Olivia's Diary: The Framed Villainess

31 Lesson Time

"Do you..." he hesitated, "want to talk about it?"

She shook her head. She still wasn't ready. There was just so much to unpack. She trusted him with everything so far, but it was too soon to talk about that. She couldn't do it. She hoped that one day she could talk to him about it. But at this moment... It was just too soon.

He looked at her and kissed her forehead again, "Can I ask you something?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment and nodded. As long as it wasn't a hard question to answer, she would try to answer anything he asked.

"What is that mumbling thing you do when you get 'soldier's heart'?"

Olivia laughed a bit at him. "In my world we called it PTSD. It's short for post traumatic stress disorder. When people go through trauma it can cause stress on both the mind and body. We have doctors in certain hospitals that help work on sicknesses that the mind can get. They developed techniques that will help with those mind sicknesses."

Adarian nodded showing that he was listening. Olivia continued, "My mumbling is what those mind doctors, therapists, call grounding techniques. They help you to ground your mind in the present, and not focus on whatever trauma has already passed. Sometimes your mind can get stuck in your bad experiences, and these techniques help bring you back to the present."

"So what you are mumbling are these grounding techniques?" Adarian asked to confirm he understood.

Olivia nodded, "Want me to teach you some?" Since he had been murdered in his past life, he probably had some issues to work out himself.

Adarian tilted his head for a moment, and then said, "Please teach me."

Olivia squirmed out of his arms so she could face him.

"There are several, but the ones I remember most are the 54321 technique where you list Five things you can see, Four things you can touch,Three things you can hear, Two things you can smell, and One thing you can taste." with each number Olivia put one of her fingers up until all five fingers were sticking out. "You can also list positive things in your life, or imagine your favorite place. Just remember to keep your eyes open while you do these techniques. That's all I can really think about right now."

"Thank you for teaching me about them. Do you think it would be ok to teach my men?" He asked her.

"Yes! Please teach them! Mental health is really important. If you want me too I can write them down." Olivia was so happy Adarian was willing to listen to her on these things. Even in modern times, talks about mental health were not always welcome.

Adarian pulled her into his arms and lay down with her as he told her, "Thank you. I look forward to reading them. For now let's go back to sleep."

Olivia yawned wondering how he knew she had gotten tired again. He somehow always had perfect timing in telling her it was time to sleep. This was the very first time in either one of Olivia Carter's lives that she fell asleep being held by a man.

Adarian heard her breathing even out and deepened with sleep. He was grateful that Olivia had woken him from his dream. He was about to be stabbed once more in his dream. Olivia gave him the diary today. This was the only other evidence that his past life had not been just a nightmare.

He subconsciously looked toward the secret compartment where the diary lay.

...

...

The next morning Olivia had followed her routine. Adarian helped her dress, and then right after their very rushed breakfast, they went to his office.Adarian had hurried her through breakfast, causing them to rush out of the dining hall before Lady Lowenheim even had a chance to get to the hall.

Fredericka had a hard time convincing Adarian to let Olivia go to her lessons after that. Adarian held Olivia in his arms and tried to shoo Fredericka away. "No Freddie, you probably didn't even finish your breakfast. You have to finish it before you can take Olivia for lessons. Go away."

Olivia chuckled at his childishness. 'Was that why he hurried me so much this morning?'

"Do you want her to learn so she can be a good queen or not?" Fredericka asked him with her arms crossed and her foot taping in impatience.

Adarian turned Olivia to himself caressing her cheek gently with his hand. "Do you want to go?" he asked her pleadingly. He knew she would be safe with Freddie.

Olivia beamed a broad smile at him. "I do."

"Alright," he sulked. "Please allow me to walk you ladies to your lesson."

He walked them out the door, across the hall, into the very next room. If both doors were opened, they would be able to see each other the entire time. Olivia was speechless.

...

...

For the next three days Olivia and Fredericka began to spend a lot of time away from Adarian. It took some time to pry Olivia from his clutches if he was able to drag her to his office. So Fredericka had taken to waiting outside his office door in the morning so she could steal Olivia right after breakfast.

She also knew that Marquis Praxis wanted to meet with Olivia by coming to the castle so often. She was not going to let that monster near Olivia. He already tried to kill her once. How did she know he wouldn't try again?

Olivia was a quick study. She understood things very quickly, but the problem was retaining the knowledge. Olivia decided that she would have to study all of this over and over so she could remember it all.

During the lessons Fredericka also decided to study Olivia's character. She found Olivia to be nothing like the rumors. On the third day of lessons she accidentally wondered aloud if the original Olivia was anything like the rumors she had heard.

Olivia frowned. "I know you're asking out of simple curiosity, but I was able to get to know her a bit. Olivia Praxis was much more similar to me than to any of those rumors. I really think her and I could have been great friends if we had been given the choice."

Fredericka looked apologetic. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad. ...I'm sorry."

Olivia smiled at her. "It's alright. If I hadn't gotten to know her then perhaps I would be the one asking that question. Just know that those rumors were spread by Graciella. They were made to isolate Olivia. Graciella wanted Olivia all to herself. She still does." Olivia looked up at Lady Lowenheim, and hesitated, but knew she needed to say it. "You've gotten close to me now. Graciella doesn't know I'm not HER Olivia Praxis. Please be careful. Don't let Graciella get close to you. Also keep watch on your people. If any of them have ties that could lead to people who are close to Graciella then don't trust them."

Frederick could see a genuine fear of Graciella in Olivia. Olivia Carter may not have lived through Graciella's torture, but she had read about it, and knew how deep Graciella's obsession ran.

"I'll be careful," Lady Loenheim replied. "Miss Praxis," she added on. "I'd like to be friends with you. If you would also like this. Please call me Freddie."

"Freddie," Olivia smiled. She liked it. "Please call me Olivia from now on."

"Olivia?" Freddie asked. "Don't you have a nickname?"

Olivia's smile turned awkward. "I'm afraid I've never had a nickname."

"Oh," Lady Lowenheim briefly wondered if things were done differently in Olivia's original world. "What about Olivia Praxis. We could use her nickname if you feel comfortable doing so?"

Olivia turned more awkward, "I'm not sure if she had a nickname either."

"Alright," Freddie smiled trying to power through the awkwardness that settled into the room. "We can just ask Adarian what nickname would suit you then. What do you think about that?"

Olivia nodded thoughtfully. "That would work." then Olivia smiled mischievously, "What's Adarian's nickname?"

"Now that he's an adult our side of the family calls him Dare, but when he was little we called him Darie," Freddie said in a conspiring tone.

"Awe!" Olivia exclaimed, "That's so cute! Darie!"

The new friends giggled at Olivia's newfound discovery of wanting to know more about little Darie and how he was as a kid.