Watching him walk away, something inside Eliana seemed to form unconsciously. She was afraid to name it and scared discovering it and make it grow. It was dangerous for her to think like this towards the man she'll have to marry only because they wanted something out from each other.
But still, Eliana couldn't stop thinking about him and the way he looked at her.
"Milady, what are you doing out here?" a servant came from behind her and drew his eyebrows to each other as he looked away.
Eliana turned around to face, shaking her head in answer and said, "Just enjoying the night wind. I never thought that it could be so nice."
"In your nightgown?" The servant was used to speaking comfortably towards her since she never allowed them to do so and they watched her grow up since she was a babe.
Eliana looked down on her dress and saw that the servant was right. She was wearing her nightgown. The silk fabric was thin and could barely cover up what needed to be covered when under the lights. Thankfully, it was dark and with her facing the servant and the light pouring in from outside behind me, Eliana doubted he saw anything.
Eliana sighed in relief after getting worried that Priestess Lavenia would call on her again and teach her proper manners once again.
But her sigh of relief froze in mid-action as she realized something.
What about him?
Eliana was facing him and the light from the sconces on the wall and moonlight up above was enough to make herself visible to him. Did he saw her?
Overtaken with both fear and excitement that she didn't understand, Eliana rushed inside, taking the flight of stairs, passing the long corridor on the second floor and pulling open the door to her room.
Eliana slowly made her way to the bed.
She laid on the bed, crumpling the sheets under the blanket, and prepared herself to sleep. As she entered an unconscious state in her room, the shadow next to the closet across the bed suddenly moved.
There was no sound aside from the gentle snore coming from the figure buried under the blankets, but the shadow was slowly moving closer to the bed without being interrupted. Then, suddenly, the shadow grew bigger and bigger as if it was about to envelop the room in darkness, and just when it finally almost reached every end of the room, it felt someone tapping its shoulder.
Behind him, a green-eyed woman stared at it.
"What are you doing?" Eliana softly whispered.
The shadow froze and slowly looked at the bed where the young woman should be lying in it but found that she was no longer there. It turned its head back to the young woman behind him, and before it could even escape and disappear, the woman closed her hand into a fist and said an enchanted word.
"Eklatio."
[Disappear]
She spoke so little and softly that it was barely heard by the shadow, but it still felt like it was standing on a bed of cotton. But in reality, its body was slowly fluctuating and getting smaller without it knowing the state of its body.
When the shadow was as small as a drop of rain on her palm, the woman blew on it, and the remaining fragment of that shadow slowly turned into dust.
The woods parted, the trees swaying back and forth, and the wind was growing stronger that night. The howling of the wolves in the mountain slowly brought fear and chills in the people's hearts as the full moon shone in the sky. It spilled silvery light into the grassy slopes, roofs, and glass windows of every house.
On the roof of Ashbourne Castle, a lone figure stood on it. Her white nightgown was flowing as the wind hit her dress as she gazes at the mountain ahead. Her green eyes were shining in the darkness.
A horn suddenly sounded from outside the castle's borders. The loud blaring noise woke up everyone as what they fear has finally come.
"The end is nearing… what are you going to do, dear Eliana?"
Eliana jerked awake.
But instead of waking up tucked under her blanket and lying on the bed, Eliana saw herself standing on top of the roof.
How did she get here?
Eliana was clearly sleeping inside her room, but when she woke up she was already on the roof while standing. Did she walk in her sleep? Eliana bit her lips as she looked down and saw several servants running around. They were mouthing something to each other and because she was too far away from them, Eliana couldn't hear what they were talking about.
Suddenly, a loud sound startled her so much so that she almost lost her footing and sat on the roof.
As much as she wanted to know how she got to the roof, there was more pressing matter she needed to focus on.
As the horn continued to give a fright to every person in Ashbourne Castle, Eliana finally found the direction where it came from.
No…
Why are they here already?
Didn't Duke Bradbury say they'd get a few more days? Only three days have passed since the messenger came to the castle, and they should still have seven days in preparation!
Ashbourne Castle was not ready for any invasion right now. Even if they did, the forces of Duke Bradbury were too powerful, and their numbers outlast their own. Losing the strength in her legs, Eliana couldn't help but look ahead while tears started to form in her eyes.
'What should I do? '
People ran on the road as they tried to evacuate out of their homes and stay away from the tall borders of Ashbourne Castle. Sitting on his stallion, Theron glanced towards the mouth of the gate where the border was and frowned. He gripped the leather tighter as he rushed forward towards the guild.
He ignored the panic-stricken faces of the people running away, Theron continued, and from his speed, it didn't take long for him to reach his destination.
"Milord." Roland approached him and caught the gloves that Theron threw into his hand.
"Duke Bradbury didn't stay true to his words. I want him to know what he plans to do." Theron said.
Roland was silent before saying, "Perhaps, his heart was broken when he heard that Lady Castellio had promised herself to an unknown merchant."
Theron coldly glanced at him.
Roland cleared his throat.
"I think taking this land isn't a bad idea, milord," Roland started. "Delos Empire cannot waste this land and let other invaders take it from their hands. I think you already should know that, right, milord?" He paused and glanced at Theron. "Or should I say, Theron Bestia, his majesty the King of Delos Empire?"
…
Author has something to say: Dun, dun, dun! It seems that our leads are destined to be enemies? And what was going on with Eliana? Was she possessed? Or does she have a double personality?