Intruder inside the palace

Alphonse took Eleanor to the imperial library since he knew that she loved to read, he guessed that it would help her forget all the bad event that happened. And to his delight she had glithering wide eyes at the sight of the enormous library. She looked around excited like a little girl and occasionally looked back at him like a kid making sure with his parents, that he was allowed to play with a toy. He thought that she was cute and showed her all kind of history book about the three kingdom and those beyong the ocean. They enjoyed their time but sometimes Alphonse felt bitter about the situation that happened at town and also most of all about his brother's attitude toward her. He understood that Francis was getting attached to her and he feared that it would hurt Eleanor at some point, he wanted to avoid that by all mean. The butler came and fowarded the emperor's order to come for a meeting in his office. They were escorted to his office and found the other all reunited there, waiting for them. Francis was sitting on his chair behind his desk with his hands clasped in front of his face. Among the others there was a woman, that Eleanor never saw before. She was standing beside Francis with a hand placed around his shoulder, it was like she claimed him as her property. Her blond hair was long and curly and her purple eyes explored Eleanor from head to toes like she was judging her, then she looked at Alphonse and smiled to him while waving her hand at him. He politely smiled back and turned toward Eleanor to show her a seat. His lack of reaction to her greeting weirdly amused Eleanor, so she did all she could to not burst in laughter. Tea was served after they all took their place and then Francis began the meeting while introducing the woman. The others all seemed to know her so Eleanor was the only one to whom he introduced her.

"Eleanor, this lady is Valeria Desmond she is taking care of my psychological problem. And Valeria, this is Eleanor, she is my guest and the one that was attacked at the town."

Valeria looked at Eleanor with a mocking smile and said,

"It is nice to meet you dear, what happened there must have been frightening. Are you feeling better?!"

"Yeah, I am perfectly fine. Thanks miss Desmond." Eleanor replied while calling her by her family name in courtesy.

"You can call me Valeria, though Francis is the only one calling me that."

She wanted to let her know that she was close with Francis since he called her by her name but that didn't really bother Eleanor, what annoyed her, was the triomphant expression she had while boasting, so she tilted her head in wonder as if what Valeria said was insignifiant and said,

"No, it is okay. I don't plan on seeing lady Desmond all the time anyway since you are not living in the palace so there is no need to call you by your name."

Valeria's faced twisted at her reply that implied the fact that Valeria was only a guest whereas Eleanor was living at the palace, and before she could answer back, Francis reminded the meeting's topic, though he slighty smiled at Eleanor's reply before speaking and Valeria who saw that, got even more infuriated and furiously took her cup of tea while nearly burning her hand.

"This meeting is about a woman that infiltrated the palace, right Val? can you tell us the detail?"

"Yes your majesty, we found her disgused as a maid and she was trying to go near miss Eleanor's room. The other maids alerted the butler and that's how we got her."

"How did she get through the guards?!" Francis wondered with his face expressing his anger, he looked at Val for answer.

"Well,....it seem like she is...humm." Val had a hard time answering to Francis in fear of his reaction at the revelation of that woman's identity.

Francis tilted his head, his face expressed his impatience and his tone became firm and commanding as he said,

"Val, are you gonna tell us what happened or are you telling me to guess the answer myself?"

"Well, the thing is, the guards couldn't saw her enter because she didn't past through the entrance."

"Then, how did she enter the palace? are saying that she flew through the air...." He stopped mid sentence and his eyes widened in surprise, the others didn't understood the situation, Val and Francis as well as Eleanor were the only one that might have figured out the woman's identity. Eleanor weirdly guessed it as soon as Val said that the woman infiltrated the palace and that the guards didn't spot her entering. She knew that only a witch could dissipate herself from other's view by reading a spell. She did all she could to hide her surprise but Francis noticed her facial expression change and asked her,

"Lea, did you figure out something?!"

Valeria was stunned by the nickname he used to call her and clenched her grip on her cup before taking a sip while doing all she could to hide her expression.

Eleanor jumped from surprise at his question and she averted her eyes from him to hide her panic.

"I...I don't understand what you mean, your majesty."

He narrowed his eyes in disbelief but didn't bother her further. He looked toward Val and continued while putting on a cold and indecipherable expression,

"Is she a witch?!"

At that moment, Valeria saw the change in his mood, while interrogating Val he was cold and menacing but as he looked toward Eleanor his expression slightly softened. The change was evident and she saw it right away, and that made her feel unsettled.

The fact that the woman was a witch shocked the audience in the meeting, and Francis was more moody than usual. Alphonse stood up and walked toward the large window, he crossed his arms and said,

"A witch?! how is that possible, the entire empire know how much the emperor despise the witchs.....knowing that, how could this woman fearlessly come here?!"

"That's a wonder, but either way what are we gonna do with her? also why did she want to go to miss Eleanor?" Said Sebastian while looking at his cup that became cold.

They looked toward Eleanor and Francis asked with his eyes narrowed in suspicions.

"Do you know a witch?" He said with a cold tone that she had not hear since the day she met him. It made a smile appear on Valeria's face, showing that she enjoyed the situation.

Eleanor shut her eyes and breath in and out calmly before answering while looking at him in the eyes with a calm and indifferent look,

"No, I don't know a witch."

He locked his eyes on hers for a while, and finally said,

"Good!...That woman might have been send here by those same people that want to harm Eleanor."

"That's possible since we are still investigating the case." Sebastian nodded at the possibility and wrote down on his report book to record the evidence.

"What do we do about her, your makesty?" Val waited on Francis's order about the woman's fates. Francis drank the tea that was refilled and nonchalantly said without looking at Val,

"Just execute her for trespassing on the imperial palace."

Eleanor couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her eyes widened in surprise and she almost choke on the tea she sipped. She wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and said,

"Wait, what do you mean execute her?! just because she came in the palace?! isn't it to harsh to kill her just for that?!"

Francis was about to take a snack, but at her question he suddenly stopped his move. And the other showed a troubled expression and looked toward Francis to see his reaction. They knew that Eleanor only said that out of concerne because she didn't knew why Francis hated the witch. But still, her innocent concern could arouse his wrath that's what they all feared apart from Valeria who was expecting Francis to vent his anger on her.