They all looked at Eveloria with disbelief in their eyes.
Lord Gavriel chuckled dryly and gestured to her, " I like her already, " he said, glancing at her.
Lord Ravenshield smiled slightly as he watched the girl with a slight hint of detest in his amber eyes and replied quietly, " Eveloria, you will marry him whether you like it or not, " he said firmly the tension between father and daughter was palpable.
" And I said, I have yet to agree to it. " she responded coldly, not taking her gaze from Lord Ravenshields eyes.
" So no, I will not. " She said simply and looked away, " I need time to think about it, if you force me, I will not get married. My Lord. " she added softly.
' This girl is truly something else. ' Lord Gavriel thought as he stared at her with intrigue.
Lord Ravenshield's face twisted into an ugly scowl but still he answered her calmly, " Eveloria... " He began in a warning tone but he was interrupted by Eveloria.
" No, my Lord, " she cut off sharply. " I will take my leave . Good day. " She sighed wearily and stood up from her chair.
Her posture was stiff, shoulders rigid, and she looked at them in defiance with those amber orbs. They were like gems: so stunning, so unusual, that Lord Gavriel could not tear his gaze away. They seemed to capture every single ounce of his attention, mesmerizing him completely. His breath caught in his chest as he continued watching her. A strange feeling had taken root in his stomach, an unidentifiable sensation, he found himself unable to look away. It was like his very self was being consumed by them as he stared at them.
Eveloria bowed and left the dining hall.
The young lord's heart raced, his breaths shallow as he struggled to regain control over his emotions. Abruptly, he snapped out of it, clearing his throat before turning to address Lord Ravenshield.
" Well, I have pressing matters to attend to now, so I must take my leave, " he gruffly declared, rising from his seat. Lord Ravenshield nodded in acknowledgment and stood up as well.
" Of course, " Lord Ravenshield replied, and Lord Gavriel exited the dining room.
Once the door clicked shut, Briana released a shaky breath, her hands trembling uncontrollably. Her gaze fell upon Eveloria's untouched seat, noticing that she hadn't touched her food. Swallowing thickly, Briana glanced at the table, seeing Eveloria's plate still full and a small portion of untouched food on her side. It was clear she hadn't eaten anything.
" How dare that wretch defy your orders, My Lord! " Beatrice exclaimed furiously, slamming her hand down on the table. Her eyes blazed with rage as she glared at Eveloria's vacant spot. Her nostrils flared, and her hands clenched into tight fists by her sides.
Lord Ravenshield's stern voice resounded through the dining hall.
" Let her be, " he commanded, his tone brooking no argument.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Beatrice trembled, her fist still tightly clenched. Meanwhile, Ambrose, ever composed, let out a deep sigh, his gaze meeting Briana's. With a subtle gesture, he signaled for her to follow him, and she swiftly rose from her chair.
" We shall take our leave, Father, " Ambrose declared, leading the way down the opulent corridor. Briana hurried to catch up, her face etched with concern. " Ambrose, I couldn't help but notice that Sister Eve barely touched her meal, " she voiced, her tone laced with worry.
Ambrose paused, turning to face Briana, a single eyebrow raised in curiosity.
Briana halted when she noticed Ambrose stopped walking.
" She did not even touch it. " Briana went on after catching up to Ambrose.
Ambrose chuckled humorlessly as he shook his head, " I don't see the need to act like you care in front of me. "
" What do you mean? " Briana asked as her gaze morphed from worried to mischievous in a sec.
" My acting is getting better, isn't it ? Just like mother taught me. " She said slyly.
Ambrose scoffed, " Why do you need to act like this though? Just openly be the evil stepsister you already are. "
Briana grinned widely, " no , that isn't fun. Acting weak, caring and clingy in front of Eveloria is delightful. "
Ambrose looked away and said, " Do whatever you want. "
Briana was now grinning ear to ear and grabbed his arm, dragging him along with her. Ambrose didn't struggle against it and followed nonetheless.
Briana might have seemed nice to Eveloria at first but after witnessing her mother punish Eveloria severally because of her own actions she found it very amusing.
***
Eveloria stood outside her room, taking a moment to collect herself before entering. She resisted the urge to slam the door behind her, instead opting for a gentle click as she closed it. Exhaustion weighed heavily on her, evident in her slumped posture as she sank onto the bed with a weary sigh. Her hands fell into her lap, her body language a clear reflection of her fatigue.
Just as she began to settle, a knock echoed through the room. Eveloria's attention snapped towards the door, and she called out, " Come in. " The door swung open, revealing Marlene, a warm smile on her face and a tray of food in her hands. " You didn't eat your breakfast, so I thought I should bring it over to you, " Marlene explained, placing the tray next to Eveloria's bed.
Eveloria brushed a strand of hair away from her face, her expression filled with weariness. She couldn't help but ask, " Did my stepmother give you permission to come in? " Marlene shook her head, a reassuring gesture. " Of course not. Don't worry, she doesn't know about this. "
Eveloria's face lit up, and she immediately dug into the food with newfound energy. The aroma alone was enough to make her mouth water, a stark contrast to the meager meals she had been surviving on. " Thank you, " Eveloria mumbled, her words slightly muffled by a mouthful of food.
" No problem, Lady Eveloria, " Marlene replied, her smile unwavering as she took a seat across from Eveloria on the other side of the bed. " Are you feeling better now that you've eaten something? "
Eveloria nodded, her mouth still slightly full as she hastily finished the last bite. After swallowing, she managed to speak with gratitude in her voice. " Marlene, I can always count on you to take care of me. Thank you for always being by my side. "
Marlene, the ever-present servant in the house, remained faithfully by Eveloria's side. As Eveloria finished her meal, Marlene gracefully collected the tray, bowed, and exited the room, leaving Eveloria to her own thoughts. Seated on her bed, Eveloria's face remained expressionless as her gaze fixated on the wall.
A soft chuckle escaped her lips as memories of the recent events flooded her mind. Shaking her head, a smile formed on her face. She felt foolish for hoping it wouldn't happen so soon, yet she couldn't help but feel relieved that it had come to pass.
' I've heard countless tales of Gavriel Thornblade, the renowned hero of our kingdom. Marrying him might not be such a terrible fate, but I refuse to rush into a decision based solely on my desire to escape this place. I must learn more about him, for if he proves unsuitable for my plans, then I shall resort to plan B: fleeing from this wretched house, ' Eveloria pondered.
" Tomorrow shall mark the beginning of phase one in my grand scheme, " she declared, her smile fading to be replaced by a determined expression.
A little while later, a faint knock echoed through the door, catching Eveloria's attention. She glanced towards the entrance, her curiosity piqued. Who could that be? She wondered silently.
" Sister Eve, it's me, Briana, " her sister's voice called out from behind the door. " Can I come in? " Eveloria's face lit up with a smile, ' She's finally here. '
" You can come in, " she replied warmly, eagerly awaiting Briana's presence.
Briana entered the room with a beaming smile. " Sister Eve, I noticed you didn't have breakfast this morning, so I brought some sweets, " she said, her eyes twinkling mischievously.
Eveloria smiled faintly. " Thank you, Briana. That's really sweet of you, " she responded. " But I'm not feeling particularly hungry at the moment. Perhaps next time, if I feel better by then? "
Briana's expression faltered slightly, a hint of anger flashing across her face, but she quickly regained her composure and offered a small smile. " If you ever change your mind, just remember that I'm always here for you, " she said kindly, her words seemed to be filled with genuine care.
Eveloria returned the smile, though her eyes betrayed a lack of sincerity. " Thank you for understanding, " she replied, her voice tinged with a touch of indifference.
Briana nodded understandingly, her smile now tinged with weariness, and quietly left the room. As the door closed behind her, Eveloria let out a deep sigh. She felt a wave of sickness wash over her once again.
' Why did I let her in? ' She wondered to herself.
' It will take a while before training starts, I should rest a little. ' Eveloria thought as she laid on her bed with her eyes closed.
The warm sun shone through the open window and illuminated the room with its gentle golden rays. She had a pounding headache that made everything seem to spin a bit when she looked at anything more than a few seconds in a row.
It wasn't the first time her headaches came. As far as she knew, this happened most frequently when she was stressed out. The sunlight gave her a sense of peace as she drifted in deep sleep.
Her breathing evened out into a slow rhythm as she slept deeply.