The next day...
Lulu was staring at Hermione. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she watched the princess rolling lazily on the bed. Her lips were twisted.
Sighing, Lulu sat at the edge of the bed. She began to tap Hermione. The princess rolled away from her. With the sheets wrapping around her body, she looked like sausage.
"Your Highness" Lulu began, realizing that the princess had not yet stood up and proceeded with the usual routine.
"It's morning already, you have to take your bath and eat before it's late" She cried, reprimanding the princess as though she were conversing with a child.
Hermione raised the sheet over her head, "Just a f---few minutes" she drawled, lazily.
Hermione turned on the bed once more, before mumbling some incoherent words.
She closed her eyes because they were heavy, intending to get some sleep for a few hours. She held onto the sheet over her head to ward off Lulu from dragging it over her body.
How did she realize that it was morning? The sky was always dark and there's no way to figure out.
Clocks! Yeah, clocks.
Especially the clock in her room was making a noise that bothered her. The arrows were ticking noisily every second and creating a ding sound after every hour. Ding! She heard another sound and then grumbled.
Lulu let her know, "It's 8 am, your Highness. You don't want to miss out on the prince. I saw him-"
Hermione sat up abruptly on the bed before Lulu finished her statement. The sheet fell over her body and onto her lap.
Hermione's hair scattered over her face. She had huge dark circles under her eyes and her skin was paler than usual causing Lulu to frown at the Princess. Hermione resembled a ghost.
"You didn't sleep last night?" She questioned, reaching for the princess, and tilted her head up to examine her eyes properly.
Hermione lazily stared at Lulu's brown eyes. She shook her head.
The latter sighed in dismay, "Why didn't you sleep?" she questioned in a low voice. "Now you've ruined your face" She complained.
Hermione didn't know where to start. She knew it would sound stupid but, she just had to answer her anyway.
"Last night, I waited for him. Thin-king that he'd come, but he never did" She softly spoke, and then lowered her head.
Hermione held her face in her hand and rubbed the side of her head with her thumbs as she felt pain in her head.
Lulu didn't utter a word. She could only caress the princess's back to comfort her.
Hermione must not know, she was taken to a guest room and not her matrimonial bed, so there was no way Lloyd would make his presence known. She was only making herself suffer by staying up late in the night and waiting for him.
What type of person was he?
To marry and then place his wife on one side like furniture??? Lulu shrieked internally.
She observed how he looked at Hermione without any warmth or affection.
Even though they were still strangers, he shouldn't have stared at her with a despicable look that implied she was irritating him.
Lulu leaned closer to the princess and whispered. "I think you should forget about how coldly he treated you last night. Let's get you washed and dressed up" She smiled widely.
Hermione glanced at her for a brief moment and then nodded.
Finally, Hermione agreed to get out of the bed. Lulu assisted her in moving across the room to the left side, where the bath was situated. It was a steamy bath. Rose petals spread across the water. And the place smelled of peaches. Lulu must have infused essential oils into the water.
Hermione reached out with her hand to touch her hair, and she began to untighten the twin braids that were made for her last night. After it loosened up, she ran her finger through her hair and then shook her head. Her golden brown hair had curled overnight.
Upon seeing her reflection in the mirror in front of her, she narrowed her eyes. Is it alright to leave the loose curls? She wondered while lifting her hair and observing how it would look on her head.
Lulu had to leave to get the other things, such as towels. Hermione took the opportunity to untangle the ropes behind her dress. The cloth dropped to the ground and she stood stark naked. She slowly slid into the bath and waited for Lulu to arrive.
Shortly after, Hermione finished bathing. She was dressed in a yellow off-shoulder long-sleeved gown that flowed behind her.
Her hair was left in a loose curl and two sections from the sides of her head were pulled to the back and held by a pin. She had her tiara worn and a flat shoe.
Lulu escorted her out of the room and started a conversation with her while they walked together.
"Don't you think this place is weird?" she inquired, with her wary brown eyes darting around every corner.
Hermione's eyebrows quirked up. "How?"
"There are no servants. No guards. No cooks. And this place looked wrecked yesterday"
Hermione bobbed her head, "I noticed that too. W--what if he just likes to be isolated?"
Lulu shook her head vigorously, "I don't think so. Even a servant should be present. There's no one other than me, and the butler" she revealed.
Hermione laughed as if Lulu's words were amusing. In truth, it wasn't like that. Lulu's face just amused her whenever she was gossiping. The light shone in her eyes as if she was being compensated to express what she was seeing around her.
"I think it's fine" Hermione interposed. She could breathe unrestrictedly now that there weren't too many people in this manor. It made her feel comfortable.
They descended the stairs and eventually entered into the hall. They walked over to the side where the dining area was situated.
Lulu retreated while Hermione advanced towards the dining room. She gently pushed the door open and walked into the hall.
It dawned on her that Lloyd was the only one present at the dining, His butler remained invisible beside the walls.
Lloyd was sitting at the top of the table and eating the breakfast that had been made with gentle care.
He was wearing another set of black clothes. Dark pants and shirt. Although the shirt sleeves were rolled up, he had left two buttons undone. She subconsciously gulped down the lump in her throat as she neared him.
Oliver caught sight of her, and they exchanged bows. He pulled out her seat and then stepped backward.
Hermione carefully sat on the seat, "G--good morning" she greeted with her gaze lowered.
Why was she suddenly feeling heated? As if her body was plunged into a basin of hot water.
Lloyd simply responded curtly, without glancing at her "Morning"
Hermione felt her heart reverberating in her chest. The sensation of heat coming up her skin resulted in her nose and cheeks turning beet red. What was wrong with her?
If this keeps happening, she might as well flop the breakfast.
She glanced at the dishes spread across the table. The table consisted of plenty of dishes such as rice, noodles, fish, steamed meat, spaghetti, baked beans, roasted chicken, eggs, and other dishes comprised of soup and diced meat. Even though some were new to her, their delicious scent made her mouth water. She was enthusiastic about trying out the dishes.
Hermione lifted her fork to have a bite of the shredded cabbage and carrot, and the other vegetables drizzled with a white sauce.
As she was about to taste it, Lloyd stood up from his seat and proceeded to leave.
The fork clattered into her dish as she hurriedly stood up and went after him. She had no idea when she was going to see him if he left the dining and she didn't want to experience last night's heartache again.
His movements were brisk enough. She had to run behind to catch up with him. "W--wait!" she called out. Hermione placed a hand on her chest as she gasped.
Lloyd halted. He wanted to keep walking like he didn't hear her calling out to him but on second thought, he stopped to listen to her. He turned on his heels, turning his attention to her. He noticed that she was sweating, and her face had reddened including her ears.
She slowed down in front of him. When Hermione looked into his cold hazel eyes, she turned speechless. She had forgotten what she had to say!
Argh... She screamed at herself, this isn't the right time!
She closed her eyes, trying to search her brain for what she had called him for but she found nothing. Hermione bit on her lower lip. She clenched her fists by her side till they turned white.
If nobody told her, she knew she was annoying him and it was only a matter of time before he turned on his heels and left her presence.
"Did that little jogging empty out your brain already?"
Huh?
Hermione's eyes snapped open. She found her voice. "I--I thought that I---i should cl-clarify the misconception that y--you have" she breathed out heavily. She was stuttering so much!
He folded his arms across his chest. An annoyed look settled over his face.
"Y--your brother and I h-have no relationship. It-- that night was a mistake" She raised her hands in the air to indicate that she was swearing, and was being truthful.
Her eyes searched his face, hoping that he would let go of what he had seen. Hermione couldn't decipher what he was thinking, it was as if his face had been programmed to be still. And on a few occasions, he managed to smirk at her.
Lloyd's eyes narrowed, "Why do you feel the need to explain things?" He questioned in an icy tone.
Hermione wet her lips, "B--because-"
"Explaining doesn't make any difference. You'd be doing yourself good by staying away from me" He voiced out. He gave her one last glance. In the blink of an eye, he was dashing through the window like lightning.
Hermione was confused. Why was he this cold?
Did she perhaps make another mistake? He was probably not the Lloyd she had fantasized about.