The Lonely Warrior Queen

{Chapter 42}

Catheline's POV:

"I brought you something," Eliot said as soon as we reached the gardens.

I looked at him curiously. At the same time, I felt guilty that I could not get a present for him.

"Let us wait for Jerold." He asked me, holding my hand.

"You did not have to..." I mumbled, fidgeting with my fingers.

"You are my sister. I would be a fool if I didn't," he grinned.

Then, he took a look around the garden. Today seemed a bit sunny and warm.

"That is the tree!" He suddenly yelled. "From where I-"

He suddenly stopped himself and cleared his throat. But I heard enough. I came closer to him, pinching his arm.

"What do you mean?" I urged him, with a fierce look.

I did not know if it was real fear I saw in his eyes. He soon began laughing and pointed at the tree.

"You think that this is the first time I am seeing you, don't you?" He asked in a low tone so no one can hear us.

"I do not understand..." I whispered back, looking at the tree.

"Think again," he sang. "You even sensed that I was there. Even if you were not sure,"

I closed my eyes, trying to recall any such event. And then, it hit me. I gasped, looking at my brother who was giggling.

"It was you!?" I murmured furiously. "That day when I and my maid were in the gardens-" 

"Yes. That was me," he revealed. "I travelled here secretly so I could have a glance at my sister-"

"Are you out of your mind?" I asked him seriously. "You could have been caught!"

Eliot gave me a hurt look before shrugging it off.

"You are just like our father. He said the same words when he found out," he confided sadly.

"Well, he is not wrong!" I agreed with my father. "Anthreal is dangerous at this moment. Spies are not being questioned. They are directly getting executed. You could have been caught and lost your life! Is that what father and I would have wanted!?"

I raged so hard that my belly began to ache. I hissed in pain and put a gentle hand on it. Eliot immediately panicked and spoke quickly.

"Calm down! I did not mean to make you so angry!"

"My temperament is easy to agitate these days," I told him. "And answer my question first,"

He looked away as if I touched on a sensitive topic. I hope he realises that he was wrong when he came here, disguised.

"It wasn't only me who saw you," I told him. "Some maids caught a glimpse of you,"

"So what?" Eliot shrugged carelessly. "Besides, no one could hurt me. I am more than talented enough to defend myself,"

I stopped talking. The way he spoke was so poignant and as if he was longing for something. Then, I remembered that he did not grow up in my kingdom. Then where was he all these years?

"Is everything alright, brother?" I asked him, holding his arm.

"Don't get yourself concerned, Cathy," he told me calmly. "And also, do not mention our father to me so frequently. It makes me disgruntled,"

I was stunned. Before I could further enquire him, we heard a shout.

"Here you two are!" 

We turned around to see Jerold approaching us. He had a big object covered in light cloth.