Chapter 526: Whispers of A Broken Heart
The entourage returned to the mansion just as day surrendered to night.
"Thank you, Athillia, for today," said Kyren, walking beside the Bargesian princess as they made their way toward the main hall. "I’m relieved we were able to settle your matter, and that your uncle accepted you without resistance. Now that he’s agreed to take you in, I hope your mind can finally be at ease."
Athillia gave a faint smile. She was happy—truly happy—to finally have a family member she could rely on. Yet, deep inside, something tugged at her heart, a quiet sadness she could not name. Kyren, however, remained unaware of the shadow flickering behind her smile.
From the hallway ahead, Rosalie appeared and bowed in greeting.
"Welcome home, Your Highness and Lady Athillia. Forgive my late greetings. I had just come down from your suites, attending to Lady Raychard."
"Ah, no need to apologise," said Kyren. His gaze swept past her instinctively. "Anna didn’t come down with you?"
"Her ladyship waited for you until late afternoon," Rosalie explained. "But the waiting wore her out, so I urged her to rest. She’s napping now. Shall I wake her?"
Kyren’s expression softened immediately.
"No, let her sleep. She needs her rest to regain her strength." His voice carried the warmth of someone who deeply understood her fragile state. "She must be tired."
"Indeed," Rosalie said with a small smile. "She pushed herself earlier when Her Majesty the Queen and Her Grace, the Duchess of Sanad, came to visit. Even after they left, she still insisted on waiting for you. She only relented after I warned her you’d scold me if you found her overexerting herself."
Kyren chuckled.
"We all know how stubborn she can be." He glanced toward the staircase. "I’ll go up and see her."
"Please do, Your Highness. She usually naps for an hour or two and should wake soon. It would be just in time for dinner."
"Very well." Kyren turned to Athillia. "You too, Athillia, go and rest first. It’s been a long day for you."
"Yes, of course, Lord Kyren," the princess replied softly.
"See you later," he said, before striding toward his chambers.
Excitement glimmered in his eyes at the thought of sharing the good news with Anna.
Meanwhile, Athillia parted ways with Rosalie and began climbing the stairs toward her chamber. The chief maid had also excused herself, heading off to make dinner preparations.
The hallway upstairs was quiet until the sudden patter of hurried footsteps broke through. Athillia turned, her eyes widening as an agile figure rushed toward her from behind.
"Lady Athillia!"
Her name burst from the young knight’s slightly pale lips.
Before the Bargesian Princess could respond, Eli lunged forward, halting before her in haste.
"Are you out of your mind? You shouldn’t have agreed to the marriage!" he exclaimed, his voice alarmingly sharp.
Athillia’s eyes widened at once.
"What marriage?" she asked, her tone edged with confusion.
"Your marriage with His Lordship, the Marquess of Roland! He’s far too old for you! Don’t tell me you’ve actually fallen for him!" Eli’s words tumbled out, his anger burning hotter with each syllable.
Athillia stared at him, baffled.
"Just... where did you hear this?" she pressed.
"From Sir Navin," Eli shot back. "I found out upon waking up this afternoon. He said you went to the palace with His Highness the Grand Duke and Sir Ashburne. And just the other day, His Majesty spoke to him about a royal marriage prospect. So, I assume—"
Athillia cut him off with a sharp scoff. The sound stopped him mid-sentence.
"You assume?" she said, narrowing her eyes. "And what makes you think I am involved in such a matter?"
A laugh nearly escaped her lips. How absurd it was that he leapt to such a conclusion!
"I’m not stup*d!" Eli growled, teeth clenched. "I know who you are. You’re a Bargesian Princess, aren’t you?"
Athillia froze. Her expression shifted at once, darkening.
"Did Armel tell you this?" she asked, her voice low.
"No. I figured it out myself." Eli’s eyes burned with certainty. "The way you speak, the way you carry yourself..., there’s authority in every step. You’re not just some noblewoman. Even His Highness lets you address him by name, which is a rarity, especially for ladies. He found you in the Galician and Ardel campaigns, didn’t he? But you’re not an Ardelian. You couldn’t be. The only princess from there is Lady Raychard. And the Galician royals... they would never have treated one of their royals the way you were treated. As for Dracor, that makes no sense either, as they weren’t even part of the war. That leaves only Barges."
Athillia’s lips parted slightly, then closed tight again. Silence hung between them, her grim expression betraying what words would not. She hadn’t expected Eli to see so much, but now it had happened.
The knight pressed on.
"The way you panicked when your identity nearly slipped the other day... how you refused to confide in me and spoke only to Armel... That sealed it. And now, with talk of a royal marriage, who else could they mean, if not you?" Eli said, his voice firm with conviction. "And if I’m not wrong, marriage would be the best way to protect you. Sir Navin told me the Four Pillar Families and their representatives were summoned for today’s discussion. And you... You showed interest in His Lordship, the Marquess of Roland. So—"
"You’ve got it all wrong!" Athillia cut across his words, shaking her head in frustration.
Eli had managed to observe everything — the scars on her body, her bearing, her guarded manner — and deduced her identity from that.
Yet, he had missed entirely her true feelings. A keen knight, yes, but a failure as a man. Worse still, he was so quick to leap to conclusions when it came to matters of the heart.
"Then tell me the truth," Eli demanded, his glare fixed on her.
"Why does it matter to you?" Athillia shot back, turning away in a sulk.
But the knight’s hot-blooded nature could not accept her evasion. He seized her wrist and pulled her toward him, so close their bodies nearly collided.
Athillia gasped, bewildered by his sudden, desperate boldness.
"Because you are the one I’m protecting!" Eli burst out. "You are my responsibility!"
Her eyes widened as she stared into his. For a fleeting moment, she thought she glimpsed something deeper hidden behind his words. His expression spoke of more than duty.
But the feeling slipped away as she became aware of his touch.
"Your hand... It’s warm. Too warm. Are you still feverish?" she asked, concern softening her tone.
Eli instantly let go. Flustered, his face burned red.
"Don’t worry about it!" he muttered, looking aside.
But Athillia reacted quickly. She cupped his face, forcing him to meet her gaze, her hands fumbling over his forehead and neck in alarm.
"Oh, dear! You still are! I thought you had recovered!" she exclaimed.
The young knight pushed her hands away, mortified. Never before had a woman touched him so boldly, and so intimately. And Athillia, without hesitation, had done it as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
The Bargesian Princess felt a sting in her chest from his push. Did he despise her so much that he brushed her hands aside as if she were a mere pesky fly?
Her face darkened as silence wrapped around them both.
"Look... I didn’t mean—"
"Don’t bother!" Athillia cut him off, her expression grim. "Even if you are my escort and know my identity, my personal matters, especially my marriage, are none of your concern!" Her eyes dropped, heavy with hurt.
"This is absurd," Eli shot back. "You can’t just throw yourself at an old man because you want protection! Yes, His Lordship is powerful... one of the heads of the Pillar Families, but he’s stern and cold. Even his ex-wife couldn’t endure him! He may excel in everything else, but not in relationships. He’ll never recognise your feelings and only treat you as a duty!"
"Hah! And now the pot calls the kettle black! How wonderful!" Athillia snapped.
"What do you mean by that?" Eli demanded fiercely, confused by the accusation.
Rather than answering, Athillia mocked him with folded arms.
"You and your bluntness are just so amusing, Sir Henderson! You might as well keep your nose out of other people’s business!"
"Don’t you get what I’m saying? You’ll never be happy with him!" Eli nearly shouted.
"And you’re suddenly a marriage expert now? A young bachelor lecturing me about relationships? How impressive!" the Bargesian Princess sneered.
"Why shouldn’t I?" Eli responded sharply. "I’m a man, and even though I’m still young, I’m interested in a serious marriage prospect! If I find the right woman who makes me happy, I would gladly make her my bride! It’s quite normal for a person at my age to get married."
The words struck Athillia like a blade.
So, he was open to marriage. That meant he wouldn’t turn down the king’s proposal to marry the Galician Princess.
Such a union would bring him honour, status, and rank. Any ambitious man would seize this opportunity... and as he said, he’d be glad to accept if it made him happy.
Athillia’s fists curled at her sides, trembling with the emotion threatening to burst.
"Then go ahead and get married!" she shouted.
"What are you saying? We’re talking about your marriage, not mine!"
"Who cares! Just go away and stop bothering me!" Another shout came.
Eli bit down on his lip, his eyes blazing with rage.
"Suit yourself!" he barked.
He spun on his heel and stormed off, boots striking the floor with heavy steps, leaving her behind.
Athillia’s lips quivered. Her light-brown eyes brimmed with tears until they spilt down her cheeks.
"Stup*d knight!" she cursed under her breath.
Her hands covered her face as she wept. She tried to muffle the sound, but the sobs only grew louder.
"Why did I have to fall for him at first sight?" she whispered between broken cries.
Drawing in a shaky breath, she scrubbed at her cheeks, though the tears kept coming.
"I should never have let myself get swayed by him so easily... This only hurts me. He could never truly cherish me anyway."
Turning, she forced herself down the hallway towards her chamber. Her heart screamed in protest, but misery clung to her like a shadow.
What she did not know was that someone had witnessed the quarrel from around the corner.
Callis’s hand rose to her lips, her eyes widening.
"Oh my..."
She had not expected this.
The Mederian Princess had just returned from Rafe’s office, eager to speak with him about their plans now that the matter between Kiev and Kyren was settled. But the healer, preoccupied, had dismissed her — leaving her disheartened.
Now, overhearing the two youngsters’ clash, she had stumbled onto something else entirely.
Athillia had fallen in love at first sight with Eli, though the knight remained oblivious. The revelation struck Callis strangely, for the Bargesian Princess’s plight mirrored her own in ways she could not ignore.
Athillia’s parting cry lingered in her mind, echoing against her heart, forcing the proud princess into thoughts she had long avoided.