, her eyes scanning the room.
"At the church, waiting," the maid replied, hurrying to finish the final touches.
The maid hastily wore the diamond necklace around her neck, and she left the castle. Immediately she stepped out, the coachman stretched a hand to help her inside the carriage. Anastasia stepped inside, unable to breathe freely due to the tight corset.
When Anastasia arrived at the church with her maid, Hannah, the whole place was crowded with people. She was nervous at the idea of walking down the aisle. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down as Hannah walked her down the aisle. As she continued walking, the people talked and gossiped about her. She tried to act strong and not show any emotions, but the sickness was eating her up from the inside.
"The traitor has arrived," she heard a whisper. She had already accepted her fate. Even if she tried to amend her ways or do anything to please the people, they would still remind her that she was a traitor.
Trying not to pay attention to the people, she walked to the altar to see Cassius dressed in a long red robe that matched the crown on his head. As they said their vows to each other, Cassius leaned closer to kiss her. She closed her eyes, only to hear the loud piercing sound ring in her ear again. This time, she saw herself being transported to the ocean – not the one she had met Marina in, but the second ocean that had given her chills. The cursed one!