The End

When Seren saw Lotus’s body again, she fell unconscious.

Owen carried her and laid her on the couch. He then went to Bala seeking an explanation.

Then Bala explained what had happened, how an assassin had marched to kill Seren, but Lotus died defending her.

Owen stood, unable to believe, Lotus was like a little sister to him, but Owen had seen a lot of his loved ones dying that he had barely any space for grief. But he did show sadness in his own way.

He got to the kitchen and brought a pot filled with water and a sponge with soap, and went to Seren. He washed her hands and face, then took the pot and changed the water, and went to Bala, who had slept while still hugging Lotus.

He nudged her lightly, “Here, it is unhealthy to stay like this.”

He offered her the pot with the sponge and soap.

Bala ignored him, still hugging Lotus, “She wouldn’t want you to grieve like this,” he said.

“You are sad, and you should be, but I am sure she would want you to grieve while moving forward,” he added.

Bala, barely able to say a word, took the pot and cleaned her hands and face.

After she was done, Owen took the water and discharged it, throwing away the pot. She then changed the sheets and blanket of Seren’s room, carried Lotus, and put her in Seren’s bed.

He cleaned the floor and then changed his clothes. He went to Bala, requesting her to go change her bloody clothes, and to change Seren’s clothes and for Seren’s privacy, since she is lying in the living room, he will go outside till she calls after him.

“I left some new clothes for Seren in the living room,” he said, before leaving the cottage.

Bala nodded silently, standing up lifelessly, went to her room and changed her clothes, then she went downstairs and changed Seren’s clothes.

After she finished, she got outside, raising her hand for Owen to see. When Owen noticed, he rushed to her, took the clothes that were covered in blood, and discarded them.

He then entered the cabin, reaching the kitchen, and made chamomile tea, pouring the tea into two cups.

He gave a cup to Bala and went to wake Seren up. After she woke up, he offered the tea. They all sat in deafening silence.

they all wished for a better reality, but even if they wish and dreamed or even believed that this was a hoax, a lie, and that any moment Lotus will get out the room skipping on her feet, while humming nursery rhymes, but the truth remained unchangeable and the truth was bitter because she had died and nothing can be helped.

Seren with all life sucked out of her, told Owen about the letters she had been receiving and that she had not read any of then and that they are all in her nightstand, and that she wanted to read them.

Owen nodded. He went upstairs and got her all the papers he found.

Seren finally opened the letter. The letters were about facts about the forget-me-not flowers, the castle, and her father. There was a last letter that was brought alongside the necklace.

“Greetings, my beloved nonchalant grace, your father has made me officially the one who is responsible for finding you, so would you be a good girl and give yourself up.

Me and your father are getting close, bonding over your disappearance. Soon, you will have no option but to come back.

Do you remember the time I found you in the forest making a forget-me-not bouquet so adorable, unstained by the cruelty of this world!

It was the first time you experienced cruelty because of me when I staged saving you when I was the one who took you, that day I promised to take you and your lands.”

Seren's soul had taken too much punching to care; she simply exhaled.

“I will go back home,” she confessed.

“There is unfinished business I need to get done.”

“I will go with you.”

“Me too.”

Seren wanted to reject the offer, wanting to keep them safe, but she did not have an option, so she agreed, leaving everything behind them except the black swan plushie. They left the next morning for the palace, taking with them Lotus.

When they arrived at the palace, they sensed that something was wrong, but they chose to ignore it and concentrate on the funeral they wanted to hold for Lotus. Seren searched the mansion for her father and eventually found him in his office.

As soon as he saw her, he quickly stood up, filled with joy, and rushed to hug her. While in his embrace, Seren opened up about what had happened in the cottage and how Lotus had defended her. Her father was deeply moved by the sacrifice Lotus had made for Seren, and he began to prepare a grand funeral.

Seren requested that her father bury Lotus in the family graveyard, and he agreed. During the funeral, Seren gave a heartfelt speech about Lotus's sacrifice, emphasizing that Lotus had acted out of care for her, not because of Seren’s noble status.

After the ceremony concluded, everyone returned home, and Lotus was laid to rest in Seren’s family graveyard. Her tombstone marked her as Seren’s stepsister.

When Owen went back with Seren to the palace, he was wearing his jester clothes to help her uncover Thad’s identity.

After a few days of her arrival at the palace, she noticed that her father's health was deteriorating; he was becoming weaker and thinner. Eventually, he reached a point where he could barely walk. Taking advantage of this situation, Thad lied and claimed that Hamid had given him the title and instructed him to take care of the lands.

Seren, surprised, ran to her father demanding answers, but her father was too ill, he simply denied giving anything to anyone; it finally thundered to him that he was taking advantage of him, hamid could barely shake his head, “i was trying to save the dying lands, i was trying to keep your happiness”

“But as the saying goes, you can't carry 2 watermelons in one hand.”

“Seren, forgive this old man.”

Days passed, and Karim’s health also declined. Seren, with a full heart, went to Thad. She rushed to the office and slammed open the door.

“What do you want from me?”

“Is it to make me miserable because, congrats, you did,” she barked.

Thad laughed, “Oh, you are as lovely as always.”

“I want this land,”

“You see, with all these revolutions taking place in my lands, I am afraid I might lose my name and title, but your guys' land is something else.”

“Then why are my father and brother getting noticeably sick?” she shrieked.

Thad stood in front of her, towering over her with a smirk, “ do not worry, you won’t die as fast.”

After days passed by, and Thad terrorised Seren, her father finally passed away.

She lost her mind, deciding to fight back and not tolerate any of his actions.