The appropriate answers

Eleanor woke up from her long sleep and still felt tired for some reason. She realized the after effect of using too much power at the same time, and it could also be due to fact that she wasn't used to it. Fortunately apart from feeling tired, she was fine and relieved that it all ended well. Anne and Elise were okay, even though they were quite frightened by all the horrendous incident that happened. Miel was escorted with the carriage by the guards too and rushed to Eleanor's side as soon as she reached the palace. Now she was sitting on a chair beside Eleanor's bed, looking tired from lack of sleep. Her head was nodding since she fell asleep on the chair while waiting. 'I feel bad, it is all my fault, maybe I shouldn't have went to town with them. They surely wouldn't have encountered such danger if not for me...and...he wouldn't have being hurt if not for me.' She thought while looking at her hands with a sorrowful expression. She shut her eyes and tried to get all the event that happened out of her mind, so that she could ease her guilt and not make other worry by showing a pained expression. After almost falling from her chair Miel woke up from her sleep and with blinking eyes she looked at Eleanor. Then, with widened eyes she stood up, put her hands on the bed, leaned toward her and shouted,

"Lea!!! you are finally awake, thanks god!! Do you know how much you worried us. You were unconscious for two days.."

"Two days?! waaa....I didn't think that I slept for that long since I still feel tired....Sorry for worrying you Miel!"

"What? you still feel unwell?! do you want me to fetch sir Cain for you? he told me to inform him as soon as you wake up, even the emperor." As she said that she was about to run out of the room but Eleanor grabbed her hand and said,

"Ah! wait...I still need a bit of time to clear my mind, can you let them know later, so that....." Before she could finish, Elise entered the room and after seeing Eleanor awake she shouted enthusiastically while running back that she finally regained conscious.

"Sigh! seem like that's no longer possible..." She wanted to get up to wash her face before any other person came in, but Miel reacted quickly and handed her the water and a container she will use to wash her face. After refreshing herself she asked Miel while drying her face,

"So, did someone came when I was unconscious beside Cain?"

"Now that you remind me, it was really frightening...I saw the most important people of the empire gather in one place."

Miel related to Eleanor everything that happened while she slept. Francis got out of his bed as soon as he hear that she was unconscious, wearing only his nightgown he went directly to her room followed by his brother, the captain of the imperial knights, the imperial doctor and the head of administration. He came to check on her despite the report from his doctor. He frowned at the sight of her pale face and thought, 'What could have happened for her to be in this state, before I fainted she was perfectly fine....did something happen after that?! is it related to the light I saw? so many questions without answers this is getting on my nerves.' He looked at Cain and still asked despite knowning his answer,

"Can you tell me why she is in this state? is it because she got hurt?"

"No, physically she is fine, but like I told you she just strained herself too much and because of the fight she must have been in a lot of stress...that's why she is recovering right now." He said while trying his best to look convincing. Cain knew that her condition wasn't only due to what he reported to Francis but he could only give him this answer for now and wait for Eleanor before judging the situation. Francis sighed and looked back at her, worried. He thought that she could disappear like thin air, she seemed so fragile. That fact made him restless for the first time in his life, him who was usually coldhearted and indifferent. Cain was deep in thought and continued while looking at her with a worried face,

"Francis let me tell you one thing, whatever you think or decide, remember that without her not only you nor all the town people would have survived at that attack since you were about to lose control of over that power. She saved you and your empire....please do remember that."

"Hey Cain, be careful while speaking to his..." Sebastian was outraged by his forwardness, but was interrupted by Francis.

"Are you hiding something from me?" Francis replied to Cain, his gaze still on her, and he didn't look offended by Cain's advice.

"No,...well for now I told you the only thing I knew about her condition."

"Very well, I will remember your advice but Cain, you better not hide anything from me. Weither we are friends or not, you know that I will never tolerate that." He said and Cain bowed toward him in response with a serious face. Francis has always been a cold and brilliant emperor, but often cruel with every person that pissed him off. That's why, apart from his close friends, all the other persons feared him greatly as soon as they meet his gaze. The only person that didn't fear him after meeting him was Eleanor and that always intrigued him.

Before leaving her room he instructed Val and Sebastian to investigate the attack that happened. And he clearly stated that he wanted the culprit by the end of the day. They were shocked by the short delay they had but still nodded and left the room with him.

After knowing all the thing that happened while she was sleeping, Eleanor worried about all the questions that will be asked to her, because while listening to Miel she knew that Cain and Francis might suspected something. She was thinking hard about the appropriate answers to tell them while nervously arranging her disheveled hair. She was aware of the fact that there wasn't much to say since all the thing that happened didn't seem normal, the fact that she healed him quickly and her fight with the assailants, all of this slowly disclosed her identity. She didn't have the time to properly think about an excuse they might believe because the door burst open and Francis stood there, wearing the formal uniform of an emperor. It was the first time she saw him wear it, 'he look incredibly handsome and powerful like the great emperor he is, in this suit...thanks to this I can feel the difference and distance between our root and upbringing. Now what will I tell him?!.....that I am neither elf nor human? someone rejected by the elves because of the difference from them and that will soon be rejected by you all too for the same reasons?' As she thought that, tears filled her blue eyes and she had to look toward the window to hide her tears from Francis and the others that entered right after him. She noticed that they appeared to have been in a meeting before coming here because of their formal clothes. Eleanor prepared her mind for the questions that were to follow, she clenched her fist on the sheet and blinked to stop her tears.

Francis came near her bed with light step and after seeing her avert her eyes he slightly frowned since it was considered an act of disrespect to not look or stand up in presence of the emperor. Still, he didn't mind it and he calmly asked,

"Are you okay?! You have being unconscious for nearly two days, do you feel numb or are you hurting anywhere?"

She didn't answer for a while, not because she had nothing to say, but because she couldn't. His concerned tone and gentle manner took her by surprise, she didn't though that they would be worried about her, instead she was expecting to face their cold and distrustful gaze. That's why she was speechless, and had a hard time not to burst in tears, her lips were trembling and her eyes tightly shut to prevent tears from flowing on cheeks.

"Lea?! what's wrong?" He continued, seeing as she didn't say a words for a moment and tilted his head to be able to see her face.

She gulped her sorrow and faintly answered,

"I..I am fine. I was just embarassed to receive you all in this way."

"There's no need to feel ashamed.." He said and glared at the other behind him, meaning that they were prohibited to look at her.

They all cleared their throat and tried their best to look at the wardrobe or table or window, anything but her way. Eleanor thought that their desesperate reaction was funny hence she laughed and said,

"Heh! I am really fine now, thanks to all of you for worrying about me."

Sebastian and Val smiled and slighty bowed toward her, Cain winked at her with a bright smile and Alphonse contrary to other had an odd expression on his face. Sebastian took a step foward and said,

"I would like to thank you for saving his majesty's life once again even though this time it was kind of your fault...." Francis cut him with a piercing glare and he faltered and just bowed while expressing his gratitude.

Eleanor nodded her head, agreeing with him with an awkward smile. After that, she asked them to let her change her clothes and agreed to meet them at lunch.