Earlier in the evening, when dinner had ended, Kaden kissed Lina on the head, and went straight to his private office. Lina didn't know what for, but she was determined to carry her plan through.
So, Lina asked Theodore for the master keys to all the rooms, locked everything that had a bed, and then, proceeded to retire for the night. She used the bathroom, brushed her teeth, took a shower, and then, promptly went to bed.
The second her head hit the pillow, she fell asleep. A minute later, she was deep in dreamland.
- - - - -
Thunder roared in the distance, the wind tugging at the Princess' hair. The first strike of lightning set a willow tree on fire, the very one where Lina and Kaden first encountered each other.
The marble floor was cracked. In the far corners of the land that Lina governed, everything was burning down. The abundant meadow of flowers was filled with dead and crisp plants. The burnt petals were carried away by the harsh wind.