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bb-editing · 1 year

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ROXANA (Chapter 16)

(*E/N: Sorry, make-out chapter is tomorrow; I have to feed Novel Updates today. Please bear with.)

Usually, people failed at pretending to be unconscious, especially if the person they were trying to fool was as close as Cassis and I were. This was because there was a slight- but noticeable- difference between the breathing pattern of a person who was conscious, compared to one who wasn’t.

Despite this knowledge, I couldn’t tell if Cassis was indeed conscious- he was still lying quietly with his eyes closed, exhaling soundless breaths. I studied him for a while, but his expression and general demeanour remained unchanged.

Hmm… “It may be funny to say this to an unconscious person earlier,” I murmured, “But I’m sorry I couldn’t stop my father earlier.”

It didn’t matter if Cassis was truly unconscious, but it would’ve been nice if he weren’t, so he could listen to what I was saying.

“But it won’t happen again. Now that you belong to me, no one else can touch you.” In this family, nominal titles mattered more than ever. Even Lanche couldn’t touch Cassis if he wanted to.

I gently stroked Cassis’ head again. “I’ll definitely help you get out of here.” I wasn’t sure if my words were directed as encouragements toward Cassis or myself. Can I really manage to help him escape?

Cassis’ appearance at House Agriche had created countless doubts and questions that lingered in my head. Of course, they were all unconfirmed and unanswerable.

* * *

As Roxana suspected, Cassis was conscious when she visited him- he hadn’t even fainted in the first place.

“My shoes are dirty.” After finalizing Roxana’s ownership of Cassis, Lanche Agriche called for a nearby soldier. “Wipe it.”

“Yes, Master.” The man ran up, kneeling to wipe Lanche’s shoes with the hem of his shirt. He looked like a well-trained slave, rather than a soldier.

This display of excessive servitude made Cassis sick with disgust.

He waited until Lanche Agriche left, before finally acknowledging the pain he was in. He pretended to faint.

* * *

“Who even is this guy? To think that even Master would make an appearance.” The soldier supporting Cassis’ right half spoke, voice bubbling with curiosity.

‘I guess it’s rare for Lanche Agriche to publicly torture his captives,’ Cassis thought.

“Quit it.” The soldier to Cassis’ left replied. “It’s not for people like us to care. Whatever- if he’s already in such a state during his arrival at House Agriche, he’s not going to be leaving alive.”

The two soldiers paid no heed to Cassis, who was keeping track of the guards’ walking paths and patterns to map out the structure of the mansion in his head.

Even in such an injured state, it wouldn’t be difficult to deal with these two men and escape. However, he couldn’t be sure of the nearest exit.

Moreover, his vision hadn’t fully recovered, and everything was still a little blurry. If he’d been tortured with poison instead of magic, his recovery would have been so much faster.

In this current state, it would be impossible to escape without getting caught. However, Cassis was unsure if there would ever be such an opportune situation as the one he was in right now, and didn’t give up his scheming.

“Isn’t this the first time that Miss Roxana’s taken a toy?”

“She’d probably the best master; if this guy had belonged to another kid, his organs would have been gorged out after a few days- he’d be their hunting dogs’ next meal.”

The name fluttered into his ear- Roxana Agriche.

Cassis had been slightly surprised when he learned that the girl in the dungeon had been Lanche Agriche’s daughter.

However, her saving him only introduced more questions- he didn’t feel deceived and confused by the whole situation, but then again one could only feel deceived if one had trusted in the first place. And he didn’t trust Roxana in the slightly.

Yes, it was much better when his vision was completely blurry, and he had to keep his guard up all the time because he didn’t know who was approaching.

Of course, Roxana’s words had created a most lasting impression on him. ‘I’ll educate this toy well and do my best not to disappoint you, Father.’ Those were her words- that was her promise, and yet- ‘Until you escape this place I’ll protect you.’

Only Roxana would know which of the two promises were true.

At the same moment, Cassis felt a fourth presence approaching the trio; he closed his eyes tighter.

“Oh, hello, Madam.” The men supporting Cassis greeted nervously.

‘She’s a mother of Agriche?’ Cassis thought, frowning slightly at the appearance of this unexpected visitor. ‘Come to think of it, I hear that Agriche has a considerable amount of children.’ Unlike the Pedelian children, who only had one mother, Lanche had taken many wives.

“That child… is he dead?” The woman’s voice was of an exceptionally feeble tone- Cassis would never have expected such a voice to come from a member of the Agriche family. ‘I suppose I am covered in enough blood to be considered a corpse, though.’

“No, he’s just passed out…”

“… But what are you doing here? Are you here to visit Lady Roxana?” The men spoke quickly to change the topic of conversation. They seemed reluctant to explain Cassis’ situation in more detail; judging by this reaction, it was likely that she wasn’t used to, or comfortable with, the sight of blood.

Cassis recalled the soldier’s question. ‘Roxana? ... Is this woman Roxana’s mother?’

“I heard that Xana is taking a toy. May I see it?”

“… This is Lady Roxana’s toy.”

“This child?”

‘Toy’… It was a label that made Cassis uncomfortable.

“But how could Xana let this child get like this?!” She asked in disbelief.

“No, this wasn’t done by Lady Roxana, but Master.”

The woman let out a sharp exhale, audibly relieved at the solider’s words. The strange tension emanating from the two soldiers also disappeared.

Soon after, another set of light footsteps was heard.

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thetravelerwrites · 3 months

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Ynghadin Pt. 4

Rating: Mature Relationship: Female Elf/Male Minotaur Content Warning: Child Abuse, Physical Abuse, Kidnapping Additional Tags: Exophilia, Monster Boyfriend, Interspecies Romance, Reader Insert, Minotaur, Manhwa Tropes, Reader-Insert, Second Person Perspective Words: 5439

The reader learns why she was engaged to Elyngar, and his origins. Please reblog and leave feedback!

Every ounce of drowsiness left your body as you sat up. “Fiance?”

The duchess held up her hands to placate you. “I know that sounds strange, seeing as you only just arrived, but it wasn’t a decision we made arbitrarily. There are many reasons why this engagement is necessary, for you and for Elyngar. Plus, the engagement is not set in stone. We’d never make you marry anyone if you didn’t want to. It’s just on paper as of right now and it’s been announced, sure, but we haven’t even filed the engagement papers with the imperial palace yet. It can be broken with a single word, if that’s what you wish.”

You sat in your sea of bed linens and frowned. “Why do we need to be engaged?”

“When we decided against having more children and chose to adopt a successor instead, there were many amongst the nobility who wanted us to take their children as adoptees. For us, watching those parents take advantage of our tragedy and try to sell us their children in exchange for power… it made us sick. It was like they were trampling all over our anguish. So we chose to extend our hand to a child who was close to the family, but had lost his own parents and was in need.”

“Elyngar,” You replied.

She nodded. “Yes. He came to us years ago, desperate and alone. We took him in and made him our successor, much to the dismay of others attempting to curry favor with us. Even still, there were many among the nobles who looked down on him, as he isn’t elven.” She sighed, though you weren’t sure why. “Are you aware that most of the nobility in this country are elves?”

You shook your head. “Why?”

“Several reasons, but the main one is that we are a long-lived race, the longest lived race of all the mortals, so we’re capable of outliving most of our opposition if we merely wait long enough. However, there are a number of noble houses that are not elven, and Elyngar’s family is one such house. Since Elyngar’s a distant relation to the current head of his household and had nothing to do with them before becoming orphaned, there was little chance that his family could use him to get closer to us. It was one of the main reasons we chose him over everyone else.”

“Is that why you chose engagement?”

“Yes,” She confirmed. “There are many who would refuse to recognize Elyngar’s legitimacy as our successor, regardless of what powers we were to afford him. In order to solidify his position, it was better for him to become your fiance than merely our son, since your right to inherit is more concrete than his.”

“Why is it good for me, then?”

“Ah,” She sighed again. “Your father and I were concerned about what would happen to you if anything happened to us, so we wanted to ensure there would be someone strong and capable to look after you if we were unfortunate enough to not be here when you returned. Someone who was in your debt as well as ours, and therefore couldn’t betray us without great detriment to himself. Elyngar is just such a child.”

“So you engaged me to him for my protection?” You asked.

“Yes. You’re still our main successor, but we wanted to make sure there was someone who could take care of that until you felt prepared to inherit, even if it takes decades. We wouldn’t expect you to take over the duchy right after returning, so Elyngar is the interim successor, to take charge until you decide to do so or until your child inherits, should you have any. We wanted you to be safe no matter what. Having a husband who’s sworn to support you and protect you is the best way, and Elyngar agrees, though it took him a while to wrap his head around the idea. He was just a boy when this union was first proposed, after all. Of course, there were conditions.”

“What conditions?”

“Several, but there were three main ones. Number one: he must find you alive. Engagement would serve him no purpose if you were never found, and we would never step down if that were the case, therefore we would no longer need a successor. At least, not for a long while yet.”

“He’s fulfilled that condition, then.”

“Indeed,” Elythuin said with a smile, stroking the peach-fuzz on your head. “The second condition was that he must prove himself capable of leading the duchy. The Leonidas duchy is the largest in the country, and indeed on the continent. Elyngar has to prove to us that we would leave the duchy in capable hands when we decided to step down. Up to now, he’s proven himself more than competent.”

“What’s the third condition?”

“Well, it’s the most important. He must earn your consent.”

“My consent?”

“Oh, yes. Despite our arranging this engagement, your father and I would never force you to marry anyone against your will, not in a million years. Elyngar must prove himself worthy of you, not just in our eyes, but in yours as well.”

“How will he do that?”

She laughed. “I haven’t the foggiest, my love. That’ll be completely up to him.” She stroked your cheek softly. “I’m sorry that we didn’t mention it before, but we were worried about overwhelming you on your first day. We’d always planned to sit down with you as a family and explain it properly, so we had told Elyngar not to mention it until your return. I’m sorry, sweetheart. I hope you’re not too upset.”

You shook your head. “No, it’s alright, I understand. I feel better now that I know it’s a decision I can make and not one that’ll be made for me.”

“Of course, darling, of course” She assured you, pulling you into a gentle hug. “All we’ve ever wanted is your happiness.”

You returned the hug hesitantly, still not familiar with physical contact, but you enjoyed the feeling of the warmth of her arms around your shoulders. So much so that you relaxed to the point of stifling a yawn.

“Oh, darling, you must be terribly exhausted,” Elythuin said, releasing you slowly. “It’s been quite a day. Lie down and get some rest.”

She tucked you back in and bent to kiss your forehead. The gesture felt… strangely familiar. It didn’t bring back any sort of memory, just the shadow of a feeling that came to your mind of something from a long time ago, some vague sensation that slipped through your fingers no matter how hard you tried to hold on to it. It was a comforting feeling, and you felt safe and at ease. All of the day’s anxiety washed out of you, and your eyes closed on their own.

“Sleep well, my beautiful baby girl. I love you so much.”

Immediately after you heard those words, you were asleep.

The next morning, Clara helped you dress in a pale pink gown with a pretty peony pattern and a satin veil to match that had peony lace along the edge. Apparently, Elyngar had ordered matching veils to fit all of the dresses he had bought for you on the day you returned, and you were grateful. You’d had a shaved head since before you could remember and it hadn’t been something you thought too much about, since you’d been more concerned about survival. However, now that you were home with your parents, who were the loveliest two people you’d ever seen in your life, and Elyngar, who was handsome in a far more rugged way, it made you extremely self-conscious of your own appearance.

You met your parents and Elyngar at the family dining table for breakfast. According to Clara, it was the first time the family had sat down to breakfast together since you first went missing. Both your mother and father usually began their work day quite early and took their breakfasts in their respective offices, and Elyngar spent most of his mornings training with the family’s knights and often skipped breakfast altogether.

Now that you knew that Elyngar was your fiance and the heir to the duchy, you felt a little awkward around him. He had been unfailingly kind to you, but how much of that was genuine care for you and how much of it was his desire to inherit the duchy? Was any of the kindness he had shown you real? You wanted to believe it was, but you didn’t know anymore.

Although, just as you shrunk in on yourself, he put a plate of almond cookies, the kind he had given you on the first day of your acquaintance, next to your plate of eggs and sausage, smiling gently at you. You returned his smile shyly. If his kindness was false, he was certainly a very good actor.

“So, my dear,” Your father began. “I hear you are unable to read and write, is that correct?”

“Ah… y-yes. I apologize for not being up to standard.”

“No, no, not at all! It’s no surprise that those bastards neglected your education, so I was merely going to suggest that you begin taking lessons soon, when you’re ready. What do you think, my child?”

“Oh,” You said, perking up. “Oh, yes, I would like that.”

“I know you might be quite overwhelmed at first, but you’ll take the first of your lessons with your mother and I, since I hesitate to leave you in the hands of strangers quite so soon. Your mother will teach you reading, mathematics, art, music, and sciences, and I will be instructing you in economics, business, and politics. Elyngar will also be helping you recover your strength and stamina as well as teaching you basic self-defense, when you’re more healthy. You’re far too frail to even attempt it now, my poor girl.”

“Dr. Reenav recommends at least a full month of rest and recuperation before you begin any sort of physically strenuous activity,” Your mother said, buttering a scone for you. “Trying to force yourself into it too fast could have the opposite effect and cause you further damage.”

“Quite right,” Said Larongar. “You can start all that when you feel ready and Dr. Reenav clears you for physical exercise, so just rest easy for a while. I’ll have you begin introductory magic lessons with the family’s magician, as well. Your other lessons will be taught by Lady Laudmoor, including dance and court etiquette.”

You flinched unintentionally, but said nothing. You didn’t like the idea of being left alone with her. She gave you a bad feeling that you couldn’t explain.

“Is something amiss, my Lady?” Elyngar asked, noticing your silence. “If you feel uncomfortable with the idea of studying alone with a stranger, I’d be happy to accompany you to those lessons.”

You were sure he was remembering the question you posed to him the day before about Lady Laudmoor, judging from his expression. You thought you had done a good job of asking casually, but perhaps he was just very perceptive.

“I couldn’t ask you to do that,” You said. “You’re already a busy person.”

“I’m not so busy that I can’t make time for you, my Lady,” He said, smiling. “Besides, I could always use a brush-up on etiquette. Mother is constantly admonishing me for being too brusque with the court ladies.”

“Just because you are already engaged, there's no reason to ignore every other woman who so much as speaks to you,” Elythuin said, laughing fondly.

“Mother…” Elyngar hissed, cutting his eyes to you quickly. “We haven’t—”

“No, it’s alright,” She assured him. “She asked me last night about why you kept calling us Mother and Father, so I explained it to her. She understands.”

Elygnar and Larongar shared a look of concern between them before returning their gaze to you.

“You’re not upset, I hope,” Your father said fretfully.

You shook your head. “No, I’m alright.”

“I apologize, my Lady,” Elyngar said, worried. “I didn’t keep it from you intentionally; I was instructed to keep quiet about everything until you returned and the four of us could discuss it together.”

“I know, the duchess told me,” You said. “It’s alright, really. I understand.”

“Well,” Your father said slowly, frowning. “It’s not something we’ll need to worry about for a while. A long while. And if you decide not to marry, that’s… also fine. Completely, absolutely fine.”

“Darling, really,” Elythuin said with a sardonic smile.

“I’m just… saying…” Larongar said, avoiding her eye. “She doesn’t have to get married. Elyngar can be her… I don’t know… her personal escort knight when she inherits. He doesn’t have to be her husband, if she doesn’t want it. She doesn’t have to get married at all. Ever.”

Both Elythuin and Elyngar chuckled. Clara and Reice covered their mouths in an effort to hide their smiles.

“Anyhow,” Larongar said, clearing his throat. “I’d like to have you see our family mage today, dear, if you’re up for it. I would be interested to determine if it would be possible to restore your ears magically.”

“Would that make you happy?” You asked him.

“Oh, my dear,” He said with a sad frown, patting your hand. “It’s… not that it would make me happy or unhappy, I just don’t want anyone doubting you or making things difficult for you because of them. Court life is already a minefield, even for nobles who haven’t been through the awful things you have. My only concern is making things a bit easier for you.” His eyes narrowed. “Although, if anyone does give you a hard time, you be sure to let your father know and he’ll fix it for you, alright, my dear?”

You smiled a little. “Yes, I’ll do that.”

“I hope to see you restored before we begin the trial for Marcus, at any rate,” Your father said. “I want the satisfaction of watching him see you at your strongest.”

You dropped your fork in shock. “Is… is Marcus here?”

“Oh,” Your father said, blanching. “Yes… he’s in our dungeon.”

“Here on the estate?”

“Yes.”

You felt your blood run cold and you were unable to breathe, your head spinning. You heard all of them stand up and flock to you, but you couldn’t understand what they were saying because of the rushing in your ears. You could feel yourself shaking and crying, but you couldn’t speak or control your body. You felt as if you were falling into a deep, deep well, pitch black and all-consuming.

You felt someone press their fingers to your forehead, and you felt a sudden rush of warmth in your body, calming your reeling brain and allowing your body to ease out of its intense rigidity.

“Breathe, My Lady,” You heard Elyngar say. “Just breathe. It’s alright. You’re safe.”

You struggled to slow your breathing and your heart rate. While Elyngar worked to calm you, your mother wiped the tears from your cheeks, and your father had removed your veil and was softly stroking your head. They both had stricken, anxious looks on their pale faces. Clara and Reice were absent, strangely. They’d been there only a moment before.

“I’m sorry,” You wept, trying and failing to gather yourself and sit up straight. You had shrunk in on yourself and slumped down in your chair, unable to keep your composure. “Forgive me… I ruined breakfast, I’m sorry…”

“Don’t apologize, my precious girl,” Your father said, kneeling next to you. “It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have mentioned that bastard. But, I assure you, he’s locked up tight and guarded by at least four men at all times. It’s only until an imperial trial can begin, as it’s a formality that must be observed when crimes are committed against royalty by a noble.”

“Marcus is a noble?” You asked, shocked out of your fetal position.

Your father nodded. “He was. He used to belong to the only Orc noble family in the country, the Smeltbourne Marquesate. He was disowned by his family after he committed a number of crimes against fellow nobles, such as theft, lewd conduct, assault, and the like. He seemed to be under the impression that nobles are above the law and should do whatever they like without worrying about the consequences, which is sadly a notion shared by many nobles, but his family had been imperial knights for generations and couldn’t tolerate that type of dishonor. We believe that’s why he began hating nobles and started this campaign to destabilize and demolish as many households as possible. He’s succeeded a number of times, in fact. Your abduction wasn’t the first, but it was certainly the most ambitious.”

“Why does he need to be prosecuted if he was expelled?”

“Because despite being disinherited, he still has noble blood, which means the rules are different for him than they would be for a simple commoner. That fact alone means he can’t be summarily executed without due process, as much as I would delight in the idea. But once that’s over, you’ll never see or hear of him ever again, I swear. Alright, my love?”

You nodded.

Clara and Reice returned, both towing someone behind them by their sleeves. One was Dr. Reenav, looking worried, and the second was a person who you hadn’t met before, since they hadn’t been present when you were introduced to the household staff. They appeared bored and disinterested, clearly being dragged against their will, and wore dark, hooded robes with inscriptions in various languages embroidered into them rather than normal clothing, though your family’s crest was emblazoned on the breast of them. Even someone as sheltered as you knew this person was a magician of some kind, likely the family mage your father had mentioned.

“What’s happened?” Dr. Reenav asked. “Some sort of fit, Clara mentioned?”

“I just… panicked for a moment,” You assured him. “I’m alright, really.”

“What brought this on?” He asked, using his fingers to widen your eyes a little, looking at your pupils.

“The fault lies with me, I mentioned that bastard’s name in my daughter’s presence,” Larongar said. “I should have minded my tongue.”

“Ah, I see,” Dr. Reenav said. “It’s no surprise. Trauma has a lasting effect on the mind of its victim. I will give Clara a tea for anxiety.”

“If I’m not needed, may I leave?” The mage said in a bored voice.

“A moment, and remove your hood so that she may see your face,” Larongar said to the mage before turning back to you. “My darling, this is our family’s mage, Kirin.”

Kirin removed their hood, and you saw a person whose gender was difficult to determine at a glance, but their long ears and glittering eyes told you they weren’t mortal. They seemed to have the long-lived grace of an elf, but their general disinterest in their surroundings spoke of someone who existed outside of the same reality as the people around them.

Fae.

They were the first fae creature you’d ever met, but they couldn’t have been anything else. Their skin was a pale pearlescent blue, their eyes black and deep and seemed like they weren’t there at all if not for the strange glittering. Their limbs were just slightly too long to look natural. Their unkempt hair, longer in the front than it was in the back, was an empty, inky blackness that didn’t reflect the sunlight or move in time with their body.

“Pleasure,” They said flatly. “Can I go now?”

Larongar sighed. “I suppose.”

They snapped their fingers and disappeared in a flurry of feathers that dissolved when they touched the ground.

“Don’t mind them, my dear,” Your father said. “They’re always like that. The nature of their kind, I assume.”

“Well,” Elythuin said. “Come now, let’s finish our meal. Afterward, I’ll show you our library. Perhaps we can have a small lesson on letters, if you feel up to it. Would you like that, darling?”

You nodded and sat up straight in your chair, trying to finish your food and put Marcus far out of your mind. It was difficult.

In the afternoon, Elyngar took the time to show you the in and outs of the training hall and knights quarters, telling you to come here if you ever found yourself in trouble, as every single person in the barracks had sworn an oath to protect you. The knights were all eager to meet you, since many of them had heard about your disappearance even before joining the knighthood. You found their interest a little overwhelming, and Elyngar was careful to keep them all at arms length, but they all strangely reminded you of over-eager puppies, so you didn’t mind their attention as long as they kept their distance.

“My Lady, those men have been members of the duchy’s knights for nearly thirty years.” He gestured to three older men standing at attention, almost expectantly, at the mouth of the outdoor hallway leading back toward the main building. One was human, one was a tiefling, and one was a lynx-faced tabaxi. “They’re the oldest serving members of the knights corps at present. I brought you here partially because they submitted a formal request to meet with you.”

“Me?” You asked in surprise. “Why?”

“Why not ask them, my Lady?” He said. “Would that be alright?”

You nodded.

As you approached, all three of them bowed deeply at the waist, nearly folding themselves in half, and shouted: “Please forgive us, Young Miss!”

You made a squeak of surprise and stopped in your tracks, anxious.

“That’s enough, stand up straight. You’ve startled her,” Elyngar said.

They stood straight again, their heads bowed and they’re hands behind their back, as if they were prisoners. You dared to venture from behind Elyngar and address them.

“Why do you want me to forgive you?”

“We failed to protect you, Young Miss,” The tabaxi said. “For that, we sincerely apologize. We have never forgiven ourselves for letting you or your parents down.”

You thought about that for a moment. So many people had apologized for the exact same thing since you arrived, and it made you think… if someone had come in and abducted you with all these people looking after you, then they must have been close to the family. It wasn’t just you they had betrayed: it was everyone. They didn’t need to apologize, you thought, since they were victims, too.

“May I ask something?”

“Of course, Young Miss, ask us anything you please,” The tiefling said.

“Was it my fault that I was abducted?”

Their jaws dropped in unison, looking distressed at the very idea that you might think so.

“Of course not, Young Miss!” The tabaxi insisted.

“Why?”

“You were just a child! How could it be your fault?”

“Well, who’s fault was it?”

The human man grimaced. “That wench who tricked us.”

“So, it’s her fault and not mine, then?”

“Of course!”

“Then that means it’s not your fault, either. You said so, you were tricked. Nobody, not even my parents, knew what kind of person she really was, so you couldn’t have known, either. Besides, you’ve apologized, so you should forgive yourselves now. I already have.”

They looked conflicted and emotional, but they nodded.

“You’re too kind, Young Miss,” The human man said. “I’m Derek. My colleagues are Break of Dawn,” He pointed at the tabaxi. “And Reilly.” He gestured at the tiefling. “Please come to us if you need anything, My Lady,” Derek said. “We have rooms in the knight’s bunkhouse and we’re almost always somewhere on the estate.”

You smiled as best you could through your nerves. “It’s nice to see you again.”

They gave you watery smiles and bowed again. You smiled shyly in return. Elyngar dismissed them and led you back to the main building.

“My Lady,” Elygar said diffidently. “You must have been quite surprised to learn you were engaged.”

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a shock,” You replied. “But Her Grace explained it to me. I understand.”

“Did she tell you about the conditions?”

“Yes. You have to find me alive and prove you can lead the duchy in my stead.”

“And the last one?”

You couldn’t help but flush. “You have to earn my consent.”

“Exactly. And I don’t want you to agree just because I asked or because we’re already engaged or because you feel like you owe me anything. I want you to choose me because it’s what you want.”

“Shouldn’t it also be what you want?” You asked him.

“It is what I want,” He said simply.

“Why?” You asked him in confusion. “Is it because you feel like you owe my parents? You’ve only met me a few weeks ago, and we haven’t spoken enough or spent enough time with each other for you to feel anything more for me than pity or protectiveness. I don’t mean to sound mean or ungrateful, I just don’t understand why you decided that it’s alright to spend your entire life with a woman before you’d even met her, other than because it’s what my parents decided. That’s not fair to you.”

Elyngar was quiet for a moment, and you looked up to see him watching you with an indecipherable expression.

“My lady,” Elyngar said slowly, holding out his hand. “There’s something I’d like to show you. It’s something that means a lot to me, and I want to share it with you. It’s… my most precious treasure.”

“Alright,” You said, taking his hand. He led you to a set of double doors at the end of the second floor and opened them.

“Where are we?” You asked.

“My chambers,” He said.

You hesitated, unsure.

He laughed softly. “I understand this is an improper request. I can call Clara to be here as a chaperone, if that would reassure you.”

You frowned, but shook your head. “It’s alright. I trust you.”

His smile widened greatly when he heard those words.

“Come,” He said, holding out his hand, and you retook it. He led you to a case in his sitting parlor that displayed different pieces of masculine jewelry, cape brooches and cravat pins, but instead of opening it, he reached underneath it and fiddled with something you couldn’t see. You heard a click, and the entire top of the case lifted away, revealing that the cushion holding the ornate jewelry was simply a facade. Elyngar removed the top of the case, peering down into it.

Inside lay a jagged piece of rusted metal, the tip of a sword, about four to five inches long. It lay there as if it were a precious jewel or some holy artifact that needed to be locked away from the eyes of others. As if it were priceless.

“Do you recognize this?” He asked you.

For a moment, you were unsure what he was asking, but after a second closer look, all at once you realized and gasped, your hands against your mouth. Ynghadin! You had given this piece of metal to him on the final day when he was meant to be killed! It’s what cost Marcus his eye!

“Did he live?” You asked him, turning and bouncing on your heel in excitement. You grabbed the front of his shirt anxiously with both hands, momentarily forgetting both noble propriety and your timid nature. Whatever residual anxiety you felt with Elyngar dissolved in an instant. “Ynghadin? Do you know where he is? Is he alright? Can I see him?”

Elyngar laughed and shook his head, a little disbelieving, and took your face in his hands.

“I told you I’d come back for you, didn’t I? I promised,” He said softly, whispering reverently, pressing his forehead against your own.

Your jaw dropped in shock, and tears filled your eyes. “It’s you?”

He nodded and covered your hands, which still clutched his shirt, with his. “It’s me.”

You fell into his arms, sobbing with joy. Of course. How hadn’t you realized? It was so obvious . The hints were all there: him being a child of a family friend, losing his family ten years ago, knowing who you were and what you were like the day he pulled you out of the chest. He never ate anything made of wheat. He knew your nature and that you’d been trained not to speak. He knew you so intimately, despite only having known you for just a few weeks. You always believed that he’d forgotten you after running away, but he hadn’t. He’d remembered everything. And he never stopped looking.

“Come and sit, My Lady. Let me pour you a cup of tea.”

You nodded through your tears and he put his arm around you, leading you to the parlor area of his quarters and setting you on a couch. He called his attendant to bring a tea set and some light snacks.

“Your coloring is different from before. That’s why I didn’t realize,” You told him.

“I figured as much. My kind of minotaur is born pale in color, which then darkens as we reach adulthood. My full color didn’t come in until I was fifteen, long after we had last seen each other. I was wondering if you’d realize on your own… I guess I got impatient.”

“Why do you go by Elyngar and not Ynghadin?”

“I took the name when I was officially brought into the house. Elves have strict naming conventions, especially noble houses, so I decided on a combination of your mother and father’s names. It was important to jump through the appropriate hoops if I wanted to be of use to you.”

“Why did you want to be of use to me?”

“When I was young,” He began, sitting next to you on the couch. “My father would tell me tales of his childhood best friend, your father, and often spoke of a little girl he was desperate to find. Seeing how distraught your father was after losing you made my father a man obsessed with finding you, if only to relieve his friend’s suffering. After my mother died, he devoted nearly all of his time to searching for you, and I often assisted him in various ways. In a sense, I had been looking for you before I even knew who you were.

“When we met in the guildhouse, I didn’t know you were the little girl my father had been so desperate to find. If I had known, I’d have never left you there. I already felt bad leaving you in the first place, but once I realized who you actually were, I felt like I had disappointed you, your parents, and my own father.”

“How did you figure out how I was?”

“It was after I came here to the capitol to meet with the duke, which is what my father told me to do if anything ever happened to him. The moment I saw your parents, I realized the mistake I had made. I led them back to the guildhouse, but it had been burned to the ground and abandoned, and you were gone. Ever since, I have done as my father did and devoted my entire life to your rescue, hoping beyond hope that you’d still be alive.”

He took your hands in his and kissed them.

“You saved my life that day, ten years ago. If not for you, I’d be lying dead in that hole they made you dig until your fingers bled, and no one would have been looking for me. I owe all that I am to you. Your parents adopted me partly because they were friends with my father and felt an obligation to help me considering how my father died, but they also realized that I wasn’t in it for their status. They chose me because I was almost as desperate to find you as they were, if for no other reason than to thank you. The duchy, the title, the money; none of it means anything to me. It was all a means to an end, to find you. You’re my savior. Nothing means more to me than you.”

You felt yourself blush at this bold declaration.

“Do you understand now?” He asked.

You nodded shyly. “Yes.”

“Good,” He caressed your cheek and urged you to look at him. "Take your time, My Lady. I will wait for you forever, if need be. We have all the time in the world.”

You smiled shakily at him and nodded.

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#Exophilia #Minotaur #Elf #Manwha Tropes #Interspecies Romance

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