In the dimly lit chamber, Thea paced restlessly, the minutes dragging like weights upon her shoulders. For days, she had found solace within the confines of Anastasia's sanctuary, but now, boredom gnawed at her insides like a relentless beast. She had tried on dresses, sampled the remnants of Anastasia's feast that her friend had left for her, but the walls of solitude pressed in upon her, suffocating her with their silent vigil.
As midnight loomed on the horizon, a soft shuffling outside the door drew Thea's attention, her heart quickening with anticipation. Could it be Anastasia returning from the ritual at last? With practiced ease, she slipped behind the tapestry by the fireplace, a habitual gesture born of caution in the face of uncertainty.
But when the door swung open to reveal a towering figure carrying an unconscious Anastasia, fear gripped Thea's heart like icy talons. Panic surged through her veins, her mind racing with wild thoughts of danger and betrayal. Without hesitation, she seized a nearby little shovel used for cleaning out the fireplace, her hands trembling with adrenaline-fueled urgency.
With a silent prayer on her lips, Thea struck the intruder with a swift, decisive blow, the sound of impact echoing in the stillness of the chamber. The man crumpled to the ground, still clutching Anastasia in his arms, and Thea's heart plummeted as she recognized his face— one of the Alidashti princes.
A wave of self-recrimination washed over her as she frantically scanned the room, her mind reeling with the consequences of her impulsive actions. How could she have been so careless, so reckless?
“Stupid, stupid, STUPID!” She cursed herself for her folly, for allowing fear to cloud her judgment in the heat of the moment.
“You’re such an idiot, Thea! Why can’t you think before you act?!”But there was no time for regrets, no room for hesitation. With trembling hands, Thea knelt beside the fallen prince, her fingers tentatively probing for signs of injury. She winced as she felt a tender bump on his head, her heart heavy with guilt for the harm she had inflicted.
Gently, she reached out and gave him a tentative poke, her breath catching in her throat as she waited for a response. When he remained unresponsive, panic surged anew within her, driving her to shake him with increasing desperation.
"Come on, wake up," she murmured, her voice trembling with urgency and tears began to form in her eyes.
"Please, you have to wake up."Farim’s vision was a blur. All in one moment he went from relief, to blacking out, and then immediately into a panicked mess as he jerked his head up. He had luckily landed so that his arms took the impact, bracing Anastasia from receiving another head bump. Farim lifted his head from the princess’ mid-section, a fate he would normally bless himself for having. But right now he quickly shifted his arms out from under her and turned to match his assailant.
”Abn aleahira! (Son of a bitch!) Explain yourself! Now!” His voice was stern, and he shot up quickly, despite the general dizzying sensation from getting smacked on the back of his head. He stared down at Thea with a building intensity that suggested he was ready to fight tooth and nail in that very moment.
Thea's heart raced in her chest as Farim's stern voice pierced the air, his gaze ablaze with righteous fury. Tears welled in her eyes, a sob escaping her lips as she met his gaze with a mixture of fear and relief that he was okay. A brief, sickening memory flashed in her mind of when she did something similar to someone else and her stomach lurched. But Farim seemed to be alright and she latched onto that fact, forcing the memories out.
"I-I'm so sorry," she stammered, her voice choked with emotion.
"I didn't mean to... I thought... I thought you were... I thought you meant harm to Annie."Her words tumbled out in a rush, a torrent of apologies and explanations as she struggled to make sense of the chaos that had unfolded as she sat there crumpled on her knees and wiping at her tears. The sight of someone carrying Anastasia's unconscious form had filled her with primal fear.
"It scared me," she admitted, her voice trembling with vulnerability.
"I didn't know what to do, and... and I acted without thinking. I'm so stupid! Please, I beg your forgiveness. I'll do anything to make it right, anything at all."Tears streamed down her cheeks unchecked as she pleaded for forgiveness, her heart heavy with the weight of her actions. She briefly thought of dear Charlotte in a similar situation in front of the Alidashti royalty, then the newspaper claiming her to be throwing herself at them as a whore. Perhaps she should do the same. Her arms nervously wrapped around herself as she stared at the ground.
“I-I’ll even serve you, i-if you so desire. You can u-use me as you please.” She felt so small and her offer had panic threatening to grip her, but she swallowed her fears and held firm to her offer.
Farim’s eyes softened as the reality came forth. This was no assassin or cold-blooded killer. Her body language and sheer panic seemed to be genuine, and Farim spoke once more calmly to the woman, but still held a hint of frustration in his tone.
”Look no one will be doing any serving! I am not that kind of Shehzade.” He sighed and rubbed the back of his head, feeling the bump that already formed from the blow.
”By the gods, any harder and I would have been far worse off. But who even are you?! And why are you hiding in this woman’s room?!He knew he technically should not be there. If any of Anastasia’s family caught him he would likely be in some trouble. But he still needed to know why someone who was not a Danrose was hiding in his friends room.
”Look, I have had a long day. So please just tell me what is going on and we can perhaps come to an understanding. I do not wish to cause anymore trouble today either.”Thea flinched at the reminder of the potential severity of her actions, a flash of memory searing through her mind like a bolt of lightning. The image of a bloodied skull flashed before her eyes, a stark reminder of the consequences of her impulsive behavior in the past. She shuddered, pushing the memory aside with a shaky breath as she focused on Farim's questions.
"I-I'm Lady Thea Smithwood," she began, her voice trembling slightly as she struggled to maintain her composure.
"Daughter of the Duchess of Stravy and sister to Lord Leo Smithwood, future Duke of Stravy."She paused, her breath catching in her throat as she recounted the events that had led her to seek refuge in Anastasia's chambers.
"Annie is my best friend," she continued, her voice growing steadier with each word.
"She offered me sanctuary when my mother deemed me a disgrace and too much of a risk to stay for the courting season. She ordered me to go home, but I couldn't... I couldn't bear to face the scrutiny and judgment of my family any longer."A wave of nausea washed over her, threatening to overwhelm her senses, but she fought to keep it at bay. With a determined breath, she met Farim's gaze with a newfound resolve.
"Annie has been helping me stay hidden, away from my family's prying eyes," she explained, her voice tinged with gratitude and affection.
"They currently think I'm on my way back home. Annie's the only one who understands, the only one who sees beyond the facade of propriety to the person I truly am."She paused, her gaze flickering with uncertainty as she awaited Farim's response, hoping against hope that he would understand her plight and offer her the mercy she so desperately sought.
Farim listened intently as she explained herself. He turned towards Anastasia and leaned down to lift her up. After placing her on the bed, Farim placed both hands on hips and shook his head as he sighed.
”That certainly sounds like her. She is a kind woman.” He could not help himself and gently caressed her arm before finally turning around to Thea.
He looked at her up and down, and examined the expressions she had while sharing her story.
”You have earned my trust for now. Family troubles are plenty with people like us - so you have my sympathies. But surely you cannot plan to just live in her chambers forever? What if someone else found you?”He held his hand up and stopped himself from going on another judgemental rant.
”Just…do not hit me on the head if I visit. And try not to share that I have been to her room - especially tonight given her state. I shall not share any tale of your presence here - so long as you do the same for me. Deal?” He held his hand out in the form of a handshake.
Thea watched with a mix of emotions as Farim gently placed Anastasia on the bed, a twinge of jealousy flickering within her as he tenderly caressed her arm. Suppressing the pang of envy, she focused on Farim as he turned back to her, his gaze scrutinizing her every expression.
As he spoke, Thea nodded in understanding, her heart heavy with the weight of his words.
"You have my sympathies too," she replied softly, her voice tinged with gratitude for his understanding.
"And you're right, I can't hide forever. I plan to reveal myself soon and take control of my own life, even if it means being disowned by my family."With a determined breath, she pulled herself up from the ground, a small laugh escaping her lips as she met Farim's gaze with a newfound resolve.
"I suppose I would have no right to rat you out, considering my own clandestine activities," she admitted, a wry smile playing at the corners of her lips.
“And I promise not to hit you over the head again if you come to visit unless you ask nicely.” She said with a playful wink.
Reaching out, she clasped Farim's hand in agreement to his deal, sealing their pact with a silent handshake. Then, moving to sit beside Anastasia on the bed, she cast a worried glance at her friend's unconscious form.
"I promise to take care of Annie," she vowed, her voice filled with sincerity.
"But... what happened? Why did you find her like this?”Farim pointed his index finger upwards and gave an approving wag of his finger.
”Toxic family is not worth being so worried over. Everyone shall judge. I simply choose to tune them out.” He then raised his eyebrows at the notion of “asking someone nicely” to hit their head - but he let out a brief exhale in amusement and addressed her primary concern.
”Not sure. I was dealing with something dangerous, told her to stay safe, and naturally she did anything but. I can tell she was knocked out either by tripping and hitting her head or being struck hard. I have my suspicions, but I can hardly use it as proof.” Farim crossed his arms.
”It would seem Dr. John and his compatriot were nearby when this all happened. I do not liken the man to assaulting women but I know nothing of his friend. But if you see either of them approach her - keep a close eye.” Thea's brows furrowed in concern as Farim mentioned the possibility of Dr. John's involvement, her mind racing with anxious thoughts. The idea that John or his companion could have been responsible for Anastasia's condition sent a shiver of dread down her spine, but she forced herself to remain composed as Farim continued speaking.
"That's... concerning," she admitted, her voice tinged with apprehension.
"I've known John for a long time and I can't imagine him harming Annie. But his companion... that's another story entirely as I don't know them. If they were nearby when this happened, it's certainly worth keeping an eye on them."She nodded in agreement as Farim instructed her to keep watch over Anastasia, her resolve hardening with each passing moment.
"I'll make sure she's safe," she vowed, her voice firm with determination as she brushed a lock of hair out of Anastasia's face.
Then, a thought occurred to her, and she turned to Farim with a suggestion.
"Why don't you have Dr. John take a look at your head in the morning?" she offered, her tone softening with concern.
"I know he may not be your favorite person right now, but he's treated me for head injuries before, so he knows what he's doing. I'm quite clumsy, you see.” She said with a small laugh, but there was clearly more hidden behind her words. Something dark was hidden behind her eyes, there was a secret there that she was keeping pertaining to that statement.
“Tell him I was the cause as well, he'll understand. It's the least I can do after... well, you know.” She said as she quickly looked away, once again trying to shut off her memories. What she would do for a drink right now.
The man looked at Thea with a slightly calculating glance. He took in her mannerisms and speech patterns with a grain of salt - he had only just met this woman but he could not help but feel like there was more than meets the eye to her. He rubbed his head once more and gave a slight shrug.
”I should be fine, truthfully. If it gets worse I shall contact a doctor soon. But I may have to talk to the doctor either way at some point. For now I just want to get some sleep and get ready for tomorrow.” The fatigue was clear on his eyes, and he was feeling his body sag slightly at the thought of a nice and comfortable bed.
”I would rather not leave her like this, but I also feel that I may be overstaying my welcome if I were to commit to staying the night.” Farim took a second to correct his posture and locked eyes with Thea.
”I suppose for now I shall head home, unless you have any better ideas or concerns yourself?” Farim felt conflicted. He wondered if it was smart to leave a vulnerable and defenseless Anastasia with some woman he had never met who bludgeoned him on sight. For all he knew she could just be waiting for Farim to leave and then make her actual move of taking out the Princess. But what he said was true - if word spread of some random foreigner spending the night in her room during the first week of the courting season, his whole country might get some backlash from the King and Queen of Caessonia. He simply waited to hear her thoughts, wondering if how Thea might respond to the notion of him leaving.
Thea met Farim's gaze with a reassuring smile, her eyes earnest as she addressed his concerns.
"Go," she said gently, her voice soft but resolute.
"If I wished to harm her then I would have done so while you were unconscious and pinned it on you, Shehzade. Annie will be safe, I swear it on my life. I'll make sure she finds you in the morning."She could see the fatigue weighing heavily on Farim, the weariness etched into the lines of his face. The thought of a warm bed and much-needed rest was written plainly in his eyes, and Thea couldn't blame him for wanting to seek refuge in the comforts of home. She could feel her own fatigue settling in and she was also beginning to wish for rest.
She made a strong point - he was vulnerable for quite some time, and she had ample time to hurt either of them while he had backed out. So he decided to take his leave. He once more looked longfully at the Princess, and then turned to Thea.
”Well, despite the initial….rough introduction. It is a pleasure to meet one of her friends. Perhaps we can meet in better conditions another time.”Farim turned to leave, but a moment of hesitation stopped him as he thought about the story she shared - of shedding familial burden.
”And I hope you can find your real family. One that will not shun you for who you are. Goodnight to you, and tell Annie I said the same. The Shehzade opened the door and sauntered out of the room, leaving the two woman alone in that room.
Thea watched as Farim took his leave, a sense of relief washing over her as the tension in the room eased. Despite their rocky introduction, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of gratitude towards the man for his understanding and compassion.
"Thank you," she called after him, her voice tinged with sincerity.
"And goodnight to you too."As the door closed behind him, Thea was left alone with her thoughts, the weight of Farim's parting words lingering in the air. The notion of finding a real family, one that accepted her for who she was, struck a chord deep within her soul. For so long, she had been taught that blood and lineage were paramount, but now, for the first time, she dared to entertain the possibility of a different path. What would Leo think if she pursued this path? Would she become a disappointment to him as well?
With a heavy sigh, she rose from her seat and crossed the room, her movements deliberate as she sought out one of Annie's nightgowns. Carefully, she changed her friend into it, tucking her in with gentle hands before attending to her own preparations for bed.
As she lay down beside Anastasia, the soft embrace of sleep beckoning her into its comforting embrace, Thea couldn't help but wonder what the future held. Perhaps, just perhaps, there was another way—a path illuminated by the promise of acceptance, understanding, and love. Love, something she believed she didn't deserve, but was now something she was realizing she desperately craved. Could someone truly love her? Could she actually pursue finding that for herself? It was a beautiful thought. And as she drifted off to sleep, she allowed herself to dream of a world where she could truly belong.
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