133 Chapter 133: Midnight visi (1/2)

The once lit room was now shrouded in darkness with a single light, not enough to brighten the room. In the corner of the room, near the small light laid a figure all curled up against the wall. Her hand was on the switch which she played with while her eyes stared into the blackness.

She repeated the images in her head, not knowing how many times she has done it, the talk to losing her. She thought about whether things would have been different if she wasn't a princess. But sadness surrounded her once she realized that was impossible.

Hazel didn't care whether days passed or months, all she wanted was the pain to lessen. But each time her image flashed in her mind - betrayal, lies, and hatred were visible in her chocolate brown eyes crashing Hazel's hope down.

'Would she ever come into her life again?'

Hazel buried her face in her knees as she hated herself... hated for hurting her. She scoffed inwardly, 'Maybe her parents were right about not letting her outside the walls.'

Hazel only wanted her freedom... and she did get what she wanted but for a limited small time. She wanted her heart to heal from the pain. She wanted to bury all of it inside her heart and to never speak of it again.

The guilt sat not on her chest but inside her brain. What she had done she could not un-do. She felt emotionally bankrupt. There was nothing left to feel, nothing left to say, nothing left but the void that enveloped her mind in swirling blackness.

Amidst the quietness apart from the slight tap of the switch to turn off and on the lamp, a knock echoed inside the room. Hazel stared at the door through the blackness but refused to open it.

She didn't want her brother to see her pathetic self. Yes, she knew it was her brother because he has been doing it so many times now that she lost count of time.

”Freya”

Her heart clenched in pain when she heard her brother's worried voice. Her lips trembled when she heard his helpless plea, ”Open the door. Whatever it is, I promise to give you. Just open the door. You have to eat.”

Hazel shook her head as tears flowed down her eyes. How can she show him her pathetic self? She didn't need a mirror to know that she was a mess.

Minutes passed and she heard him lean his back on the door and say, ”I'm here for you, Freya. When you want a hug, just come out, okay?”

”I will wait for you to open the doors, Freya.”

Hazel closed her eyes and heard his footsteps fading into quietness. She leaned her head back towards the wall and exhaled. She didn't know when she dozed off that she was rudely shaken awake by a noise.

Knitting her brows, she opened her eyes, and yet, darkness greeted her. She rubbed her eyes but before she could come to her senses, another noise followed. This time, she realized it was coming through her window.

Opening the windows with both of her hands, she yelped when she felt something hit her forehead making her loosen her grip. She clutched her forehead in pain and looked up just in time to see a pale hand catch the window which was closing.

Hazel widened her eyes and turned around to call the guards when a hand covered her mouth and pulled her back to the window.

”Don't yell”

Hazel froze before she slowly turned around to check whether she was dreaming or not.

Those black curls flew in the cold night breeze and her chocolate brown eyes glistened in the moonlight. She smiled at her and said, ”I had a hard time ditching the guards.”

'Audrey?'

'Was it her? But how can that be?'

Hazel drew in a deep breath before she slapped her cheeks startling Audrey. She reached out and grabbed Hazel's hand and asked stunned, ”Why did you slap yourself?”

”Now, look at your cheeks... it's so red”

Audrey rubbed her cheeks while she looked at Hazel worriedly. Suddenly her eyes widened when she felt tears falling on her palms. Audrey looked at Hazel who was looking at her through her waterworks.

She heard her mumble, ”It seems so real” making Audrey chuckle.

”Did I react too badly that day?”

When Audrey saw Hazel gaping at her, her lips twitched as her fingers pulled her cheeks.

”Seriously, I'm real. Do you want me to hug you to make you believe me?”

Hazel widened her eyes as more tears trickled down. Hazel's lips trembled as she mustered a smile for her making Audrey's gaze soften.

She rubbed her head fondly, ”Sorry, I know I should have come sooner.”

”Why didn't you?”

Audrey raised her eyebrow surprised before letting out a soft chuckle, ”I had some things to take care of.”

Hazel looked at her for a second, doubting whether she was hallucinating or not. At least she was having a good one instead of the normal painful ones.

”Move back, let me enter”

Hazel obediently moved while turning on the lights in her room making her close her eyes. Maybe it was because her eyes were too used to the darkness that the sudden light hurt her eyes.

She opened her eyes when she heard Audrey exclaim, ”Woah! You look like a mess”

Audrey shook her head as she said, ”This can't do. Let's get you all tidied up.”

”But-”

Audrey didn't wait for her as she pushed her towards the bath. Hazel asked shockingly when she saw Audrey folding her sleeves, ”What are you doing?”

Audrey shrugged, ”Preparing your bath”