Elara's pov
He knocked twice in the Carriage wall, signalling the coachman to depart.
The entire carriage ride was like a never ending ride, I wanted it to end so badly. I had my hands cluthed to my bag while I try looking out the window to see if we've reached our destination. Looking at the road once more, I realized the journey is still far. It was as if it became far for the first time, it was never this far.
I looked at the man once more who had his head turned facing the window with his arms crossed, it seems he wanted the ride to be over soon. Believe me, we both want the same thing right now.
It took some time, but I could finally see the silhouette of my uncle's house from a distance. I felt quite relieved as I prepared to exit the carriage.
Once the carriage came to a halt , I made my way to the exit and opened the door. As I stepped out, I began to closed the carriage door, but was stopped my the man inside. He held the door, preventing it from closing as he stepped out.
"Make your way to the door, I will depart once you get inside" he said, his hand gripping the inner knob of the carriage door while I held the handle on the outside.
I glanced at him as he looked at me. If not for his brooding demeanor, he would be quite a sight for sore eyes.
But his expression softened, as though he was examining me, until I spoke.
"I shall be on my way now", I said leaving his side and walking to the entrance of my uncle's house.
Authors pov
Jace remained by the carriage waiting for the young lady to reach the door before departing.
.....(earlier)
The queen had ordered Jace to escort Elara, as it was already late and she had not return to her room.
"By the time she'll be back, I might have already fallen asleep",the queen said, facing the window as night had already fallen.
"I need you to protect her at all costs. if anything were to happen to her, I will end you myself", she says, her expression turning cold as she warned Jace.
The queen has grown fond of Elara only after today that she wanted to make sure that she'll be okay.
She viewed Elara as her own daughter, taking care of her when she was sick, as she had never had a chance to have a daughter due to the king's duties and multiple retreats. She enjoyed the company Elara had given her over the past two months.
"I'm sorry if I sound cold, but please do your very best to ensure she get home safely" her tone softens as she spoke.
"Is that clear, Jace?" She asked raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, your highness, I will do my utmost to ensure she gets home safely" Jace bowed, then exited the queens room to prepare for his departure.
....(back to present)
Jace watched as Elara stepped into the house, after ensuring that she was safely inside, he shut the door and let himself outside.Climbing onto the driver's seat beside the coachman, he settled in and gave the order.
"We can go," he commanded, and the carriage rolled out of the vicinity.
Elara's pov
I entered the house, immediately locking the door, as it quite late. I was greeted by the sight of my uncle, putting on his jacket, ready to exit the house.
"Uncle, are you going out?" I say, setting my bag down as I began to take off my coat.
"Oh, thank goodness! I was about to go look for you. Where have you been, you had me worried. it's not like you to stay at the palace that late" he says, concern evident in his voice. He removed the coat he had just put on and placed it back on the coat rack.
"I'm sorry if I made you worry. Things were busy at the palace today, so....."
"You don't need to explain yourself, you're just doing your job." he said, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder with a calm expression.
"Just be careful. Your dinner's in the kitchen, eat up and get some rest. I'm sure you have a big day tomorrow", he said with a smile before leaving my side. He made his way up the stairs and disappeared into his room.
I made my way to the kitchen and found the bowl of porridge my uncle left. It was still warm, suggesting he must have reheated it earlier.
Opening the cabinet where the utensils were stored, I grabbed a spoon, returned to the table, and began eating..
___ Authors pov
Ever since her mother's death, Elara had been living with her uncle, Rowan Fletcher.
He resided with his wife, Phoebe Fletcher, and their two children, Anthony and Amelia Fletcher.
Rowan is the second child of the Fletcher family, while his sister, Thia (Elara's mother), is the eldest. They are the only two children in the Fletcher family.
The only problem was that they were both adopted.
Thia and Rowan had grown up as orphans before being taken in by Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher.
Although they were not their biological children, the Fletchers treated them as if they were.
The Fletchers were the subject of gossip throughout the town, all because the children they adopted were of a different race and skin tone.
They were admired for their beautiful features, and people eagerly awaited the day they would have biological children of their own. However, when they adopted, they faced judgment. It wasn't unusual for families to adopt, and no one had an issue with adoption itself, but the fact that the children were of a different race was what led to the disapproval.
But they didn't care, as they loved Rowan and Thia, even in the face of harsh criticism.
Thia and Rowan had experienced their own form of bullying while growing up in their neighborhood, which led to them not having many friends. Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher saw the criticism their children faced and, in response, showered them with even more love, helping to shield them from the hatred they received.
Years passed, and then things took a turn for the worse. Mrs. Fletcher fell ill and was bedridden for about three years. During this time, the children cared for her while Mr. Fletcher was often away due to his traveling schedule.
Months later, she passed away, and it took an emotional toll on both Thia and Rowan.
Upon hearing the news, Mr. Fletcher was devastated and, at one point, considered ending his own life. But he had his children to look after, and they were the only thing that kept him going.
Mr. Fletcher had to return from his travels to look after the children, but on his way back, he was attacked and killed. The children waited for a month, hoping their father would return, but he never showed.
Due to the hostility of their neighborhood, the children decided to flee, as no one was willing to help them. The neighbors even spread lies, accusing the children of killing their parents to take possession of the house.
Thia and Rowan had struggled so much that nothing seemed to bother them anymore. They fled to a new neighborhood and took care of themselves, staying strong through the hard times,up until now.
Elara's POV:
"Oh, Mom, I wish you were here," I sobbed, eating my porridge.