A tear ran down the king's face. He lowered it and pressed Lyanas grandfathers hand against it. "I
thank you."
At last Lyana felt the pressure fall from her heart and she wiped her eyes dry overjoyed. After all these years of self-flagellation, King Ulric seemed at last free from his guilt.
Her grandfather looked at them both blissfully. "Finally I'm free too." But before Lyana understood
what he meant by that, he had pulled a dagger from his belt and stabbed himself with it.
"Grandfather!" Shouted the sun princess in horror and the equally shocked King Ulric caught the old man. "Why?" He asked completely stunned.
"I don't have to torture myself any longer," he breathed with a smile on his face. "I will finally see my sweet Feronia again. Don't cry for me It was a long time since I was as happy as I was at this moment." King Ulric was still holding his sister's lover in his arms. It was as if they both didn't understand what had just happened.
"Father!" A loud scream rang out and Lyana just saw the Sun King running towards them. To him it must have looked as if King Ulric who was smeared with blood had cold-heartedly murdered his father.
Without hesitation, she threw herself in front of the Ice King with her arms outstretched. But her father realized too late what she had done and so Lyana felt the blade of his sword enter her body.
"Lyana!" She heard a loud voice. A terrible pain spread across her stomach. Panting, she staggered back and fell. But instead of falling to the hard ground, she fell into the arms of King Ulric. Was it he who had called her name? She had never seen such despair in his face before. Was it because of her?
Slowly she let her gaze slide down. Her stomach felt so strangely warm and it was difficult for her to breathe. When she saw the blood-soaked dress, she couldn't help but think "ah, that's why he's looking at me like that". But she didn't regret her decision.
"Lyana, my child!" Shouted the Sun King, completely desperate beside himself. Meanwhile Afram was with them as well and wanted to reach for Lyana.
"Don't touch her!" Roared King Ulric, looking at him wildly.
But her cousin was upset too. "She is dying!"
The Ice King just shook his head. "No. Not again." He picked her up carefully and ran back to his castle with her in his arms. Both Afram and his uncle looked uncertain and eventually followed him.
When they arrived at the castle, they met Baridi and Alisen, whose eyes fell directly on the bleeding
princess. Alisen let out a scream. If the valet hadn't supported her, her legs would probably have given way. "Your Majesty, what happened?" Asked Baridi, who was no less shocked.
"Take the count to the garden! Hurry up!" He instructed him without answering his question. He
didn't have much time left, Lyana had already lost way too much blood.
Without stopping, he continued until he reached his sister's garden. Only then did he put Lyana gently on the floor so that she could lean against the wisteria. In the meantime Baridi was also there with the count. Them, the Sun King, Afram and also Alisen stood around Lyana and the Ice King.
None of those present dared to say anything, they all quietly shed their tears.
But King Ulric didn't notice any of this. He put both hands on the tree trunk. "Please hear me. I beg
you."
At first nothing happened, only the soft sobbing of the maid could be heard. But then it suddenly
got dark. Thick clouds moved in front of the sun and it became so dark, as if it were already night.
Little by little lights came out of the tree and began to fly around King Ulric and Lyana. "Thank you," King Ulric began to speak to the lights and bowed deeply to them. "I ask you to save the life of the Sun Princess. If she hadn't tried to save my life, she wouldn't be in this position now." His voice began to tremble.
There was a low hum, it sounded like a sweet melody. It was the reason that made Lyana open her eyes again. She believed she was already dead because everything around her was so dark, but then she saw the glow of the tree spirits and recognized where she was. Naturally, her eyes searched for King Ulric. When she saw him, however, she doubted her sanity. The proud, terrifying man she had met in the woods that time was gone. This man threw himself on his knees in desperation and begged the tree spirits to save her.
At that moment she remembered Nevis' words. Whoever asked the tree spirits for something, had to
pay for it with something that was just as valuable. "Ul ... Ulric," she breathed. It was difficult for
her to speak and the pain got worse, but she had to stop him.