Next morning.
Allen didn't sleep the whole night and was outside of that lady's chamber
"Ellara…" Allen whispered her name.
Then he opened the door of her chamber and it was a surprise that she didn't lock it from inside-as if she knew he was outside of her room.
He stepped in without a sound. He knew he shouldn't be here. This space was hers. Private. Sacred. But something tugged at him, something silent and inexplicable. So he followed it.
Her chamber was dim, wrapped in the fading warmth of the sun that spilled through lattic windows and fell in gentle silvers across the stone floor. The scent of lavender lingered in the air-faint, aged and soothing.
She lay still upon her bed.
Not in the rigid stillness of duty or dared, but in the soft, surrendering stillness of sleep.
A woolen blanket, slightly frayed at the edges, had slipped from her wrist, revealing the soft fall of her gown, simple yet finely stitched.
Her chest rose and fall in a rhythm untroubled by the outside world. She looked…untouched, duty and disappointment had never dared come near her. And for a moment, he almost believed it.
Even in slumber, there was something proud about the curve of her brow, something defiant in the slight tilt of her chin. Yet she looked younger this way. Unburdened. Entirely removed from the world that measured her worth in quite glances and polite silence.
He had seen the way other looked at her-some with sympathy, some with disdain, most with discomfort they tried to dress as kindness.
But here…here, she was not the noblewomen who moved slower than the rest, nor the girl whom fate had dared to mark differently.
She was simply herself.
And that was the most disarming thing of all.
He stepped closer and knelt beside the bed.
With a hand as careful as a vow, he brushed the strand back, letting his fingers just above her skin. Not touching. Just near. Close enough to feel her warmth, as if he could draw a little of it into himself.
She stirred.
His breath caught.
But her eyes did not open. Her lips moved faintly-some lost word meant for no one-and then she stilled again.
He rose slowly.
There were no words he could offer. No grand gesture to make. Only this quiet moment, and the ache in his chest that told him he had glimpsed something sacred.
He turned and walk back to the door, pausing only once more to look at her.
Then he went on the parlour where lady May was already sitting on the Sette.
Allen sat on the edge of nearest satte from lady May.
"She was looking like the most precious thing in the world" Allen whispered.
"And she is" Lady May said.
"Do you think she… also love me?" He asked, uncertain as if the word came itself.
Lady May gave a polite nod " i grew up her from 14 years…and i know she like you" Lady May claimed.
"After the death of Duck and Duchess, she became alone but didn't show it infront of others. You remember that incident, don't you?" Lady May murmured.
"How could i" he replied but this time-he was broken.
Fourteen years ago-Flashback.
Ellara was 9 years old then and there was a party on the Banquet hall of the Royash family. Ellara's mother was pregnant and that's why Duck Fliyer held a party to share that happiness with everyone.
Everything was going smoothly but the royal family and Kallar family hadn't came yet.
Ellara was there waiting for Allen to come.
King Theodore came on his royal carriage. Duck Fliyer greeted king Theodore.
"It's my honour that his majesty appeared on the banquet and make it more special" Duck Fliyer bowed.
"It's more honorable for me that i have you. You handle half of the business affairs of Aksum, you owned me-why i didn't come" king Theodore chortled.
The night was full of laughed and glances until the fire took place.
The whole banquet was full of fire, nobles escaped and guards helped King Theodore to came out. But Duck Fliyer was still inside with his family, helping the others to escape.
But at the last moment They all trapped by the fire.
Allen arrived late and the first thing he did was-searching her. But when he couldn't found her outside, he went inside without thinking.
Inside the banquet, a pillar fell on Ellara and Duck Fliyer, crushing their legs. Duchess Ryana tried to lift the pillar but she couldn't.
"Ellara" Duck Fliyer said with hollow sound.
"Are you Ok?"
"It's painful but i am not scared…because you two are here with me" Ellara murmured.
But then everything blurred-she became unconscious.
"Listen up Ryana, take Ellara away from…here. Don't worry about me" He said lifting the pillar a little bit so Ellara could escape but then Duchess Ryana saw Allen coming towards there.
"Duck Fliyer, Duchess Ryana! Are you two all right?" He asked and then his gaze shift on Ellara's unconscious body. He trembled on his side.
"Thanks for coming Allen" Duchess Ryana said, lifting Ellara. " Promise me Allen, you will take care of her no matter what. And promise me to escape from here safely" she said handing Ellara to him.
"And you two?" Allen aksed.
"Listen to me carefully-Duck Fliyer couldn't able to escape and the Guards couldn't able to arrive on time and-"
"Ryana, please go from here, otherwise you also couldn't survive" Duck Fliyer said.
"Then let me die here with you" Duchess Ryana said.
"Why are you not understanding! You has a little soul inside you" Duck Fliyer said.
"When you were protecting the others, i fell on the ground and…the baby isn't reacting after that. I think…i think i already lost him"she claimed, voice hollow.
Then she turned towards Allen. " Just go now-before the flame also burn you and Ellara" Duchess Ryana said, pushing Allen forward to go and with a broken heart, Allen went for the sake of Duchess Ryana's word.
In present.
" I didn't forget that day and i don't think i ever should be" Allen murmured.
In Netles
There were many Praetoriums but one was full of heart and unseen words.
"Allen hadn't came yet" Ariana asked.
Arnold nodded.
"There is something important for him-more than his own life" Arnold murmured.
"What do you mean?" Ariana blinked.
"Ellara, a noblewomen whom he…love more than anything in his life. He didn't go to the capital but in Merna town-to meet her" he said.
"Allen love someone?" She whistled.
"Yeah, from when he was just 7." He replied.
"Allen is from Kallar family and Ellara is from Royash family and that's why they met with each other first time on a family gathering. She lost her parents in an accident when she was 9 and lost ler ability to walk but Allen never left her alone-he was always there with her" he said looking her.
"But he never told me before when we were kid. I was also his friend" Ariana sighed.
"You were but then when you came back after those long years, he respected you and didn't want to make any mess with things" he clear.
"When he won the battle, he got a letter from her that she wanted to see him-that's why he went"
" So, is she also love him?" Ariana asked.
Arnold remained silent for a moment and then whispered "Do you love me?"
Back to the Merna town.
The sun hide and only the moon and stars were shining on the sky like pearls.
Allen and Ellara was on the garden behind the Mansion. The cold air touched her skin like a breeze but her focus was on somewhere-on him.
They both were sitting on the stone when sje approached.
"You came in my chamber this morning, didn't you?"
His heart beat stopped for a second before he nodded.
"It's so embarrassing for me" she said covering her face with her both palms.
"It wasn't. Because i saw something i never got but today-" silence fill on the cool night before he added "i saw a version of you i never forget"
His words made her feel like she was a sacred-more than just a Lame girl.
"Do you love anyone" she asked quietly.
"Someone…"
" Then just marry with her. It's time for you to get married, you will not always remained young" she said.
"And what about you? Will you be happy if i will marry someone else? he murmured.
"Yeah" she replied.
Silence.
But then he said something which shattered her-
"Will you marry me?"
She looked at him now-totally looked.
"What are you saying- i am a lame girl. You deserve someone better" she said, avoiding his gaze now.
"And what if i say i don't want anyone perfect and better but you" He claimed.
She didn't said anything.
Then he lift her chin to match her gaze with his.
" I LOVE YOU, Ellara" he whispered, never living his gaze from her.
"But i…i don't love you" she replied suddenly, half confused.
His face darkened.
"But couldn't you just let me be with you?"
"No" she replied turning her head, tear slide on her cheek but she wiped it before he could see it.
Then he lift her and said " It's cold here, let me take you to your room" he said-steady, but she could feel the broken heart of his.
When he lay her on her bed and went out from her chamber, lady May approached.
" What happened?"
" Nothing she is just tired. She need some rest" he replied.
But from inside her chamber, she heard everything and curled the pillow on her chest and sobbed.