Arc 1: Chapter 21

Returning back to her room, her bathrobe was wrapped around her tightly and a towel on top of her head. She sat in front of her mirror and began drying her hair when a pair of sturdy hands touched her head.

She jumped but it wasn't visible to the eye. She thought she was the only one in her room, thinking Alec was busy doing something else by the time she finished her bath. Removing her hands off the towel, she allowed Alec to dry her hair and comb through it.

In the silence, Alec spoke, cutting it away. "Why did you let her pour tea on you?" he asked, speaking less politely now since it was only the two of them.

Hearing his tone, Elenor relaxed herself even more. Whenever he used a polite tone it felt very distant but when he didn't and instead used a less polite tone it felt more friendly which Elenor preferred more.

"It was expected. I did provoke her a lot at the tea party." Elenor shrugged.

Alec didn't like the answer she had given and spoke again, "Then you should have avoided it."

Elenor looked at him through the mirror and let out a small chuckle, "If I did that, I wouldn't have been able to silence her for good."

"What do you mean?"

Elenor tapped her fingers against the table, "I only told her about the fact that I knew she was a replacement of the duke and duchess' real daughter. So if she ever tried to do something next time, she knows what will happen."

"..." his hands stopped moving the towel.

"Alec?"

"....I am glad to be on milady's side."

Elenor laughed, finding his statement funny. She wiped her tears away from laughing excessively and turned to Alec this time. His face showed that he wasn't joking around but Elenor couldn't control the small fits of giggles that slipped out of her mouth.

"Don't worry, I will never harm you."

"I'm afraid I don't believe you."

"That's hurtful Alec!"

A soft laughter rang in Elenor's ears. It sounded melodic that her heart fluttered by the soft laugh. She whipped her head back to Alec who laughed. Her eyes shining brightly, tugging Alec's sleeve.

"Did you just laugh?"

"I don't know what you're talking about,"

"You did! I heard it just now!"

Alec looked away, letting out a small cough. "It's only a laugh."

"Yeah but you rarely laugh like that." Elenor pointed out, a wide grin on her face.

Alec didn't speak, his only response to her sentence was rolling his eyes before covering her vision with the towel. Elenor yelped trying to get the towel off her but Alec used more force, resulting in her unable to get rid of it. She smacked his arm, signalling him to remove the towel. Alec didn't listen to her, continuing to dry her hair with the towel still covering her vision.

"Do you want a massage?" Alec asked after he was done drying and combing through her hair.

"Yes please!" Elenor delightfully accepted his offer.

Alec's hands snake down to her shoulders, he began massaging her shoulders, pressing the right spots. Elenor let out a contented sigh, feeling herself relax even more. Every time he put more pressure on one spot, she would let out small yelps or tiny groans from the pain.

"..Milady, how many times must I say to not make those types of sounds." Alec sighed as he stopped massaging her shoulders.

Elenor stuck her bottom lip out, "It's hard not to when you are pressing on the pressure points. Deal with it."

"...As you wish."

He continued massaging her shoulders and while she was in her own little world, he mumbled out loud to himself. His eyes barely focusing on her shoulders and he unconsciously added more pressure,

"This is making me go crazy…."

Elenor hissed in pain, "Ow ow ow Alec you're hurting me!!"

"Sorry," Alec apologised, using less strength again.

"Don't use so much strength please," Elenor muttered, her shoulders stinging from the pain caused by Alec's arm strength.

Alec nodded before turning to head out of her room for the day, "If there is nothing else, I shall take my leave milady."

Elenor pondered a bit before tugging on Alec's blazer. He turned his head towards her.

With a cheeky smile on her face, she pulled him downwards. Alec was caught off guard and stumbled down before he was seated down on a chair Elenor was sitting before this. He stared at himself through the mirror with a confused expression on his face.

Elenor who was standing behind him was smiling widely before clearing her throat.

"This time I shall give you a massage," she said, cracking her knuckles.

Alec cringed at the sounds as he had never heard her crack her knuckles before until now. She placed her hands on his shoulders and began massaging them. His shoulders were stiff and Elenor wondered if she was putting enough pressure on it.

She had a concentrated look on her face, putting all her energy and life into massaging his shoulders as best as she could.

Alec who was watching her expressions change from time to time. He found it amusing. He couldn't get enough of watching her and the actions she did. It felt addicting.

"Does it hurt?" she asked which brought his attention to her worried expression on her face.

He tightly made a thin line with his lips before replying, "...Yeah."

Elenor's worried expression grew worse, her hands slowing down, "Does it still hurt?" she asked with concern dripping from her tone.

Alec suddenly had the urge to tease her more. He softly groaned in pain when she massaged his shoulders.

"It still hurts?" Elenor mumbled, disheartened.

"No it doesn't, I was playing around." Alec immediately responded after seeing how dejected she looked.

"Oh good!" Elenor sighed in relief, her face filled with glee before returning back to massaging his shoulders.

After that, Alec didn't say anything else and allowed Elenor to massage his shoulders. It was weird and quite uncomfortable but he couldn't reject it. Although seeing Elenor's dejected puppy eyed look would be amusing and funny, he didn't feel like seeing it right now.

Well, he had to admit, her massages were nice.