Arc 1: Chapter 11

It's been a few weeks since Elenor's encounter with Lloyd. She still didn't know the reason for the sudden change in attitude towards her but decided to brush it off, thinking it was no big deal since it was a small encounter.

She heard from her parents about a hunting event which will be held in two weeks. It is a one day event where knights and noblemen could attend. Ladies are allowed to watch and give their support to their fiance or any man they fancied.

"Brother are you planning on going?" Elenor asked while they were having dinner.

He shook his head, "I have work so I won't be able to attend. Elenor isn't planning to go right?"

"I'm sure Elenor would rather stay at home since his highness almost never attends the hunting events."

Her ears perked up at what her father had said. His highness doesn't attend? Then she shall go!

"Hm I'm planning on going though."

"So sudden?" her mother gasped.

Elenor nodded, "Many ladies around my age would be going since our coming-of-age is just next year."

Richard stared at her with gloomy eyes, "Why is it when I can't attend you want to go? Do you dislike me that much?"

Elenor had a troubled look on her face, "Of course not brother. In fact I wished you were able to attend so I could give you a handmade embroidered handkerchief."

His eyes grew bigger with a gloomier look as if he was about to burst into tears, "You're making a handmade embroidered handkerchief?! The world hates me…" he muttered to himself as he ate his food, dejectedly. She patted his back trying to cheer him up but it didn't work.

After dinner, she told one of the maids to prepare embroidery threads and a plain white handkerchief.

"Is there a reason you are going to the hunting event?" Alec asked once he closed the doors to her room.

Elenor nodded, "I don't truly know the outside world other than the palace, the residence and the town. So going there will give me more knowledge and plus many ladies attend the event. I can get a lot of gossip and extra information."

Averting her eyes away from Alec she mumbled to herself, "And maybe there's good looking guys there."

"It's like watching a whole drama unfolding! Oh! What if it's like those types of dramas on the television? How exciting!"

"Drama? Television?"

"Yes drama!" she nodded enthusiastically,

"Imagine at the hunting grounds, a knight succeeded in capturing the prize and kneels down on one knee for the lady he loves! Every lady will for sure be jealous at the lady who had gotten the confession from the winner of the hunt!"

Elenor was squealing and had a wide smile on her face as she got lost in her imagination. Alec stared at her with a judgemental look before shaking his head.

"I truly do not understand what goes through your mind."

She laughed and winked at Alec, "Isn't that the fun part?"

"No it's the tiring part."

"Shut it Alec."

The maid she had asked, came in and handed her everything she had requested before leaving once again. She stared at the handkerchief before looking up at Alec.

"What do people usually embroider on the handkerchief?"

"Flowers usually."

She shot an aloof expression at Alec, "Eh so boring. Anything else?"

"You can embroider letters like your initials or the initials of the person you would like to give."

She placed her hand on her chin and pondered about it, "Hm maybe I could do that."

Carefully, she schemed through the selections of threads before picking out a blue and yellow thread. She weaved it into the needle hole and began embroidering.

"Who are you giving it to milady?"

"Myself."

"..What?"

"I'm kidding, it's for brother Richard. If I make this for him, he would be happy and stop being sad he can't go to the event."

"Ah...I see. Other than Lord Richard were you planning on making another one?"

"Yup."

"For who?"

She stopped her hand movements and looked up at Alec. With a laugh, she held a finger up to her lips, "A secret."

She continued to embroid a handkerchief, humming to an unfamiliar song that Alec never heard before but didn't ask. Her casual days passed by just like that until the day of the hunting event came.

As she was being sent off by her family, Elenor called out to Richard and handed him the handkerchief.

It had embroidered yellow tiny daisies which surrounded his initials which were embroidered in blue thread. His eyes brighten up before hugging the handkerchief close to his heart.

"I will treasure this forever."

Elenor giggled and nodded, "I'm glad you liked it brother. I'll be off now. Take care."

She got into the carriage with Alec inside with her this time. The carriage started moving, bringing them to the hunting grounds where the event will be held at.

She was dressed in a slightly frilly dress. The sleeves were long and slit from the shoulder to the elbow. Her hair was in a ponytail and her makeup was done on the lighter side like usual. Paired with her dress, she wore a set of boots that had a harness belt around her ankle and mid calf to secure it.

Every time she asked Alec, "Do I look beautiful?" he would answer her back with a monotone voice, "Yes milady."

As usual, this butler of hers isn't interesting. When they reached the hunting grounds, she held Alec's hand as she got down and put on her business smile, knowing she had to meet different kinds of nobles for the day.

Walking to a table which was empty with nobody sitting. She greeted a few ladies who came up to her.

"It is a surprise to see Lady Elenor here at the hunting grounds!" one of them said, surprised laced in her tone.

Elenor nodded and smiled at her, "I thought of coming for once. I regret not going for these past few years. If I had come before this, I would have been able to chat with beautiful ladies like you all sooner."

She easily pleased the ladies she was talking with. They all had a smile on their face, happy to be complimented.

"You should sit with us Lady Elenor."

She shook her head and spoke in a sad tone, "Thank you for such a nice offer but I came quite late to the event so I shall be sitting at another table."

The ladies nodded sadly, "Is that so? What a pity."

Elenor showed them a warm smile, "If there is another time, I would love to sit with you ladies next time."

"We will keep a slot open for you Lady Elenor."

She bowed before leaving, "Thank you very much. Please enjoy the rest of your time now."

She then sat down at a table that had some distance between the other tables that had ladies sitting around.

"How long is this event again?" she quietly asked Alec as he poured her tea.

"Until early evening milady."

"That's long. It's only morning right now as well."

Sitting for a while, she suddenly heard noises. Gazing up, Elenor saw many knights and noblemen getting ready for the hunt.

Some of the ladies had got up from their seats and offered up their handkerchiefs they had embroidered to the ones they like.

She paid no attention to it and quietly drank her tea before a loud scream was heard. She had a small frowned while placing her cup down.

"Why are they screaming like they're getting killed?"

"Milady please do not say such things out loud and it seems like someone is being surrounded by many ladies."

"Who?" Elenor tried to look through the crowd of ladies who surrounded that one man in the middle.

Then she noticed a familiar hair colour. Her eyes widened in horror before turning back to Alec who was also wondering who it was.

"It's his highness." she whispered into his ear.

He had a confused frown on his face. "But doesn't his highness usually not attend."

"That's what I thought too!" she replied back a bit too loud.

Elenor noticed Lloyd's gaze on her. Her face paled before she quickly looked back down at her tea and ate the desserts on the table.

'Please don't come here. Please don't come here. Please don't come here.'

Her prayers beared no fruits as a shadow overlooked her table and she could hear loud whispers.

"Hello Lady Elenor, what a pleasant surprise to see you here."

Elenor wanted to cry right there and then.