"Neera is my friend, and she is nothing like you both are making her out to be," She said. The maids hid their faces behind the spread of laundry and continued their chores in silence. Furious, and not bearing to be there any longer, Penelope seized her basket and marched back toward the castle.
She heard the footsteps advancing in her direction, just before she saw the familiar hair of head. She stopped, her heart beating, almost jumping out of her chest as Azriel came in front of her. He was dressed in his usual uniform, weapons of different kinds strapped across his chest and his waist. Had he always looked that handsome in it, or was she just blind to see it all this while?
He had been away at the King's palace for days on end, and she couldn't believe she had missed him so much it almost made her dizzy with joy.
