The wheel of time had turned, and the first rays of dawn were now stretching their fingers across the chamber. Len's footsteps vanished with a quick agility into the bathroom.
Astria's ears caught the rhythmic 'thud-thud' of those small feet—initially rapid, then slowly fading as they retreated into the depths of the inner room. Silence began to reclaim its territory within the chamber once more.
Astria remained where she was. She leaned her body against the side of the heavy bathroom door, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.
The sharpness in her gaze lingered, sparked by Len's innocent insolence from moments before. Amidst the siren-like stillness of the room, she stood anchored against the wall, waiting.
Time ticked away, and then the internal silence finally shattered.
The sound of wet footsteps re-emerged on the floor. This time, the steps were moving slowly back toward the door. They grew distinct with every passing heartbeat, eventually coming to a dead halt right behind the door panel.
Astria tilted her neck slightly. She could sense Len standing right there, separated only by the thickness of the wood. A peculiar tension stretched through the air.
Astria waited for a few moments, expecting the latch to turn, but when the door remained unmoved, her patience finally wore thin.
She anchored her gaze onto the door and spoke in a cold, challenging tone, "Do you intend to spend the entire day in there? Or have your feet started to tremble at the thought of stepping out?"
Her voice carried that royal edge that often forced others into submission. She added further, "Perhaps you are afraid to come out now, aren't you?"
A brief silence followed from behind the door, and then Len's voice resonated. It was muffled, yet it carried no tremor.
"I am not afraid of you at all," Len replied, standing firmly behind the door. His voice held that same unbreakable innocence that often left Astria in a state of bewilderment.
A harsh smile flickered across Astria's face. She pulled her back away from the wall and stood tall. Her shadow fell across the bottom of the door like a dark, looming silhouette.
"Is that so? Not afraid?" she said, her voice growing deeper and more stern. "If you truly aren't scared, then come out. Let's see if this courage of yours vanishes into thin air the moment you face me."
Astria's fingers now hovered near the intricate carvings of the door, as if she expected it to swing open at any moment.
Len's voice rose from behind the door this time, yet the increased volume carried a distinct tremor of hesitation. "I... I..." he stammered, as if the words were snagging in his throat. "I forgot to bring my clothes. Can... can you bring them to me?"
The stony expression on Astria's face shattered instantly. A sudden, sharp burst of laughter escaped her lips, echoing through the vast chamber.
She pressed her back more firmly against the wall, enjoying the moment. "Really, Len?" she said, her voice dripping with mockery. "After the display of courage you put on just a few moments ago, why on earth would I help you so easily?"
She arched an eyebrow and directed her smirk toward the door. "Why don't you just step out and grab them yourself? After all, you aren't afraid, right?"
A sudden silence fell inside. No response came from Len. The quiet stretched so long that the stillness of the room began to feel heavy. Astria leaned in slightly toward the door and teased, "What's the matter? Are you still feeling shy?"
On the other side of the door, Len's ears turned a vivid crimson at her words. He pressed his back against the wooden panel, as if trying to hide behind its support. "Why... why are you doing this?" his voice carried an innocent, desperate plea. "Please, just give me my clothes."
A triumphant smile blossomed on Astria's face. She traced the intricate carvings of the door with her fingertips.
"Oh, so you want your clothes now? Fine, I will give them to you," she paused, taking a deliberate breath, her voice laced with a mischievous sternness. "But there is a condition. You must apologize for your 'insolence' first."
Upon hearing Astria's condition, a strange sense of firmness emerged in Len's voice from behind the door. "What... what insolence did I show that I should apologize? I haven't said anything wrong!"
Astria's eyes were anchored to the intricate carvings at the top of the door, as if she intended to pierce through the wood with her gaze alone. A crooked smile touched her lips. "Is that so? You said nothing?
" She raised her voice slightly. "Then why did you bolt into the bathroom like a frightened kitten? You clearly said something that forced you to hide in there. It wasn't as if you were suddenly in a desperate rush to bathe."
Hearing Astria's logical retort, Len fired back instantly, "I didn't start it! You were the one who asked me a question; I simply gave you an honest answer. Why should I apologize for speaking the truth?"
The moment Len's argument hit her ears, Astria's patience snapped. She slammed her palm against the hard wooden panel of the door with full force. THUD! The sound resonated through the entire corridor. "I see! So according to you, that wasn't insolence at all? Is that what you're trying to say?" she asked, her voice vibrating with suppressed fury.
Inside, a sudden silence fell. Len stood deathly still, as if that violent knock had startled him into speechlessness. Astria steadied her breathing and demanded in a harsh tone, "Answer me! Why have you gone silent now?"
"But... I really didn't say anything like that," came Len's low, mumbling voice.
"Oh, of course! You said nothing at all,"
Astria continued sarcastically. "Standing right in front of me, you just committed a small act of defiance... you called me a 'witch'! To this day, no one in this palace has ever dared to speak to me in such a manner.
Did you think I would let you off so easily?"
She leaned in closer to the door and added, "If you apologize for your insolence and promise never to do it again... then perhaps I might consider forgiving you. And only then will you receive your clothes."