The Knight of Settadel

Chapter 23

I couldn't be more glad that time has passed by quickly as I shuffled from lessons to lessons throughout the day while also looking forward to seeing Elyse again, her words of promise to see me later kept ringing in my head.

I don't know what it is about that woman that has drawn me to her, but what I do know is that I kept getting drawn to her harder each passing day. For what reason? I don't know as well.

But, in all honesty, the way that she and Emilia had interacted with one another earlier had made me... uncomfortable. Of course, I didn't let either of them know it because, how will I be able to explain it? The first that Emilia had known is that I dislike the woman, I haven't even told her much about the improvement in my friendship with Elyse, I can't immediately go telling her that I suddenly like her.

I suddenly stop in my thoughts.

Do I like Elyse?

I had only really known her for a couple of days only, will that be enough to declare that I like her? I still haven't even been able to process that I am now in speaking terms with Elyse, still not able to put my finger on that something that had pushed me to talk to Elyse that night. In the past couple of days, I had been telling myself that I was drawn to the art that she was making, but I haven't even seen her art immediately when I approached her. I just wanted to.

So what pushed me?

I pushed those thoughts away because they were only making me question my actions which would lead to me questioning everything that I've been doing the past couple of days.

My last lesson had just ended and I know that Elyse's training would just be ending as well, and I contemplated leaving to meet her, but feared that we would miss each other if in case she's on her way to me. As if the earth is playing tricks on me, time suddenly slowed down as I kept waiting for Elyse in the room. What felt like hours were actually only minutes, and hours felt like days as I kept patiently waiting for Elyse, but my patience were running out and, thinking that Elyse is pushing herself too hard in training again, I decided to leave the room with a huff. 

It was already growing dark and, on my way to the training grounds, I had passed some of the royal guards on the way. I contemplated asking them were Elyse might be, but decided against it because it may cause some unnecessary rumors to circulate around the palace, and that's something that I don't want my father or mother to come home, too. Although I'm pretty sure that it will be inevitable due to the extra hours that Elyse and I spend with each other.

When I reached the training grounds, my heart plummeted with disappointed when I saw that no one is there anymore.

Had Elyse forgotten about me?

How can she forget about me, though? It's not like she knows many people in the palace or have other things to do other than practice, for that matter. Why am I even feeling like this? Do I even have the right to feel like this? Elyse and I are only friends, but I cannot stop the jealousy from coursing through my veins with the thought of Elyse forgetting about me because she's with someone else.

But, I shouldn't be, because she has the right to meet somebody else. We're just friends, after all.

It doesn't seem like she only wants to be friends.

A voice at the back of my head whispered as I dejectedly sat down at a bench nearby. It's quite dark, but the light from the palace was enough to light my path and some parts of my surrounding.

I don't even know if I should be thankful for the lack of noise around me, the noise that's coupled with the cool breeze of the night should be tranquil, but it only allowed for more thoughts to come in mind.