Chapter 167:
I Remember You
Now that Clarence and Charlotte had left the space together, there was a slightly awkward taste left hanging in the air. Unwilling to acknowledge it, Silas kept his head high and moved forward, keeping his nose out of the two royal's business. While he was curious in his heart, he trusted the prince enough to tell him what happened later.
Patting his chest with his hand, Silas said a simple goodbye to Maeir and Meredith before he stepped out the door. Outside in the hall, two figures stood to the side, a guard watching over them as they spoke in low tones, nearly watching for someone to exit as their curiously expectant gazes fell on Silas.
"Oh, hello." Silas began shortly, wearily responding to the two familiar noble guests. One he had seen before, Clarence's friend, and the other was a pretty young girl, who reminded him of his own little sister. Both of them seemed on edge at Silas's greeting, but they did not seem at all aggressive, but rather unwilling to start a difficult conversation with an elf they had once considered an enemy.
Breaking the ice first was Alywin. "I remember you. You're Silas." Alywin approached by himself, leaving Philomena to trail along with him, feeling somewhat nervous by herself. "You must be-" He fell silent, as if trying to ponder what exactly Silas was to Clarence. The pause left an awkward taste to hang in the air before Silas spoke up.
"-I'm Clarence's travel partner, Silas." In response, Silas awkwardly danced around his own identity. We've never formally established what we are. No longer friend or foe… are we lovers? By the gods, I'm too old to be fussing over something like this. With his own thoughts in disarray, Silas added. "You must be Duke Cyneric's son. It's nice to formally meet you both."
I remember Clarence told me about him. He was worried about Alywin. Silas thought, taking in Alywin's appearance to memory.
"I-I'm Philomena Lambros, princess of Maarit Country." Philomena curtsyed briefly before her gaze fell on Alywin. "You must be the elven man that saved Clarence in the palace."
The awkwardness in the air was hard to alleviate, but due to their stiff expressions and attempts at conversation, Silas was assured they were not going to respond hostilely to his presence, at least. "That's right. Clarence and I have been traveling together since then."
It was difficult to find a topic to carry the conversation, and Silas fell silent in the face of the two nobles, their gazes falling on him with curiosity and the desire to probe his mind a bit. Alywin, holding his arm, let out a resigned sigh, as if frustrated, "Anyway, I wanted to meet the person my friend is so enamored with. He's been following you around for years, after all. It seems the circumstances of that pursuit have changed, though."
Standing out in the hall, Silas felt obligated to turn his head to see if Maeir and Meredith could hear their conversation from inside the discussion room, but, fortunately, the door had been swiftly closed behind him as he left. I would prefer if Maeir and Meredith didn't hear this. He thought, directing his attention back forward. "I won't disagree. We've grown close over our travels."
Finally able to see Silas up close, one member of their party could not help but speak up. "You're so handsome." Philomena said absently, nearly unaware of her words, "I can see why Clarence fell for you." Her words were shy, a faint blush on her cheeks as she spoke, smiling cutely.
"Philomena-" Alywin sighed, "Don't make him uncomfortable."
A wash of relief fell over Silas. The pair speaking to him now had no intention of interrogating him, questioning why an elf would pursue a relationship with a human, particularly a member of the Yursinean royal family. "It's okay. Compared to the things I've been called so far, I would say that's quite the compliment." He smiled brightly with a gentle laugh.
"Anyway, when we have more time to talk, let's have tea together." Alywin waved his hand, shooting Philomena a disapproving frown, "I would like to get to know you better. Clarence won't tell me anything about you."
That moron is too jealous for his own good. Alywin hummed in thought. He'd better not try to hide Silas away from us. He seems kind.
"I would like that." Silas said, realizing how much he had missed socializing with others. "Thank you."
The door to the room Clarence and Charlotte had entered opened, and there was only a short moment for Alywin to say what had been lingering on his mind. He hurriedly added, "In the meantime, please, take care of Clarence. Don't let anything happen to him." Alywin said, his eyes full of concern. "He can be quite a fool sometimes."
Resolutely, Silas replied quickly with a reassuring nod, "I won't. I promise."
The space around them fell silent once again, curious of the results of their fruitful conversation as the sound of heels echoed down the hard tile flooring, causing them to stand still, waiting patiently in place.
…
Moments earlier, before Charlotte's emotions had time to rise and fall, she stood in one of the empty meeting rooms on the first floor of the Yursinean palace, her eyes trailing over the prince's figure, his face carrying a healthy, ruddy tint that she had not seen before. Even his eyes carried a trace of clear blue, a far cry from the glassy, clouded eyes she had been faced with on the day of her own wedding.
Unwilling to wait any longer, Charlotte spoke, her words probing the problem at hand. "I wanted to talk about our marriage, Clarence."
"I've been wanting to discuss it too." Clarence responded directly. "You speak first."
Biting her lower lip, Charlotte began with a hurried tone, "There's something I want to say before you terminate our marriage."
The undaunted expression and unwavering way the young royal carried himself was unfamiliar to Charlotte. Something had changed in the man she had once claimed to be her husband. He faced her with respect, but no warmth or familiarness. In the past, while he was fixated on that bastard elf, he would attempt to hold some semblance of acting in regards to their political marriage.
"To be honest with you, Clarence-" Listening to Clarence cold words, Charlotte spoke aloud, her thoughts, frustrations, and concerns rolling out of her mouth before she could control it. "This is all I have left politically." Charlotte uttered, his lips quivering as she steadied herself on the edge of the table. Basch moved to support her, but she waved her hand away dismissively, her emotions whirling. "After I came to this damn kingdom, after I married you… my kingdom no longer considered me one of their kin… their own princess for heaven's sake!" She shook her head, attempting to calm down, but to no avail. "If I were to attempt to return now, they would consider me damaged goods and marry me off to some disgusting old man!"
It was the reality of noblewomen on the continent. Hearing it directly from Charlotte reminded Clarence of the reason they were married in the first place. The marriage was mutually beneficial to both parties, and leaving her behind with nothing was not something his morals would allow him to do. Silas would not allow him to leave her like this either, and he knew it.
"You have found your happiness with that elf. Please, give me a chance to pursue mine." Charlotte added with finality, her words biting as she carefully dabbed the tears out from under her lashes, afraid of ruining her makeup.
"I do not intend to leave you with such a future." Clarence responded. "I am willing to compensate you in any way possible." The prince bowed his head, his words sincere and meaningful. "Whatever it may be, I will do whatever in my power to ensure you are safe and comfortable for the rest of your life. In return, I do not want you to interfere with my relationship with Silas."
"In that case," Lowering the handkerchief, the princess crossed her arms in front of her chest. With a trace of bitterness and discomfort, Charlotte spoke of her own terms. "I want you to ensure that Philomena and I have safe and comfortable lives here in your kingdom. I don't want to live like a pawn anymore, not to the kingdom that has forsaken me."
Nodding his head gently, the prince said, "I will make arrangements with Eva. In the meantime, we'll annul our marriage and prepare an appropriate time to make it public."
"That's fine." Charlotte responded curtly, letting out a sigh at the end of her words. "As long as my conditions are met, I don't care what you do now."
There was a slight pause before Clarence responded, "If that's all, I'd like to-"
"There is one last thing I want to ask you, Clarence." With the conversation near a close, there was one final question hanging in the air, a question Charlotte had been wanting to ask since the first day of their marriage. "Do you really love him?"
That elf of yours. Is he worth sacrificing everything over? The unspoken words between them rang aloud, but they were left unspoken. The tension in the air hung heavy, but the prince seemed unaffected, standing tall in front of Charlotte. At the very thought of Silas, a smile lined Clarence's lips, and his gaze softened at the thought of the elf that had captured his heart. "I do love him. I love him so much I can't stand it."
"Even after he tried to kill you? You still trust him and dare to love him like this?" She refuted, her words carrying a trace of anger.
Hearing the past brought up again, the prince laughed to himself as he replied coolly, "After all that we've been through together, I can't imagine being with anyone else. He is the only one I can love." The smile on Clarence's face was traced with a dark light, his eyes gleaming. "If anything were to happen to him, I'd happily kill those who dare to harm him."
Standing on his two feet, his gaze towards Charlotte was easily read. The gleam in his eyes, and the way he stared down into Charlotte's face made a chill trace down her spine. Lifting her dress train into her arms, Charlotte found herself cold, the prince's gaze threateningly chilly.
With the question answered, Basch walked to open the door, and Charlotte stood in a hurry as she carried the train of her dress in the crook of her arm, her smile bitter as her words fell from her lips, moisture gathering at the corners of her eyes. "Thank you, Clarence." The rims of her eyes were red, but her face was still, a shallow smile on her lips. The appearance of a young woman in love had shifted to one of perseverance in heartache.
My first love and my first rejection. The young princess mused, her mouth full of bitterness. I hope that elf is truly worth sacrificing yourself over.
After the two left the room, Clarence let out the tense breath he had been holding, thinking of seeing Silas again as he stepped out of the room himself. Alywin, Philomena, and Silas were not far down the hall, speaking together on their own, appearing somewhat amicable.
"You're done." Watching the princess pass by, Silas found Charlotte's expression to be chilly, as if their conversation had been something worth noting. Meanwhile, the prince had walked to Silas's side, appearing happy to be back at his side. "Did anything happen, Clarence?" Silas asked, holding Clarence's arm in a gently firm grip. His eyes scanned the prince's face for anything worth noting, but the prince gave nothing away.
Staring between Silas and Clarence, Alywin stared back and forth. With the feeling of being a third wheel hanging around him, he smoothly stepped back and exited the conversation before he lost his chance to. "I'll be going. We'll see you again soon, Silas."
Down the hall, watching Charlotte leave the space with Philomena, Alywin was not far behind. Clarence waited a moment before he spoke, speaking quietly, "Our marriage has ended on amicable terms. For the time being, we will keep our marriage annulment private until the throne is stabilized. But, as of this day, Charlotte and I are no longer married."
Standing beside the prince, Silas asked gently, "Are you okay?"
Hearing such a sweet voice full of concern for him, Clarence felt his chest grow warm. "I am now."
Down the hall, unable to hear the hushed conversation between Silas and Clarence, Charlotte held her head high, her back tall as the cold still hung around her figure. The stare Clarence had fixed on her scared her enough to fall quiet. Maybe it was best for our relationship to end like this. He could have never loved me anyway.
However, the further she walked away with Philomena at her side, the more her hands began to shake, and the redder her eyes became as she walked away at a hurried pace far from ladylike. "Charlotte-" Philomena began, Basch shortly away behind them as she whispered, "Do you want to talk about it in the room?"
Having her friend grasp her hand, her expression full of worry, Charlotte felt her heart grow warm. "Mhm." The princess murmured uncharacteristically, her eyes curved as she attempted to blink away her growing tears. Carefully, Philomena wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulder as the pair hurriedly walked down the hall to their new bedroom, keeping their faces out of view of the passing servants as they departed the scene.
Maybe now I can find my own happiness too. The only feeling left was the finality of the end of a marriage, and the start of a new love.
…
"We're almost there. Are you all ready?" Walking in the darkness, Holland's eyes were focused forward, burning with a heavy intensity as Theo followed some distance behind him, Beau not far along. Their footsteps were muffled by the wet grass beneath their boots, the sound of shallow rain wetting their darkly-colored cloaks with the scent of rain. "The other group of troops is already stationed on the outskirts of the building. They'll be ready to help when you set off the signal, Theo."
"Heard." Theo responded quietly, moving to the left side of the building to flank the enemies inside. "I'll attack the guards stationed outside using my bow. You two, take out the guards at the rear door and get ready to enter the building once all the guards outside are taken care of. We can't wait, or else they might get away."
"Sounds good. Beau, follow me." Holland nodded, motioning to the small patch of foliage with his hand. "We'll attack as soon as Theo strikes them."
"Understood." Beau shot back in response, the pair moving hurriedly as he and Holland shifted to the side, taking care of any guards circling around the perimeter swiftly and silently. Hiding their bodies in the foliage, the pair moved back towards the back of the mill, watching the guards near the backdoor.
Having once been an active watermill, the building was full of moss, and the waterwheel sat still in the river. The foliage around the building grew wild and unrestrained, and parts of the roof had worn down with age, exposing parts of the inside of the building, leaving a hole just large enough for a single, slim man to enter through. Theo's gaze fell over the hole before he lifted his bow, prepared to attack.
"Go!" Theo harshly whispered as he released his nocked arrow, sending Holland and Beau to attack on the side of the building.
In the front of the mill, the arrow pierced the first man's throat, rendering him unable to scream as blood poured from his neck. The man's hands were at his throat, attempting to remove the arrow, but it was to no avail as he gasped and fell to the ground, his dying face pale and void of blood. Watching his comrade fall, the other guard at the front attempted to scream for his comrade, but he met a similar fate as he fell to the ground, a second arrow piercing his left eye.
Running to the side, Beau and Holland crouched down, each approaching a different guard from behind as they lifted their weapons. Beau grabbed the guard in front of him, wrapping his large arm around the man's neck as he pressed inward, preventing the guard from calling for help as he quickly twisted his wrist, breaking the man's neck with a swift, resounding crack.
On the other side, Holland had already grabbed the second guard and was holding the man's neck, his knife plunging into the man's throat as the guard attempted to attack Holland. Chuckling quietly to himself, Holland threw the man to the side, retracting his knife as the man fell to the ground in a heap, dead. Blood had stained the grass around him, dying Holland's left hand in a trail of splattered blood.
Staring towards Holland, Beau's gaze caught Holland's. Smiling brightly, Holland winked goofily, as if ignoring the bloody mess around the two. In response, Beau could only roll his eyes, motioning for the man to follow him to the door below. Standing beside the door, the two men waited as Theo made his move. Soundlessly, Theo jumped up to the roof, landing softly as he stared down at Holland and Beau,
"They're quiet inside. There's a chance they may have heard us." Beau whispered to Holland, his voice low.
Holland flashed his teeth as he responded, "Good. It'll make our entrance more exciting. Here we go."
With a small bag in his hand, Theo motioned down with his hand as he released the item he was holding. As the bag fell, it tore open, shooting out a thick, smokey gas in all directions, shrouding the inside of the watermill in chaos. "Go!" Theo shouted, shooting off a flare into the sky, summoning the rebels laying in wait in the forest.
"Dammit, intruders!" A guard shouted from inside the enclosed building. Smoke poured from inside the area, the sounds of coughs echoing in the area.
The sound of reinforcements approaching brought a sense of relief to the rebels. Holland and Beau stormed the area together, wielding their swords as they began to attack, leaving Theo to jump down on his own to find Malcolm in the chaos.
"More of them!"
"Kill them all!"
"Ahhh!"
The flurry of voices was confusing, muddling the minds of those in the large space of the smoky mill. Beau used his inhuman sense of smell to sniff out the enemies with his reduced vision, taking down two enemies with one swipe of his sword. On the other side of the building, Holland danced around the floor with his light, fast movements, dispelling the smoky air with a wave of his sword as he cleared the way for Theo to find Malcolm.
As more of their reinforcements entered, the more Malcolm's forces were subdued. Screams filled the empty mill, and while Malcolm's forces were well-equipped and well trained, fighting against the best of Eva's forces was too much for them to bear. Even after the smoke dissipated, the smell of burning ash and death created a vile stench to the air, nearly suffocating in the small, enclosed space.
"They're trying to escape! Cover the doors!"
It was not until a small group of rebels attempted to escape, that Malcolm was found. With the soldiers around him taken care of, it was time for them to strike.
…
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Oh my, I'm so tired :D Glad to have made this out in time for this week, at least! ahahaha On top of my full time job, I occasionally moonlight as a DJ for a friend/ help them with cosplay gigs, so I've been losing most of my free time D: Thankfully work is less ass now that it's slow >y< And YMtK can return with me
Fortunately, I've had some time to plot out some plot stuff, particularly Charlotte and Clare's marriage ending! Y'all hate Charlotte LOL, but she's now out of the picture. In my gut, I feel like a lot of Silas's trepidation with their relationship came from this, so I'm looking forward to Silas's next steps (romantically). While there are a lot of side characters, for now I plan to focus on our MCs. The rest of the wrap ups will come as I feel they come naturally!
Thank you for the lovely comments and continued support! ;u; Hoping to be back at least once every two weeks for now! Until next time ;;