To Capture A Heart (girlxgirl)

Part Fourteen

When my eyes opened to the warm sunlight cascading into my room the next morning, my mind settled on one thought. I was going to have to free Avery today. At least, I was going to let her leave her cell. I knew that my father would not be thrilled at the prospect of me just allowing Avery to skip away from the castle with all of the memories of what had happened to her. We didn't know she could do. For all we knew, as soon as we allowed her to leave she just might go and reveal everything to her parents. It wasn't as though there was much to reveal. That being said, if her parents found out that we had held her captive, that could lead to trouble for all of us.

I just babbled a load of words that sounded something like English when Florence stepped into my room to move the curtains aside. I wondered whether I should mention my plans to her but it seemed a little risky. For now, I would simply have to keep my plans to myself. I was confident in myself that the plan would go off without a hitch, I just had to see it through.

Before that, though, I really needed to go and get some breakfast. I greeted Florence and then swiftly got ready for the day. When I was all set, it was time to make my way to the great dining hall.

Upon arrival, my senses where immediately stimulated by the sweet scents of fruits and pastries. I really did love it here. The sun shining upon all the food also just made the setting seem comforting. It was a pleasant feeling to just be able to sit and enjoy my food.

I grabbed a plate full of fruits and chocolate pastries and began to eat away. My brother soon joined me accompanied by none other than Victor, but the two of them seemed deep in conversation. I, for one, wasn't about to interrupt that. My mind couldn't help but think back to the whole possibility of Victor liking me.

As he blushed at me as I thought that, it seemed as though this whole prospect of him liking me was becoming more and more realistic as the days went by.

I just finished off my food and decided to make my way out of the dining hall, happily fed.

I knew that, once I was back in the main hallway of the castle, there were matters and duties I had to attend to today. Thus, I set off down the hall to complete them.

I walked into the library and was greeted by the comforting scent of the books that lived there. I wandered over to one of the shelves and grabbed my father's book- How to Rule an Empire.

I wasn't sure how useful it would be. Nevertheless, I knew that I wasn't about to insult my father by not reading a book that he had written.

My reading went on for a short while, until I heard the door of the library open up. I decided to close the book then. After all, I had gotten to a page written in Acerian, the old language, and I could scarcely make out a word. I looked up from my book and smiled towards the familiar face gazing at me.

"Excuse me, Haven. I hope I'm not disturbing you," Florence said.

"Of course not, Florence. How are you doing?" I asked her.

Florence looked towards the table, then, and I just gestured for her to sit down. She smiled and then pulled the chair out so she could sit down opposite me.

"I just had to deal with some traders at the castle gate. I wasn't  sure who they were, so I sent them away," Florence said.

I gave an understanding nod at that. Staff and family of the empire were not supposed to grant access to the castle to anyone they didn't recognise.

"They were horrible though, ma'am. They said some really threatening things about how if I didn't let them in they would try to get into the castle themselves," she said.