Elaine Vernimiere stood before the door to Crown Prince Helias's chamber. It was almost time for dinner but the Captain was there for another reason.
When she saw King Arias under the rain in the evening, she forgot everything else and rushed to the training ground.
Of all the people, she was with Crown Prince Helias at that time. She should at least apologize for her action.
Elaine lifted her hand to knock on the door but... she hesitated and put her hand back down when the door was just an inch away.
Why did she feel so reluctant? She wasn't even sure. She only has to enter and apologize. It's no big deal.
"Why are you standing there?"
The Captain quickly turned around when she heard a familiar voice from behind. It was Evan Ravire, the Crown Prince's right-hand man and personal guard.
"Are you here for His Highness?" Evan asked to which Elaine nodded with a bit of reluctance.
Without asking anything more, Evan knocked on the door and came the Crown Prince's response right away.
"Come on in," the personal guard said to Elaine and opened the door. He walked in first and then gestured for Elaine to enter. A few seconds of hesitation but the Captain eventually complied.
When her gaze landed on Crown Prince Helias Casteveron, one thing that caught Captain Elaine's attention was a small wooden sword toy in the Crown Prince's hand that had all of the latter's attention, but...
"Your Highness, Captain Elaine is here."
The Crown Prince was very quick to put away the toy in his inner pocket when he heard Evan.
That toy... why did a grown-up man carry such a thing around? It stunned Elaine Vernimiere as that was so unexpected of the Eslore Crown Prince!
For the first time since she entered, Crown Prince Helias's gaze was finally on Elaine.
"What brings you here, Captain?" he asked in a calm voice.
That familiar mirth in his eyes and the playfulness in his tone were gone, much to the surprisement of Elaine Vernimiere.
What had suddenly gotten into him?
"I came to apologize, Your Highness," she spoke up, trying her best to hide whatever she was thinking. "I abruptly left without -"
"It's fine."
She was interjected by the Crown Prince and the latter continued, "I saw King Arias at the training ground and you're the Captain of the guards. I understand."
Elaine Vernimiere felt tight-lipped. Though she felt relieved that the Eslore Crown Prince wasn't making a fuss, this was so unlike the Crown Prince she knew. It was at that moment that Evan's words crossed her mind.
'Crown Prince Helias can be quite cold at times.'
Was this what Even referred to?
Feeling lost, she shifted her gaze to Even Ravire whose face told her that he was equally lost as her.
"I'm glad that you understand, Your Highness," she said as she turned her attention back to the Crown Prince. "How is your hand?"
"This is nothing for me. You don't have to worry." Helias's tone was as calm as before and his expression was the same. His calm gaze met Elaine's confused one but he didn't react or comment.
"I understand," the Captain responded. "Then I'll take my leave now." With that, she bowed her head and walked out of the Crown Prince's chamber.
Evan Ravire glanced at the door and waited until it was shut. Then he quickly approached the Crown Prince. "What's the meaning of that, Your Highness? She looks so confused." Observing his friend, he asked, "Did something happen between you two?"
Though Helias Casteveron had his gaze on his friend as the latter talked, he didn't say anything. Instead, he took out the wooden sword toy once again and only stared at it.
Seeing the familiar toy, Evan Ravire didn't need any explanation. "Is it about Marian?"
Still, there was no response from Crown Prince Helias.
"Please forgive me for saying this but... it's been so long, Helias. Marian is already dead," Evan Ravire stated in an almost desperate voice. "You and I know very well that it's not possible anymore."
"You don't understand, Evan," Helias Casteveron argued. He rose from his seat and turned his back at his friend. "After everything that happened... it would be shameless of me. For a while, I was blown away because she resemble Marian so much but... not anymore. I should get a hold of myself."
The Crown Prince's words only made Evan more anxious and desperate.
It's been years! Wasn't it already time for his friend to be happy again?
"Please... stop blaming yourself. Back then, you were too young and you don't know anything beforehand." He tried to talk some sense into his tormented friend. "Even Marian won't blame you. Instead, she will want you to be happy."
Hearing this, Helias Casteveron turned around and faced his friend once again. "You don't know what you're saying, Evan. If my father killed your whole family and destroyed your life, will you still look at me the same? That's not possible at all."
"Your Highness -"
"Maybe it's for the best that Marian died too," Helias muttered and narrowed his eyes. "If she were to survive and blame me, I don't think I'll be able to take it. Death will surely be a better option for me. If she survived only to live her life with the scar from that night buried in her heart, it will be hell for her anyway."
When Evan Ravire saw the familiar pain in the eyes of his friend, he felt so suffocating.
When will that pain ever get old?
"Then do you plan to continue living this way?" he asked in a low voice. "That Captain is different, Helias. Since the passing of Marian, do you know that you never smile as much as you did when you're with her?"
"She's the Captain of the Araven Royal Guards, Evan," Helias sighed. "What are you thinking?"
"As long as she can make you happy, I don't care if she is a Royal Guard Captain or a slave, Your Highness. I only want to make sure that you don't regret anything again and for that, I will do anything," Evan Ravire firmly declared, earning a little smile from his friend.
"I'm glad to have a friend like you," was Helias only remark before he turned around and approached a window. Then he stood there without saying anything.
"Helias... "
"I'll be fine," Helias Casteveron interjected. "I only need some time for myself."
Staring at the back of his friend who was also his master, Evan Ravire fought back a sigh. Then he bowed and walked out of the chamber without saying anything.
When will his friend finally put behind that incident and move on?!