This love is like a curse (8)
As soon as she opened her eyes, Thalia began to preen herself more diligently than ever. She stoically endured while the maids rubbed her skin with hard brushes until it turned red. She endured painful tugs from the comb, which made her scalp raw.
After washing, she put on the velvet dress that she had received on the day of her departure from the Talen house. The only gift from her grandfather, who always looked at her with a disapproving glance.
A girl with the face of an angel was reflected in the mirror.
If Seneviere were nine years old again, she would look the same, Thalia thought.
She looked intently at her blue eyes, exactly like her mother's, then with determination she left the room. But the boy she always watched at the same time was nowhere to be seen today.
Having escaped from the servants, Thalia wandered around the palace courtyard until her shoulders slumped in despair. The thought that she might never see him again made everything around her go dark.
She didn't understand why she was so obsessed with a man with whom she had only once spoken a few words.
No. In fact, she knew.
In that pouring rain, he could have simply walked past the dirty, tattered child, but he didn’t.
He walked into a muddy hole, getting his clothes and shoes dirty, to get her out.
He hugged her body, frozen from the rain, in his warm embrace and looked into her eyes for a long time.
He hugged the pathetic dying bird and took it to his home.
This was enough to become her hope.
Thalia walked without stopping along the outside of the towers that rose to the sky.
The imperial palace looked like the belly of a huge monster. It was so vast and confusing that, despite the fact that she had lived here for several months, she kept coming across unfamiliar places.
After wandering for a long time through the garden, densely planted with flowers and trees, she walked around the spacious area and came out to the back of the main palace.
My legs, which had not known rest since the morning, ached from fatigue. My feet burned with every step, as if they had touched fire: calluses probably appeared.
Wiping the sweat from her brow, she looked up at the blue sky breaking through the leaves.
How long she stood there is unclear. When I was about to turn back to the outbuilding, I noticed the slender figure of a boy flashing between the birches. Her eyes sparkled with joy.
Even at this distance, she recognized him instantly. His graceful, easy gait with a straight back was inimitable.
Thalia immediately rushed after him. But no matter how she accelerated, the distance between them did not decrease.
She realized that he was in a hurry somewhere. Where is he going in such a hurry?
She wanted to call him, but her breathing was labored, her chest tightened, her voice was stuck in her throat. Eventually, she lost sight of him.
Talia sank to the ground, leaning against the tree trunk, a devastated expression on her face. The sun's rays, like needles, tingled her sweaty face.
She looked through the foliage for several minutes until the wind carried a quiet laugh, like a bird's chirping.
Talia stood up and walked in that direction.
Making her way through thick birch trees and lush green bushes, she came to a luxurious garden where lavender, marigolds and white foxgloves bloomed wildly. Among the flowers, a marble pavilion and a small fountain stood out. Like a fairy palace.
Fascinated by the golden reflections of the light, Thalia saw him - a boy down on one knee in front of a marble bench.
He wasn't alone. Opposite him sat a girl about his age. Sweet, with rosy cheeks and silky dark brown hair.
She chatted cheerfully incessantly, and a slight smile played on the boy’s face. Seeing this, Thalia felt a stabbing sensation in her chest, like the tip of a needle. It was as if her treasure had been taken from her.
She understood that these feelings were irrational.
At first glance it was clear: these two had known each other for a long time. And she is a stranger.
But Talia decided to approach and politely introduce herself. She wanted to become part of this warm, cozy atmosphere at all costs. But most of all - to attract those blue eyes and soft smile.
Yielding to a strong inner impulse, she came out of the bushes and approached the fountain, from which a flowing stream was gushing. Two pairs of eyes stared at her - sparkling silver-blue and clear green.
Thalia, who had never interacted with her peers, suddenly felt her mouth go dry.
But she is the princess of the empire. Who would dare refuse her friendship?
Lifting her chin, she greeted with a proud look:
- Hello?
The boy did not move and just looked at her intently.
“Doesn’t he really recognize me?” - Thalia thought. After all, last time she was covered in mud, and now she was dressed like a princess - this must have confused him.
She was about to remind him of how he pulled her out of the pit a few months ago, but before she could speak, the girl, who had been sitting with a blank expression, suddenly screamed shrilly:
- No! No! Not here!
Her voice sounded like she was seeing a nightmare in the flesh.
The girl with eyes full of horror rushed to the boy:
- I beg you, Longboat! Kick her out! Don't let her even set foot in this place! Make sure I never see her again!
Her fragile arms wrapped around his neck.
The boy, hugging the trembling shoulders of the sobbing girl, cast a chilling glance at Thalia. She backed away.
He said dully and threateningly:
- Get out. Immediately.
Talia was dumbfounded, and then suddenly turned around and ran. It was as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water on the top of her head. There was not a single thought in my head - only a ringing emptiness.
She didn’t know how long she ran like that, but when she reached the main palace, someone sharply pulled her hair. The head fell back, the body collapsed to the ground. And before she realized what was happening, a heavy blow hit her.
She curled up, clutching her aching belly, and rolled across the grass.
“How dare you set foot in this place?!” - a shrill, angry voice rang out above her.
Thalia raised her head with a frightened face. An unfamiliar boy stood in front of her. With jet black hair and glowing green eyes. He looked incredibly similar to that girl - she noticed it immediately. But Thalia could not understand why he was following her and what caused his rage.
She froze, stunned by the blow, as the boy kicked her in the stomach again.
- Die!
The pain in my eyes darkened. She was choking with a cough from lack of air. But the boy did not stop - he kicked her again and again, like a small ball.
- Die! Die! Disappear!
The scream pierced my eardrums like nails.
His curses and blows did not stop until finally the frightened servants came running to the screams.
Talia, squirming like a worm, tried to dodge the brutal blows.
Even when two servants grabbed the boy by the hands, he continued to roar like a beast:
- Get out of this world! Dirty bastard!