"Thank you so much, my dearest niece for visiting . Even though the point of your visit was to become my silly sons nanny, hiding behind you to speak for his concerns. It is still truly such a pleasure to see you again."
Ervea stiffly curtsied towards her uncle.
"The pleasure was all mine, your highness."
He looked towards his cousin and saw his face pale as a sheet. His movements silent and stiff as he bowed towards his smiling father. He waved his farewells to them as they walked towards the door, servants opening it for them.
Both she and her cousin walked silently until they reached the royal courtyard. To which Ethros sat heavily on a near wooden bench with Ervea sitting beside him. She gave out a long, deep sigh of relief that she didn't knew she was holding all this time.
"Well, unfortunately it seems that even with me by your side, he really won't listen."
Her cousin looked defeated as she sat beside him.
"Yes. It seems so..."
She pitied her cousin and felt his pain and frustration.
"I'm sorry, Ethros. If only I'd tried hard enough, maybe I could've convinced him."
Ethros let out an empty laugh.
"Come now, Ervea. We both know that even if we tried harder, we know that my father would never approve. Most importantly if its matters that include his appearance to others and money. I'm just truly glad we tried. And I feel like I should be the one who's sorry. Even after you trying to tell me he wasn't going to listen, I convinced you that he would out of false hope he'd listen to your reasoning or at least to plain reason."
She smiled sadly at her cousin.
"Its alright. I saw how important this was for you. And I saw myself that this wasn't just about you, but about the welfare of the kingdom itself. I wouldn't have come back for any other reason."
He gave her a questioning yet sad look.
"Not even for Meiron?"
She took a sharp intake of breath at his words as she haven't really considered that at all. Her cousin looked stricken as well, looking as though he knew that he might have over stepped. He was about to apologize when she spoke before he could.
She gave him a sad yet determined smile back at him.
"No, Ethros. Unfortunately, not even for him."
Ethros looked at her with a pained expression as he looked at her cousin. Complicated pain yet determined resignation was painted on her eyes. He has seen such an expression before. He had seen it on Meiron everytime he would talk about her as well.
He knew that her relationship with Meiron was a sad and complicated affair. To choose between ones ambition and freedom over love. It made him fully realize that not every love story was a fairytale.
That love was more complicated in reality, and even more so if both had different status, dream and principle in life. It truly broke his heart as well that his cousin was made to choose such a decision at her young age.
He clasped her shoulder lightly.
"Truly, thank you cousin. I shall never forget this favor. Call upon my services whenever you need and I'll be sure to help you as much as I can."
She smiled at him, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.
"Thank you as well, Ethros. Though I would also like to ask, what would you do now that the king has rejected your proposal to fix the walls?"
Ethros gave her a defeated sigh.
"Observe and prepare. As much as I could."
They both headed to their respective chambers. She told Ethros that she wanted to return to her bookstore as soon as she could, and he arranged that she would return to the wall of Garuh by tomorrow morning through carriage.
She arrived at her room and sat down heavily on her bed. Today was a failure and meeting with her uncle exhausted her mentally and emotionally. She was thankful though that she didn't have run in to her parents whilst in the palace. She washed her face and donned her sleeping garments, promptly going to bed.
She was awoken by the stream of light coming from her window and started to prepare for her departure when she heard a knock on her door.
"Come in."
The door opened to reveal her cousin.
"Well, it seems that you're all set. The carriage is waiting for you now at the plaza in front of the palace. It's quite apparent to everyone whether servant or noble that you are hot on your heels to leave and didn't even visit Lord Ereyllo and Lady Terrathia Amerthyshia."
She merely rolled her eyes to this news.
"Oh please, I bet my parents are overjoyed that their disappointing runaway of a daughter didn't humiliate them by visiting. Besides, let them gossip. The palace must becoming so dull if they have to resort to gossiping about a disgraced lady."
She said, huffing as she fixed her hair in front of the mirror. No maids or servants bothered her, which she was thankful for, since she wasn't going to visit anyone of high status.
Besides, she guessed that the servants wouldn't waste their efforts in preparing the departure of a woman who had thrown away her nobility.
Her cousin chuckled lightly at her disdain of the rumors.
"Oh, and of course Meiron would like to bid you farewell. Hes waiting for you outside, by the carriage. I think hes afraid you'd run away without saying goodbye."
"Oh...."
She halted for a moment and resumed fixing her hair into a bun.
"Well, of course he would do that. He wouldn't miss the chance to say his farewells to a dear friend he might not see again for a few more years."
After feeling satisfied with the state of her hair. She stood up from her chair in front of the mirror and looked at her cousin with a smile.
"I'm ready to go home."