This love is like a curse (61)
It seemed that while she was sleeping, ants had crawled under her eyelids and were now swarming there. From a nasty burning sensation behind her eyeball, Thalia stared at her stepsister.
She, as always, looked down on her, maintaining an impeccable posture and a cool expression on her face.
Looking at this arrogant face, it seemed that the eyes began not only to burn, but to burn from the inside.
Thalia clutched the blanket like a shield and shot her a pointed glare.
-Have you come to take a look? If you have something to say, say it and get out.
- …How do you feel?
- Can’t you see it from me? - Thalia said sarcastically.
Cold green eyes slowly examined her.
-You don't look well.
Talia's lips pressed into a thin line.
My fingers shook. If her legs had been fine, Talia would have grabbed her hair long ago and thrown her out the door.
Holding back her simmering anger, the second princess barely managed to say calmly:
- Since I understand, could you leave? Your presence only makes me feel worse.
Ayla pressed her lips tightly together.
The longer the silence stretched, the more tense the nerves became.
The pain that had just subsided began to rise through the bones again. Talia couldn't stand it and raised her voice:
-Are you deaf? I said - get out!
“I told you I came to talk.”
Ayla responded with a noticeable amount of irritation.
Thalia narrowed her eyes and hissed angrily:
- So come on, speak up and get out. Just the sight of you makes me sick. Do I have to wait until you deign to open your mouth? Don't be funny. Either tell me why you came, or get out of sight!
Ayla's face turned pale from her furious tirade. As if making excuses, she answered coldly:
- Okay. I'll ask you directly. What are you going to do next?
- What to do? In terms of? — Thalia asked indifferently.
My head was pounding. The ant, which started from the eye, seemed to have gnawed its way into the skull. The throbbing pain spread to the back of my head.
While Thalia's attention was focused on the excruciating pain, Ayla continued:
- Don't pretend you don't understand. You know perfectly well what I mean.
- Do you think I read minds? How can I know what you mean?
- You…!
Ayla's voice trembled.
Talia turned her head and saw her sister's face distorted with contempt.
She seemed to force herself to take a deep breath and, holding back her emotions, switched to a calmer tone:
“Talia, I want to know if you really want to marry him.”
The second princess stared at her silently.
Now Ayla could no longer stand the silence. She spoke nervously again:
- You hate Longboat. Since childhood, you have tormented him with everything you could, and now suddenly you want to become his wife? This is funny.
There was something like a plea in her gaze, and Talia involuntarily laughed.
Ayla's lips pursed.
And Thalia could no longer stop - the laughter became more and more dry and angry. She even forgot about the headache and the aching pain in her legs - Thalia laughed heartily.
- So that's it. Did you come running because you were scared?
Ayla's face turned white, as if covered with lime. Talia looked at her as if admiring her and said softly:
- Are you afraid that I will take your fiancé away from you?
-...
- But what to do now? After such words, I really want to take it away at any cost.
Ayla's pretty face twisted with anger. Even her green eyes, like fresh pine needles, filled with poison.
Thalia felt a strange excitement. This was the same sister who always looked at her from the height of her impeccability. And now she was finally showing her true feelings.
“He’s only marrying you out of a sense of duty!” - Ayla exclaimed in a breaking voice. “He just feels guilty that you became... like this.” But it’s not his fault that you got hurt. Why does Barkas have to sacrifice himself?!
Thalia wiped the mocking smile from her face.
The joy that had just filled her evaporated, and in its place an icy rage began to boil. My fingers were itching - I wanted to tear out my tongue, which spoke so selflessly on behalf of Longboat.
With difficulty holding back the scolding rising in her throat, Talia squeezed out a feignedly affectionate voice:
- I thought you were smarter. But you turned out to be stupider than I expected.
Ayla's lips turned white.
Talia continued slowly:
“Now you’re not saying the words you should.” You must politely and humbly... beg me.
-...
- Ask me to give up my marriage to Longboat Raedgo Siekan.
Ayla's eye twitched.
Looking at the face contorted with humiliation, Thalia watched with a poisonous gaze as her sister's lips trembled. Ayla, with difficulty overcoming herself, squeezed out:
“If I ask... will you refuse it?”
“I don’t know,” Thalia said indifferently. - It all depends on how sincerely they ask.
Ayla bit her lip and looked down. She couldn't seem to bring herself to say the right words.
Several agonizing moments passed. Finally, she raised her head. Despair shone in her eyes, and her voice was plaintive:
- I beg you... give up Longkas. If you do not agree, His Majesty will not insist. So... I beg you...
Остальные слова рассыпались, не успев сойти с её губ.
Looking at her pitiful face, Talia had a hard time swallowing a bitter smile.
Now this woman no doubt believed that she had sacrificed something great.
With your imperial dignity.
After all, if she, a legitimate princess, bowed down to a despicable bastard, then, of course, she deserves something in return.
Talia looked down at her feet hidden under the blanket.
Only in this state did she prove worthy of becoming his bride.
And this woman seemed to sincerely believe that by giving a handful of her pride she could bring him back.
To her, Talia Roem Girtha's legs weren't worth even a shred of her dignity.
Thalia suddenly said:
- Okay.
Ayla's face came to life. Thalia looked at her carefully and calmly added:
- But I have a condition.
- Condition? — Wariness flashed in Ayla’s eyes.
Thalia turned her head and looked around the shelf. On the tray, next to the fruit, bread and butter, lay several silver cutlery.
Thalia picked up a small butter knife and threw it at her sister's feet. The silver blade slid across the floor and stopped at her shoes. While Ayla silently looked at the knife, Thalia said tenderly:
- With this one. Stab yourself in the foot.
- ...What?
Ayla looked at her as if she had misheard.
Looking straight into her empty eyes, Thalia spoke, clearly highlighting each word:
- Leave a scar. On the leg. That's it...
She slowly pulled back the blanket.
Ayla's eyes opened wide and stared at the ugly scar.
Talia deliberately ran her finger along the ugly mark stretching from her shin upwards:
- From here... and here to here. Swipe the knife. Then I will do as you want.
Ayla looked first at the knife, then at her leg, hidden under the velvet dress.
A cold laugh escaped from her whitened lips.
“You weren’t going to agree from the very beginning.”
Thalia didn't answer.
Ayla's face disappeared under the princess mask again.
As if there had been no humiliation or plea, straightening up, she headed towards the door. Her steps echoed evenly across the floor until they died down at the exit.
Ayla gripped the doorknob, but turned around before leaving. Her eyes sparkled.
“You will regret this, Talia Roem Girta,” her voice sounded like a curse. - Necessarily.