Just as Elinor wanted to run away from the situation, Stella spoke up again."You're still worried about the late dress aren't you?" She asked and Elinor looked at her with grateful eyes. Stella may have noticed that Elinor didn't want to talk about any of that. In fact, she couldn't talk about it even though Stella knew most of what was happening before she left for Oreland, she couldn't tell her anything.In the end, Stella had only asked if she was okay now and if the girl, Nathan's sister was okay too."Can you wear something else to the ball?" Daisy asked"I can't. When my uncle heard about the ball, he told his seamstress and she got all excited preparing the dress for me. I can't disappoint them and not wear it,"And I can't skip the briefing session because they may be bringing news of my father's innocence' She thought.The three of them started heading out of the library slowly walking as they spoke. It was sunset outside and the weather was quite nice."You know there's no
"That colour really goes well with you," Elinor said as she watched Stella get ready in front of the mirror."Red is my color," Stella said simply as she applied red lipstick that would have looked on another person like something a prostitute would do. But on Stella, it looked like it was elegance and dark beauty itself."It is, no one can take that away from you," She said "As blue is yours. But in your case, I don't think that it will go away even if you want to remove it," She said with a meaningful glance through the mirror."By the way do you at least know what color is your dress going to be tonight?" Stella asked,"Yes, the seamstress said white. I told Azeph so it should be okay,""Hmm, it does sound like something suited for the last dance," Stella commented,"It is. I guess it would work well if I can make it there," She added and Stella paused for a moment looking at her."Are you sure you don't want to delay the message until after the ball. I'm sure the messenger will w
Elinor was breathing heavily as she looked around the garden desperately. It was cold, and her dress was lighter than it was supposed to be in this weather outside. Sighing deeply and realizing that she was too late and that Azeph really wasn't there, she sat down on a bench facing the small pond at the center and stared at it."Elin? Is that you?" She heard behind her and stood up to look at the newcomer.Azeph was stepping toward her wearing a cloak and looking flushed as if he had been waiting in the cold for a long time. "You look... You look beautiful" he said as if it was the most natural thing in the world, "But you can't stay in the cold like this, you will catch your death,” he added as he removed his cloak throwing it around her shoulders.“Have you been waiting for me all this time?” She asked as the warmth of the cloak settled around her settling her panic down and helping her regain her equilibrium.“Knowing that you would be late I waited for a while before coming here.
“Come on, Elin!” Noah said as he pulled her away from the group toward the dance floor, “the song is already starting!” He added with a smile and she followed him to the dance floor letting him initiate their dance before they started spinning around.“Did you hear some bad news?” Noah asked“Yes,” Elinor answered simply and he gave her a sympathetic smile.“But it didn’t seem like it was a complete surprise. Or was it the presence of a certain someone that made things easier?” He asked“A little bit of both. I decided to give both of us a chance, hoping that I don’t end up being a burden to him,”“Have a feeling that even of you end up having to rely on him, he would be all too happy to take care of you,” Noah said and Aira smiled at him not saying anything, there was rarely any need for Noah to understand anything. He always did, even if he doesn’t touch her he could always tell.“I’m still worried about you,” he said.“You don’t have to, I’m fine, and I’m being very careful,” she s
"There are a few things I would like to discuss with you later. You should stp by my office after classes tomorrow," The headmaster told her after dropping his small social bomb on her.She ould hear whispers around them, people were reacting to the headmaster's ccomments. She needed to do something."I am saddened to tell you that your matchmaking attemosst have been fruitless, headmaster. Had you told me at first, I would have explained to you that the two of us are not compatible as a couple at all. We are good friends that is a fact, but that's all there is to it," She lied and looked at Azeph who smiled down at her and nodded.They'd agreed to keep their relationship a secret for now. per her request, And the headmaster's attempt to publicize it was ruining her plans."I see... A miscalculation on my part. for now..." He added and Elinor smiled at him“Absolutely not,” Elinor answered, Azeph chuckled.“I thought so,” he answered as Louis came toward them stoping when he was in fro
Azeph had been leaning against the wall watching Elinor dance with Louis as if they had been doing it for a long time. And they probably did.Their movement were in sync and their dace skills were extraordinary. They stole the eyes of everyone on that gace floor. Including the headmaster who stopped talking to his companion and watched them with an interested smile.Azeph knew that this was a good thing, that this would dissipate any rumors about the two of them for the time being, but there was no helping the pang of jealousy that prickled his heart.Those two were like brother and sister, their bond was so clear and strong that Azeph didn't have any doubt about it. But in his possessive and obsessive mind, Elinor was finally his and he was having a hard time standing back and seeing her with someone else.Jealousy truly is an ugly thing..."You okay over there?" Will said as he approached him,"Can't be better," He responded without looking at his friend, he couldn't move his gaze aw
Elinor took a deep shuddering breath when she revealed the truth to him. Azeph pulled her to face him leaning down to look into her eyes with his blue ones. His gaze was serious as he looked at her and she looked back at him holding her breath and waiting for what he was going to say."Someone had been trying to kill you?" he asked"His majesty told me after the investigation that most of the people in the caste knew about his habit of drinking from my cup. It was something he started to do a few years ago and we bickered a lot about it. I hadn't taken a sip from that cup, if I had we would have both died. His Majesty said that there was a big possibility that the culprit knew about his habit and they poisoned my cup instead of his. Either they didn't care if I died with him or they just didn't think that far ahead," She explained."But you are still blaming yourself for not drinking first. Even if you did, Elin, you would have simply died both," Azeph said"No... We wouldn't have..."
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” Azeph asked as he took his coat from her before they headed back into the ballroom.“Of course,” she said with a smile his way. She was going to be fine either way. “Are you ready for our dance?”“I am ready,” she responded as she put her hand on his arm and headed inside. Soon after they came in, the crowds separated making way for them to head for the dance floor. They walked there and stood at the center waiting for the orchestra to begin the closing song.Azeph bowed before her his hand outstretched and she put hers in it curtsying to him slowly.They straightened up looking at each other in the eyes. Azeph was gazing at her with something akin of longing and reached out for her lightly touching her waist. She put her hand on his shoulder letting him pull her a bit closer. Enough to be close to each other, but not enough to satisfy the longing an passion burning between them.Azeph started leading the dance moving around slowly with the se