“Going Back With Him”

Holding the hem of her dress, Eleanora ran fast as her eyes looked for Cathain.

‘He has helped me so much in this life... i can’t leave him be.’

‘That’s why am looking for him! Nothing else!’

‘I just don’t want to owe him something.’

Passing the staircase and the temple garden, she finally reached the cemetery.

Some royal knights stood at the entrance of the Imperial Cemetery, but they gave her a pass without stopping her.

Thanks to this, Eleanora could step inside relatively easily.

When she looked around, gasping for breath, She finally saw a Cathain sitting in front of the grave of the late emperor and looking at it.

“Your Majesty!”

.....

“... Eleanora?”

Eleanora was breathing heavily as she ran all the way here, where Cathain was shocked to see her.

“Why are you here...”

“Your Majesty! You have us! The late emperor would also be watching you from heaven!”

“...”

“So don’t be too sad! Get a hold of yourself... Am sure, this sorrow will pass quickly.”

“...”

Cathain thought Eleanora has gone back with her father, the duke, but never thought she would come back for him.

‘Did the current me, finally made some space in your heart?’

Cathain finally felt a little warm in his heart.

But for the veil on her head, Cathain couldn’t see her face carefully.

So, he stood up as he took off her hat from her head and bent down to meet her eyes as he opened his mouth to talk.

“Are you concerned about me? My empress?”

“...”

‘I shouldn’t have come here. I was concerned about him where he is cracking jokes with me!’

But still Eleanora felt happy as he didn’t looked that sad and empty anymore.

“We’re much delayed. Let’s go back.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Cathain instructed the guards and Eleanora felt a bit relieved to see him giving instructions, but he looked back at her as he spoke again.

“Let’s go.”

“Pardon?”

“I said we should go back. What’s wrong?”

“Ah...it’s nothing, Your Majesty.”

Thinking he was just going to meet her father and then go back alone, Eleanora was escorted up the stairs by Cathain.

At the final step, Cathain suddenly stopped and Eleanora wanted to retract her hands to go to her father.

Alexander, who was standing at the entrance of the stairs, looked at his daughter coming out with the new emperor and frowned a bit.

‘Why aren’t you letting go of her hands?’

Three of them kept silent, where Eleanora didn’t knew what to do as Cathain and Alexander kept looking at each other intensely.

Like some battle was about to start.

After a while, Alexander decided to go on with the imperial custom and bowed down silently and Cathain did the same to return his greetings.

“Pardon me, Your Majesty. But we have to go back.”

Alexander spoke as he caught Eleanora’s other hand and proceed to leave.

Eleanora also heaved a sigh in relief thinking Cathain would finally let go of her hands.

But as she took two steps ahead, she realised Cathain was still holding her hands with his head hanging low.

Both Alexander and Eleanora looked at Cathain with a questioning look.

“Duke, may I talk to her for a moment?”

“Sure, Your Majesty.”

historical

Cathain raised his head again and looked into Alexander’s eyes with firm determination.

“No, I can’t talk with her here at the here. I think I have to move to the Imperial Palace.”

“...”

‘Huh? What does he want to talk to me about?’

Alexander’s aura was so cold that Eleanora thought it might freeze her, as he gritted his teeth and finally replied.

“...I got it, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you.”

Eleanora was a little sorry for her father who seemed puzzled and reluctant, but once she bowed her head to her father, Alexander reluctantly loosened his grip from Eleanora’s hand.

Alexander turned his head and watched as Cathain helped her got in the carriage first then got in himself, finally head out from the temple graveyard.

‘What can i do... for stopping you to become soft for him again?

He isn’t as pitiful as he is pretending to be, my innocent Ele.

A wolf will never be a sheep, no matter how great it’s disguise is...’

Alexander sighed as he looked at the sky blankly.

‘Guide me, Lia... to protect our daughter this time.’

Right then, Alexander’s eyes fall on a shadow beside the pillars and a frown appeared on his head as he approched that person.

“You shouldn’t come here like this, what if someone saw you?”

“No one saw me. I was careful enough.”

“Have you bought it?”

“Yes, Here.”

The person in the cloak spoke lowly as he took out a small glass bottle with a blue coloured liquid inside of it and handed it to Alexander.

“Just one drop of it is enough to work. Mix it on his tea everyday.”

“Got it. Return safely, Don’t get caught.”

“Goodbye, Duke.”

Alexander replied with a humming sound in agreement.

The mysterious person disappeared soon and Alexander looked at the glass bottle in his hands.

‘With this, Everything will become normal again. I will protect you this time, Ele... No matter what price I have to pay for it.’

‘I will not spare anyone who have harmed you.’

...

Time already passed quickly, and it was quite dark outside.

Although Eleanora was bothered by the fact that it was too late, she couldn’t retract her decision to go with him.

‘I guess everything will be alright.’

Eleanora swallowed a sigh and looked outside from the window, where Cathain was sitting at the opposite of her motionlessly.

The carriage ran smoothly and arrived at the Imperial Palace, then passed through the main entrance and stopped in front of the Central Palace, where the late emperor used to reside.

When she saw the towering palace, she murmured unconsciously.

‘He seems to have already moved in.’

.....

Somehow, Cathain looked a bit gloomy.

‘Maybe he might not have felt good about moving to the Central Palace, his late father’s place, as soon as the state funeral was over.’

After the carriage stopped, Cathain got out first and helped Eleanora to get down.

Although she felt a bit sorry for him, but as they walked inside, Eleanora’s heart started to tremble again because of the memories of the past.

Specially when she realised that, they was heading to the library.

Cathain felt Eleanora’s hesitation, so he grabbed her palm more tightly as he took big steps towards the library to reach soon.

The same library, where Empress Eleanora used to work hard day and night for gaining the emperor’s affection.

The same stairs where she fought with Jena after she was declared as queen and no one took the empress’s side.

At first glance, the study of the Central Palace seemed much larger than that of the crown prince’s palace, but Eleanora couldn’t afford to appreciate it.

Her gaze fall on the big working desk and chair, where she previously used to sit and work, where the emperor took the empress’s body countless time.

No warmth, No affection... like he was just fulfilling some duties instead of making love.

Eleanora shaked her head to stop thinking about the past and watched him who was remaining silent all along.

She opened her mouth carefully as she thought she had better say something to him first now.

“Your Majesty. Well... Would you like a cup of tea?”

“Will you make it?”

“If you allow... i will.”

Eleanora was a little surprised to see the delighted expression on his face.

She blinked a few times to get a hold of herself as she pulled the string and asked a maid to bring a tea set.

Shortly afterwards, the maid who came in, displayed all kinds of tea with tea pots.

Eleanora picked lavender from among them.

Although she knew he didn’t like the strong scent, I thought that lavender with a neuro-stable effect might soothe him, who was somewhat unstable now.

But he put down the teacup on the table after lifting it.

‘Didn’t he like it?’

“As I felt you needed stability, I brewed it strong... Should I make it again?”

“Oh, no, you don’t have to...”

Eleanora tilted her head in confusion.

Why did he put down the teacup if it were not for the strong scent?

Then she finally remembered and chuckled a little as she put two sugar cubes into his tea cup to mix.

“Forgive me, i forgot that you don’t like bitter tea.”

‘But you always remember that Ain likes sweet things.’

“...It’s okay.”

Cathain thought in his mind and replied in a low voice.

But his reply somehow made Eleanora anxious.

When she raised her cup with an anxious look, Eleanora suddenly saw his hand holding the mug trembling.

She stopped putting the mug to her mouth. She thought he felt a little better because he was calm, but he didn’t.

Is it because he recalled his late father when he came back to the Central Palace?

As she felt sorry, she put down the mug quietly.

When Eleanora was carefully choosing words to comfort him, Cathain hesitantly opened his mouth after pondering over something.

“...Ele.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“In fact, I want you to do me a favor.”

“What is it?”

Eleanora looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Why is he so hesitant?

When she was waiting for his reply with a bit of anxiety, he said, looking at her, as if he made up his mind.

“If I am alone here... I think it will be too hard for me to endure tonight. So...”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

But his next words made Eleanora froze...

“Would you stay with me tonight?”