Chapter 5: The smooth lie

Evanara

The showcase was over but I did not call in for work. I could not face anyone. Not even my own reflection in the mirror. I did not feel like myself. I felt scared. Ashamed. Terrified. I feared that the news might have spread like fire across Avalor by now. I was already used to being called a witch but I would not be able to bear being called a courtesan or being tossed into the pit of fire for something that I could not even control.

      There was a sudden knock on the door and I felt my heart jump. Who was it? Could it be him? Did he come here to find me? My mind was thrown into chaos once more and I felt my hands tremble as I stood slowly. I took a stick that stood beside the wall and held it firmly as I approached the door on my toes. I felt my heart thud against my chest violently.

  "Who is it?" I waited for seconds. There was no reply. My hand tremor increased and i almost dropped the stick.

  Holding it in one hand,I unbolted the door and resumed holding the stick with both hands. It creaked as whoever was at the other side pushed it. I aimed for the door when it widened but I stopped halfway through when I saw it was Adrienne. I dropped the stick quickly so he would not ask questions.

"Evanara." He said with a radiant smile on his face.

"Si-Adrienne." I corrected and gave the brightest smile I could. It seemed to me as if each time I saw him,he looked even happier. Fear and shame gripped me. Fear that I was no longer worthy of Adrienne. Shame that I was impure. He was willing to give me all I could ask for but what could I give? What did I have to offer? My gift to him had been stolen from me. I felt my eyes water and I blinked away the tears that threatened to fall.

"I told mother and father.Mother was not very happy about it...but nonetheless, father has called for you so we can fix a date for it."I nodded.   

"G-give me a minute...I will change into something better." I said and turned away from him. He caught my arm and spun me around so suddenly and quickly too that I lost balance and tripped. He caught me by my waist and stared at me blankly. When I looked,all I could see were blue eyes that held a lustful look in them as they ransacked my body.

   His grip on my waist tightened and where he touched sent shivers down my spine. The sin in his lustful eyes showed how badly he wanted to harm me to fulfil his desire.

   My breath got caught in my lungs as panic took over. The tears I blinked a few minutes ago ran free down my face. I jerked, terrified.  

  Surprisingly his grip loosened on my waist. When it loosened I pushed him away from me and jumped backwards on reflex.

Adrienne frowned. "Is something wrong?" A fog cleared from my sight and it registered. Adrienne, not Gawain. Adrienne.

  There was worry all over his face and his brows furrowed into a frown. "Evanara,you might not tell me but I know something is wrong. I need you to trust me. I will help in whatever way I can." He spoke so softly that I felt I could melt in his affection.

Tears came down more freely and I struggled to get words out of my mouth. "I...I...I...am s-sorry Adrienne. I...I...I...have made a terrible mist...mistake..." I sobbed and hiccupped simultaneously. He moved closer and held my shoulders. On feeling his touch, I flinched unconsciously and he dropped his hands.

"Tell me Evanara. What is it?" He asked tenderly. I looked up at him amidst tears. What was I going to tell him? That the Emperor had...defiled me? That I saw his face everywhere? That each time someone touched me, I would remember it? That I could still smell lavender and roses on my skin? That no matter how hard I tried to forget ,each time I closed my eyes and opened them,I saw the beautiful blue eyes that mocked me continuously? That I felt myself going insane? That I wanted to end my own life but I could not because I was a coward ? That I was broken beyond repair?

  What would I tell Adrienne? I could not even find the words to begin. Wiping my tears with the back of my hands,I sniffed. "I did not tell you earlier because I felt you would mock me,Adrienne. I just...I have been having bad dreams about Kevan and myself lately and now that he has gone to the Academy, it has grown worse. I day dream sometimes. I feel that he is in danger and it scares me. Sometimes, I feel as though I made a mistake sending him off by himself. I am sorry if I startled you." I lied through my teeth.

He took a step forward and I backed away out of desperation to stay far away from anything that could trigger the illusions I was having. He did not move a step further and I was thankful for that.

  "I understand you miss Kevan but I assure you he is in safe hands. If you want,we can go check on on him later."Adrienne offered.

"No no. It is fine. I will manage. I will just hope that nothing goes wrong with him." I lied again.

Adrienne nodded and smiled at me. "I stopped you earlier to tell that you looked perfect in this dress and I am sure father would not mind. Shall we?" He asked,giving me his arm. I faked a smile and hooked my arm with his while we walked out together. Heavens forgive me. I could not tell him. Perhaps,later. Heavens help me.

*************

Kevan

The Academy was a wonderful place. It was very pretty too. I had never been inside such a huge and beautiful building in my entire life. It did not come close to the castle but I had never been inside the castle.  

I watched as students my age,younger and older walked about with huge books and stylish sacks that did not look like sacks.  

The boys like myself had a certain dressing code. I did not know they wore uniforms too. Red tunics and black pants. Some wore coats on their tunics,some wore scarfs around their necks.   Where the boys wore pants,the ladies wore gowns as it was a taboo for a woman to put on pants in Avalor.  

Would I fit in? I did not want to have any reason to feel inferior to anyone. Nara probably had no idea of the uniforms and that was why she did not get me one. It was fine though. I would manage. She had done a lot to get me here. The least i could do was be grateful. My stomach suddenly rumbled and I realized I had not eaten anything through out the day.

  I opened my sack to take out the piece of cake Nara put there this morning and a red tunic fell out. Awkward. She did not get a red tunic for me. I knelt and picked it up and in doing so,a small note fell out. I reached for it and opened it.

"How do you like the tunic Kevan? Yes. I knew about the uniforms. I slipped it in your sack secretly to surprise you. You will find the black leather pants and a pair of boots in there. Yes. That is why your bag was heavy. In the pocket of your leather pants,there is a small purse. In case you need to buy books or anything at all,I put some money aside for you. I will miss you Kevan. Make sure to study hard so you will not have to suffer in your life. Love,Evanara."

I smiled as I caressed the piece of cloth. I told her she was intelligent enough. She wrote fluently without mistakes. Then I thought back to this morning. I hoped she would be fine. She was acting a bit weird this morning but seeing this note calmed my nerves.

   "Sir Kevan of the Art department?" I looked up to find beautiful pale blue eyes staring down at me. I had never seen such beautiful hair that was not Nara's. Nara's was strange but this was not. Blonde hair was rare in Avalor and only the royal family had blondes in them. It looked so silky and I just wanted to touch it. Like every other,she was in her uniform but they did little to hide the curves beneath the gown. On her neck there was a gold necklace,whose pendant rested on her bosoms perfectly. She had a rare kind of beauty and her scent was as beautiful. Roses with a hint of vanilla. Her lips twitched slightly as she peered down at me. I must have been gawking.

  I held my tunic firmly along with the note in my hand as I rose quickly.

"Are you not sir Kevan?" She asked with a very lovely voice. Smooth as silk. Oh heavens. I was swooning.

"No. I am Kevan." I smiled. She made a thoughtful face before smiling, revealing a cute set of bright teeth. Just like Nara's. I had the habit of comparing any girl I met with my sister. Even if she did not know it,Evanara was the goddess of beauty herself. Her beauty was flawless. From the crown of her head,to the sole of her feet. Her hair that was bluer than the Assarian river was one of a kind. Her eyes that was the orange sun in the sky was also rare. Her full lips perfected her face. My sister's body was perfection itself. Even with the horrid and flattering gowns she wore,it was out there in the open.

  If anyone came close enough,only then would I consider them as pretty and this lady in front of me was stunning.

    "So...you are Kevan?" I liked the way my name rolled off her tongue and I smiled at her.  

  "Yes. I am Kevan and you are...very pretty." I blurted. Her smile dropped and she suddenly looked around before her eyes landed on mine again.

"You do not know who I am,do you?" She asked.    I smirked and shook my head. "Umm...no but can I call you beautiful?" I teased and rather than smile red crept into her cheeks and she coughed.   "Lady Rhoda asked me to fetch you." She said,looking away from me. Lady Rhoda? "Who might that be?" I asked a bit confused. "The department tutor."

   I faked a gasp and leaned in,taking a quick whiff of her scent.

   "We are allowed to address them as 'lady'?"I whispered and she took a step away from me. " No. Just me."she said sharply.

    "Why?" I asked.  

  "You will find that out pretty soon."she said with a smirk and walked away, leaving me standing alone. I watched her walk with so  much elegance,her hair moving with her as she walked and she suddenly turned around to look at me with a smug look on her face.  

  " Come on."she said and I remembered she had been asked to fetch me. Struggling to put the tunic in my sack and meet up at the same time was not very easy. "Your Highness!" Someone shouted and I turned slightly. Your Highness? Here?

   A girl sped and collided with...beautiful. "I am so sorry Your Highness." She apologized.

   The surprises just kept coming. Her Highness as in the Princess? As in Princess Layna? His Majesty's sister?