Visit at night

Alastair did not have to look at the woman beside him to know she was vexed by his question. He could guess what was running in her mind just by the way her hands clenched her dress. Her face was way too expressive and Alastair found it amusing to see her vivid emotions. He had found prey to his enjoyment and Eleanor was just fit for the game he had in mind, a very interesting game. Alastair was a man who reveled in others' misery especially people like Eleanor and her father. Now that the prey had come to him automatically, why would he allow it to go until he was satisfied?

"I am almost done, my Lord." Eleanor controlled her annoyance and let out a forced smile which made Alastair smile at her in return.

"I am glad to hear that. Otherwise, I would have asked my men to assist you." Alastair added. He knew that Eleanor would not have even had time to unpack her things in the first place. She had come to the castle just yesterday and now she was asked to leave. How unfortunate!

If not for the fact that the woman had some ill intentions towards him, he would have extended her stay in the castle for his entertainment. After the departure of his parents, the place was bound to go silent and Alastair would become lonely. With Eleanor living in the castle, he would at least have someone for his merriment. But the girl was really unlucky to have missed such a good opportunity to keep the king happy.

"Thank you for your help, my Lord. I think I can manage."

"If you say so." Alastair continued walking with Eleanor trying to match his footsteps beside him. His eyes then fell on the butterfly that was hovering over a flower in the garden and he smiled seeing it. For a second, seeing the butterfly flying freely, Alastair had a wish to leave the castle and the throne and take a walk around his kingdom without anybody noticing him be the king. But that was impossible, given that there were people who wanted him dead.

Alastair smirked at the ridiculous thought. Who would dare to stop him when he had made up his mind? Not many people knew what his abilities were and how capable he was. Even if a hundred people ambushed him, he could save himself. He had that power and the skills. It was fixed now. Alastair would take a walk around his kingdom at night and decided to visit the village of Soren especially. If possible, he wanted to meet the lady with the green eyes himself.

"My Lord, what are you thinking?" Eleanor queried as she wanted to know what was more fascinating than her that he was completely lost in thoughts. Since the time she had come to the palace, not once had the king looked at her or admired her beauty. This was a little embarrassing to her considering the fact that she was always drowned with praises wherever she went before.

"I am thinking about bees who poke their noses at matters that are not related to them. Don't you think it's interesting Lady Eleanor that bees are the worst kind of creatures? Even if we swat them away, or try to kill them, they keep coming back to interfere in matters that are not relevant to them. How incredulous!!"

As always Eleanor did not understand the hidden meaning behind his words and assumed him to be talking about normal bees. "Yes, my Lord. You are absolutely right. I hate bees too. They are too annoying"

Her answer made Alastair stifle a chuckle. The woman was more stupid than he had assumed her to be. He then remembered something and he smiled evilly. "How is your mother, Lady Eleanor? I forgot to ask about her before."

Now, Eleanor froze at her spot on hearing the question about her mother. This was a topic she loathed the most. Her birth mother had died immediately after giving birth to her and her stepmother, who her father had married when was two years old, had done everything in her capacity to look after her and her elder brother, Killian. However, the siblings assumed her to have hidden intentions that were masked behind her act of kindness and they were worried that she married her father for her personal gain.

Eleanor hated her stepmother the most and if possible, she would have killed her the day she had married her father. However, following her instincts only meant going against her father and that was something she never wanted to do. Her father loved her the most and she would never try to cross him.

"I believe she is doing fine, my Lord."

"You believe?" Alastair raised an eyebrow and his lips twitched in amusement. He knew about the tiff between Eleanor's stepmother and the two siblings. He also knew that her stepmother was kind and selfless and was suffering a great deal among the selfish and barbaric people she was living with. However, he had no intention of helping her. The woman was more capable than what she showed to others and it was just a matter of time before she would take her revenge.

"I mean she is fine, my Lord." Eleanor corrected herself immediately. To the world, Eleanor and her stepmother were living in the same house harmoniously. She did not want them to know the truth and damage her reputation. Moreover, she did not want the news about the feud between her and that woman to reach the king. It was something that was hidden behind the four walls of her father's house and she expected it to remain that way.

"That's good to hear. I am happy that the woman is treated with respect. I would like to meet her someday."

Eleanor's body stiffened and her face went ugly. 'The king wanted to meet that woman. No way. I am never going to allow it, not when I know how dangerous it could be. She will never meet any outsiders or strangers.' Even though Eleanor had such vile thoughts in mind, she could not voice them out in front of the king. So, she just forced a smile on her face.

"My Lord," Eleanor wanted to change the topic but her sentence was cut short when she noticed the king's two, trusted men approach them from the other side. She could only shut her mouth and curse them for their accurate timing. 'Why couldn't they come later?' Kenneth and Cyrus greeted the king before they greeted the annoyed lady. They could clearly see that she was irked by their arrival. But they did not mind it. They worked for the king and were loyal to him, not her. So, why would they mind her feelings when she was nothing but an insignificant fly in their king's life?

"Lady Eleanor, I have some urgent matters to attend to. You can continue with your walk." Judging by his men's expressions, Alastair could make out that they had something important to convey to him. So, without wasting any time, he decided to leave the woman to entertain herself and left with them. This was the second time the king had ditched her in the garden and all Eleanor could do was grit her teeth in anger.