To open a way out

Escorted by Val and Sebastian, Eleanor didn't feel like a criminal because despite knowing her identity they treated her Kindly, contrary to how they treated the witch locked in the basement. As soon as they left Francis's office, she saw Miel worried sick, with a face full of tears. With a faint smile Eleanor thought that she was truly kind to still worry about her even though she heard the fact that she was a witch. 'She must have overheard the conversation but still she is worrying about me and crying for my sake. You are the first human that I thought of as a friend.' She looked at her and took her hand before saying,

"Miel, you don't need to worry, I am okay.....everything will be fine. You know, after I came here I always felt out of place and I worried that I wouldn't be able to get used to this place....But thank to you Miel and Elise and Anne, though short I liked my stay here. For that I want to thank you sincerely. Thank you for taking care of me. You are my friend Miel!" Eleanor smiled to her brightly before nodding toward Val and continued to walk away. Miel choke from the cry and sadness, she sobbed and stuttered,

"My Lady...wait...please..I..I"

Eleanor suddenly stopped and turned around, she looked at Miel tenderly and said, "I told you, I will be fine and Miel can you please bring me my bag I need it near me...I would feel more secure if I have it with me. Will that be okay sir Sebastian?" She said to Sebastian who didn't move his eyes away from her. He nodded and a sigh of relief left her mouth, she bitterly smiled at him then told to Miel to bring the bag to her as soon as possible. Her former maid still had tears filling her cheeks but she hurriedly nodded and ran to get the bag. Sebastian found it weird that she requested her bag in this situation and wanted to search the bag but he gave up the idea since his majesty told him to treat her with respect. She wanted to have her only belonging with her and since he was told to treat her well, he left the matter as it was..at least for the time been. As soon as the emperor would think this through and come to a decision, Sebastian knew that at that moment he will have to search everything concerning her and at that time he would be free to look in the bag and see what she is hidding. Since the day she came to the palace, he was always suspicious of her not in a bad way but still it bothered him how she had this much influence on the emperor. He was indeed suspicious of her but he didn't hate her either, on the contrary he often thought that she some times softened the emperor and that helped a lot.

They arrived at the basement where the witch was locked up, it was clean but somber. While going toward the basement all the eyes were on them, the nobles working at the palace as well as the servants wondered what was happening. Seeing two of the closed person to the emperor escorting the one rumored to be his lover made them all agitate from curiosity. Valeria looked at the situation and her lips went up from happiness, she didn't see this coming but for her it was for the best. She mockingly told the servants about the reunion that happened at the emperor's office even though it is normaly supposed to stay confidential. She was more than willing to go against that rule just to make the servants spread the words about Eleanor been a witch and the emperor forsaking her for that. At the basement Val went forward and with a serious yet courteous manner leaded her to the witch's cell and opened the door for her. The young witch had a stunned expression on the face, at first she was sitting on a chair while looking down but as soon as she saw them bringing Eleanor to her cell, she stood up in a hurry from the surprise. Val and Sebastian didn't care about the witch's reaction, they were too busy looking at Eleanor's every move since she was a mistery to them. The fact that she was a witch was unexpected and they wondered what she could still be hidding knowing that they still didn't know where she came from.

Eleanor looked at the witch and smiled to her, she walked toward her in the cell without been forced to and made them speechless. It was not common to witness a person entering a cell without been forced to. And knowing that every person that were locked up at the imperial palace always ended up executed made it even harder for them to believed that she was entering with a smiling expression.

Val and Sebastian locked up the cell and told her that she had to stay there until the emperor took a decision about her. Soon after they left Miel came with Eleanor's bag and handed it to her with a worried expression. She tried to talk to Eleanor but the guard outside only let her in to hand the bag so she could only say a few words filled with concern before been thrown out of the Jail. After she left, the witch looked at Eleanor from the corner of her eyes and finally asked,

"Why are you here?!"

Eleanor turned her face toward her and smiled gently before answering,

"What about you? why did you come to the palace while knowing that the emperor despised witches...while knowing that you could lose your life?"

The witch didn't reply and bit her lower lips, after a moment she smirked and said,

"Yeah, when you are putting it like that, it seem like my action were rash and stupid...heh! you sounded like my brother when you said that.."

"Your brother is the smart one I suppose seeing as he isn't here with you..."

"I had my reason for coming here."

"And your reason was me, I suppose."

".....Yes.."

"Then before we find a way out of this place, you will tell me what you want from me."

"Huh! escape? how?"

She smiled and sweetly replied,

"That, of course will depend on what you will say."