Chapter 9. East Wing (2)

'Did you, by any chance, meet Yurielle?' Lunaria asked me hesitantly. Silence struck me. I supposed that since I had visited the Temple, where Yurielle was, it wasn't too strange that Lunaria would ask me if I had met her. Still, it was surprising.

So Lunaria was still concerned about her. 

Even after everything Yurielle put her through...

The two had a brief friendship, the plot of the novel driving a wedge between them. Had it not been for Yurielle's love for Lucien, they might have continued to be good friends. As it was, Lunaria had already forgiven her. A saintly female lead indeed.

In the end, Yurielle was the one who was unable to forgive herself. 

I pulled at my collar, the warm summer air making worse this awkward moment. The truth was I did see Yurielle. Not only that, I initiated conversation and followed her around the Temple.

Saints, I sound like a creep. I felt a slight chill down my neck. 

But what bothered me more was the shift I sensed from behind the other side of the wall. Ezekiel was right there, in earshot of everything I had to say.

If Lunaria had known he was there, would she have asked me about Yurielle?

Should I just lie? I wondered. If Ezekiel found out that I met his sister, would he hate me even more? I could imagine the childlike glare of disdain from him. 

 I sighed inwardly, disgruntled. 

What does it even matter? It wasn’t as though Yurielle and I were close. 

‘Yes, I happened upon her, Your Grace.’ I stated. Silence. Ezekiel seemed to keep his reaction subtle. Similarly, Lunaria said nothing for a moment, though she couldn’t hide the wavering shimmer in her eyes. Her brief expression of relief was quickly replaced by a rueful one. 

‘I see. Does she seem to be doing well?’ 

‘I should like to think so.’ I answered, my hands feeling clammy as I clasped them behind my back. 

‘That’s good, I suppose.’ Lunaria commented. ‘I do wish she would come back. For some time, it felt like Yurielle was the only friend I had…’ She cast her gaze away. 

My eyes inadvertently widened, my lips parting. I never expected her to speak freely about Yurielle, with such an anxious look in her eyes at that. But I remained silent. It wasn’t my place to speak, and I had the feeling Lunaria hadn’t intended to let me hear those words. 

She suddenly scrunched her brows, her delicate laughter sounding. She tucked away her elegantly unkempt hair. 

‘I don’t know why I’m saying this to you, Sir Asher… Please don’t mind me and continue. I’ll be going.’ Lunaria gathered herself. Some part of me wanted to stop her, but I had no place doing that. Instead, I simply bowed with a hand on my chest. 

‘Yes, Your Grace.’

With an empty smile, she walked past me, entering her castle. She had seemingly taken no notice of Ezekiel. I watched her retreat for a moment. There was a girl who had lived a life of hardship. Torture, abuse, suffering. By the end of her story, she was someone who was full of love and compassion.

Still, it seemed there were lingering feelings of regret. 

With a silent exhale, I turned back around, leaning against the wall. Then suddenly I was slammed against it. The collar of my uniform grazed against my chin as hands grabbed at me. 

Ow… I felt my half-up hair dig uncomfortably into my head. But I had other things to worry about. Ezekiel pushed me against the wall. Though he was only eighteen, and positively awful with a sword, he had a surprisingly strong grip.

With darkened blood-coloured eyes, I stared down at the boy with rage etched on his face. 

‘Ezekiel, are you sure attacking a senior knight is a good idea?’

‘What business do you have with my sister?!’ He gritted his teeth, his voice rough with rage. 

I sighed, sure that disappointment was evident in my eyes. 

‘I have no business with the young Lady Esteban.’

A dark flicker passed through Ezekiel’s eyes when I said his sister’s name. He pushed me again, but stayed silent. As though he was unsure whether to believe me. 

Well, I have no reason to lie.

‘Ezekiel!’ A familiar voice shouted, causing Ezekiel to flinch and release my collar from his grasp. It was Javier. He was dressed in his typical uniform of the Vice Captain, coloured in the deep burgundy of Benesse. As he approached, with Rowan following behind, his brows creased inwards. With a set jaw, he called Ezekiel again. 

‘Ezekiel. Asher. What’s going on here?’ 

Ezekiel shrunk back slightly by my side.

This kid, really… 

‘Vice Captain—.’ Ezekiel cut his gaze away, unable to explain himself. If there was someone he couldn’t answer back to, it was Javier. 

Yet, Javier glared daggers at me. 

‘Asher. Did you do something?’ He barked. I froze, stupefied. 

‘Really? Why is it always me?’ My words were lost in silence. Javier clenched his fists subtly. 

‘Whatever it is, the two of you had better sort it out. You’re both…’ Javier trailed off. Then he sighed exasperatedly.  ‘Never mind. Don’t let this happen again.’ 

We’re both? We’re both what? Damn you, Javier. I smiled irritably in my mind, my jaw twitching. Javier gave a final glance my way, his silver green eyes glinting. 

… Ah. 

“From now on, you can live up to your potential.”

Javier’s words from this morning echoed in my mind. Haa, was I failing him already?

I felt a subtle sense of dejection, averting my gaze from Javier’s. It seemed like I wasn’t all that different from Ezekiel. 

‘Back to duty, the both of you.’ Javier said, walking away, Rowan in tow.

It occurred to me then.

In any case, what’s Rowan doing with Javier…?

As though reading my mind, Rowan gave me a look over his shoulder. It was a meaningless one, with no emotion in those silver grey eyes of his. Why was everyone being so odd? Passing it off as coincidence, I grumbled a sigh and returned to my post. I had a couple more hours of guarding this uneventful gate. 

***

… ‘How does someone like you end up a knight in the Benesse Guard?’ Malice dripped from their lips.

‘Commoner orphan with nothing. Maybe the Duke took pity on you.  Yes, that’s probably it, isn't it?’ Sneering laughter filled the grounds. 

A silent sigh heaved in my chest. Ahh… I was wrong. These guys aren’t saints.