"Sir henry" she had approached him in a secluded place.
"Miss stella, were you the one who sent me the note?" She could feel her heart pounding, she was getting cold feet but she knew it had to be today or never.
"Yes i was the one, I have something important to say to you" he was paying attention to her, she could feel her face flush as she tried to organize her words.
"Of course, do you want to go somewhere we can sit and talk"
"No...I need to say it here or else i never will." She was having second thoughts but he was already here and she couldn't waste his precious time.
"I... i really..... i like you sir henry" her eyes were shut tight, hands clasp again her chest as she steadied her breath and waited for his reply. Looking up she saw his shocked face as he was stunned silent.
"Forget i just said that.....im just a maid..... I know my place.... I shouldn't have said that to you. ...You must have been so offended..... that a mere maid ...dared to like you.... Im sorry" her eyes welled up, her voice broke and she was flailing around trying to reduce her embarrassment. Turning around about to run.
"Stella"he grabbed her hand before she could run, she turned around to see his face and he let her hand go. He turned red and his hands were over his mouth.
He wasn't always the chatty type, he was someone who barely spoke, he preferred to observe silently than to actively pursue something.
The first time he saw her there was a change in him, he didnt know it yet but the past few years he couldn't help it, as his eyes always followed her around the castle, he would actively help her move objects or take valuable time to stop and chat with her. He was actively building a friendship but he didn't know why. His chest would feel tight whenever he saw her and he would get sad whenever he saw her smiling with another man.
He had never felt like this way before, he had always been cool headed, he was a knight chivalry was part of the job but he didn't feel that way towards anyone else.
He always found being around others a bother but he would always seek her out just to be in her presence.
He didn't find beauty in a lot but whenever she smiled he found he couldn't turn away, he was totally blown away with this simple but beautiful woman.
"Do you mean what you just said? I didn't know i am sorry..." she could feel the tears as the rejection settled in.
"Its not your fault, I should have known my place" she bite her lips and clench her hands around her pants.
"No, It's not a rejection." He grabbed her hand gently.
"Can you give me some time? I will give you a proper proposal when i return from the expedition." her face turned bright red,she pushed something into his hand, turning around she ran away in the opposite direction on cloud nine as her feelings were returned.
He lifted the piece of cloth that had an embroidery on it, he smiled and kissed it.
"So it's was love, the feeling i couldn't understand..... it was love"
'Oh my' i was on my way to get some supplies from hannah when I saw stella with sir Henry. I hid behind a pillar instinctively who knew I would watch such an amazing scene. I'm so happy for her, she finally made her love come true.
If only I could be this bold, I'd grab theos hand and profess my love for him.
2 days flew by in a flash and it was finally time for us to go on the monster hunt.
We stood outside the castle gates with the knights.
Mother and father had expressed their disagreement to me going but after seeing my abilities even father couldn't deny that I would be just fine.
"Clarisa" mothers grabbed my hand
"In the north it's customary to give a piece of embroidered clothing to the knights going to battle" she handed me a white handkerchief with green roses embroidered on it and father handed me a green handkerchief with white lily's.
"They are beautiful, thank you mother ,father" I'm so grateful. Now I see why stella gave sir Henry a handkerchief, it must have made him so happy..... as happy as I feel right now.
Now I regret not making one for theo.
"Stop trying to steal my wife mother, you have father isn't that enough for you"
"This son of mine just goes around running his mouth" she grabbed his mouth, father ignored them both and grabbed my hand
"Please take care of yourself dear"
"Yes father, i'll make sure to come back unharmed" it feels good to have a father and mother who sends me off with a smile.
I could see the employees too, unlike that last time where I was sent off with a grim farewell, this time they had smiles on their faces, i truly have come a long way.
No matter how many times I see it, i still can't believe it. Who knew his grace could smile so freely and when did lord Oliver get so happy to see anyone other than lady Isabella? It was like i was meeting these people for the first time, I almost feel like a fool for suspecting the duchess. After receiving the report on how the duchess was raised, I've been trying to find a way to apologize to her. I suspected her to be bad because she was count dumonts daughter but all her life she was scorned and rejected just because of that, as someone who knows what it feels like to be an illegimate child unwanted and discarded, i feel awful.
After getting released from jail I had thought I would be serving as her personal knight but I was dismissed without reason.
"Sir cavill, i heard you lost your position as the her grace's personal knight" ava had ridden her horse closer to him just to mock him.
"Give him a break, he has suffered enough" Gideon slung his hand across his neck, how he stayed upright on the horse was something he didn't want to go into.
"I heard miss hannah has been giving him an earfull, for a week now. The prison guards could hear him screaming each time she came for a visit." I pushed Gideon off me riding further, I don't have time for their shenanigans.
The horn blows as they all begun their march.
We stopped by the north wall, to grab supplies and do a last head count before setting off past the gate. Theo insisted on riding beside me and to make sure we didn't lose each other, out horses were linkrd together by their muzzles. The knights teased that we were just trying to get more lovey lovey time together but they were quickly subdued by Lucas, it was fun to see them get smacked around.
"How are you holding up my dear? It will take us about 3 hours to get to the entrance of the forest." I gave him a thumbs up and a smile, we could see the treeline far off. I'm glad I learnt how to ride before we set off, it would have been a real pain not knowing how uncomfortable it could be on a horse, but the feeling of the cold wind against my face as my hair sways in the wind, it feels so free like a bird that just broke out of a cage, I turned to theo as his silver hair sways with the wind.
The forest wasn't as dense as I thought it would be, although it was covered in snow and the terrain was treacherous it wasn't as bad as I thought.
The horses had specialized hooves that were engraved with magic circles that allowed them to walk without sinking into the snow, which made moving easy. There was a clearing up ahead, that looked big enough to be some sort of base.
"My dear, that is where we always set up camp during each expedition."
The knights got to work instantly melting the snow on the floor with magic items, while others set up the camp. They placed some orbs on the trees surrounding the base and a magic barrier was erected.
"The barrier keeps out the monsters making this a safe spot for reckon." He helped me down as he explained to me. The boots we wear also had the engraving on them which made walking on the snow easy. I didn't know it before but 4th circle mages are truly amazing, i can't believe carion made all these himself.
Theo excused himself leaving me in the care of sir Lucas.
"Greetings your grace"
"Sir cavill, i don't think you should approach the duchess with....."
"Its fine sir Lucas, it's been a while sir cavill. Did you enjoy prison?" He had his head in a deep bow.
"I know it may sound dishonest, but please allow me to offer you my deepest apologies your grace, its the duty of a knight to respect his master and I disregarded that, for that I'm sincerely sorry for my rude words your grace. I was out of line. I know you dont need to forgive me, i just wanted to apologize sincerly for my rudeness." his apology was sincere but I know the look in his eyes, it was one I was too used to, 'pity' i grit my teeth
"Sir cavill..... did you run a background check on me?" He clenched his fist and he didnt deny it.
"Sir cavill you just crossed a line I will not overlook" I gritted out, as i turned around and walked away. How dare he? Who gave him the right? He is a mere knight, so how dare he run a background check on me? He must have found out everything, the maids at the dumont residence were never tight lipped and they were all dissatisfied with the count. Dammit.... I'm so pissed off, I won't let this go.