"What happened?" Will asked as he came toward where Azeph was still standing, "Where'd Elin go?" "She left," Azeph responded simply while he tried to contain his anger inside him and not snap at his friend.He had no idea how that conversation ended like that. He had never seen Elin bursting out like that, in fact, he had never seen her get emotional except when that kidnapper admitted to hurting Nathan’s sister openly.Before leaving, she when ordered them to throw his body out in the wood as she had promised him before he died.His respect for her rose in that particular moment. Some of the knights looked at her as if she was a heartless slaughterer, but he'd seen her as a born leader.Because only a true leader would be able to issue that kind of order without caring about what others might think of them. For the general good. To make an example of the man who dared do such shameless acts. And a message to his companion who wouln't have cooerated if he hadn't heard what his compan
“The results will be out this evening, are you excited?” Daisy asked as they walked toward the library to return some books that Daisy had been reading.“Not really. Attending the ball is already enough for me,” Elinor answered simply. The ball was going to be the next day and everyone was so excited about it. Most of the students were taking advantage of the day off given by the Academy to pamper and prepare themselves for the ball. Especially the female students.Some of them headed down to town to do some supplementary shopping.Elin’s special class didn’t have the day off. They had to study that day too because to the headmaster this was a form of training too. Attending social events is a part of daily life for people like them and they have to learn to be ready for them without needing to take time off from their work or maybe in this case, their studies.Elinor enjoyed class these days because the addition was making it much more interesting.Now that Stella was there, along wi
Just as Elinor wanted to run away from the situation, Stella spoke up again."You're still worried about the late dress aren't you?" She asked and Elinor looked at her with grateful eyes. Stella may have noticed that Elinor didn't want to talk about any of that. In fact, she couldn't talk about it even though Stella knew most of what was happening before she left for Oreland, she couldn't tell her anything.In the end, Stella had only asked if she was okay now and if the girl, Nathan's sister was okay too."Can you wear something else to the ball?" Daisy asked"I can't. When my uncle heard about the ball, he told his seamstress and she got all excited preparing the dress for me. I can't disappoint them and not wear it,"And I can't skip the briefing session because they may be bringing news of my father's innocence' She thought.The three of them started heading out of the library slowly walking as they spoke. It was sunset outside and the weather was quite nice."You know there's no
"That colour really goes well with you," Elinor said as she watched Stella get ready in front of the mirror."Red is my color," Stella said simply as she applied red lipstick that would have looked on another person like something a prostitute would do. But on Stella, it looked like it was elegance and dark beauty itself."It is, no one can take that away from you," She said "As blue is yours. But in your case, I don't think that it will go away even if you want to remove it," She said with a meaningful glance through the mirror."By the way do you at least know what color is your dress going to be tonight?" Stella asked,"Yes, the seamstress said white. I told Azeph so it should be okay,""Hmm, it does sound like something suited for the last dance," Stella commented,"It is. I guess it would work well if I can make it there," She added and Stella paused for a moment looking at her."Are you sure you don't want to delay the message until after the ball. I'm sure the messenger will w
Elinor was breathing heavily as she looked around the garden desperately. It was cold, and her dress was lighter than it was supposed to be in this weather outside. Sighing deeply and realizing that she was too late and that Azeph really wasn't there, she sat down on a bench facing the small pond at the center and stared at it."Elin? Is that you?" She heard behind her and stood up to look at the newcomer.Azeph was stepping toward her wearing a cloak and looking flushed as if he had been waiting in the cold for a long time. "You look... You look beautiful" he said as if it was the most natural thing in the world, "But you can't stay in the cold like this, you will catch your death,” he added as he removed his cloak throwing it around her shoulders.“Have you been waiting for me all this time?” She asked as the warmth of the cloak settled around her settling her panic down and helping her regain her equilibrium.“Knowing that you would be late I waited for a while before coming here.
“Come on, Elin!” Noah said as he pulled her away from the group toward the dance floor, “the song is already starting!” He added with a smile and she followed him to the dance floor letting him initiate their dance before they started spinning around.“Did you hear some bad news?” Noah asked“Yes,” Elinor answered simply and he gave her a sympathetic smile.“But it didn’t seem like it was a complete surprise. Or was it the presence of a certain someone that made things easier?” He asked“A little bit of both. I decided to give both of us a chance, hoping that I don’t end up being a burden to him,”“Have a feeling that even of you end up having to rely on him, he would be all too happy to take care of you,” Noah said and Aira smiled at him not saying anything, there was rarely any need for Noah to understand anything. He always did, even if he doesn’t touch her he could always tell.“I’m still worried about you,” he said.“You don’t have to, I’m fine, and I’m being very careful,” she s
"There are a few things I would like to discuss with you later. You should stp by my office after classes tomorrow," The headmaster told her after dropping his small social bomb on her.She ould hear whispers around them, people were reacting to the headmaster's ccomments. She needed to do something."I am saddened to tell you that your matchmaking attemosst have been fruitless, headmaster. Had you told me at first, I would have explained to you that the two of us are not compatible as a couple at all. We are good friends that is a fact, but that's all there is to it," She lied and looked at Azeph who smiled down at her and nodded.They'd agreed to keep their relationship a secret for now. per her request, And the headmaster's attempt to publicize it was ruining her plans."I see... A miscalculation on my part. for now..." He added and Elinor smiled at him“Absolutely not,” Elinor answered, Azeph chuckled.“I thought so,” he answered as Louis came toward them stoping when he was in fro
Azeph had been leaning against the wall watching Elinor dance with Louis as if they had been doing it for a long time. And they probably did.Their movement were in sync and their dace skills were extraordinary. They stole the eyes of everyone on that gace floor. Including the headmaster who stopped talking to his companion and watched them with an interested smile.Azeph knew that this was a good thing, that this would dissipate any rumors about the two of them for the time being, but there was no helping the pang of jealousy that prickled his heart.Those two were like brother and sister, their bond was so clear and strong that Azeph didn't have any doubt about it. But in his possessive and obsessive mind, Elinor was finally his and he was having a hard time standing back and seeing her with someone else.Jealousy truly is an ugly thing..."You okay over there?" Will said as he approached him,"Can't be better," He responded without looking at his friend, he couldn't move his gaze aw
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