LYDIA'S POV

　　A soft breeze brushed against my face, and I closed my eyes, imagining it was my father's comforting touch. "Today is the coronation," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'm finally going to be queen. I wish you could be here to see it, to see the kingdom coming together again."

　　I wiped away my tears and took a moment to compose myself. "I promise I'll do my best to lead with the same integrity and courage that you did. I won't let the kingdom fall into the hands of those who seek to harm it. I'll protect our people, just like you always did."

　　Standing up, I looked down at the grave one last time. "Thank you for everything, Father. For your love, your guidance, and your strength. I carry you with me every day, in every decision I make."

　　As I turned to leave, a group of strange men suddenly surrounded me. Their faces were obscured and their scents masked, preventing me from identifying if they were from the kingdom or not. My heart raced, and I prepared to shift and defend myself when one of them stepped forward and revealed his face. He was unfamiliar to me, but he spoke with a confidence that made me hesitate.

　　"Princess Lydia, Evan and Brandon sent us to fetch you," he said.

　　"Fetch me?" I repeated, my voice laced with skepticism.

　　"Yes," he replied smoothly. "They feel guilty about how they behaved with you. So now they have planned something special for you."

　　His words made me pause. The guilt over my emotional outburst towards Evan and Brandon earlier still weighed heavily on my mind. Could this be their way of making amends? I glanced around at the other men, who stood still and silent, waiting for my response.

　　"Where are they?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady despite the unease growing in my chest.

　　"Not far," the man assured me. "Just follow us, and you'll see."

　　Despite my better judgment, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe this was a chance to mend things with them, to ensure that we stood united as we moved forward. I took a deep breath and nodded, allowing myself to be led by the group of men.

　　We walked through the winding paths of the garden, the sounds of the mansion growing fainter with each step. I couldn't shake the feeling of something being off, but I pushed it aside, focusing on the possibility of reconciliation with Evan and Brandon.

　　"Where are we going exactly?" I asked, trying to keep my tone casual.

　　"Just a little further," the leader of the group replied. "It's a surprise."

　　His evasiveness made my stomach churn with doubt. We passed the boundary of the garden, moving into a secluded area that was rarely visited. My instincts screamed at me to turn back, but my longing for resolution kept me moving forward.

　　Finally, we reached a clearing where a carriage waited. The man gestured for me to enter, and I hesitated, looking around for any sign of Evan or Brandon.

　　"They're inside," the man said, noticing my hesitation. "Go on, Princess."

　　Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward and climbed into the carriage. As soon as I was inside, the door slammed shut behind me. Panic surged through me, and I turned to find the windows covered, trapping me in darkness.

　　"What is this?" I demanded, banging on the door. "Let me out!"

　　The carriage jolted forward, and I realized with horror that I had been tricked. These men weren't sent by Evan and Brandon. I had walked straight into a trap.

　　"Help! Someone help me!" I screamed, hoping that someone nearby might hear me.

　　But the carriage continued to move, taking me further away from the safety of the mansion and deeper into the unknown. My mind raced with fear and anger. How could I have been so naive? The hope of reconciliation had clouded my judgment, and now I was paying the price.

　　I had to think quickly. If I was to escape, I needed to stay calm and find a way out of this situation. Closing my eyes, I focused on my breathing, trying to steady my racing heart. My father had taught me to stay strong in the face of danger, and I needed to channel that strength now more than ever.

　　I started thinking of every possible name who could be behind my abduction, but nothing came to mind. Oleg had been the mastermind behind so much treachery, but he was dead. If somehow he had found a way to come back from the dead, that would be a problem. But I couldn't think of any other names. I applied all my strength to break the door, but nothing worked.

　　As the carriage rumbled on, I began to plan. I would find a way to break free and return to the mansion. I would confront whoever was behind this, and I would not let them undermine the hard-fought peace we were building.

　　After some time, the carriage finally stopped. The door swung open, and the same men roughly dragged me outside. The unknown place that greeted me was desolate and foreboding. I struggled against their grip, but they quickly handcuffed me with silver-laced cuffs, the burning metal weakening me.

　　They locked me into a dimly lit chamber, and I heard the hiss of gas being introduced into the room. My vision blurred, and I felt myself losing consciousness.