Chapter 256: Fear And Blood Part 2

About two hours ago.

The sun had risen up, painting the sky in soft shades of gold and pink. The morning was truly beautiful, but the light felt too bright for Lydia.

She was woke up by the soft, sweet sounds of the birds singing outside. They sounded so happy, so free.

But Lydia did not feel happy at all. She had cried herself to sleep the previous night, and her eyes felt heavy and swollen.

As she opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling, a deep wave of sadness washed over her. She woke up feeling like the earth should just open up and swallow her whole. The pain in her chest was so heavy that even breathing felt like a chore.

She did not want to get out of bed. She just sat there, remaining in her sheets, watching the birds flutter outside her window.

She stared at the beautiful spring morning, hoping it would calm her mind. Maybe, just maybe, looking at nature was the only way to get her mind off Ivan. She wanted so badly to forget about him, even if it was just for a little while. She wanted to escape all her pains.

So she just sat there staring. Staring at the outside world through the glass.

She tried her best not to think about that person. She tried not to think about his face, his voice, or the way he had looked at her.

Nearly an hour passed in complete silence.

She was still staring at the beauty of the gardens. But as the minutes went by, everything outside started to look too beautiful. It felt like a cruel joke.

The birds were busy building and resting in their nests. Even nature, with all its magic, could not get Ivan out of her head. In fact, the more she stared at the lovely scenery, the more it annoyed her.

It felt like rubbing salt on her open wound. Why was the world so happy and perfect when her own heart was breaking into a million pieces?

Suddenly, her eyes landed on a branch close to her window. There were three birds resting together. It was a family. Two parent birds and their tiny baby, chirping happily.

The sight of the birds suddenly pissed her off. It felt like they were showing off the very thing she could not have.

Lydia stood up from the bed angrily. Her movement was sharp and sudden. She walked over to the window and pulled the heavy curtains closed, shutting out the sunlight and the birds completely.

The room became dark, matching her mood.

Her eyes burned with fresh tears. She stood there in the shadows, her lips trembling as she felt the urge to cry all over again.

But before she could cry properly, the heavy wooden door of her chambers opened.

It was Xena.

The maid stepped inside quietly. She quickly bowed her head respectfully.

"Your Highness," Xena greeted her softly. "A hot bath has been prepared for you."

As Xena looked up, she immediately noticed the redness and the tears shining in Lydia’s eyes. Her expression changed to one of concern.

"Your Highness? Is everything okay?" Xena asked, her voice filled with gentle worry.

Lydia quickly turned her face away, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand. She did not want anyone to know how weak she felt. She did not want to explain her broken heart.

"I am fine," Lydia lied, forcing her voice to sound steady. "The room is just very dusty. It is making my eyes teary."

Xena looked around the clean room, looking a bit confused, but she did not question her lady.

"I see," Xena said softly.

"I will have my breakfast on the terrace today," Lydia said, trying to change the subject. "And please, have the servants clean my room while I am out."

"Of course, Your Highness. I will see to it immediately," Xena replied, bowing once more before stepping back.

Lydia walked into her private bathroom and slowly sank into the tub.

The hot water felt incredibly soothing against her cold skin. As she leaned her head back against the edge of the tub, she felt her tight muscles finally begin to relax. The warmth of the water got her to relax from everything that had happened the previous day.

She had barely had enough sleep last night. After all that crying, her body was completely exhausted.

The hot water felt so good, and the silence of the room was so comforting, that Lydia’s eyes began to feel heavy. Within minutes, she drifted off and started dozing.

About an hour later.

Lydia was still fast asleep in the tub, wrapped in the warmth of the fading heat.

"Your Highness..."

A voice called out to her from a distance.

"Your Highness, are you okay?"

Lydia quickly woke up with a small start. She blinked her eyes, feeling disoriented. The hot water she had enjoyed so much had now turned completely cold.

She looked up and saw Katherine standing near the door. Katherine’s face was filled with deep worry.

"Is everything okay, Your Highness?" Katherine asked, stepping closer. "You have been in here for a very long time."

Lydia was still a little sleepy. Her mind was foggy, and she could not think of what to say. She just sat there in the cold water, saying nothing.

Katherine looked at her pale face and sighed gently.

"Your Highness, if you are feeling sick, maybe we should postpone the ball tomorrow night," Katherine suggested. "Your health is much more important than a celebration."

Hearing the word ’ball’ made Lydia snap out of her sleepiness. She could not let her personal feelings ruin the palace events. She could not let everyone see how much she was struggling.

Lydia got out of the water quickly. She grabbed her soft robe, wrapping it tightly around her body and tying the belt.

"I am fine," Lydia said, shaking her head. "I was just feeling a bit tired."

She looked at Katherine, trying to give her a reassuring smile.

"It is nothing serious," Lydia added, walking toward the vanity. "I had a strange craving last night, and it kept me awake. I just could not sleep properly because of it. Nothing more. I am fine, Katherine."

Katherine did not look fully convinced, but she kept her voice soft and respectful.

"If you need more rest, Your Highness, I can have another room prepared for you to sleep in while the servants clean your chambers," Katherine offered.

"No, there is no need for that," Lydia said, shaking her head. "I will have my breakfast first, and then I will get some rest. Don’t worry about me, Katherine. I promise I will take it easy today."

Katherine turned to leave the room, but just as she reached the door, she stopped. She turned back to Lydia with a curious look on her face.

"Your Highness, if I may ask... what was it that you were craving last night?"

A little while later, Lydia was seated at the table on the sunny terrace.

The morning breeze was cool, but the sun warmed her skin. Her breakfast had already been set on the table beside her. It was a beautiful spread. There was hot tea sending steam into the air, fresh warm bread, sweet pastries, and a bowl of fresh fruits.

Lydia tried to focus on her book, turning the pages slowly, but her mind kept wandering.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps. She looked up and saw Anna walking onto the terrace, followed by a servant carrying a small silver tray.

Lydia watched with curious eyes as the servant placed a small bowl in front of her.

Inside the bowl was a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream, decorated with a bright red drizzle of pomegranate syrup, crushed green pistachios, and fresh fruits. It looked beautiful and delicious.

Anna smiled warmly and explained.

"Katherine told me that you had a craving last night, Your Highness. She had the kitchen servants make this special treat for you since you were craving something cold and sweet."

Lydia looked at the ice cream. It did look very tempting. She took a spoon and tasted it.

The cold sweetness of the vanilla mixed with the tart flavor of the pomegranate was amazing. She took two more bites, enjoying the taste, but then her stomach felt slightly heavy. She dropped the spoon back into the bowl with a quiet sigh.

Anna noticed this and looked worried.

"Is it not to your liking, Your Highness?" Anna asked quickly.

"No, it is lovely," Lydia said, shaking her head. "But... I have one more request."

Lydia looked at the red syrup on the ice cream. She realized that the tart, sour taste of the pomegranate was the only thing her stomach actually wanted.

"Can you bring me just this? The thick one," Lydia asked softly pointing at the pomegranate mollases.

Anna looked surprised, but she immediately nodded. "Of course, Your Highness."

A few minutes later, Anna returned with a small jar of thick, dark red liquid.

Lydia did not waste any time. She took a clean spoon and began eating the thick pomegranate molasses directly from the jar.

Anna just stood there, staring at Lydia in complete disbelief. She was practically eating pure pomegranate molasses like it was soup.

Lydia looked up and noticed Anna’s wide eyes. She let out a small, embarrassed chuckle.

"What is this exactly?" Lydia asked, looking at the dark red syrup on her spoon. "It tastes really good. It is just the right amount of sour."

"It is imported pomegranate molasses, Your Highness," Anna answered, still looking a bit shocked. "It is usually used in very small amounts for desserts or salad dressings."

Lydia chuckled again, trying to make light of the situation.

"Well, at least my cravings this time are not too bad," Lydia said, shaking her head. "The last time, I wanted to eat mangoes in hot beef soup. Or that time when I desperately wanted a tomato cake."

But as soon as the words left her mouth, her smile faded.

The heavy sadness returned to her chest, pressing down on her.

Anna noticed the sudden shift in her emotions. The joy in Lydia’s face had disappeared in an instant, replaced by a deep, quiet sorrow.

Before Anna could ask if she was okay, Lydia quickly spoke up, wanting to avoid any questions.

"Anna, please go and check if everything for the ball tomorrow night is fully set," Lydia commanded gently, keeping her eyes on her plate. "I want to make sure there are no mistakes."

Anna saw the dismissive look in Lydia’s eyes. She knew her mistress wanted to be alone.

"Yes, Your Highness," Anna said softly. She bowed deeply and walked away, leaving Lydia alone on the quiet terrace.

Once the sound of Anna’s footsteps died down, Lydia was completely alone with her thoughts.

She stared down at the jar of molasses, feeling a sudden wave of anger at herself.

"Stupid, stupid girl," she whispered to herself, her voice full of self-reproach. "Why are you doing this? You are still clinging to the past."

She shook her head, trying to clear her mind.

"No," she said firmly to the empty air. "No more thinking of him. He does not deserve your thoughts."

She decided to ignore her heavy heart and continue eating. She dipped her spoon back into the jar, continuing her weird breakfast of pure, sour molasses. The taste was sharp and strong, distracting her from her pain.

But then, out of nowhere, a sound made her look up.

Ivan appeared at the entrance of the terrace.

Lydia froze.

He looked absolutely terrible. His hair was messy, his clothes were put on carelessly, and his face was pale and drenched in sweat. His chest was heaving up and down as if he had just run a marathon to get to her. He looked like a man who had completely lost his mind.

Lydia was so shocked by his sudden, wild appearance that her breath caught in her throat.

She gasped, and because she was in the middle of swallowing, she choked.

The thick, dark red molasses went down the wrong pipe.

Lydia began to cough violently.

"Cough! Cough!"

She bent forward slightly, her chest burning as she struggled to catch her breath. Seeking to quickly clean herself, she grabbed the white linen handkerchief from the table and pressed it to her lips, coughing hard into the fabric. She threw up a little of her weird breakfast.

When she finally stopped coughing and pulled the handkerchief away to take a breath, she looked up at Ivan.

His expression had gone from worse to absolute worst.

He was staring at her with wide, terrified eyes. His face had lost every single drop of color, turning as white as a sheet. His entire body was literally trembling, shaking so hard it looked like he had just seen a ghost.

Lydia stared back at him, holding the sticky, red-stained handkerchief in her hand. She was completely confused by the sheer terror in his eyes.

*What is his problem?* she wondered to herself, her heart beating fast.