*3 persons pov*
Once inside the carriage, Apollo let out a deep sigh of relief. He had finally found Elvira, the princess he had been searching for the past few years. He had been worried sick that he would never find her, that she would be lost to him forever. But now, she was safe, and they were on their way back to her family. Her real family and not those people who had claimed to be that for years.
Elvira, on the other hand, was very confused. She had grown up thinking that the man who had raised her was her father. But now, Apollo had told her that he wasn't really her father and that she was in some kind of danger. She didn't know what to believe anymore. Everything she had believed was a lie.
"Apollo," she said, breaking the silence in the carriage. "What's going on? What did you mean about me being in danger?"
Apollo took a deep breath before answering. "Elvira, your father isn't really your father. He kidnapped you when you were just a baby, only a few weeks old I believe. Your real family has been searching for you all these years, and I've been trying to find you as well but never succeeded, until now."
Elvira's eyes widened in shock. "What? My father isn't really my father? How is that possible?"
"It's a long story," Apollo said, taking another deep and painful breath. "But the important thing is that you're safe now. We're on our way to your family's castle, where you'll be reunited with them once again."
Elvira nodded slowly, trying to process everything that Apollo had just told her. She looked out of the carriage window, watching the scenery go by. They were traveling through dense forests and rolling hills, the sun shining down on them. It was a beautiful day, but Elvira couldn't appreciate it. She was too lost in thought.
As they traveled, Apollo told Elvira more about her real family. They were a powerful and wealthy family, with many allies in the kingdom. They had been searching for her for years, ever since she had been kidnapped by her fake father. Apollo had been working with them to find her and had finally succeeded.
But their journey was not without its challenges. Along the way, they encountered many obstacles and hindrances. Some bandits tried to rob them and wild animals threatened to attack them. Apollo had to use his skills as a warrior to protect Elvira and get them through these challenges.
Despite the danger, Elvira felt safe with Apollo. He was a skilled fighter and a kind man, and she trusted him completely. As they traveled, they grew closer, sharing stories and getting to know each other better. Elvira found that she enjoyed his company, and she started to feel a connection with him that she couldn't explain. Every time he looked at her and smiled, Elvira could feel her stomach doing a flip.
Finally, after days of traveling, they arrived at the castle where Elvira's family was waiting for her. The castle was a massive structure, with high walls and towers that reached up to the sky. It was surrounded by a moat, and guarded by soldiers in shining armor. Much bigger than the castle with King Philip.
As they approached the castle gates, Apollo signaled to the guards that they were friendly. The gates opened, and they were allowed to enter. They rode through the castle courtyard, the sound of their horses' hooves echoing off the stone walls.
Elvira was nervous as they entered the castle. She had never met her real family before, and she didn't know what to expect. As they dismounted from their horses, a group of people came rushing towards them. Elvira saw a tall, regal-looking woman leading the group. She had a stern expression on her face, but her eyes softened when she saw Elvira.
"Elvira!" she exclaimed, rushing forward to embrace her. "Thank the gods you're safe!"
Elvira was overwhelmed by the woman's embrace. She had never felt so loved and cared for before. She looked over the woman's shoulder and saw several other people coming towards her. She recognized them from the portraits she had seen in her fake father's castle from when she was little, but they got taken down as she grew a bit older and started to get curious about them. This was her real family.
Everything suddenly just clicked in Elvira's brain and all the dots finally connected.
There was a man who looked like he could be her brother, with the same sharp features and piercing honey brown as her own, it was like looking in the mirror. There was a woman who looked like she could be her aunt, with a warm smile and kind eyes. And there was an older man who looked like he could be her grandfather, with a wise expression and a long white beard.
They all rushed forward to embrace her, welcoming her home. Elvira felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. She had never felt so happy or overwhelmed with love before.
Apollo stood back, watching the reunion with a small smile on his face. He was happy that Elvira was safe and with her family. But he couldn't help feeling a little bit sad. He had grown close to Elvira during their journey, and he knew that he would miss her. A lot.
As the family reunited, Apollo felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see the tall, regal-looking woman looking at him with a grateful expression.
"Thank you, Apollo," she said. "You saved our daughter."
Apollo nodded. "It was my pleasure, Your Highness."
The woman smiled. "Please, call me Queen Anastasia. And you must stay for the feast tonight. We must celebrate our daughter's safe return home."
Apollo hesitated. "I appreciate the offer, Your Highness, but I must be going. I have other things to attend to."
Queen Anastasia frowned. "Are you sure? It's the least we can do to thank you for what you've done."
Apollo shook his head. "I appreciate the offer, but I must decline. I have other responsibilities that I must attend to. Besides, Elvira is safe now. That's all that matters."
Queen Anastasia nodded, understanding in her eyes. "Very well. But know that you will always be welcome here, Apollo. You have our gratitude."
Apollo smiled. "Thank you, Your Highness. I appreciate it."
With that, he turned and walked away. Elvira watched him go, feeling a pang of sadness in her heart. She had grown close to him during their journey, and she didn't want him to leave. He had become a close friend.
Maybe even more.
~~~~
As the days went by, Elvira settled back into life with her family. She learned more about her real parents, and she began to feel like she belonged. But she couldn't forget about Apollo. She knew that he had saved her life and that she owed him a debt of gratitude.
She tried not to think about it, but it went from thinking about him once a week, to once a day, to once every hour until she couldn't take it anymore.
One day, she decided to seek him out. She asked around the castle, and eventually, she found him in a nearby village. He was sitting outside a tavern, drinking a mug of ale. When he saw her, he stood up and smiled.
"Elvira," he said. "What brings you here?"
"I wanted to thank you," she said. "For everything you've done for me and my family." she looked at the ground, a bit embarrassed.
He smiled warmly at her. "I have already told you that it's okay. It was my pleasure, Princess Elvira." he winked at the last part and Elvira could feel her stomach doing another flip.
Could she be… falling in love?