Freedom And Transformation
Loretta persuaded Eleanor to visit the market in search of the perfect dress for the upcoming event. Eleanor hesitated at first, but eventually yielded. As she browsed through the stalls, she was awed by the vibrant colors and impeccable tailoring of the dresses on display.
The sight of these beautiful gowns triggered the memory of her wedding with Lord Daemon, and the memory of Mrs. Cleef, the seamstress who had created her stunning wedding dress. However, the nostalgia was bitter-sweet, as it reminded her of the painful reality of her failed marriage.
She shook off the melancholy and refocused on finding a dress that fit her budget. Meanwhile, Richard was searching the market driven by his obsessive quest to find his sister. He had a sketch of her which he clutched, inquiring if anyone recognized the woman in the drawing.
Unfortunately, no one recognized the woman in the drawing because the image is that of a royal lady and it is impossible to find one of such women within the environment. An elderly woman, her eyes squinting with curiosity, took a closer look and exclaimed,
"Ah, yes! I know her – the beautiful lady who keeps to herself, always hiding behind her friends or her books." Richard's heart raced as the woman provided him with valuable information, pointing him in the direction of the small hut on the outskirts of town where Eleanor lived with her friends.
Grateful for the lead, Richard mounted his horse and went towards the hut. As Richard approached the hut after hours of searching, he noticed the white roses in the small garden.
Eleanor's favorite flowers brought a sigh of relief. He felt he had finally found her, but where is she? Why is there no sign of her? Before he could knock, Linda emerged with a piece of wood from behind, ready to defend her home against a stranger,
"Who are you? What do you want?" she demanded with her weapon at the ready.
"We have no money, but this shall be your grave if you don't leave!" Richard raised his hands, trying to explain, but Linda cut him off.
"To steal, no doubt! We may all be women here, but we can defend ourselves." She shouted
"Leave now, or I'll kill you!" Richard pleaded with frustration,
"I mean no harm! I have travelled far to find Eleanor. Is she here?" Linda's expression turned from fear to rage. She glared at Richard, laughing hysterically.
"You dare to come here? You betrayed her and now you want to take her? You pig!" she chased him, swinging the wood, aiming for his head. Richard ran for his life, dodging the blows.
"You mistake me for someone else!" He shouted, desperate to clear his name with his life at stake. As Linda chases Richard, Eleanor and Loretta arrive on the scene. Loretta looked perplexed, while Eleanor froze with her eyes and mouth wide open with shock.
"Wait!" Eleanor shouted, rushing to restrain Linda.
"Calm down, I know him!" Linda paused, panting, she was still determined to hurt Richard. She points at him and says
"Of course you know him, we all know him. It's Daemon, let's kill him! Don't worry, I'll take care of the body." Richard's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Wait, what? Who?" he asked.
Eleanor intervened, trying to take the wood from Linda.
"No, it's not Daemon, it's Richard. I know him, he is my…how did you find me?" Loretta asks curiously
"Did Daemon send you?" Linda, still hostile, repeated
"Let's kill him." Richard, sweat dripping from his face, asked Eleanor,
"What did you tell them about me? Did you join a cult?" Eleanor countered,
"No, let's not kill the only brother I've ever had." Linda and Loretta exchanged a shocked glance.
"Brother?" the said in unison. Linda released the wood, smoothed her dress, and looked at Loretta with a mix of confusion and curiosity. After a while of silence, Linda and Loretta leave the scene, giving Eleanor and Richard some privacy.
"No sign, no letter, no brief visit, nothing! You disappeared. I thought you were dead. Why didn't you come to me?" Richard asks in a sad tone.
"My husband impregnated his lover, they had a son, my mother-in-law couldn't do anything, my marriage fell apart before my eyes, my husband smeared my name, I heard negative whispers about my character. Come to you? Your wife's face turns red the moment she looks at me."
Eleanor responds with detachment. Richard stares at Eleanor, speechless. The woman before him was unrecognizable, transformed by her independence, even though her hair looked different.
"Come with me," he said,
"let's go home." Eleanor laughed.
"This is my home, Richard." She glanced at Linda and Loretta with eyes filled with gratitude.
"For the first time, I feel supported, free from expectations, I can't leave, I won't leave. I love it here. it's very peaceful, i have no worries, and i do not have to deal with Daemon or his whore."
Richard's eyes looked onto hers, and he saw the happiness radiating from her. He was relieved to see her safe, away from the toxic influence of Lord Daemon and his lover, free from the burdens that she had to deal with. He embraced her warmly.
"I am glad that you have found happiness and freedom here. Please, tell your friends to spare my life next time we meet, because I will be back." Richard spent two good days with the trio, intrigued in their simple, and joyful experience. He told them about the way his wife nags at him and the joy of fatherhood.
He helped with manual labor, cherishing every moment with his sister. As he bid them farewell on the third day, his heart was filled with happiness, knowing Eleanor was safe, happy, and healthy. His worries had finally come to an end.
The Catwights:
"I do not wish to go anywhere with you today, please don't make me go." Lilian pleads with Wade as he prepares to take her with him for a long stroll.
"Hey, we had a deal." He responds. Lilian looks at Lord Wilson and signals him to help her out of the situation. He looks at her and smiles silently with his hands in his pockets.
"Wade, go alone today." Lord Wilson says Lilian leaps for joy and stands behind her father. Wade stands still looking at both of them like he had just been backstabbed.
"I am not saying you cannot go out with your sister. Just for today, take your stroll alone, let the poor girl spend some time with her father." He insists.
"Lilian, the deal we had is off." Wade says before he leaves unhappily. Wade led Stormfire to the lake's edge, where the horse bent to drink from the water. As Wade sat beside his horse, he heard a gentle voice carried by on the breeze, like a soft melody.
The calm tone drew him in, and he rose to investigate the source of the voice. Following the sound, he found himself behind a tree, watching a young woman recite poetry as she wrote in a leather-bound book. As he looked closely, he realized her hair seemed familiar.
As she spoke, she turned, and Wade's eyes met her face in a flash of recognition. Wade's eyes widened in shock, and a broad smile spread across his face.
"Eleanor?" he exclaimed with a whisper.
"Is this a dream?" As he tried to sneak closer, his feet snapped a branch which betrayed his presence, and Eleanor turned around startled. Time froze as they locked eyes, Wade was filled with joy, his heart was racing with excitement, while Eleanor's fear rooted her to the spot.
Wade's thoughts exploded with fireworks and his mind reeled. He finally managed to speak with his voice trembling with emotions.
"Hi, Eleanor." Eleanor was speechless, hearing a stranger say her name.
"Eleanor Tulip, Lady Eleanor Tulip, isn't it?" He says softly. Wade tried to introduce himself but his words spilled in a rush, and Eleanor fled before he could put his words together. Wade's heart was elated and he couldn't stop smiling.
Later, Wade burst into his home dancing and singing. Lilian, who looked in confusion and concern says,
"I didn't go out with you for one day and you returned with insanity?"
"Dear sister, you are free, I do not need your company anymore." He says and runs to his room refusing to join the family for dinner. Wade was overwhelmed with excitement, he couldn't contain his joy, his feet moved to a rhythm only he could hear.
He finally collapsed onto his bed, reliving his encounter with Eleanor, his mind was fixed on her eyes and lips, her presence was like a work of art in his memory. He finally let out a whisper,
"Eleanor." Meanwhile, Loretta and Linda bombard Eleanor with questions about Wade. Eleanor simply wondered how he knew her name. she felt exposed. Her friends, however, saw their meeting as a positive sign, hoping it would grant them special treatment at the upcoming event.