Chapter 13

Elenor made a beeline to her room after ordering Alec to tell her parents about the ball she had been forced to go with the prince. She didn't feel like hearing them make a ruckus over this, especially Richard. In the end, they still burst into her room and created a ruckus before she finally got them to calm down and leave for the night.

Alec as usual did his job, tending to her needs while she pondered in her mind about what she should do next.

"If you're thinking of escaping, I'm afraid his highness will not accept it." Alec cut her thoughts off.

She glared at him before pouting. "I know! You don't need to tell me that..."

"Yes of course because you are the author of this world."

She could hear the sarcasm dripping from his voice. She ignored him and got lost in her thoughts once more. Without noticing, a few days went by and it was around three days before the ball.

"I'm bored." she mumbled, slamming a book shut.

Elenor groaned loudly, stretching her arms and legs out before slumping back into her chair. She glanced over at Alec who was cleaning her room once again. She continued observing him, finding it more interesting than anything she had done within the past week.

Alec stopped his work and sighed, "Milady please don't bore holes into my back."

"But I'm bored!"

"Then why not go to capital?"

She gasped and jumped out of her chair, snapping her head at Alec. With twinkling eyes I said to him loudly, "Yes!! Let's go to the capital Alec!"

"..."

"Please stop staring at me with such rude eyes Alec."

She huffed before grabbing his hand, dragging him out of the estate with her. "To the capital!" she declared.

When they reached town, Elenor looked around and wondered what to do.

"What shall we do?" she questioned Alec.

Powerless, he replied back. "Anything you want to do milady."

Clicking her tongue, she folded her arms up to her chest, her foot tapping on the pavement before she noticed something from the corner of her eye. Without a word, she grabbed hold of Alec's hand once more and walked over to the place that caught her eye.

Elenor stopped walking as they reached the destination. She turned to Alec and with bright eyes she beamed at him, "Let's sit on a boat ride!"

Alec glanced over at the boat ride then back at her. She grinned at him before releasing her hold on his hand and went over to the person in charge and paid the amount needed to go on the boat ride. The two sat in the boat, facing each other and when she was about to take the oars into her hands but Alec stopped her.

"I cannot allow milady to row the boat."

She let out a giggle, "Why thank you, my lovely butler."

Alec wrapped his fingers around the oars and slowly rowed, the boat moving calmly along the waters. Elenor relaxed into the boat, looking at the water and scenery. She glanced back at Alec. His eyes were fluttered shut and had a calm expression as he continued rowing. When they were far from the dock, he stopped rowing and let the boat follow the water naturally.

It was peaceful and relaxing. Alec seemed to agree as well, his expression on his face was softer and had no harsh lines on his face. Elenor decided to observe him more in silence. There weren't many people around them as well. Her hair flowed through the soft breeze, gently flying in the wind.

Her gaze once again fell back onto the water and grazed her fingers on the surface. The calm waters moved vigorously after she touched it.

"Isn't this nice?" she asked Alec with a soft smile on her face.

Suddenly the wind grew harsher causing her hair to fly into her face. Unconsciously she squinted her eyes, trying to push back her front hair. Elenor felt warm hands touching her face. Her gaze shifted upwards.

"Don't move." she heard Alec's calm voice.

Hearing his words, her eyes fluttered shut, feeling his fingers tucking her hair behind her ear. It felt nice and with the warm breeze touching her skin, she felt herself growing sleepy. But before anything more, Alec pulled back his hand. The tingling warm sensation on her face disappeared and she fluttered her eyes open again.

"Thank you Alec-"

As she was trying to thank him for helping, a boat suddenly crashed into them out of the blue. A lady's voice shrieked loudly, "Eek! I'm so sorry!!"

Elenor tried to tell her it was okay but she felt her body shifting towards the side. Her eyes widened in horror finally realising what was happening.

Splash!

"Milady!"

Elenor couldn't breathe. Her lungs weren't working and her body was getting heavier by the second. Opening her mouth caused more water down her throat. Her arms and legs were frozen, unable to make them move. She could feel herself sinking down further and her vision slowly getting dark and blurry. Then she saw a large shadow coming closer to her.

'No.. Please stay away from me.'

She could feel her fears bubbling up in her chest. A hand outstretched to her but she kept moving around not wanting it to touch her.

'I'm scared...'

With what little vision she had left before darkness enveloped me, she saw their mouth moving. "Do you trust me?" was what she could barely read from their lips.

'I don't want to die.'

Was the only thing going through her mind before the shadow wrap their arms around her as she shut her eyes.

When Elenor opened her eyes, the only thing in her sight was a bunch of green leaves up high. Taking a second or more, she could feel something like grass under her back but her head felt something soft instead. She realised she was under a large tree which gave plenty of shade.

Groaning slightly, Elenor got up slowly but was pushed back down by a force. Warm hands touched against her cold skin as a voice spoke with a throaty tone.

"Rest more."

"Alec?" she called out.

The soft thing she felt under her head was Alec's lap. Suddenly she felt embarrassed and tried to get up again but Alec pulled her back down once more.

"Sleep." he said with a firmer tone.

"I think I slept enough!" she tried to reason out.

"You trust me don't you?" Alec suddenly said, gazing down at her with such eyes that she couldn't possibly look away from.

'Ah. So he saved me from drowning.'

"Do you trust me?" he asked again, his eyes and tone soft, gentle.

She blinked her eyes before finding his hand. She lifted it up and placed it over her eyes, covering her vision. With a peaceful yet pleased smile, she uttered out a reply to his question,

"I do."

"....Then go to sleep. Your clothes will be dry when you wake up."

Elenor slightly nodded and hummed in response.

"Then I trust you to wake me up by then."

"Yes..."

She felt fingers trying to untangle her hair. The feeling was pleasant and as if it was like a lullaby, she felt herself growing sleepier. Not long later she was fast asleep again and her heart strangely felt calmer than usual.

...

Elenor's breathing evened out and steady chest movements were shown. Alec's fingers trembled ever so slightly as he continued untangling her hair.

Silky soft hair which was painted crimson blood. The colour of her hair always feared him.

He hated it, wanting to rip it all away but now the colour looked fine to him. No tinge of fear to be seen. In calming silence, he continued to untangle his milady's hair while she was asleep on his lap under a shady tree.

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