The dowager empress left quickly, and she took both of her daughters.
The wing she was staying at was a hidden place, so it was now harder to spy on her. However, since we had Princess Liliana on our side, we didn’t worry about it too much.
Lisbeth has been quiet lately. She sometimes glared at me, but other than that, she was meek and silent. It was strange. I also expected the Duke and Duchess Aeal to make a scene, but so far, nothing had happened.
The preparation for the ball was also going well, so luckily, I was able to take some time off to enjoy myself.
“Your highness, it is ready.”
The servant handed me Bella’s rein.
I hadn’t had the chance to ride this beautiful horse, but finally today, it was going to happen.
“Whoa.”
I patted her snow-white hair. As Lucretius mentioned, she was an obedient horse.
I handed her a sugar cube and she licked it off. Her tongue tickled my hand.
I got onto her back. The saddle was the same white color as the horse with beautiful golden decorations.
I patted her neck gently and urged her on.
Suddenly, there was a commotion. When I turned towards the noise, I noticed a familiar figure walking towards me.
“Bina.”
It was Lucretius. I changed the direction, so I could trot towards him.
I expected Bella to slowly turn, but an unexpected happened.
“Huh?!”
The horse suddenly jumped. I grabbed onto the rein as tightly as I could. The horse seemed to be spooked. It started to run at full force.
I screamed.
“Gyaaa!”
“Your highness!”
The maids screamed too. They tried to get close to me, but the horse had gone crazy.
“Bina!”
Suddenly, I noticed Lucretius who was dangerously close to me. He opened his arms and shouted.
“Jump off!”
As soon as I heard him, I cringed and hugged the horse tighter. I was an okay rider at best, and I had never been on an excited horse. I certainly never jumped on or off a horse before.
He was asking me to let go of the rein and jump into the air. I couldn’t help but be scared.
He shouted again, “Bina!”
He was all I could see. Somehow, I was mesmerized by his green eyes.
I let go, and I threw myself off the horse and towards him.
“…!”
I saw the sky and the ground jumble into one. I felt myself hitting the ground. My head felt a sudden shock.
Everything went black.
***
The maids shrieked.
“Your highness!!”
“The emperor caught her safely, but before he did, the horse kicked her body.
“Your highness, are you alright?!”
The knights, maids, and the servants all crowded the emperor and his wife.
Lucretius moved quickly away from the crazed horse and checked on Bina.
“Bina…”
His voice was desperate. Bina had lost consciousness. Her pale face was like a knife into his heart.
He yelled, “Get me Lowson!”
He couldn’t move Bina. He didn’t know where she was hurt. If her head or her back were hurt, it could kill her if she was moved.
Lucretius took his cloak off and laid Bina down on it gently. The maids all came running and looked down with tears. One of the maids, the blond one, was standing afar with an odd expression. It annoyed him, but he had no time for her.
Lucretius stood up. The servants and the master horsemen were trying to calm down the horse. Even though several men were holding onto her, Bella was still uncontrollable. Her usually blue eyes looked strange. She was foaming in her mouth. Clearly, there was something wrong with the horse.
This was too strange. Bella was a meek horse that was well trained. Lucretius made sure of it personally. This kind of accident shouldn’t have happened.
He knew it wasn’t the horse’s fault, but there was no doubt it hurt Bina.
The servants saw his deadly expression. They paled in fear.
“Y, your highness…”
A colonel tried to say something, but he couldn’t finish his sentence.
The emperor took out his sword and walked towards the crazy horse.
Slash!
Bright red blood sprayed onto the horse’s white hair. It even got onto Lucretius’s right arm, but he didn’t seem to notice. The horse spasmed a few times before quieting down.
Lucretius looked at it coldly. Everyone around barely breathed.
Then finally, Lowson arrived.
“Your highness!”
Lucretius ordered in a low voice.
“Her highness has fallen from the horse. Treat her.”
“Yes, your highness!”
“If you don’t save her, you will have to give up your life.”
“I will do my best!”
Lowson ran towards her and opened his bag.
Lucretius continued, “Yes. You better save her or else, everyone here will die with her.”
The servants became pale. They knew very well how cruel their emperor could be.
He had softened considerably after his marriage to his exotic wife, but they all knew his true nature. They didn’t doubt his threat.
While they trembled in fear, Lowson announced, “Your highness! I have done the emergency treatment. Her highness can now be moved to her bedroom.”
Lucretius moved quickly. He threw away the bloody sword on the ground and ran to Bina. He carefully picked her up, making sure not to move her head too much.
Bina looked pale as if she died.
His heart stopped as he looked down at her.
Lucretius tried to overcome the fear that overwhelmed him and walked towards her bedroom. Lowson followed from behind.
As he walked, Lucretius ordered, “Investigate the horse and its gears. If there is anything suspicious, report back to me. I will interrogate the relevant figures later.”
“Yes, your highness.”
***
My head felt icy.
It felt like someone was poking my head with needles.
It hurt! It hurt so bad!
I started to cry.
“[No!]”
I felt like a little kid again. My head was killing me, and my chest felt tight.
I cried as I thrashed around.
“[It hurts!]”
I cried like a baby and thrashed around like a beast. I wanted someone to hug me and make it better.
“[Mom…!]”
I called out to the person I missed the most.
I was a little girl again.
“[Mom!]”
‘Bina.’
I thought I could hear her voice, but I knew this couldn’t be. I knew I was hallucinating, but I didn’t care as long as it continued.
‘It’s ok, Bina. You’re ok.’
“[No, mom. It hurts. It’s not okay at all.]”
I purposely didn’t open my eyes. I didn’t want this hallucination to stop.
My headache worsened.
I continued to cry and wondered.
Why?
Why should I endure such hardships here?
Why couldn’t I be with my parents and my sister? All I did was trying to get to the SAT exam building.
My family probably looked for me. I vanished without any trace. I wondered if they handed out pamphlets with my face all over the people on the street.
Would I ever see them again?
I was in a completely different world.
Why was this happening to me?
What did I do to deserve this? Why did I have to live in fear all the time?
“[I don’t want this!]”
I felt furious. I screamed.
“[Let me go home!]”
I was in pain. I felt sad and angry. I wanted to go back home.
Let me go!
I scratched and grabbed the first thing my hand touched.
“…!”
Someone was calling my name.
“…na!”
I knew this voice.
“Bina!”
I finally opened my eyes.
There was a man. He was holding me and my arms.
I saw that his face and neck were scratched. I realized it was me who did it.
Lucretius lifted me up and let me lean against him.
“It’s okay, Bina.”
He said my name consolingly.
“It’s okay now. Nothing like that will ever happen again. You are safe.”
I felt tired. My body felt heavy.
I desperately needed someone, anyone.
I hugged him tightly.
He said to me again, “You’re safe now, my Bina.”
This reminded of the time when I was poisoned by this same man.
I asked, “H, how many days has it been?”
My mouth was so dry it felt like I was chewing on thorns.
Lucretius patted my sweaty forehead and smiled.
“This time, it has been a little over a day.”
I sighed. “At least it hasn’t been that long… I’m glad.”
Lucretius became angry.
“Are you serious? Considering what happened to you, how can you be so calm?”
“…”
“Lowson said if you didn’t wake up in three days, there was a good chance you might never wake up! You fell off the horse for god’s sake?!”
He was genuinely angry. I was still in shock, so I didn’t know what to say.
“… I’m sorry.”
Lucretius seemed upset. He lowered his face. He was holding my right hand tightly. He looked like a child afraid to let go of his mother.
He said to me tearfully.
“No, no… that’s not what I meant. I am the one who is sorry.” He kissed my hand several times and continued, “I just wanted to say thank you… For opening your eyes.”
I couldn’t say anything.
Lucretius looked so sad and lonely. I wanted to touch his face, but I had no energy.
Instead, I fell asleep. He whispered to me, and I felt safe as I closed my eyes.
