When we returned to the palace, it was already late at night. The moon had disappeared behind the clouds, and the entire courtyard was plunged into thick, almost palpable darkness.
Richard de Stone, despite his fatigue and bandaged arm, maintained his dignity throughout. It seed as if the pain did not affect him at all.
He maintained the sa reserved posture as always, and only occasionally did a shadow of fatigue flicker in his gaze. Even then, however, he tried not to show it — a truly aristocratic habit of hiding weakness.
When the carriage finally stopped in front of the main entrance, the guards hurriedly opened the doors, and the palace physician and his assistants ca out to et him. A few monts later, Richard was surrounded by servants ready to escort him to his chambers for examination.
"Lady Weinstein," the prince said to before leaving, "are you sure you don’t want to go to the doctor with ?"
I shook my head slightly.
"Yes, don’t worry about , Your Highness. Everything is fine."
He frowned slightly, as if he wasn’t entirely convinced by my words. His gaze lingered on a little longer than usual — attentive and slightly concerned.
"Well, very well," he finally said with a sigh, "in that case, take care of yourself, lady."
"And you, Your Highness," I replied, trying to speak calmly, though I still felt a slight flutter of excitent inside.
Richard nodded, and for a mont there was silence between us. During that brief pause, I felt a strange sensation — as if there was sothing more than re politeness in that look and restrained farewell smile.
Nevertheless, in the next mont, the prince turned and headed deeper into the palace, surrounded by torchlight and his accompanying guards.
I stood there for a while, watching him go, until his figure disappeared behind the main doors, and only then did I allow myself to exhale. Everything that had happened that day now seed almost like a dream — too intense and unreal.
And yet it was real. I really did almost die at the hands of unknown rcenaries in the middle of the forest. And just as unexpectedly, I t the emperor’s nephew there. He really did save my life.
Yes, if I had heard about such a turn of events from soone else not long ago, I would never have believed it. And yet...
Despite all this, I had other things to think about now.
Ruby.
In the end, after we said goodbye downstairs, the prince, accompanied by his servants, went to the doctor, and I hurried up to my room.
The palace was already asleep at this late hour — only occasionally could I hear the muffled footsteps of the guards and the quiet crackling of torches in their wall holders. The corridors, bathed in soft moonlight, seed unusually long and empty.
Since it was already very late, I wouldn’t have been surprised if Ruby had gone to bed long ago. After all the events of the day, I just wanted to make sure she was okay and finally allow myself so rest.
However, when I reached her room and cautiously opened the door, it turned out that Ruby was still awake. A candle was burning in the room, and the girl was sitting on the bed, hugging a pillow, and seed to be waiting for .
When she saw at the door, she imdiately got up, and her face lit up with relief, which nevertheless betrayed obvious anxiety.
"Auntie!" she exclaid, running up to . "Where have you been? I was so worried!"
I smiled involuntarily, feeling a warm feeling spread through my chest.
"I’m sorry, dear. I ca too late..."
She didn’t let finish — in the next mont, Rubiella wrapped her arms around , pressing herself against my chest as if she was afraid I would disappear again.
I hugged her back tightly, as if I wanted to convey with this embrace all the peace that I myself had so desperately needed in the last few hours.
"It’s okay, Ruby," I said softly, stroking her hair. "Everything’s fine now."
The girl lifted her head, her eyes glistening with tears, but gradually relief appeared in them.
"Auntie, what happened to you? You disappeared, and no one could find you!" she exclaid when she cald down a little. "Did you get lost?"
I hesitated a little, not even knowing where to start.
"Actually... sothing happened," I said, trying to keep my voice calm, even though I still felt the residual tension from the experience.
"What? What exactly?" Ruby looked at anxiously, her large eyes shining with concern.
I looked away for a mont. On the one hand, I wanted to just say that everything was fine, that nothing terrible had happened. But I knew that if I lied now, Ruby would find out the truth later anyway. So I wanted her to hear it from .
Feeling a little nervous, I told Rubiella about the events that had happened to that day.
All this ti, the girl listened to attentively, without interrupting. When I finally finished, her face beca very worried, and her eyes widened with horror and bewildernt.
"Could it be... soone really attacked you in the royal reserve?!" she exclaid, stunned.
"But how could that happen? Isn’t that place well guarded?"
I sighed, rubbing my temples wearily.
"I’d like to know the answer to that question myself..." I said quietly, feeling the fatigue of the last few hours weighing heavily on again. "It all happened too suddenly. But in any case, the main thing is that it’s over."
Ruby frowned and clenched her hands.
"But you’re all right now, aren’t you?" she asked, her voice trembling. "You weren’t hurt, were you?"
I shook my head, trying to smile.
"No, fortunately, nothing serious happened. His Highness ca to my rescue in ti. If it weren’t for him..." I paused for a mont, feeling the words catch in my throat. "It could have ended much worse."
Hearing my answer, Ruby pursed her lips for a mont.
"His Highness... Prince Richard de Stone?" she said, almost in a whisper.
I nodded.
"Yes. He happened to be nearby and ca to my aid. Thanks to him, I managed to get out."
For a mont, a slightly strange expression flashed across Rubiella’s face.
"That’s... really lucky," she said. "I don’t even know how to thank His Highness for saving you."
"His Highness acted very nobly," I agreed, rembering that mont. "If it weren’t for him... I don’t know what would have happened."
There was silence in the room for a while.
"In any case, I’m glad you’re okay," Ruby finally said quietly. "I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if sothing had really happened to you."
I hugged Ruby again, pulling her close to to calm her down a little.
"Don’t worry. It’s all over now," I replied softly.
Indeed. A mber of the imperial family was a person whose life was incomparably more valuable than my own. And yet, despite this, Richard still risked his life to protect , a woman he barely knew.
Even if he said that it was his duty as a prince to protect his subjects, didn’t that sound too noble even for him?
I couldn’t help but wonder: would anyone else in his place have done the sa? I doubt it. Most people would prefer not to get involved, especially if it endangered their own lives. But Richard did it anyway.
This thought made feel sowhat uncomfortable. I felt gratitude mixed with anxiety.
After all that had happened, all I could do now was hope that no trouble awaited in the future. Who knows how things might turn out? Maybe soone would decide that I was sohow involved in the attack, or — even worse — accuse of wounding His Highness?
I sighed and closed my eyes. My current life, which had only recently begun to improve, suited more than well. And now I really didn’t want any unnecessary problems.
While I was lost in my thoughts, I didn’t imdiately notice Ruby gently touching my hand. Her touch brought back to reality.
"Auntie..." she said, looking at with sincere concern. "You’ve been through so much... I’m really worried about you. If I had known sothing like this could happen, I would have definitely gone with you!"
I saw her genuine emotions reflected in her athyst eyes, and it made my heart flutter.
I smiled slightly.
"No, Ruby," I said, shaking my head. "You shouldn’t say that. It would have been too dangerous. If you had been there, I would have been even more worried."
"But I can’t sit still when sothing happens to you!" the girl objected passionately. "I was so afraid I would never see you again!"
I smiled faintly and stroked her head.
"It’s all over now, sweetheart. The main thing is that we’re together now and that I’m fine."
Ruby looked down, but I could see the relief on her face — as if the weight that had been on her heart all this ti was finally beginning to lift.
Finally, when she cald down a little after my story, I myself felt that everything was really okay now. We were both here, safe, under the palace roof, and that realization brought so peace after all the horror we had experienced in the forest.
For a while, we just sat there, talking about recent events.
Ruby told how everyone had been worried when I was gone for so long, how the guards and maids had searched the surrounding area for , how she herself had been beside herself with anxiety, waiting for any news.
I listened to her and nodded occasionally, feeling the fatigue weighing more and more heavily on .
Yes... that day had really worn out — not only physically, but also ntally.
My eyelids grew heavy, and I could barely make out Ruby’s voice when she said quietly:
"Auntie, you need to rest."
I smiled weakly.
"Yes... I think you’re right," I muttered, feeling the words co out with difficulty. "I need to get so sleep..."
"I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep," she said quietly, and there was such sincere concern in her voice that I didn’t argue.
"Okay..." I replied, barely audibly.
In the end, I simply didn’t have the strength to say anything else. I let fatigue take over and closed my eyes, feeling Ruby gently hug around the shoulders.
I lowered my head and rested it on Ruby’s shoulder. The silence around us was broken only by the occasional crackling of the fireplace.
Her cold touch on my cheek was the last thing I felt before I finally drifted off into the peaceful oblivion of sleep.
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