Dahlia was brought to the chamber, which looked gloomy in appearance. Everything about the chamber told about Sullivan's personality. "Princess Dahlia, since the marriage happened at the last moment, we didn't get the time to decorate it well," said a lady, who seemed to be in his late fifties. "I am Celina, the head stewardess of the palace."
"Nevermind, Celina," Dahlia said, not realizing her tone wasn't formal. "I mean, Lady Celina. Where's the bedroom? I would like to wait for my husband there."
Celina led her way to the bedchamber, which was well-decorated. Two young maids brought a robe for Dahlia. "Your Highness shall change into this robe. She will be taken to the bathhouse before her wedding night will resume with Prince Sullivan," Celina explained to her.
'Wedding night?' Bells of danger rang in Dahlia's head. She could hear her heart palpitating with nervousness. 'Will everything happen between us tonight? Wait! I need to find a way to return to my original body. But how?' she thought in her mind.
"Princess Dahlia, we will help you change into this robe," said one of the maidservants while Celina checked the preparation in the bedchamber.
Dahlia felt light after taking off that wedding gown and wearing the robe. "I'm not used to servants helping me in the bath. Show me the way to the bathhouse. Rest I'll do myself," she asked the maidservants.
Celina gestured to them to do what Dahlia wanted from them.
After Dahlia entered the washroom, she quickly went in front of the mirror. "My face hasn't changed. Dahlia does look like me. I mean we are identical. I wonder what happened to my body in the real world," she murmured as frowns appeared on her forehead.
Dahlia felt overwhelmed by the realization that returning to her original body wouldn't be an easy feat. Despite the urgency of her situation, she found solace in the opulent surroundings of the gold-painted washroom. Stepping into the hot water-filled bathtub after removing her robe, Dahlia allowed herself to relax.
As the warmth enveloped her, thoughts of her mother flooded Dahlia's mind. "I was struck by that truck. I wonder if I'm alive or dead there. My mom must be devastated," she mused, her heart heavy with concern for her grieving mother.
With a deep breath, Dahlia closed her eyes and submerged herself in the water, seeking solace and a sense of grounding in the unfamiliar reality of this world.
~~~~~
"Sullivan, when did you plan all this? You not only stole Brother Daedric's woman but also humiliated him today," Roswell Blackwood, the second prince, interrogated furiously as he intercepted Sullivan on his way out of the hall where the feast was still in full swing.
"Shouldn't you be questioning Crown Prince Daedric about this? After all, he's the one who failed to capture Dahlia's heart. I believed they loved each other for ages. Yet, she chose to give her heart to me," Sullivan retorted smugly, a smirk playing on his lips.
Roswell seized Sullivan by his collars, locking eyes with him fiercely. "Don't delude yourself into thinking that marrying a Duke's daughter will elevate your status. You're still the product of our father's mistake," Roswell asserted with a steely glare.
"Roswell, release Sullivan," Daedric's authoritative voice intervened, commanding their attention.
"Brother, he deserves to learn a lesson. This scoundrel has stolen your woman, and I'm certain he's behind Dahlia's sudden change of heart," Roswell persisted, his grip tightening on Sullivan. He was determined to teach him a lesson, wanting nothing more than to see him suffer for his actions.
"Roswell, you still talk big!" Sullivan finally said and held his hands. Taking them off his collar, he pushed away Roswell. "You should stop being jealous of me, Brother Roswell. It is not my fault that Dahlia fell for me when it should be your elder brother," Sullivan stated.
Roswell threw a punch at him when Daedric grabbed his fist. "Roswell, don't start a fight! If Father gets to know about this, you may get punished."
As the Crown Prince lowered his hand, he asked Sullivan to leave.
"He is already gone, Brother," said Roswell. Daedric pivoted to look and found Sullivan had walked away. "Wasn't Dahlia in love with you? Why did she marry that filth?"
"I have no idea," Daedric said in a low voice.
On the other side, Sullivan arrived outside his chamber— a place where he lived all by himself for 20 years suddenly seemed to be filled with many female servants.
As Sullivan walked through the main doors, he got the scent of the flowers and even some aromatic sir perfumes spread around. He slowly halted to see Celina. She didn't bother to greet Sullivan and told him he should perform the remaining wedding ritual.
"Who told you to decorate this place?" Sullivan felt annoyed. "Just leave along with your maids," he dismissed them. Celina made a face at him and left along with the maidservants.
Sullivan finally entered the bedroom and shut the door behind him. The maids had decorated his bedroom, especially the bed, but he couldn't spot Dahlia anywhere.
Sullivan walked ahead, past the bed when his eyes fell on the ground, where Dahlia lay on a mattress. He almost shrieked in fear to see the way she had lain on it. Instinctively, he brought his hand to his chest.
Dahlia had wrapped herself in the duvet like a cacoon would do. Only her head was visible while her eyes were closed.
He crossed his arms across his chest, observing her keenly.
Oppositely, Dahlia wondered if Sullivan had slept on the bed or not. She felt suffocated and hot inside the duvet. She curled her toes, feeling restless.
'I did hear the door open. I think he is still in the room,' Dahlia thought in her mind. But then, she needed to check where he was present to have a peaceful sleep. Dahlia opened her left eye, keeping the right one closed. She opened her second eye too when a scream escaped her mouth.
Sullivan was seated right next to her on the floor, with a neutral expression on her face. "Oh my goodness!" Dahlia mumbled and glared at him. She tried to get out of the duvet and she tossed around. Her face was now against the floor, but she felt stuck inside it.
"Sullivan, please help me. I am stuck inside. My body is on fire," Dahlia requested him.
"Beg me to help you," Sullivan said with a straight face.
Dahlia was stunned to hear him. Sullivan asked her to beg for help. Who in the world would do that? She realized he would not aid her, so Dahlia finally asked him, "Sullivan, please help me to get out of this duvet." She even wore a tiny smile on her lips.
"You did not beg the way I wanted you to," said Sullivan, "but I will help you. This is the first and the last time."
Dahlia could not believe that her favorite man from the novel would be so cold. Why did she feel like punching him? Sullivan helped her to get out of the duvet and put it on the large bed.
On the floor, Dahlia lay with her arms spread out and even legs. "I thought I would melt inside it," she mumbled and sighed.
Sullivan glanced at him with a perplexed expression on his face. "Aren't you a noble lady?" He arched his eyebrows.
Dahlia noticed how he was observing her when she realized her state. Quickly she sat up with her hands on her knees and a straight back. "I am sorry for causing you inconvenience, Your Highness," she apologized in a formal tone and bowed to him.
"Tsk," Sullivan clicked his tongue from the roof of his mouth. "Stand up," he commanded her.
Dahlia was quick to follow his command and hit her lower back with her fist. It was aching because of the posture she was in earlier. "Ahh, why is this night dress so tight!" she murmured.
Sullivan was shocked to see the way she was acting. She was definitely not the Dahlia Ermacora he had known for many years. But her face was of Dahlia. Did she hit her head somewhere?
Dahlia felt her legs aching and she made her way to the bed. "Sullivan, you should sleep on the left side while this right one will be mine," she said with a smile and picked up the two pillows. She made the bed quickly and got inside the duvet on the right side. "You should sleep too, Sullivan. It was a tiring day for both of us," she opined.
However, Sullivan had other plans. He took off his overcoat, followed by the waistcoat right in front of her eyes.
'Why is he undressing here? Wait! His body is so nice,' Dahlia thought in her mind as she admired his taut muscles of the chest, which were revealed to her eyes. She stopped blinking and lowered her eyes down. Dahlia gulped and smiled within herself. "Gosh! How can I think of dirty things?" she mumbled and looked away while smiling.