I was a virtuous wife

Chapter 11: Coming back to see you

"I didn't expect you'd enjoy drinking. Is the wine to your liking ?"

"Yes, although I prefer a more sweeter wine.", said Kierra as she took another sip of the wine Ethan brought. 

"Alright, I'll bring a sweeter wine next time. I have some good wine from the south."

["Next time ?"]

When Kierra heard the word "South", she was reminded of something. 

"Are you returning to the capital ?"

"Hmm ?"

"I heard the situation at the southern borders have calmed down."

"Well, the kingdom of Raizon has agreed to a peace treaty so the raids have died down for now but nothing is assured till King Sepherus signs the treaty."

Ethan looked troubled. The kingdom of Freedia has been hostile with the neighboring kingdom Raizon for decades. Especially, the southern regions where Ethan was stationed were always raided and attacked by the Raizon soldiers. Even though a peace treaty is coming in place, King Sepherus of Raizon is said to so eccentric that everyone was nervous whether he would really sign the treaty.  

Kierra understood Ethan's anxiousness and just nodded along.

"And yes, I am coming back.", he said with a smile.

Kierra looked up by his sudden statement. 

"The answer to your first question."

"Oh"

"His highness has ordered me to come back to the capital to oversee the peace treaty so I should be returning next week."

Kierra felt a little relieved about Ethan's return from the southern region. Him being at the capital was far more safer than him being at the south where tensions were high. But she was still confused as to why she felt so worried about him when they had just met after 10 years. 

["Why do I feel comfortable around him even after a long time ?"]

"I see. But how did you come here ? I thought you were still stationed at the south ?"

"The prince told me to take a few days off so I came here to attend the harvest festival."

"You came back here after 10 years to attend the harvest festival ?", she asked with a distrusting look. 

["You could've enjoyed a more grander harvest festival at the capital."]

Even if he had a few days off, it would still take him five days of travel to reach here and it'll take him another five days to return back so she was confused why he would bother to come all the way here. 

"Why ? Is it that unbelievable ?"

"I apologize if I'm wrong."

"No... you are right. I certainly did not come here to only attend this drab festival.", he said with a knowing smile. 

"Then why woul-?"

"I came here to see you."

Ethan stared at her with a nostalgic expression and that made Kierra feel embarrassed. Those words that Ethan just said made Kierra feel a mix of emotions. 

Ethan Liondale was the only son of Count Marcus Liondale who was one of the King's trusted advisors. After his family was tragically killed by a group of bandits when he was just ten years old, Ethan was brought to the Vonton estate by Kierra's father who was the late count's good friend. Kierra's father was to be Ethan's guardian till he reached adulthood at the age of 16. So he lived with Kierra for six years till he was 16 and then left the house to join the royal knights. 

Kierra and Ethan felt they were similar to each other since both of them were always alone and had the burden of inheriting their family name. Kierra immediately got along with Ethan because of their love for book and a familiar sense of loneliness. In a house where Kierra wasn't cared about, Ethan was her only source of emotional support and so was Kierra to Ethan. 

The servants would even gossip that the two might get engaged in the future since they were always stuck together. But what Kierra and Ethan had wasn't romantic but more of a platonic partnership or comradeship. They both cared the most about each other than anyone else. 

But when Ethan became sixteen, he suddenly enlisted as a knight in the royal army without telling anyone including Kierra. She only found out when she didn't see Ethan at the library for days and begged her father to tell her what had happened. She felt betrayal and sorrow when she found out that the only person who was supposed to be by her side left without even saying goodbye. 

She heard that he was stationed at the south and sent letters but she never got any replies. The last letter she sent him was when she sent her wedding invitation but as expected she didn't get a response and he wasn't seen at the wedding. So she had lost all hope and believed that he had abandoned her. She thought she would never see him again until she saw him now.

"You came here to see me ?"

He nodded slowly. 

"Why ? Why now ?!"

Kierra started getting angry. He was the one who left her but now he wanted to see her ? 

"Why did you never write back ? I sent you numerous letters but I never got a reply."

"I couldn't. It might sound like an excuse but I was in a position where my every move was being monitored so I wasn't allowed to send any letters.", he said apologetically. 

"What ?"

"I was positioned at a sensitive location at the south so all the soldiers were monitored and were isolated from outside communication to prevent any leaks."

Kierra was flustered. What he said made sense but it still sounded like an excuse.

"What about the letters I sent ? Were you allowed to read them ?"

He nodded immediately. 

"Of course, I did. They had to check the contents but I did receive them. You wouldn't know since I never wrote back but your letters were the only thing that made me want to live through that hell hole.", he said with a sad smile. 

Kierra felt guilty and even a little bit pitiful towards Ethan. She knew how hard it must've been for him at the south where there were constant battles. He also didn't have any family so she understood what he meant. 

"I see...", was the only thing she could say. 

End of chapter 11. 

Thank you for reading this chapter and hope you guys have been enjoying the story so far.

Why do you think Ethan abandoned Kierra ? What do you guys think about Ethan ? Does he really care about Kierra ? What could be his real identity ? 

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