The Bride He Hates-Chapter 94: Letters And Letters

"Bad news?" Roland asked when he saw her sitting on the cottage porch, staring at the letter.

"Thornfield is struggling. Azrael is working obsessively. Emma is looking for me, land the cooperation initiative is stuck."

"And how does that make you feel?"

Lyanna thought about it. A week ago, this news would have sent her into a spiral of guilt. It’d have made her feel responsible for fixing everything. But now, she suddenly felt detached.

"I feel like it’s not my problem anymore." She replied. "Is that bad? Emma is a child I saved, the cooperation initiative is something I’m passionate about, and Azrael is my husband, the person I still love."

"No, it’s not." Roland replied. "You’re just caring about yourself more right now. And that’s healthy. You can write to Emma and can do your cooperation work from here."

"What about Azrael?" Lyanna asked. "Should I write to him as well?"

"Do you want to write to him?"

Lyanna went quiet for a moment.

"No. I’m hurt by him. Every time I think about writing to him, I remember how he called me too emotional, too human, and unfit to be his queen. How he chose Sienna over me repeatedly. How he made me feel worthless. I don’t want to reach out to someone who made me feel that way."

"Then don’t. Lyanna, you don’t owe him comfort. He hurt you badly. You’ve all the right to be angry."

That evening, Lyanna wrote two letters. The first one was for Emma.

Dear Emma,

I heard you’ve been asking about me. I’m sorry I left without saying goodbye. But that doesn’t mean I’ve abandoned you. I love you, and I promise I’ll see you soon."

The second letter was harder to write. She wrote Azrael’s name at the top, then stared at the blank page.

Azrael,

I received Adrian’s letter about how you’re doing. Let me make it clear to you, I’m not coming back right now. I need time and space to heal from what happened between us. I need to remember who I am outside of being your unfit wife.

Please don’t write to me asking me to return. Don’t send people to convince me. If and when I’m ready to talk about our marriage, I’ll reach out. Until then, please let me be.

Lyanna

She then sent both the letters through a courier.

After a week at Valdris, the change in Lyanna was remarkable, even she could feel it.

Each morning, she woke up without anxiety. She dressed in comfortable clothes without worrying about looking like a queen. She spent her days reading, walking, working in the gardens, and talking with Roland about literature and poetry.

"You smiled at breakfast this morning." Clara said one morning. "Just because the bread was good."

"The bread was indeed very good." Lyanna replied with a smile.

"That’s my point." Clara said. "You’re finding joy in small things. You’re becoming yourself again."

Am I?

Over the next few days, more letters arrived from Thornfield. One was from Adrian again.

His Majesty received your letter. He read it multiple times, then locked himself in his study for six hours. When he came out, he had written a response but he burned it. Then he wrote another but burned that too.

I don’t know what he wanted to say to you. But whatever it was, he chose not to say it.

His behaviour is becoming more concerning. He is making decisions with ruthlessness.

Lady Sienna tried to express her concern but he shut her out immediately. The council is becoming restless. Some members want formal recognition of your absence. Lord Cassius even suggested they should begin considering alternative arrangements for the queen’s position if you don’t return within a month.

I wanted you to know that tension is increasing. Decisions will need to be made soon about the future of your marriage and your role.

The second letter was from Lady Morgana.

Your Majesty,

Emma read your letter multiple times. She is calmer now. But I wish I could say the same about Thornfield.

Lady Sienna is being very careful. She’s not openly trying to take your place, because she doesn’t need to. Others are doing it for her. I’ve heard several council members suggest that if you don’t return, Lady Sienna would make an excellent queen.

The cooperation initiative is struggling without your leadership. I’m trying to maintain the programs you started, but I don’t have your vision or your ability to connect with vampires and humans. We need you.

But please don’t return out of guilt or obligation. Return only if you truly want to.

With respect and support,

Lady Morgana

Lyanna felt the weight of Thornfield pulling at her, even from hundreds of miles away. Every letter was trying to pull her back through guilt, responsibility, and need.

"They want you to feel responsible." Roland said as he came to meet her and saw her surrounded by letters, looking overwhelmed. He immediately understood what was written in those letters.

"They’re not asking you to return, but they’re making sure you know what your absence is costing."

"Is that manipulation or they’re just being honest?"

"Can’t it be both?" Roland replied. "They’re being honest about what’s happening but they’re also sharing that information in a way to make you feel guilty and responsible. That’s a form of manipulation."

"So what should I do? Ignore the letters? Stop reading them?"

"You can or you can read them, acknowledge the information, and not let guilt influence your decisions."

That evening, Lyanna wrote responses again.

Adrian,

Thank you for your updates. I appreciate knowing what’s happening at Thornfield.

I’m worried about Azrael, but his choices are his responsibility, not mine. If he is being ruthless, that’s something he needs to address himself. I can’t be the only barrier between him and becoming a monster.

Regarding the council’s discussions about alternative arrangements, let them discuss. I’m not ready to make any permanent decisions about my marriage or my role. But I also won’t come back out of fear that they’ll replace me.

You can send me updates. But don’t expect those updates to bring me running back.

Lyanna.

Lady Morgana,

Thank you for your support and for your honest assessment of the court situation. It’s comforting to know I have allies there, even if I’m not present.

I’m glad my letter helped Emma. Please tell her I’ll continue writing to her. Regarding the cooperation initiative, what if I continue advising from here? I don’t need to be physically at Thornfield to help.

This might actually be better. Without the political complications, I can completely focus on the work. What do you think? Could we make that work?

Lyanna.

She had decided to continue the work she cared about. But she’d do it on her own terms.

Two days later, an unexpected letter arrived from a territory called Greyhaven.

To Queen Lyanna of Thornfield,

We heard you were staying at Valdris and hope this letter finds you well. Our territory has been trying to establish cooperation between our vampire and human populations for the past five years with limited success. We’ve heard about the work you’ve done in other territories, and we desperately need your expertise.

Would you be willing to visit Greyhaven? We can offer compensation for your time and expertise. We understand you may not be formally representing Thornfield anymore, but we value your knowledge regardless of your official status.

Please consider our request. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Respectfully,

The Greyhaven Council

Lyanna read the letter and felt a strange mix of emotions. They were asking for her help, not as queen of Thornfield, but as herself. They were even offering to pay her, treating her as a professional rather than a political figurehead.

But it also meant making a choice.

If she accepted this offer as only Lyanna, it would mean she was abandoning her status as queen.

Am I ready for that? Am I ready to start a life that doesn’t revolve around Azrael anymore?