Bound To Kill

XXII: Bound To Promise

Evangeline

I've just finished up a bowl of chicken soup with a cup of skimmed milk. The meal was respectively given by the Court's physician, Nostradamus. I thanked him likewise, he's too kind not to be respected.

We talked about my sudden abduction in the woods. I told him the same stuff I told Bash, but with more detail. "I was going for a hunt down the woods, because I felt kind of adventurous and daring for a moment. I didn't brought my horse, because he was in the stables and I was too lazy to pick him up so I went alone.

On my trek, moments after I've gone deep in the place, I began hallucinating about a, dead loved one. I suppose it's normal to me since it's been happening for a few years now, since my parents died. From then on, their ghost would start to visit me a few days before the days of my birth. My Assassin Mentor said that it is a curse of a lifetime."

"It might not be a curse," Nostradamus says. "I've met people who have had experienced the same thing as you, Evie. It's only grief, not a curse. You grief because your parents might have died in your birthday or in a few days before it or so. Your birthday is the reminder of their death, so the hallucinations would only trigger on your very special week, am I right?"

I nod curtly, almost gripping the cup of half-emptied skimmed milk in my hands.

"Perhaps your Mentor called it a curse because forgetting a  birthday is inevitable, especially if it makes you crazy about your loved ones' death every once or twice in a year."

I smile, warmly. "You're very understanding. Thank you."

Nostradamus smiles back. He lends me a hardback book as he stands up from his chair. "This might keep you company while you have no one but yourself around here."

"Again, much thanks."

He says a goodbye before excusing to leave to attend some errands for Queen Katherine.

"Little Red Riding Hood." I read the title on the first page of the book. Then it shoots a bullet at me. We could've been better off together, if only you loved me and not that Royal bastard...

I'm oblivious as to why it made me remember about him. Maybe it was because, he used to tease me with poems when we were still training back at England.

"Evangeline was her name! One touch can burn her like a dragon's flame!" He'd taunt me once when we were still trainees in fencing. Correction: I was the only trainee since he had told me he was already a novice.

And I would grit my teeth in reaction, pushing the sword stronger as his words to irritate me continues.

"Evangeline! She calls herself an angel..." In the right timing, I had succeeded on pinning him against a wall, our freckled faces just inches part. "Well, I call her a queen."

We didn't kissed of course. I wasn't attracted to him yet since his voice sounded funny during puberty.

"You know you miss me."

I jump at the voice. Not this again.

"Alexander, I had bloody enough of your visitations. Listen, I don't miss you and I don't wanna come with you and die. Alright?" Turning around, my eyes almost bulge out of its holes seeing both of my two most beloved pairs standing just meters away from me.

But something is wrong, their skin and clothes are burnt. Mum's missing one eye while Dad has no arms.

"Come home to us, dearie." Still Mum's voice sounds evergreen. She opens her arms as wide as she can to me. "We have missed you."

With a bang of an opening door, they banish when I blink and I'm back to my sitting position on the bed, the book remains untouched on my lap. Sebastian comes inside the room, husky blue eyes full of euphoria. He's carrying a stack of clothing. He places it beside me. "Here's some clothes. Now get dressed, I'm taking you out."

I nervously stand up and straighten the back of my gown's skirt with my hands. "Okay."

"A-Are you alright? You seem to look scared." He questions in concern. "I don't know if it's just the change of your complexion or anything."

"It's just that my complexion really is paler than usual." I lie to him instead of telling the truth. He might think I'm crazy, but Sebastian is a man who understands whether to believe crazy. But still, I can't tell him. "Can you please wait outside?" My voice has gone a little lighter and cute as well. "I'm not ready to change in front of you yet."

"Yes, of course." He smirks, taking a hilarious bow before he scurries back out of the room.

While changing, I also try to clear up my head, loosen up some memories that can trigger hallucinations in case I'll go psycho outside and murder someone with one sucker punch.

I run my hands on the dress' waistline. It's silk so it's soft, the skirt is also aproned with a bodice that looks like a potential veil.

Undeniably, the dress is beautiful. I wonder if there's an occasion happening and I'm invited.

-

I pushed my way through the castle halls, luckily I didn't got lost and went to the dungeons accidentally instead. I first checked the throne room, because it'd be the main place they'd throw events in.

A servant girl had come near me to inform, "I'm sorry, milady, but the party will be held outside- Evie?"

"Hansel?" I gasp and smile. "Oh my God!"

She looks me up and down, flustered of joy after a quick tight hug. "Look at you! You married a King or something?"

I laugh. "No, even if I will, I'd just do it for the money anyway."

"Gold diggers, both of you really." Someone scoffs behind us.

We both turn offended to whom the person is. It was only Marguerite, wearing a wide shimmering grin.

"Come here, madame." I pull her into a tight hug. Marguerite's long black twisted braids are covered in a colorful paisley bandana.

"Is it true that you are in love with the King's bastard?" Marguerite asks.

"Who told you that?"

"Well, your name has been running around the gossips lately."

"And with the fact that you are now welcomed as a visitor and not a peasant." Hansel chimes in, frowning. "I'm glad you still haven't forgot us though, we really miss having you as a roommate."

"Well, now that Francis is the new King and we've moved into nicer and bigger quarters, Evie can come back to us and we'll finally have a sleepover and celebrate my birthday!" Marguerite exclaims. Hansel claps her hands in approval.

My smile cracks slightly, remembering the hallucinations and my future duties as the Court's Second-In-Command in its military. "I will try not to miss it, Marguerite." My smile flattens.

Marguerite flashes back a smile, a kind of smile that is happy that the kind and shy peasant girl in disguise she once knew still has the same attitude. "Thank you, Evie."

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