This love is like a curse (59)
Thalia rose to her feet and straightened up as much as she could. A sharp pain spread from my knees to my back. Apparently she damaged something when she fell.
She wanted to immediately settle back, but with feigned calm she looked straight at her own father. Almost six months have passed since their last meeting. And then she only caught a glimpse of him from afar. Now he seemed like a complete stranger to her.
It seems that for him she was nothing more than a stranger. The man looked away dissatisfied.
“I was informed that you survived a difficult ordeal,” he said in an indifferent tone, as if he was talking about someone else. “They say there are scars on the body.”
Thalia's gaze flashed with anger. This man was a stranger to her. And now this stranger allowed himself to talk indifferently about her shame. A wave of rage rose in my chest.
- Is this what interests you? Is that why you called? - Grinning coldly, she straightened the hem of her dress and added venomously:
— Do you want to see exactly what scars adorned my body?
Virus Roem Girt frowned sharply, but, contrary to expectations, instead of a sharp shout, he simply silently peered into her face. It was as if he had seen his own daughter for the first time in his life.
“There’s no need to check this with your own eyes,” he snapped dryly, then turned his gaze to Longkas. Something alarming flashed in his eyes, full of conflicting thoughts.
What was the reason behind the fact that he summoned both her and Longboat at the same time?
Suspicion tightened my chest. She stared at her father in disbelief when, after a pause, he suddenly sharply launched an accusation:
- Longboat Raedgo Siekan. I trusted you with the safety of my children. And here are the consequences this led to.
Talia felt her blood run cold in her veins.
The Emperor, drumming his fingers on the armrest of the throne, continued in a heavy tone:
“The second princess was not only seriously injured due to your mistake, but was also left with permanent injuries.” Do you accept that the responsibility for this lies with you?
Longboat looked at her for a moment, then looked away.
- I admit it.
There was no emotion in his voice, no reproach, no attempt to justify himself. He spoke calmly, as if he was reading out a fait accompli.
- I will accept any punishment.
Thalia involuntarily took a step forward. I wanted to scream: “He’s not guilty of anything!” - but the words got stuck in my throat.
Is he really not to blame?
She looked down at his trembling legs, then back up to his face. The moment came to mind when he ran away without looking back. A picture she might never forget. And she couldn't say anything more.
“Since you admit guilt so willingly, things will go faster,” the emperor exhaled heavily. — Because of this incident, the marriage with the count was dissolved. And now it will be almost impossible to find a suitable match worthy of the imperial family. A child with many shortcomings...
As if she wasn’t there, he uttered these words lazily, only glancing briefly at his daughter’s whitened face.
- So you are the one who will bear responsibility for this. You will break your engagement to Ayla Roem Girta and take the second princess, Talia Roem Girta, as your wife.
Thalia's breath caught.
She stared at the emperor, unable to comprehend what she had heard, then slowly turned her gaze to Senevier.
A smile bloomed on the woman’s face, like a snake that had swallowed its prey.
A chill ran through her body. Cold sweat broke out on my skin.
Thalia didn't even dare look at Barkas's expression.
He will never agree to such absurdity.
After all, he was the son of a duke.
Even if he was an emperor, he had no right to make such demands on the heir of the Duke of the East.
He will, of course, exercise his right of refusal.
Thalia frantically clutched the hem of her dress with shaking hands.
A few seconds passed and Barkas spoke:
“If the second princess agrees... I will do so.”
Thalia raised her head sharply.
He looked at her piercingly, carefully choosing every word that seemed to be slowly rolling on his tongue.
- I will take you as my wife, your highness.
For a moment her heart stopped.
Thalia stared at his lips with a stunned look.
Did those words really come out of his mouth?
Maybe she heard it wrong?
Yes. She must have imagined it.
Longboat could not say that he was going to marry her.
“It seems that everything has been decided, princess,” the emperor’s quiet voice pulled her out of her state of confusion. “If you agree, the place of the Grand Duchess of Siekan will be yours.” Well, what do you say?
There was open mockery in his voice.
And only then did Thalia understand: the emperor hoped that she would refuse. He agreed to this proposal, succumbing to the pressure of the empress, but deep down he clearly does not want his illegitimate daughter to connect her fate with Ayla’s fiancé. Perhaps Barkas also said these words in anticipation of her refusal.
No. Most likely, this is exactly what happened.
Consciousness cleared up.
If she agrees, the man she has dreamed of all her life will be hers.
But does she really want this?
Thalia looked down at her legs hidden under her dress.
Just the thought that she would have to show him her body made her feel sick. If even for a moment she notices disgust or hostility on his face... She will definitely go crazy. It might even break completely.
She looked up again.
The man who always rejected her.
The man who saved not her, but Ayla.
A man who will never love her.
Will she be able to spend her whole life with such a person?
Does she really want to voluntarily condemn herself to such torment?
“I... I...” Thalia unclenched her dry lips with difficulty.
No. She won't be able to bear it. She didn't want to suffer anymore.
She was about to shout it out, but her gaze fell on Seneviere’s face, from which the smile disappeared.
Her cold eyes silently warned: “If you dare to disappoint me, I will not forgive you.”
My stomach clenched painfully.
“I…” Thalia’s eyes darted between Longboat, the Emperor and Senevier. Their faces merged into a muddy whirlpool.
She felt dizzy and instinctively grabbed it.
His forehead was completely wet with sweat. She nervously wiped it with her sleeve, but the drops flowed into her eyes, causing a burning pain.
In a rage, she tried to shake them off - and suddenly the world rocked and her legs gave way.
The body shuddered from the impact on the floor, and Thalia inhaled sharply.
A piercing squeal was heard from afar - Senevier's maids must have sounded the alarm.
Lying face down on the floor, she tried to focus her dull gaze.
Behind the translucent veil, the cold, petrified face of Longboat was dimly visible.
It seemed paler than usual, but maybe it was just an illusion born of her stupid love.
Yes. That's probably true.
He didn’t even blink an eye, looking at her mutilated body. What could make him turn pale for her?
A wave of fatigue washed over her.
Thalia tried her best to keep his image in her blurring mind... but eventually she let it all go.
* * *
The news that the engagement of the heir to the duke and the first princess was terminated, and her place would be taken by the second princess, instantly spread throughout the palace.