Elin stood there looking at the row of samples before her.“ did we finish ordering everything we need?” Noah asked her as he came by her side to check on her.“Yes, I think we did. Thanks for your help, I wouldn’t’ have been able to do it without you,” she told him.“It’s okay. I wish you would’ve told me earlier, I would’ve helped with more than flower arrangements and color matching,” he told her gently.“ I know, it’s just that this place was getting a bit too crowded for you around here. This is the only time I could find when there are no people around,”Noah’s tendency to avoid crowds was due to his affinity to how others feel and think. She had no logical explanation to what Noah was capable of, but it seemed like he was able to read people’s hearts and understand how they feel. Both from close distances and upon close contact.He rarely ever touches people without knowing them first and getting a feel of their minds. Because sometimes, people’s inner thought had the ability to
"I'm not going to become the queen," Elinor told Stella who's eyes widened in shock,"Do you mean that it has already been decided?" She asked, "Louis is going to be the successor?""No, the king hasn't made his decision yet," Elinor said"Then why do you think that?""I don't think, I know," Elinor told her, "The path I decided to take from now on is tricky. I will be making some dangerous decisions and probably a lot of sacrifices that will be costing me more than my position. Which is why I'm not going to help you personaly. I will have a trusted person request your admission to the class in case I have to go down. Then you won't have to go down with me. So If you're agreeing to this because I might become the queen one day, you should forget about it. I want you to be my companion and help me with my mission as long as I'm here. It won't be something dangerous, but you will have to stay on guard and be smart all the time because our opponent is that smart and cunning. If you agree
Elinor watched from afar as Daisy blushed at something Alan said making her spill a bit of her te on the table.Alan being the gentleman that he was, wiped it up with a napkin checking her hand for a possible burn. He didn’t let go of that hand for a while after that.“Are you satisfied now?” Azeph asked as he stood beside her not bothering to peek behind the bushes. He simply stood there eying her with amusement as if he was having too much fun watching her antics.“Of course, now he owes me a favour now. And he’s going to want to repay me for it,” she told him, "As do I. I had to go through the whole morning with Alan watching me with a strange look because I invited him to tea. We were both so relieved when he realized that you will be joining us too," "That was a bit funny to watch. I will make sure yo repay your kindness," She told him with a bright smile. "I will make sure you do too," Azeph added. "Is it okay for us not to return?" Azeph asked "They're in their own little wo
There was something about fast paced gtoup debates, and it was that you could miss quite a lot of important key if you don't keep a close look. Elinor watched as students engaged in debates talking about all kind of things and arguing their views. It was like national debate day at school and it felt like if she greeted someone they would throw her an argument about the right way to say a greeting. So she decided to sit back and observe what was going on before her since it was optional for her to participate since she was new and didn’t have to take the special class exam.Elinor disliked debates, they weren't her favorite thing because they took a lot of energy and required her to speak more than she liked to. But she didn’t hate the ambiance, it seemed like a festival where everyone was socialising and speaking to each other heatedly.Before lunch time, Elinor retreated making her way to the greenhouse.Noah was there watering the roses and Alan was drinking tea there peacefully.
"There needs to be an investigation as soon as possible," The letter read Elinor sighed, maybe she could pass through the provinces where the problem is on her way home. But she knew that wouldn't be enough. There was only one week in winter break, she was going to need time to get there because she has to travel in desguise. There was also a need to make sure that they wouldn't realize that she was going there to investigate in the first place. Just when she though that she was going to get some time back home with her mother. She had been worried about her because she didn't sound so well in her last few letters. She was talking about the same thing over and over again as if she was avoiding talking about what was really going on. With this investigation turning more serious than she thought it would be, she was growing worried that her father was involved in all this and that it was the reason why her mother sounded off in her letters. It turned out that the problem was smuggl
They were driving for quite a while when something cut through the silence, it was a male voice that sounded extremely familiar to Elinor, but still it was quite unsettling to hear it behind her as it spoke."Where are we going by the way?" said a voice from behind them starteling them,"Oh my god!" Elinor exclained stopping the car and Stella pulled a gun out of nowhere and pointed it at the backseat,"Woah!" Said the very familiar male voice, "That's one dangerous thing you have there," "Will?!" Elinor exclaimed and the goofy man grinned at her through the dimm light."What are you doing here?!" Elinor asked surprised to see her gooffy new friend grining at her from the backseat of the car,"I want to answer you but your scary friend is scarrier than usual and she's holding a dangerous weapon to my face," He said holding his hands up in surrender.Elinor looked at Stella who was raising an eyebrow at Will before she pulled back the gun,"Who's well rounded now," Elin asked"We live
That morning Elinor woke up later than usual, it was already eight o'clock in the morning when she opened her eyes and by the time she was out of bed and ready it was already half past nine o'clock.She was so listless that she wondered if she would ever get to Oreland, Nathan’s territory, in time to help the kidnapped girl.She was still stunned since the last night.Thankfully, Will took her misstep lightly joking about him and Stella being brother and sister.Elinor had driven the rest of the road her fingers clenched on the steering wheel as she tried not to get into her mind too much and start speeding again in the middle of the night.As she had her breakfast, she went over the route she was going to take one last time and she was ready to leave the minute the examinees got out of the exam.“Have a safe trip, Miss. I will be waiting for your reassurance that you’ll be okay.” Nacy said as she curtsied.“I will be okay, his majesty’s men will be there,” she reassured the older wom
Elinor waited for a few moments before there were footsteps running through the front hallway and the door was swung open. A man in his mid-fourties stood there, eyes wide as he breathed heavily from the little dash he made through the door.Worry was edging his face and when he saw her, his brows knotted in confusion."Is that Nathan, Honey?" Asked the voice of a sniffling woman who had clearly lost her voice due to crying.Elinor made a shush sound with her finger and pulled something out of her pocket. Something that would make the Baron recognize and immediately trust her.Looking at the royal crest his eyes widen and then he nods slightly."No, honey. It's just the delivery boy. He's bringing some paperwork from the office." He told his voice as he ushered Elinor inside closing the door behind her.He led her to his office closing the door behind them and making sure the curtains were tightly shut. Then he turned toward her and waited.Elinor removed the cap covering her hair and
The sun shone through the cathedral’s colored glass window as Elinor knelt before her uncle and he put the crown on her head.Before she knew it, she was reciting the pledge that she had known by heart since she was a young girl running around the castle walls with her cousins.She was no longer that young girl. Nor was she the fiancé of the future king or the daughter of the duke. She wasn’t someone’s daughter or their wife or sister. She was her own person. She was the future queen. The person who was going to stand at the top of this country and lead it into a new future.“Hail to the crown princess!” Said her uncle as he stepped back to let her stand up and turn around.Elinor looked down at the crowd to find it filled with familiar faces. Unlike the last time she stood there with Nicolas by her side, she didn’t feel remotely as alone as she felt back then.In contrary, she felt like no matter what path she took, she would never be alone because there are always going to be peopl
“Azeph! Calm down!” Will said taking his arm and pulling him back.Azeph wanted to shake his friend’s arm away but he took a deep breath instead and closed his eyes down trying hard to compose himself.“Call the guards,” He said again this time his voice more calm and collected.Louis sighed and nodded toward Alan who left the room looking for the guards.“We’re going to need a doctor for Noah,” Azeph finally said leaning against the bed and checking on Noah who was still unconscious,“It must have been a hard blow,” He said with a worried glance toward Louis who nodded.“If you promise that you’re under control I will go call for a doctor for Noah. We need him to wake up and tell us what happened anyway since those knights clearly don’t know what’s going on,” Louis answered,“I am under control,” he told Louis who nodded and left the room quietly.Azeph looked around the room. There was no sign of struggle and Noah was on the ground near the chair he must have been using to sit by El
Azeph leaned down in the bed pressing a kiss to Elinor’s forehead. He watched her sleep peacefully for a moment before making his way out of the room to find the guys waiting for him.“Ready?” He asked them. And they all nodded with determination.“I am counting on you,” He told them.He made his way down the stairs as they followed him. Once he was outside he mounted his horse and galloped out of there followed by Will, Louis and Alan.Noah had chosen to stay there and keep Elinor company until she woke up while Stella was still away dealing with the students at the academy.He said that he had a bad feeling since all this started and insisted on remaining by her side and Azeph agreed appointing some guards to them to make sure that they both remained safe.Lloyd went to the artisan’s workshop before them and was supposed to assert the situation by the time they got there.At the entrance of the academy, they found a car ready for them as the captain had promised and they abandoned t
After that Azeph left the security team’s central building and made his way back toward the residence. By now, Louis must be done spreading out word of Elinor’s poisoning and the Academy must be greatly disrupted and shaken.The perfect opportunity to look for the culprit. As soon as he got there he found Noah and Alan waiting for his return.“Did you find something out?” Noah asked him and Azeph shook his head.“I want you to head down there and help Will look through the records for anything that might catch your attention.” He told Noah and he nodded.“Of course! Stella is waiting for Louis to come back so that she can start her investigation,” He added.“Stella is the best when it comes to gathering information. But we have someone much better than her. I sent him to look into things too,” He said,“Why don’t you go help Stella with her investigation. You might find something useful. Ask Daisy to discretely help you too, you and Stella will stand out if you ask too many questions,
Azeph stepped out of the residence that was reserved for Elinor and made his way toward the one place he needed to make sure of first before anything else. The record room.The security within the Royal academy’s grounds was well maintained by a group of thorough and competent security experts who were trained at the capital. They were as good as royal knights when it came to their combat ability and some of them even used to be knights at the royal guard but decided to leave for this job because it held less stress and political issues.Azeph knew some of those knights but the person he knew the most was their commander. The man who was leading security system at the academy was no one other than Azeph’s instructor, the man who thought him everything from how to hold a sword to how to become a swordsman.“Are you going to see Captain Hugh?” Will asked and Azeph nodded silently.Captain Hugh was a strong man. Just plain strong and the perfect image of a leader ready to go into a battl
Elinor slowly opened her eyes to the sunlight. She slowly moved her body wincing when she realized that her sore muscles and organs were not ready for her to move yet.But the excruciating pain that felt as if she was being ripped apart fro the inside out wasn’t there anymore. She was going to be okay. She was going to live.“You’re awake…” Said someone from her bedside and she turned her head around to find herself looking at her with concern in his eyes.“Louis….” She whispered her voice croaked and her words coming out heavy on her tongue.“Are you feeling any better?” He asked“Much better,” she answered with a soft smile and he nodded looking deep in thoughts.“Did something happen? Where’s Azeph?” She asked immediately noting the lack of presence of the one person she wanted to see the most.“He’s still outside looking into your case. He went out as soon as he made sure that the antidote was working last night. He had been investigating since then and now he’s looking into thing
Pain… So much pain. It hurt everywhere. It hurt to breath, it hurt to move, it hurt to even be alive.How long did she have to wait for the pain to stop? How long will this go on. Why was her body hurting so much that she felt like she was being ripped apart from inside out.A liquid built up in her throat and she fought hard to ignore it. But her body’s natural reaction was much stronger than her willpower. When she coughed, she could feel the liquid being projected out of her mouth. Probably another gulp of blood seeping from inside her. But the excruciating pain the resulted on her cough was so blinding and painful that she thought that she was going to die.But her body wasn’t this graceful or merciful to her. The pain still has to continue because her body still choose to fight against the poison. Even though she was so tired that she was starting to wish for death.She heard voices around her and felt someone press something soft against her mouth.“She’s in pain, she needs more
"So in the end it happened,..." The headmaster said with a sigh as he watched the doctor leave the room.Future who was by his side made his way toward the side cabinet and pulled out a bottle of whiskey pouring himself a cup and offering one to both Louis and the headmaster.Louis refused, and the headmaster gratefully agreed taking the cup and downing it in one gulp. The poor man was so stressed and worried that he was taking soliste in alcohol."She was going to tell them everything today..." Louis said and Future looked at them quizikally."Everything about what?"He asked as he walked toward them his cup in his hand."She was going to leave the Acedemy in the end of the year," Louis said."Why?" Future asked, "It took the headmaster so much effort to convince his majesty to let her come back." "The situation with the neightboring countries is already unstable thanks to the recent events. They think that our monarchy is falling appart. She needs to be there and set an example to m
The doctor looked at Azeph and shook his head hopelessly. Azeph felt as if his world collapsed with that single motion and he felt himself take one step forward then wobble for a moment before pulling himself together and walking toward him and standing in front of him."How's her condition?" He asked quietly."Not very good I am afraid. Her body is under so much strain. It seems to have been a very strong poison." The doctor said darkly, "Her organs are barely holding on as it is. And I can't chance to give her any calming medicine because I'm afraid that they would react with the poison and make her state worse. If only you knew the nature of her poison..." The doctor finished and Azeph sighed and stepped back.Louis who was silently standing behind him stepped forward."I'm afraid that we still don't know the nature of the poison. We will need an investigation to figure that out." Louis lied easily.Meanwhile, Azeph fought not to clench his hands into fists. He knew that divulging