Priest Erasmus

Princess Eleanor's eyes widened at that reminder. She nodded her head as she waited patiently for the lady to speak, keeping herself fully alert so she would not miss anything that was told to her. 

"It was a month ago that the temple received a prophecy. Something that was never heard of." Lady Gisella's eyes were low as if she was reliving the moment. "We were all called in to the throne room as Priest Erasmus recited the will of God."

"The one that will reveal the true ruler 

Will not belong to the empire

The consequences of it will be a crown fire

If the chosen one does not desire."

Lady Gisella looked at Princess Eleanor with a soft glow in her eyes. She looked at where the guard was standing. "Sir Kit will be the one following you around from now on. Princess, you are a candidate for the position of Crown Princess and keeping you safe at all times is a necessity."

Princess Eleanor bit her lips as her eyes were still unfocused. She could not comprehend the whole thing. There were many things going on in her mind and she was feeling a little confused.

—------

"Princess?" Her lady-in-waiting called out in a hesitant tone as she looked at Princess Eleanor.

"Does Felix want to meet you?" Princess Eleanor asked. Her tone was soft as if she had already predicted it.

Nia nodded her head though she knew that Princess Eleanor could not see her nodding from that angle. "Yes."

Princess Eleanor was looking out of the window. Her eyes were still focused on the garden. She could see the rose garden in the distance and a smile bloomed on her face. She turned around as she looked straight into Nia's eyes.

"Nia, you are my lady-in-waiting and he is my best friend. You both are my most trusted people. I would like to believe that Felix is forced into his current situation. But whatever you choose, it will be your decision and you'll have to live with the consequences."

Nia nodded her head as her eyes welled up with tears. She was at a crossroad but she knew that in one deep corner of her heart, she would no doubt choose Princess Eleanor in the end.

"I will be back soon." Nia whispered as she saw Princess Eleanor nodding and waved her off, granting her the permission to leave.

But before her lady-on-waiting left the room, Princess Eleaanor gave her one last order. "As you go out, send Sir Kit in."

Nia's eyes widened as she nibbled on her lips. It was not a good thing. A man alone in the lady's room was a huge no-no. And more so when the lady was a Princess, it would be beyond scandalous. 

Princess Eleanor knew what her lady-in-waiting was thinking. "Don't worry. He might be an intelligent man. Just tell him that no one should know he is inside and Sir Kit would understand what to do."

Nia was silent for a few seconds before nodding her head in defeat. Although she wanted to stop the Princess, she knew that it would be difficult. Her Princess was not someone who would easily listen to others.

Nia left the room after looking at Princess Eleanor one last time. She bit her lips as she looked at the guard stationed outside Princess Eleanor's door.

'How will Sir Kit enter the room?' Nia thought as she searched for Sir Kit.

—---

Once Nia left the room, her surroundings became silent. The sun was going down and she could already see the moon from a distance.

Princess Eleanor's eyes were filled with unknown emotions. She needed to make a decision soon. She knew that she had to give Lady Gisella an answer in two days.

'But two days is not long enough to make such a decision.' Princess Eleanor thought as she took a deep breath.

'If Lady Gisella's words are to be believed, once I go to the Roulux Empire, I would be a part of it. I can no longer leave the Empire even if I am not selected to be the Crown Princess.' 

'It is not sending a Princess for marriage. It's abandoning them.'

'But if I go, then how would I find my parents' killer?'

'How would I avenge my brother's death?'

Princess Eleanor's eyes dimmed. The thought of her late family brought two main emotions out in her. Sorrow and determination.

Sorrow that she could never see her family again and determination to find the killer and get the revenge that would satisfy her.

Princess Eleanor's body stiffened as she took a deep breath. 'I cannot forget why I came back to the Angevin Kingdom. I need to find the clues. I need to find all who were involved in my parents' death. I need to bring them to justice and claim what is rightfully mine.'

Princess Elanor was engrossed in her thoughts when she heard a sound. Frightened, she turned around only to find the man she had called for standing at a distance.

'How did he enter?' Princess Eleanor was confused. She looked at the door only to find that it was still shut. If there would have been any movement to the door, Princess Eleanor was sure that she would have heard it.

'People of the Empire are truly mysterious,' Princess Eleanor sighed as she took a few deep breaths to control her now rapidly breathing heart. 

Her eyes lingered on the man. 'So he is a Knight.'  Princess Eleanor's lips curled up. Initially she had thought that Sir Kit might be a guard, but now that she was looking closely at his badge, the Princess was sure that he was a knight. A Knight with a reputation.

As a Princess, she had studied a lot from a young age and knowing the grade of the Knights were one of the many things required of them. It was a shameful thing for any Princess to mess that up.

Princess Eleanor's gaze was focused on the badge on Sir Kit's clothes. Although his face was still covered, she could see his eyes staring at her like the darkness was engulfing her. A strong, bloodthirsty aura exuded from his body. Was that aura because Sir Kit was a soldier who might have fought in many wars before? 

Princess Eleanor knew that the man would have won some great wars. 'The Emperor is surely very generous. Sending someone like this to escort Princesses. They do consider it utterly important.'

Princess Eleanor wanted to laugh. The smile was about to blossom on her face when something caught her eyes. Something that made her eyes widen and her breath hitch.