Chapter 35: Cry For Love
Night had long since fallen, and the walls of the chamber were lit only by the soft flicker of candlelight. Lydia sat at the edge of her bed, wrapped in silence. Her fingers rested in her lap, unmoving. The soft rustle of fabric and the quiet footsteps of her maids filled the room, but she barely noticed.
Her thoughts were a mess.
One of the maids gently tapped her shoulder. "Your Highness, it’s time for your bath."
Lydia stood without a word, her limbs light, her head heavy. She moved like she was drifting — like her soul hadn’t caught up with her body. The bath water was warm, scented faintly with rose petals. Steam curled into the air as the maids began their usual routine, undressing her and guiding her into the tub. The heat embraced her skin, but her heart remained cold and confused.
As they began to scrub her arms and shoulders gently, one maid spoke up with a small smile. "His Highness joined you for dinner today. You must be happy, Your Highness."
Lydia blinked slowly, not responding.
Another maid giggled softly. "There’s something different about him lately. Did you notice? He didn’t seem so... intimidating."
Lydia still didn’t respond. She barely heard them. Her mind had wandered far away — back to the dining table, back to him.
She remembered how Ivan had sat across from her, quiet as always, but there was something in his silence that pulled at her. She remembered how his sleeves were rolled up slightly, revealing the veins and shape of his forearms. The way his fingers curled around the silver fork, the slight tension in his knuckles. How his fingers grazed over the smooth fruit before he picked it up, how his lips had been slightly damp from wine. His tongue had darted out to wet them. It was a subtle motion, unintentional maybe, but it made her chest tighten.
She swallowed.
Her mind wandered further — to that night.