“Eleanora’s Story”

Cathain turned his face abruptly as he heard Eleanora’s words to see her expression.

‘Doesn’t hate or fear me anymore? Does that mean-‘

But Eleanora was just staring at the sky blankly... her blue eyes wasn’t cold anymore.

The atmosphere was cold, the moon was shining brightly in the dark sky... Eleanora felt like she and the night was always alike.

They are cold and dark.

Even if the moonlight brighten the sky, it can’t remove the darkness and bring light forever from her life.

Even the moon can’t remove the loneliness and darkness of the night sky, how can she remove it from her own life?

Just how long is she going to keep living in the darkness?

But she is also afraid of accept the new changes...

.....

What if when she thinks the darkness and loneliness has gone away from her life just like the past, and then it comes back again?

“Let me tell you a story... Once there was a girl, Everyone always liked how perfect she was, how beautiful and suitable she was for the empress position.

They never pointed out her mistakes and made her feel too proud upon myself. But everything changed after her mother died while protecting her.

She thought her father blamed her, where the father thought it was his fault that he wasn’t able to protect his wife and daughter.

Because of the political reasons, the father and the girl grew apart and she started to grow more fond of him...”

Cathain understood who was the ‘girl’ and ‘he’ Eleanora was referring too. It was the story of her past self.

“The girl couldn’t accept the sudden change around her. The people who loved her turned their back and talk behind her back. Her once lovely family completely shattered down.

At that time, the girl found the ray of light into him as he gave his handkerchief to wipe her tears and then the obsession she had towards her father was all given to him as she started to live in the imperial palace, when her father went to the border relief.”

Eleanora no longer felt sad while remembering those memories, maybe because Cathain opened up to her first, so she is no longer hesitating anymore.

“That girl took his cold treatment towards her as granted and accepted him as the only man and love of her life. Maybe because he didn’t liked her being around him, he told the girl to prove her worth to him.

She happily gave up the empress lessons and picked up the sword at the age of barely thirteen for him and went to the battlefield.

After a while, she came back to attend his coming of age ceremony, where she felt like she don’t belong to there anymore...”

historical

Eleanora’s voice become a little low and she leaned back while putting her body weight on her palm.

Cathain kept laying on her lap and kept listening to her story silently.

“Because she wasn’t experienced and trained much, she had to take intense training for which she grew strong and tough, no longer all soft and slim like those other nobles lady.

At that party, everyone was keeping their distance from that girl and it was only him who asked her hands to dance with a smile.

That was the moment she gave her full heart to him.”

Cathain felt like his heart was clenching in pain. The girl he loved was telling him her past love story like it is nothing but a story.

“They got married just by signing marriage papers, didn’t hold a wedding. Maybe he just didn’t wanted to hold a wedding ceremony with her.

She thought if she help him grow more stronger, he will love her, realise how much she loves him.

But in the end, that girl saw him smiling at another woman, cherishing that woman like she is the only one, giving that woman everything that was supposed to belong to only her.”

Cathain was literary shocked this time as he heard about another woman. Was the past him lose his mind?

How could he keep another woman?

No wonder Eleanora doesn’t believe and accepts him now. He has been such a trash in his past life.

He not only treated her bad but also had another woman!

Cathain felt like travel back in time and beat the shit out of his past self.

How dare that bastard to treat his empress like that?!

“That girl lost their two child because of his other woman, but he never trusted that girl... she kept begging him to believe her but he never even looked back. He destroyed her everything till she was left with nothing...

This is how her love for him had turned into hatred and when she finally thought everything was finally done, she can now rest in peace, unexpectedly she got another chance to change everything...”

Eleanora closed her eyes as she finished speaking to stop the tears dropping out from her eyes.

“But that man also changed... What do you think the girl should do, Crown prince? Should she give that man who hurted her a second chance where she might suffer from the same fate again?”

“...”

Cathain wouldn’t give her an answer. Eleanora understood why he couldn’t gave her an answer.

He was no fool. He must have understand that she was telling him her own past story.

With this, Cathain finally understood why it’s hard for Eleanora to accept him but he also had another thing in his mind, What was their ending?

He heard the starting but the ending is still unclear to him. Eleanora isn’t someone who would hate someone to this extent to fear just for another woman.

And her fear wasn’t some normal fear. It was the fear of a prey who was about to hunt down at any moment.

But before Cathain could say something, an knight coming to them while running.

“Crown Prince... The emperor has summoned you everyone...”

Both Eleanora and Cathain’s heart sank in fear and the abruptly stood up.

“What happen to father?!”

“He is alright...he just have something announce.”

“You go ahead, we are coming.”

“Yes, Your highness.”

With that the knight left and Cathain turned around to meet Eleanora’s eyes.

Both of them kept standing without speaking and kept looking at each others eyes.

“I wouldn’t forgive him so easily, but what can i do... Am selfish and greedy for you my empress.”

Then suddenly Cathain extended his his hands towards her.

“The present him is completely different from his past self, he is him the past is past.

Can you ask the girl if she is willing to give the current person a chance to help her to fix her broken heart and make her happy in this life?”

Eleanora kept staring at Cathain’s extended hands with a shocked expression. She never thought of an answer like this.

“Can you give the current me a chance, Ele?”

Cathain spoke again and continued with a low voice as Eleanora still didn’t had any reaction.

“Just don’t reject me, take advantage of my status to investigate what you want, take my help to punish those who wronged you... Just don’t turn away from me anymore and stay with me.”

“...”

‘My past memories deep inside my heart has already started to fade away because of you... they are hiding behind the clouds now.

All the pain that i keep inside my heart... has started to melt down, disappearing from my mind.

So long... I have walked this dark paths all alone, but only you have offered me your hands to walk the path along.’

Even after a long time, when Eleanora stood still without any movements, Cathain felt heartbroken and was about to retreat his hands when he felt her soft hands touching his hands gently.

“Ele...?”

Eleanora looked at him with gentle eyes and finally, she genuinely smilled at the crown prince.

‘Maybe, you are the one i have been waiting for all of my life...

You were the moonlight who can make me out of this dark place with your light.’

‘If it’s the Ain i knew for the last three years, who suppprted me and kept protecting me even after knowing everything... Am willing to give him a chance.

I can’t avoid him all of my life. It’s better to stop hesitating and accept the reality. We can atleast be friends and the current him deserves a chance.’

Cathain’s eyes widened in shock, surprise and happiness. He have finally gotten a little place in her heart.

None of them spoke but both of them could feel each others emotions.

‘I promise, Ele... i will never let go of your hand until death separates us. You can only be mine and mine only. I will make you so happy that you will never remember those painful past memories and that man again. You will only remember me and my love.’

Cathain gripped her hands more tightly and entangled their fingers together and spoke shyly with his eyes so gentle that Eleanora blushed.

“Thanks for giving me a chance, My empress.”

.....