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"Good morning, Lady Eleanor," Elijah greeted as she and Alexandre entered the banquet hall, the latter pulling a chair out for Eleanor before seating himself. It did go unnoticed by Alexandre that he did not receive a greeting of a similar fashion.
"Good morning, my Lords," Eleanor bowed her head slightly before feasting her eyes on the mountains of food before her. After living on scraps, the enticing selection of fruits made her mouth water.
Alexandre had made sure to sit himself next to Eleanor, his leg pressing against hers underneath the table but Eleanor paid it no mind.
"So tell me, Eleanor, where is it that you come from?" Klaus, who was sat at the head of the table, inquired. His eyes bore into Eleanor's and she felt a familiar feeling of butterflies in her stomach as he smiled at her.
Eleanor opened her mouth to reply, but was shortly interrupted. "Bulgaria," Alexandre responded for her. She rolled her eyes and sighed heavily, causing Alexandre's fingers to dig into her thigh and his expression to harden. Nevertheless, her mood brightened at the mention of her home country.
Elijah and Klaus looked at each other, attempting to stifle their shocked expressions. "Bulgaria, you say?" Elijah directed his question at Eleanor rather than Alexandre as he took a sip of his wine.
"Yes, it is a wonderful place. Have you ever been?" she responded, ignoring Alexandre's eyes boring into her temples.
"As a matter of fact, my brother and I have recently returned from Bulgaria ourselves," Elijah gestured towards Klaus.
"Oh! You have?" Eleanor perked up, "I have so many happy childhood memories in Bulgaria."
"Strangely though, most of the women we encountered in Bulgaria were brunettes. We saw no one with hair quite as exquisite as yours, my Lady," Klaus spoke, causing a blush to rise to her cheeks.
Alexandre cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable, "Yes, well, Eleanor is one of a kind."
Both Elijah and Klaus narrowed their eyes at Alexandre for the shortest moment, before Elijah spoke again. "Forgive me, but Eleanor does not strike me as a very Bulgarian name."
"Eleanor's true name is Eleanora, but we felt the name Eleanor would suit this culture better," Alexandre responded for her – once again.
"I see."
Silence fell over them, which Eleanor took as a perfect opportunity to pile her plate with food before she started drooling.
"Are you sure you want to eat that much, darling?" Alexandre crooned in her ear, clearly suggesting it wasn't 'lady-like' for her to eat so much.
Of course I do, she thought to herself.
Eleanor pursed her lips, eyeing Alexandre for a moment as he stared at her, before leaning forwards and snatching another slice of bread from the table.
"Lord Klaus," Eleanor smiled, leaning on her arm across the table so as to be closer to him, "I was wondering if you would be able to show me around your castle this morning. I fear I might get lost," she laughed, hoping he would say yes. Anything to get away from Alexandre.
"Most certainly," Klaus grinned ear to ear, "Anything for the Lady."
Fuming, Alexandre spoke up. "I will accompany you, of course."
Klaus shifted his attention to Alexandre, almost forgetting he was there. "Oh, that won't be necessary, Alexandre. You can make yourself busy elsewhere."
Alexandre's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets.
"Don't be rude, brother..." Elijah warned, silently enjoying watching Alexandre gasp for words.
"Then it's settled!" Eleanor smiled, taking a bite from her apple before saying, "I shall meet you at nine in the courtyard."
Klaus was vastly enjoying this Eleanor to the quiet girl by Alexandre's side. He couldn't help but wonder if his presence had influenced her, but quickly shook the thought. He had hardly known her a day, yet he was infatuated with her. Soon Alexandre would no longer be an issue and he would be free to make his intentions towards Eleanor clear.
His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Eleanor, who, despite her smile at seeing him, winced as she walked.
"My Lord," Eleanor bowed once she reached him. Klaus grinned (as he found himself doing so much in her presence), taking her hand in his and placing a gentle kiss upon the back of it. "I must say, it is refreshing to be without Alexandre for once."
"You are very...outspoken," Klaus said, causing Eleanor's eyes to widen in fear for a moment. Would Lord Klaus tell Alexandre of what she had said? "Do not worry, Alexandre is no true friend of mine, as much as he would like to believe that he is."
Eleanor's shoulders sagged with relief, though she still chastised herself for being so reckless. Klaus looped his arm around hers as he lead her through the various halls and rooms of the castle and through the maze of its gardens.
"If I may ask, what is your age?" Klaus asked her, "You are so young but your maturity seems beyond your years."
Eleanor's mind froze. What would she tell him? If she told him the truth he would either not believe her or cast her off as a witch. "I am eighteen, my Lord."
"Eighteen?" Klaus rose his eyebrows, "My brother believed you to be sixteen at the most."
"Well, I'm eighteen," she shrugged, hoping to move on.
"Why do you wince when you walk, Eleanor?" Klaus turned to face her, halting their walk. He heard Eleanor's heart race as she looked for an answer.
"I...fell," she lied, not wanting to tell of how Alexandre had harshly shoved her into the cold floor of their chambers.
"I don't appreciate your lies, Eleanor," Klaus gripped her shoulders. Eleanor's breathing quickened, and heart jumped, as she felt as if she was once again in Alexandre's arms when he demanded to know what she was hiding.
"It's nothing, I swear!" she almost shouted.
Klaus, seeing her state of panic, calmed and loosened his hold on her. His face was so close to her now that he leaned his forehead against hers. Eleanor fought the urge to frown at his intimacy when she felt a warmth spread through her and she relaxed at his touch.
"You must promise to tell me if that bastard lays a hand on you, Eleanor," Klaus murmured, "No harm will come to you whilst you are under my roof."
Little did Eleanor know exactly how long that would be.
"He stepped down, trying not to look long at her, as if she were the sun, yet he saw her, like the sun, even without looking." - Leo Tolstoy
So both Alexandre and Klaus are showing their true colours now, and more is learned about Eleanor and her past (more to come on the Bulgaria topic :D)
Once again thank you for the follows/favourites/reviews. I honestly didn't expect for this to be so well received after only two chapters
Please leave a review. I absolutely love to read your opinions of the book and reviews are very helpful.
Until next time. xx
