Celebration in town

"Miss Lea, the emperor's in his palace don't you want to go and greet him?!"

Eleanor was on her bed absent mindedly reading a book, she ate her lunch in her room. She didn't want to see him for the time being. The book was about history of the human empire, about how they hunted down the witchs for decades. She wondered if it was still the case in present day.

"No, I am a little busy reading and I don't want to disturb him, he must be busy too working on all kind of state affairs." She smiled in consideration and returned to her book, even though she seemed to care about his matter, deep down all she wanted was to avoid meeting him as much as possible. So that she could forget about her confused feeling for him.

Miel looked at her worried because Eleanor didn't seem so enchanted by his highness's return, then she changed the subject and said,

"Anne and Elise are really excited to go to town with you, they prepared for tonight since days ago."

"Oh, yes about that I have a surprise, for our outing I found a carriage that has access in and out of the palace." She replied enthusiastically while turning her gaze full of excitement toward Miel.

"Really?! whose carriage is it?"

"Doctor Cain, he let me borrow it for tonight. He told us to go and enjoy the festivity."

"That's really wonderful miss Lea, I will tell the girls about it, they will surely be thrilled to hear that."

"Haha, yeah I think so too. Ah, and can you please get me some snacks and tea, I am a bit thirsty."

"Yes I will prepare that for you right away."

"Thanks Miel."

She hurriedly left the room to inform the girls and prepare some tea for Eleanor. The book seemed boring at some point so she closed it before lying down. The quietness of her room, light coming through the large windows, made her feel calm and doze from sleep.

Without warning Francis opened the door, it was impolite to go in a ladies's room without knocking and announcing themselves first, but because he was impatient, he skipped the formalities and invaded the room. His eyes scanned through the room in search for her, then his eyes laid on a sleeping Eleanor, lying on her right side, her hair cascading on the cushion. He stayed beside the door for what seemed like an eternity then slowly approached her without making any noise. He sat on the edge of her bed with his eyes still locked on her. It was like, his eyes tried to picture every corner of her being to carve it in his brain because of the long weeks they were apart. 'I am sorry, I shouldn't have left like that, I was wrong, I missed you so much, I don't deserve your love, I can't accept it, yet I don't want to lose you.' Those thoughts keep going through his mind, night and day at some point it was like a song that keep on repeating and that he couldn't reveal to her. In her sleep, she lay on her back and he could finally see her face. During those three weeks, he dreamed of her nearly every night, and each time he tried to touch her, she disappeared. So, he went near her face, lightly brushed her cheek and then put a light kiss on her lips. Francis was annoyed of the fact that Sebastian would be looking for him everywhere because there was still works piling up on his office desk. So, after kissing her, he left the room and returned toward his office.

Eleanor was woken up by the excited voices of Anne and Elise. She slowly opened her eyes, disappointed to have to wake up from her beautiful dream. Her cheeks became slightly red when she remembered the dream, she saw him and he was kind and lovely toward her, she even feel his kiss and it looked real. She put her hand on her eyes to try and rewind that scene. She smiled while thinking about it, and then got up abrutely feeling ashamed of her thoughts toward a man that didn't love her and didn't spare the slightest thought for her. The young maids that were putting on the table the tea and snacks turned toward her and smiled. Anne came toward her and said,

"Did you sleep well? come and have your tea."

"Yes, It came at the right time." Eleanor smiled and got out of bed to settle down on her sofa and enjoy the warm tea. She loved to have tea on her terrasse but since the weather became colder it was no longer possible. Miel was looking for a dress in the wardrobe for tonight's outing. Anne went to help her with excitement while Elise served Eleanor tea. While looking through the wardrobe Anne said,

"Miss Lea, Miel told us about the carriage of doctor Cain. You can't guess how much this new made us happy, it is our first time taking a carriage and on top of that it belong to the famous imperial doctor."

Elise nodded and with glithering eyes she continued,

"Yes, and all the other maids envied us so much."

"Haha, I am glad to hear that, I suppose you are all ready for tonight." She said after drinking her tea.

"Yes we are ready and finished our share of works, now we just need to find your dress." Said Anne after taking out a lot of dress from the wardrobe and putting them on the bed.

"I don't need to wear an extravagant dress, just a simple one will do. I don't want to draw attention on me." Said Eleanor after looking at the dresses on the bed.

"I think that even in simple dress, it would be hard to not draw attention with your long white blond hair and beautiful figure." Elise uttered after observing Eleanor and thinking hard for a dress that could make her draw less attention.

"Hahaha, don't exaggerate Elise, there's surely a lot of people with my hair color."

"No, I assure you Lea I didn't see anyone with your hair color. It is unique and beautiful some times it look like it is shining." Replied Elise while admiring her hair.

"Well then, I guess I should wear a coat with a hood to hide my hair, anyway it's cold outside so it will be pratical." Eleanor suggested as she ate a piece of strawberry cake.

Miel chose a simple but cute dress that Eleanor and the two girls approved, and then they spent their afternoon chatting about the town while drinking tea.

The sun went down and it was dark, the girls were all ready and Miel was styling Lea's hair. Eleanor put on her coat, after a last look on the mirror, they left the room and reached the carriage that the coachman prepared for them on the order of doctor Cain. Anne and Elise screamed in excitement after they saw the carriage, Eleanor looked at it with indifference because she already took a carriage more stunning than this one. The one she took with Francis while coming to the palace. Though, Cain's carriage was as beautiful as Francis's carriage, it was white with golden patterns. The coachman bowed toward them and opened the door, they got inside and feel like they were princesses for one night. They passed through the imperial gates without problem and thanks to the curtains, no one saw who occupied the carriage. After smoothly passing the gates, their nervousness subsided and they laughed and chatted happily as the carriage departed toward the town.