This love is like a curse (56)
The Astro wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and took off up the stone stairs in two leaps, grabbed the doorknob and pulled. A picture of a silent, as if extinct, Great Hall opened before him.
Ни охраны, ни служанок — лишь мрачное пространство, окутанное тишиной. Astros, looking around, began to slowly climb the steps.
He himself didn’t understand why he was sneaking.
Just like last time, this palace resembles a crypt. The eerie atmosphere made him freeze involuntarily.
Glancing at the curtained windows, the Astros jumped two steps and reached the third floor in one fell swoop.
Finally, the door to her sister's bedroom came into view.
Holding his breath, the boy stopped in front of the large mahogany door and then knocked carefully.
Quite a long time passed, but there was no answer - no one asked who had come or called to enter.
Is he really sleeping?
The Astros put his ear to the door and then knocked a little harder. A dull thud came from inside.
He hesitated, but still pulled the handle and carefully opened the door, looking inside.
Cloudy smoke billowed in the bedroom.
Choking on the stale air and holding back a cough, the Astros suddenly opened his eyes. A devastation appeared before him, as if after a hurricane.
He blinked, looking around the room in shock, then, as if hypnotized, he stepped into the chaos.
Shards of broken glass were scattered on the floor.
The carpet smelled of spilled wine, and there were scraps of torn fabric and feathers, probably from a pillow, lying around.
As he blankly surveyed the destruction, he suddenly noticed a broken full-length mirror and winced.
The web of cracks reflected dozens of distorted fragments of his own face.
A strange feeling came over him and he began to slowly back away. But then something rustled behind him.
The Astros turned around abruptly and froze. Thalia was lying on the carpet, carelessly spread out.
He stopped breathing.
Она была в одной тонкой ночной рубашке и смотрела в потолок. There was not a drop of life left on her face, causing a chill to run down her spine.
Talia reached out a hand as thin as a birch branch, grabbed a handful of feathers from the floor and tossed them into the air.
White feathers swirled like snow.
The woman, looking into emptiness with unfocused eyes, slowly shifted her pupils and looked at him.
The Astros involuntarily retreated.
Thalia parted her lips, covered with dried blood, and said hoarsely:
-...Have you come to take a look?
- I... I just wanted to visit you...
Her empty gaze focused on the lush bouquet he was holding in his hands.
The Astros felt his ears burn. For some reason it seemed to him that he had done something unacceptable.
Talia closed her eyes tiredly.
-...Put it down and leave.
Astros froze, then walked over and put the bouquet on the shelf by the bed.
Он не знал, что ещё можно сделать.
Looking helplessly at his sister, the boy left.
Behrens was waiting for him in the corridor. Seeing the deathly pale face of Astros, he frowned - the question was read on his face, had he been harmed?
The prince did not explain anything. He just grabbed his hand.
- Let's go back to the palace.
And he rushed along the corridor, which was silent as a grave.
He himself didn’t know what he was running away from. I just wanted to get out of this cold and painful place as quickly as possible.
Once he looked back - the door to the bedroom was still ajar.
Astros rushed headlong down the stairs and, like an animal escaping from a trap, jumped out of the palace.
* * *
It felt like an ant was crawling through her veins.
The pain, like a thousand needles, rose up my shin, digging into my knees, hips, pelvis and lower back. It wasn't as painful as before, but it was still incredibly annoying.
Талия с остервенением скребла ногтями неровную кожу на коленях. It seemed as if the ant crawling under the skin had gone berserk, starting to bite right into the bone.
To get out this disgusting parasite, Thalia began to tear off her thick, as if keratinized, skin.
Blood gushed out from the open wound. But despite the burning, she dug her nails even deeper into the reddened flesh.
It was at that moment that the nanny entered the room and, seeing what was happening, let out a piercing scream.
- Stop this now!
She practically threw the tray and rushed towards Thalia to grab her hand.
She looked at her with a lifeless gaze, then slowly covered the scar with her other hand.
- Why are you doing this?!
The nanny sighed in despair and grabbed her other hand.
“The scar is already ugly, but you’re only making it worse.” What will you do if it gets worse?
Thalia looked at her silently. This was the same woman who had told her since childhood how beautiful she was, like the spitting image of little Senevier...
The one who always looked after her with trepidation. And now, even in her eyes, Thalia looked disgusting.
Gritting her teeth, Thalia pulled her hand away and pushed the nanny in the shoulder.
- Get out! It's disgusting to look at you!
Looking at her sternly, the nanny stamped her foot and walked towards the shelf. She grabbed a bowl of porridge and a bottle of medicine from there, and then handed them to Thalia.
“Eat, and I’ll leave, I won’t touch you anymore.”
Thalia reached out, about to throw the utensils at her. But, apparently, even the most clumsy nanny learns from mistakes after several such incidents - she quickly stepped back, looking sternly at the girl.
“If you don’t eat, I won’t light the sleeping incense.”
С недовольным, полным ненависти взглядом Талия всё же взяла миску. There was no strength left to argue.
She involuntarily scooped up the sticky goo with a spoon and shoved it into her mouth. It was like she was eating dirt. Overcoming nausea, she finished the porridge and washed it down with an unknown medicine. Then the nanny renewed the bunch of herbs in the incense burner and lit the fire.
Talia took a deep breath of the acrid smoke and collapsed onto the bed.
A sleepy stupor overcame her, dulling her senses. Feeling relaxation spreading through her body, she turned her gaze to the window.
Behind the transparent glass the sky was red with sunset. When the sun sets, a thick, sticky darkness will cover it. Even in a semi-conscious state, fear constricted my throat.
She was afraid of nightfall. She was choked by the memory of horror when she endlessly waited in the darkness for salvation. But the dawn was even more frightening. Living another day in this body is unbearable.
Closing her eyes, Talia whispered a desperate prayer.
Let all the time allotted to her burn in an instant while she sleeps.
May she be free from this pain forever.
But, as always, her prayers remained unanswered.
When she was awakened by someone's touch, she opened her eyes and saw a window filled with light. A heavy sigh escaped her lips.
Looks like another damn day has begun. She grabbed her throbbing forehead.
Suddenly an unfamiliar voice came from my ear:
“It’s time for you to get up, your highness.”
Startled, Talia turned sharply and saw a figure next to the bed. She was a tall, strong woman with eyes the color of cold steel looking straight at her.
Bowing in an elegant, impeccable bow, she said:
“Forgive me for my insolence in daring to enter without permission, Your Highness.” My name is Trania Meldren, I am the Empress's senior lady-in-waiting. By her command, today I will serve you.
Thalia looked around confused.
The room, which had recently been plunged into chaos, was now immaculately cleaned. A dozen maids in dresses with the emblem of the Empress's palace were lined up against the wall.
Each of them had armfuls of clothes in their arms. Thalia froze at the sight of this.
Her throat tightened with foreboding.
- Serve? Why do I...
- Today you have an audience with His Majesty.