This love is like a curse (64)
“That’s how it works in the imperial palace,” said Theorik, patting him on the shoulder. “Here, everywhere you look, monsters are infested, capable of anything for the sake of power.” If you decide to stay in this place, I advise you to steel your heart.
Numb with shock, Edric slowly raised his head and looked into the boss’s face.
“Does Sir Siekan also know about all this?”
- Certainly. It was the commander who gave the order to investigate everything.
“Then why...” Edric stopped short in bewilderment.
The man, looking at him calmly, shrugged:
- Who knows... We can’t understand what’s on his mind.
-...
“But rest assured, there is a reason for this that we can only guess about.”
Edric frowned. What could these reasons be? He tensely recalled the unreadable face of Sir Siekan when a heavy blow fell on his back.
Turning around with a frightened expression, he saw Sir Hart, slapping him on the back with a wide palm, and said in a casual tone, clearly trying to defuse the situation:
“Be that as it may, you don’t have to think about the second princess anymore.”
And he added a little more seriously:
“She will leave the palace soon.” Which means you won't meet again. So throw all worries out of your head and think about your own future.
The last words sounded almost like a reproach.
Theorik shook his head:
“You’re already out of favor with the Crown Prince after that pilgrimage.” You can barely hold on, and you’re also worried about others.
Edric's face darkened. Hearing what he was already worried about, he felt a weight on his shoulders.
Seeing how he wilted, Theorik snorted with a grin:
- That's how it is. And I thought you didn’t care about your career - you sometimes go ahead like that. But it turns out that you are not like that?
“It’s just... Then I thought that I had to fulfill my duty as a personal guard.” After all, I was her knight,” Edric answered stubbornly.
A complex emotion flashed across Sir Hart's face.
He stared at his subordinate and then sighed.
“I repeat for the last time—your service to her is over.” It's time to return to your place.
Edric silently looked at the decisive face of his boss for some time, and then turned to the garden, through the foliage of which the high walls of the palace of the second princess could be seen.
The person he had only spent a couple of months with.
If he had not seen her suffering that day, he might not have remembered her now.
"Sir Hart is right."
His mission is completed.
The cruel environment that surrounded this woman was sad, but he could not change anything.
“Perhaps this is even better.”
As Sir Hart said, the imperial palace is infested with monsters blinded by power.
And she was the object of universal hatred.
If she marries Sir Siekan and leaves for the East, then at least she will get rid of the hostile persons who surrounded her here.
With a heavy sigh, driving away the fog of guilt, Edric nodded:
- I understand you, sir.
The subordinate’s words seemed to satisfy Theorik—a bright smile appeared on his face.
He threw his hand on his shoulder and said:
- Great. Then let's go get busy.
Edric, almost dragged along by his boss, turned around and looked at the roof of the small palace for the last time.
But he immediately straightened up and walked forward with a firm step.
* * *
Thalia lay on the bed, watching the specks of dust floating in the air. Shiny particles slowly swirled in the air currents, slowly falling onto her body.
She reached out to lift them into the air again and watched as they slowly fell.
Почему она занимается этой странной ерундой, она и сама не понимала. I felt like a seaweed that sways in the water without purpose, without meaning.
Maybe I didn’t hurt my leg, but my head?
Immersed in these sleepy thoughts, she was brought out of her reverie by the sound of the door opening.
Thalia turned her head and looked at the newcomer.
The nanny, carrying an armful of clothes in her hands, flashed her eyes angrily.
-Are you still lying down?!
A shrill voice cut painfully into my ears.
Thalia pulled the blanket over her head, but the woman immediately pulled it off and screamed:
- Now get up and wash yourself! You threw a tantrum, not wanting anyone else to touch your body, you drove away all the maids, and now what? Just lying there?!
Thalia narrowed her eyes and stared at her.
She didn't understand anything. It seemed like she was sleeping all this time... Did someone come?
Having difficulty focusing her gaze, Talia looked around the room - fragments of dishes and things were scattered everywhere. It looks like she really caused a scandal.
- I'm telling you, get up!
The nanny picked her up unceremoniously like a rag doll.
Thalia stared sleepily at her flushed face. She hit herself in the chest with her fist in despair:
- How many herbs did you manage to burn while I was gone?! You can’t even walk normally, how are you going to enter the church?!
- Church?
- For the wedding!
- Who's getting married?
The nanny's face turned red like a ripe plum. She was furious and it looked funny.
Thalia, barely moving her tongue, mumbled:
— Congratulations on your wedding, nanny.
- Today is your wedding! - she screamed, like a goose with her neck twisted. - You yourself agreed, so why now...?!
Thalia frowned.
But the truth... She really was going to marry Barkas.
When did she decide this?
I didn't remember. Time disappeared like smoke.
With a distant expression on her face, Thalia blinked slowly and still lowered her legs from the bed.
В любом случае, раз сегодня её свадьба, то, наверное, неправильно лежать вот так.
She staggered behind the screen.
— I will only help with bathing and underwear. The rest is the work of the Empress's maids.
- …Fine.
- Just promise that you won’t scratch or hit!
- Am I some kind of cat? Why would I scratch someone?
The nanny's face was distorted, as if she had swallowed something inedible.
Thalia grinned at the stupid expression.
The woman sighed heavily and took off her nightgown.
- Wash yourself quickly.
Talia dipped her foot into the bath.
And then cold water poured down on her from above.
She brushed her hair out of her eyes and squeezed her eyes shut as her eyes stung.
The nanny was clearly in a hurry.
She poured a whole bottle of fragrant oil on her and began to furiously scrub her body with a brush.
It was more like washing a dog than bathing a princess.
But Thalia didn't mind. The sensitivity of the body was dulled, there was almost no pain felt.
- That's it, come out.
The nanny poured four more buckets of cold water on her and impatiently hurried her along.
Talia, all wet, crawled out of the bathhouse.
The nanny wrapped her in a huge towel, wiped her dry and deftly put her underwear on her.
It was the first time Talia saw that her slow nanny could be so fast.
She looked at her in surprise. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and ran out of the room after the maids.
Soon Thalia was surrounded by dozens of women.
Although no. It is unlikely that there were so many of them.
Probably, one just sees double, two turn into four... But it seemed to her that there were really dozens of them.
Thalia blinked dizzily and finally closed her eyes.
Soon, when the preparations were completed, the maids took her somewhere.
It seemed to Thalia that the current was carrying her out to the open sea.
Having come to her senses, she realized that she was sitting in a large carriage that was traveling in an unknown direction.
She looked out the window with misty eyes.
A huge cathedral loomed against the leaden sky.
When this unclear sight came into her field of vision, something painfully tightened in her chest.
Inexplicable anxiety made her raise her head.
Looking at the approaching entrance to the church, Talia began to break out in a cold sweat.
She grabbed the doorknob.
She was about to open the door and jump out, but the carriage suddenly stopped.
The sudden stop threw her to the floor. She hit her knee painfully, and the pain radiated even into her pelvis.
Gritting her teeth, she suppressed a groan.
At that moment, the carriage door swung open, and a dark shadow loomed over it.
Thalia raised her head and froze.
The longboat stood as if shrouded in a gray shroud.
He threw a flowing cloak with the coat of arms of his family over his snow-white wedding attire.
He leaned towards her.
Thalia felt his blue eyes slowly scanning her face.