Conquering His Cold Heart

100 Stubborn

“Answer me truthfully, Tilla. What’s going on here?” Anastasia asked her handmaid when she heard the scream for a second time.

And Tilla couldn’t keep on making things up since that painful scream of Ruby couldn’t be passed as something normal.

So, Tilla revealed what she knew. “I heard that they had brought in a new prisoner yesterday night. I don’t know what crime she committed. But from the way they are interrogating her, I think it is something serious.”

Anastasia was now starting to feel uneasy. “Is Caspian the one who is interrogating?” she asked to confirm what was in her mind.

However, Tilla didn’t have an answer. “I am not allowed anywhere near the dungeon because of what happened that day. So, I don’t really know.”

Anastasia felt her body gradually warming up. Her fever was slowly returning again.

But more than her fever, the thought of Caspian torturing a woman so badly that even her screams were giving her chills was affecting her more.

Suddenly, Anastasia recalled what Caspian had said to her in the library a few weeks ago. ‘I’m still the same monster who kills vampires and humans alike. But now, I do that for you.’

And the thought that Caspian was torturing someone who had something to do with her didn’t leave her mind.

.....

‘What if he is punishing someone because they unintentionally did something to me?’ Anastasia then pushed her thin blanket aside and resolutely thought, ‘I need to see for myself. I don’t want any more bloodshed because of me.’

“Why are you getting down from your bed?” Tilla hastily stood in front of Anastasia in an attempt to stop her. She could guess where the Queen wanted to go. But still, she asked her, “Do you need to go to the bathroom?”

As expected, Anastasia shook her head. “I want to go downstairs to the dungeon. I want to see what they are doing to that poor woman. No one deserves to be treated like that, no matter how bad their crimes are.”

Tilla held Anastasia by her shoulders. And she spoke as a friend, “Anna, you are too weak to even walk a few steps. You shouldn’t strain yourself by going downstairs. I’m sure that woman deserved what she is getting. So please, stop being stubborn and think about your own recovery.”

However, it was a well-known fact how stubborn Anastasia could be when she set her mind to something.

“No. I need to see it for myself. Else my mind will get stuck on that woman’s screams. And if that woman dies because I didn’t intervene, I will take even longer to recover because of the guilt. I don’t think anyone should be killed so mercilessly.”

Tilla desperately tried to stop Anastasia one last time. “What if His Majesty gets angry? He won’t punish you, but he can punish me to hurt you. And if I let you walk around when you are this sick, he will punish me without a doubt.”

“I won’t let anything bad happen to you, Tilla. Don’t think like that.” Anastasia wasn’t going to listen to any kind of excuses.

Anastasia slowly placed her feet on the floor and then got up on her feet. She instantly felt dizzy and almost collapsed.

Thankfully, Tilla supported Anastasia by grabbing her waist and her arm. “See... you are in no condition to walk around. Will you get back on your bed now?”

But Anastasia shook her head. And instead asked, “Support me. I will walk slowly.”

Tilla took a deep breath in frustration. She put Anastasia’s arm around her neck. And she put her arm around Anastasia’s waist so that she could support her while walking.

And before taking a step, Tilla made a snide remark at Anastasia, “You know, if you were my younger sister and not a Queen, I would have smacked your head and put you back to bed.”

Anastasia smiled a little. “I’m grateful that I am not your younger sister then. I’m good with being your friend.”

The two of them started to take short steps and walk towards the door.

“When we get to the dungeon, make sure to be a good friend then.” A deep frown appeared in between Tilla’s brows. And she said in a shaky voice, “I can already sense a grim reaper walking behind me.”

“Come on! Don’t say that!” Anastasia tried to calm Tilla down when she herself was starting to get scared.

She was already feeling guilty for dragging Tilla along with her. And she was scared that Caspian might actually do something to Tilla in the fit of his rage.

However, deep down in her heart, she felt like she had to stop whatever was happening down in the dungeon. And she was willing to gamble for the sake of the peace of her mind.

When they were walking down the hallway at the pace of a snail, they came face to face with Vincent.

“Vincent!” Anastasia was worried that he would try to stop her.

Unlike what she had thought though, Vincent bowed to her and gave a quick smile to Tilla when she bowed to him. He seemed oblivious to what was happening in the castle at the moment. If he knew, Anastasia was sure that he wouldn’t be roaming around right now.

Seeing Anastasia up and about, Vincent asked in confusion, “My Queen, are you feeling better already? Shouldn’t you be resting? I thought the doctor asked you to rest for a week.” He then looked behind Anastasia and Tilla, and then asked again, “And where’s Caspian? I thought he was in your chamber.”

Anastasia quickly replied, “I’m going to see Caspian. I have something to tell him in person. Will you help me? I can’t seem to walk properly, my legs are wobbly already.”

“Er... sure...” Vincent agreed even though something sounded fishy. “Do you want me to carry you?”

“Yes.” Anastasia was quick enough to accept his offer.

She then looked at Tilla and asked, “Will you go to the kitchen and heat up that soup for me? I will drink it when I return.”

She said that because, now that she had found someone who could easily take her to where she thought her husband was, she wanted Tilla to be far away from the stunt she was going to pull.