Ambrose looked at the little box he made using wood to carry food, he gripped the bottle in his other hand and sighed.

“Why am I worrying? She has survived that long, two days that I didn’t show up she should be fine” he nodded and made his way to the hut “After this, I should just leave her alone since I’m leaving tomorrow” 

He found the girl sitting in the corner of the hut hugging herself. She lifted her head when she heard him 

“Are you back?” 

“Yes...here” He placed the basket and bottle in the floor in front of her

“Ah… you can have them since you picked them” 

“I brought more than berries, I brought cookies, bread and milk” 

She smiled “That’s what Eleanora brought whenever she came back!”  

Ambrose flinched, he for some reason felt guilty. 

“Are…Are you okay? You are very quiet” She tilted her head

Ambrose stared at her, for some reason he felt that he could tell her anything, it was a strange sense of familiarity that somehow comforted him. He sighed and sat down beside her 

“I’m tired” 

“Tired? Do you want to sleep?” 

“No…I’m tired of life, there is too many problems” He rubbed his face “I don’t know what to do” 

“You can tell me…I will listen” She stretched her legs “Eleonora said that talking could solve many problems”

“Well…I had to give up many things so my brother could have them and many of those things brought me misery so giving them up should’ve solved the problem right?” ” Ambrose moved his feet slowly “Now he has everything and it’s having a great life, while I’m here unhappy and confused” 

“What could bring you happiness?”

 

“I guess...Running away even if it’s for a couple of minutes” 

“You can always come here” She smiled “We can go pick food, and discover things” 

“Things?” He turned to her 

She nodded, she reached towards a wooden box that was next to her and handed it to Ambrose “Eleonora brought things for me, she said that they were important” 

Ambrose looked at the thigs in the box, there was a hairpin, a brush, a newspaper, fake jewels and many dried flowers.  He shook his head, he needed to leave in order to not care about her later and the strange feeling that he had was making him feel uneasy.

“I need to leave…so bye” He put the box in her lap and stood up

Her expression looked sad but she quickly smiled “Before you go…can I know your name?” 

“Ambrose” 

“Thank you…Well hopefully you come back soon. I’ll tell Eleanora that I met you” She nodded “Thank you for the water and food” 

“No problem…Bye” He turned around and started walking away but he quickly returned

“Ah! you are back…Is there something wrong?” She tilted her head and frowned

He made her stand up, and then he took his coat and shirt off. He helped her put his shirt on and then gave her his coat. He smiled when he noticed how big his shirt looked on her thin figure, he couldn’t even see her hands due to the long sleeves.

“A new dress? It smells really good and what’s this?” 

“It’s a coat…Well anyway I’m leaving” Ambrose rubbed his bare chest, it was more cold than he thought it was

“Yes thank you Ambrose” She smiled 

He turned around and stared walking away quickly. But somehow he found himself back in the hut holding her hands.

“Ambrose is something wrong?” 

He sighed and with the conclusion that what was making him unable to leave her was the responsibility he felt for this pitiful girl and not the weird unwillingness to leave her, he nodded “Do you want to come with me?” 

She tilted her head “Huh?”

“Come with me” He squeezed her hands gently

“But Eleonora told me it was dangerous outside… besides what if she comes back?” 

He stared at her grey eyes “I’ll let her know where we are besides I can protect you” He squeezed her hands gently “You will have a better life, and I will be with you all the time”

She hesitated but nodded “But you have to promise to never leave me” 

“I promise” 

He placed his coat on her shoulders, lifted her and started walking to the camp. 

***

It was almost dawn and Evander paced around in his tent. Ambrose was standing beside the bed where the girl was siting 

“So this is the reason why you sneaked away earlier and also the reason why you were murmuring to yourself two days ago”  He stopped and stared at the girl “Please don’t tell me you are planning to take her to the imperial palace…She’ll die!”

 

“I’m not…I brought her with me so she can have a better life not to suffer more” Ambrose placed his hands on his pockets “I decided that I’m not going back…so what’s the plan?” 

Evander smiled while clapping “Finally! Look I have a small villa north from Aegle, it’s on a hill and down the hill is a small village, not many people know of the village so it would be good for hiding” He walked towards his luggage he took out a big pouch of coins “Here... this should last you for a long while” 

Ambrose hugged Evander, after a while he pulled away “Are you sure this is okay?” 

“Of course, don’t worry everything will be fine” Evander smiled “Trust me” 

Ambrose nodded, then he helped the girl stand and before they went out of the tent she stopped

“What’s your name sir?” 

Evander glanced at Ambrose before turning to the girl “Evander” 

She smiled “Thank you Evander, I hope we meet again soon”

 

Evander helped them get food, Ambrose’s luggage and a transportation spell which he set up by placing some markings on the floor.

“Take care Ambrose” 

“You too Evander” 

He crouched and placed his hands on the edge of the markings, he said the place they were headed and the incantations. Soon both of them disappeared. 

***

The arrived exactly in the entrance of the villa and as Evander said it was a small mansion with a small garden on the back. There weren’t any employees, and there hasn’t for a while since the furniture was covered and there was dust everywhere. Ambrose led the girl to the drawing room and after uncovering the sofa he helped her sit. 

“Are you okay?” He kneeled in front of her, Ambrose knew that traveling that way had its after effects

She nodded “Are…Are we on our new home?” She placed her hand on top of Ambrose's hand that was resting on her knee

Ambrose smiled, hearing her say ‘our’ made him somewhat happy and also gave him a weird feeling of melancholy “Yes, I’ll help you get used to it” He ruffled his brown hair “Let’s see… you need a name…hmm” He look up at her, examining her features

“You are giving me a name?” The girl sounded excited

“Yes…what about Zielle? It means heavenly and honestly it fits you perfectly” He nodded satisfied “Do you like it?” 

She started crying while nodding “Yes…Yes I love it…Thank you” Ambrose got surprise by her iridescent tears, but he quickly moved to wipe them

“Well Zielle with a name comes a nickname so…” He stood up after making sure she wasn't crying anymore

“What’s a nickname?” She sniffled 

“It’s either a short version of your name or a loving way to call someone” He patted her head “I think Elle is perfect, yes?”  

“I like that one too” She smiled “Then I’ll call you Rose” 

Ambrose chuckled “I love it, thank you” 

He helped her stand and grabbed her hand. He started looking for a bathroom, which he found after opening several doors. Ambrose was surprise to find that the water was still running, he quickly filled the tub with warm water

“Alright Elle, you can take a bath right?” He turned to her, who was sitting on a stool that Ambrose had dragged inside

“Yes...I think so?” 

He helped her enter the tub and quickly looked away because the white shirt she was wearing was revealing too much. 

“Alright Elle, stay there and don’t move, I’ll be right back” He turned around “Count to one hundred and eighty five, can you do that?” 

“Yes” 

He left and went down to the village in a hurry to buy things they would need.