Reckless Abandon - The Secrets of Avelina Chronicles 2

16: Lyra

After two days of being locked in her chambers for 'running away', as her father saw it, Lyra was finally allowed free reign on the kingdom again. As long as she promised not to take a horse from the stables. But she wouldn't be needing a horse. She spent the days sulking, thinking longingly about her days with Ellis in his Victorian house. She missed sleeping beside him, talking with him and hearing him call her pet names like darling and my love. Beyond everything, she missed believing that he loved her and would one day marry her for love. That day would never come now.

She couldn't allow him to talk her into a marriage based on peace and war and that meant that she could never see him again. And the thought of that, killed her inside until she felt nothing.

She was numb.

The past two days in her chambers were the most difficult. There was nothing to take her mind off Ellis or encourage her to forget about the dream time she had in Somerhalder, in his house, in his arms. Now that she was free to roam the kingdom again, she took full advantage of it. That morning, she took a long, luxurious stroll through the village outside the castle. She played with the children and sat by the lake, thoughtfully. When the novelty of soft, lapping water wore off, she returned to the main hall.

A few of the married women sat there sowing and she decided to join them. Their chatter quickly changed from the drudgery of their married lives to how Lyra should be married already. And their suggestions of who she should marry. For a while it was funny, their suggestions of knights from far off lands, arriving to sweep her off her feet. But in the end, she was always reminded of Ellis and soon became quiet.

"You jest too much with her ladies. We all know Lyra's heart belongs to Edward, even through his sickness. You must not worry, my dear, he will recover one day. Perhaps it will be your love to save him?" One of the older women suggested, making Lyra's heart sink yet again. She had forgotten all about Edward.

She had loved Edward ever since his arrival on the Island and though he had never shown any affection towards her, she knew they had been thought the perfect match for each other. He was charming, handsome and wise; the King she had always wanted to marry. And yet, somehow the very sight of Ellis had wiped him from her mind. How had it happened? How could she forget about the love of her life and suddenly be won over by a chauvinistic, arrogant soldier like Ellis...from the forest of all places? Why would she choose a traveler over a King?

Maybe it was the danger of the trips. Perhaps she was rebelling and her love for Ellis was only a rational that she wasn't being reckless and dangerous, but that she was following her heart? Yes, that sounded right. Perhaps she had lied to herself so well that she had started to believe her lies? Perhaps she was doing it to get back at her father for always trying to arrange her marriage and never allowing her to choose a husband of her own? Perhaps she was doing it because Edward had fallen ill and she thought he was just pretending so that he wouldn't have to marry her? It would make sense, if it was a revenge or jealousy ploy, to make him love her.

But for all the excuses and reasoning that Lyra came up with, she never managed to convince herself that she had never loved Ellis for more than just his traveling abilities.

She wanted to ask the advice of the women she was sitting with. Should she return to Ellis because her heart screamed for him or should she force her heart to forget him and wait for Edward to recover? But she couldn't turn to them. They were close in her fathers council. She knew that speaking of Ellis and her feelings for him, would be like telling her father. That would be an immediate death sentence for Ellis. It didn't seem fair that her life had always been so simple before he came along, but what else could she do. She loved him and she couldn't deny it any longer.