Chapter 18: Farewell To Danger
The morning sun cast gentle rays through the windows of the palace as Lydia prepared to leave the only home she had known for years. Her heart felt heavy as she walked through the familiar halls one last time.
Inside the main hall, Lydia said her farewells to everyone. Elena hugged her tightly, her eyes wet with tears.
"I will miss you so much, Lydia," Elena said, her voice breaking slightly. "Who will help me in the kitchen now?"
Anya couldn’t control her emotions and began sobbing openly. "Promise you’ll write to us," she pleaded, holding Lydia’s hands.
"I promise," Lydia replied, though she wasn’t sure if she would be able to keep this promise.
Mikhail and Pyotr stood awkwardly, not knowing what to say. They were not men of many words, but their sad expressions spoke volumes.
"Take care of yourself, Miss Lydia," Mikhail finally managed, his deep voice unusually soft.
Even Daria and Galina, who had always been strict with Lydia, couldn’t hide their emotions. They sobbed a little as they embraced her.
"Remember everything we taught you," Daria said, straightening Lydia’s collar one last time.
Her uncle, however, didn’t come out to say goodbye. His absence was noticeable and painful, like a cold shadow over the warm farewells from everyone else.
After saying goodbye to everyone in the main hall, Lydia went to her room. She moved around it slowly, taking one last look at everything – the bed where she had slept for years, the window where she had spent countless hours looking out at the grounds, the small desk where she had written her thoughts.