" We meet again," the royal head nurse said with a wicked smile. Then her eyes dimmed. " Why do you keep causing trouble? Do you want to be noticed so badly?" she added, and Lydia swallowed hard.
~ Maybe I'm dreaming ~ Lydia thought and closed her eyes, trying to deny the absurdity because the last time she was fully aware, she had been in the obryn camp, so being in the royal clinic was a bit absurd to her.
" Am I talking to a ghost?" the head nurse barked in anger, startling Lydia. Opening her eyes, she met the nurse's fierce gaze again.
" What do you want from me?" Lydia asked in a low voice, not ready for the nurse's drama.
She scoffed. " You sure have a nerve. Who told you you could talk to me in such a manner? You lowlife!"
Lydia only smirked and sat up, feeling a bit dizzy. " Can you stop belittling everyone? Just because I am an obryn doesn't make me less of a human!" Lydia shot back, and the nurse's face turned sour. She raised her hand, about to slap Lydia, before the door opened, and she quickly withdrew her hand.
Alisha, who had just arrived, sensed the tense atmosphere, which made her press her lips into a thin line before walking towards them.
" Lisha, what are you doing here?" the head nurse asked.
Alisha smiled and looked at Lydia before gently taking her hand.
" I am here because of her," she said and looked at the head nurse, who stared at Alisha's hand holding Lydia's in disgust. " She is a friend," Alisha added, still smiling.
The head nurse stepped back in shock. " An obryn? Your friend?" she questioned in shock and disgust.
" Mother! Stop making a big deal out of it," Alisha said, and Lydia withdrew her hand from Alisha's, shocked by the address.
Then slowly, she looked at Alisha, then back at the head nurse, and found a slight resemblance. The nose, eye shape, and mouth looked like the head nurse.
~ What a coincidence, a mother who hates me and a daughter who pretends to love me.~ Lydia muttered under her breath, staring at them quietly.
" Don't mind my mother, Lydia. She is not used to me having friends around," Alisha said, trying to make everything sound normal, but it was never normal to Lydia, though she kept calm.
" Lisha, leave here at once! Who allowed you to enter here?" her mother demanded angrily, and Alisha looked at her mother and sighed.
" Mother, you don't have to be angry," Alisha said and walked to the door. " Lydia is my friend. Please treat her with care," she added before leaving.
When she left, her mother laughed in disbelief. " My daughter, your friend?" she said and moved closer to Lydia.
" What method did you use to charm her into being your friend? Did you promise her something, or did you threaten her?" the head nurse said and laughed.
" Does she look like someone who can be threatened by me?" Lydia asked with a smirk.
" That's the funny part because I know it's impossible! Unless you cast a spell on her to get her on your side! No Woody would ever want to associate with an obryn!" the head nurse shouted in anger.
" I know, right? But Alisha did. Will the Woody family execute her for that?" Lydia questioned with a smirk, making Alisha's mother boil with rage.
She was about to use her magic to harm Lydia when the door was pushed open again. When she saw who it was, she bowed respectfully.
" Your Grace...." she said with a warm smile, as though she wasn't the one who had been angry few seconds ago.
" How is she?" the Queen asked.
The head nurse smiled. " She is fine. She just needs more rest to recover. She actually fainted because of the aftereffects of the black mark on her face, but since it's fading, she will be better in no time."
" That is good," the Queen replied and looked at Lydia with a smile. " Don't worry. You will be fine," she spoke, and Lydia smiled.
" I am deeply grateful for your care, Your Grace," Lydia said with a bow, which made the Queen chuckle.
" Oh, child..... I am so glad you are fine. I was so worried when they brought you in, having been in a coma for almost a day," the Queen spoke and walked to Lydia's bedside.
" You may leave," the Queen directed the words to the head nurse, who was shocked, but she quickly masked it with a smile and bowed before leaving.
The Queen held Lydia's hand. " Don't let anyone bully you, okay? Remember, I've got your back," the Queen said, and Lydia nodded, tears brimming in her eyes.
" Your Grace, I want to ask....." Lydia started, looking at the Queen with a hesitant gaze.
" Sure, speak," the Queen urged.
" Why do you care so much about me? I don't mean any disrespect, but I'm surprised by Your Grace's kindness," Lydia spoke, choosing her words carefully.
The Queen smiled at her words. " I can't tell either. You are the first person who's not originally from this park that I've taken an interest in. Mind you, your title does not matter to me. I don't know why, but I feel you are different, and even though I heard you haven't transformed, I know one day you will," the Queen explained, and Lydia's tears fell freely.
~ Then I'm lucky! Even though I've been facing hardships since I came here, the Queen is now on my side. ~ Lydia muttered under her breath in excitement.
" I'm deeply grateful, Your Grace," Lydia replied, and the Queen smiled.
" Don't worry. When my son comes back from battle, I will introduce you to him. If you two get along, he might promote you to a high rank here. Besides, he doesn't have a sister, so taking you as a sister wouldn't be a big deal for him," the Queen said, and Lydia got down on her knees and bowed to the Queen.
" I don't deserve such a thing, Your Grace," she said. The Queen smiled and raised her up.
" Of course you do," the Queen replied, and soon dizziness struck Lydia again, and she held her head.
" What is the matter?" the Queen asked urgently.
" I feel a little dizzy," Lydia said, and the Queen frowned.
" I'm so sorry for that. You have to rest more," she said, helping Lydia lie back down. Even after lying down, Lydia still felt the same.
" I will be right back. Let me get the nurse," she said, about to leave, but Lydia held her.
" No.... I want Ophelia..." Lydia murmured, and the Queen sighed.
" Okay. I'll have her brought here."
The Queen replied and quickly left. After a few minutes, Ophelia came in and saw Lydia lying weakly.
Ophelia smirked. " I didn't know your words could get me out of the cell, little one." Hearing her words, Lydia smiled.
" I missed you..." Lydia murmured, a tear sliding down her cheek. Ophelia smiled too and wiped away the tear.
" I missed you too, Lydia. Let's see what we have here...." She said, checking Lydia's face, which made her gasp in shock.
" Who the heck did this to you?" she questioned.
" Umm... It's a long story. Please do something. This dizziness is killing me," Lydia spoke, and Ophelia nodded.
She placed her hand on Lydia's pulse.
" Purgare ratio," Ophelia murmured, and soon the dizziness faded, and Lydia felt lively again.
" Thank you," Lydia said, and Ophelia smirked.
" My pleasure. But don't tell anyone I used a spell to heal you. Magic is a bit prohibited here, and only natural treatment is allowed, but I can't bear to see you in pain," Ophelia spoke, and Lydia nodded.
" I promise," she replied, and Ophelia nodded.
" I got the news that you will be working here from now on. It seems you have captivated the Queen with your beauty," Ophelia teased, which made them both laugh.
" You know I'm not that beautiful. I'm sure Her Grace has seen more beautiful ladies in her life. I'm just lucky," Lydia said with a smile.
" True.... But no one can deny that you are beautiful. I'm not flattering you; you are a true beauty. To me, you are even more beautiful than Alisha," Ophelia said in a serious tone, which made Lydia laugh.
She considered Alisha beautiful, but she never thought she would be compared to her someday.
" Thank you so much, Ophelia. I owe you a lot," Lydia spoke, tears brimming in her eyes.
" Oh, don't mention it! Just be yourself and be good," Ophelia replied with a smile.
Lydia's stomach immediately rumbled, which made Ophelia laugh.
" I see.... Let me get you something to eat," Ophelia said and left immediately.
Lydia smiled and looked up at the ceiling, which had a luxurious design.
" Such a beautiful design," she heard Delia's voice, and she smiled.
" I thought you were dead," Lydia said with a smirk, and Delia scoffed.
" If you want me dead, you might as well kill yourself. I am you, and you are me.... We are one, Lydia," Delia said.
" I'm glad the Queen has taken a liking to us. We won't suffer much here," Lydia said, brushing off Delia's words.
" Yes, I'm glad too, but the part where she said she would introduce us to her son... I'm a bit uneasy about it," Delia replied, and Lydia frowned.
" Why? She is a good woman. Her son will be a good person too," Lydia said and heard Delia laugh mockingly.
" Don't you think? She is the Queen, then her son is the Alpha! Do you think, with her age, her husband wouldn't be older? And do you think he would still be the one going to fight battles?" Delia spoke, and it dawned on Lydia.
The Queen's son is the Alpha, her enemy, the person she never wished to see or be around, and now she had to face him?
" Never!" Lydia shouted in anger, clenching her fists as they shook with rage.