Sunlight poured through the high clerestory window of the old stone building. As the rays illuminated the room, dust motes danced in the light’s path, creating a warm glow.
The air was infused with the earthy scent of aged wood and dried herbs, a testant to the lives that once thrived there.
The cool stone walls felt solid and reassuring, while the wooden beams overhead creaked softly with the breeze. Overall, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, a comforting contrast to the stormy night that had passed before.
Last night felt nearly like a blizzard, with biting cold swirling outside like a tempest. However, today was different; the severe weather gave way to a gentle warmth that made last night seem almost like a lie.
A sudden knock on the window startled the drowsy governess, causing her head to nod forward. She shook off the remnants of sleep and turned toward the latched door. A flicker of worry crept in, despite knowing the place was safe.
"It’s , Sir McQuinn," ca the familiar voice from outside, bringing her a sense of relief.
Helen hastily rose from her seat, quickly fixing her clothes and wiping away the drool from her chin as she made her way to the door, welcoming the returned knight.
Damon appeared at the threshold, holding two parcels in his hands.
"I brought so food, drinks, and other necessities," he said.
Helen swung the door wider and stepped aside, allowing the knight to enter. His heavy boots thudded against the wooden floor with each stride as he placed the items on a rustic table. The knight’s gaze then settled on Anna, lying unconscious on a makeshift bed near the wall, swathed in a thick blanket.
"How is she?" he asked in a quiet voice, careful not to disturb the sleeping princess.
"She’s all right, though still a bit weak. I checked her over, and there’s no fever. However, when she wakes up, she might experience so morning sickness. She’s at that stage of pregnancy, after all," Helen explained.
Damon nodded, relieved that the governess had so knowledge of won’s health, ensuring Anna would receive proper care after their escape. They had arrived at this refuge in the middle of the night, when most of the world was deep in slumber. Anna, carried on Damon’s back, had fallen asleep from exhaustion and was gently laid on the available bed.
As the night grew darker and colder, Damon had instructed Helen to rest and replenish her energy instead of seeking the explanations he desperately wanted.
It had been a long, tiring night for all of them, and he believed it would be better to discuss everything once they had regained their strength. The knight, however, remained vigilant and, instead of sleeping, had guarded the place through the night.
The sound of movent stirred Anna from her slumber. Her eyelids fluttered open slowly, and she rubbed her eyes, taking in the sight of Damon and Helen.
"My lady, you’ve awoken," Damon said, approaching the bed. "Are you feeling better?"
Anna nodded, though she still felt weak. Helen rushed to her side, helping her sit upright at her request.
"Lie down a bit longer if you still feel tired," Damon advised gently.
"It’s all right, Sir McQuinn. I’ve had enough sleep. I feel better sitting now," the princess replied.
The knight nodded, but then heard a growl from Anna’s stomach. Embarrassed, she quickly covered her belly with her hands.
"You must be starving. You haven’t eaten anything since last night," Damon said, understanding her plight.
He stood up and approached the table, opening a parcel filled with various foods he had bought at the morning market, including freshly baked buns. He selected one and brought it to Anna.
"Have this first. You need to eat to replenish your energy," he urged.
Anna hesitated. She often felt nauseous if she ate sothing that didn’t appeal to her, and although she didn’t want to be picky, her condition made it difficult.
"You must eat, my lady. The baby needs nourishnt, too. It won’t be good for either of you if you don’t eat. I know your body might not welco certain foods, but I’m sure a plain bun will be fine. Please, just try," Helen encouraged.
With a sigh, Anna relented. She opened her mouth and took a bite of the bun. Surprisingly, the soft texture and mild flavour were delightful, and she began eating more eagerly, savouring each bite. It had been a while since anything tasted this good, especially after her morning sickness.
Seeing her eat enthusiastically, Damon retrieved his waterskin and handed it to her, reminding her to take small sips between bites to avoid choking. Anna followed his advice, slowing down. Her hunger was finally satisfied after she finished the bun and took a few gulps of water.
"Thank you, Sir McQuinn," she said, grateful for his attentiveness.
"It’s my pleasure to serve you, my lady," Damon replied, relieved to see her eating well and resting.
"You and Helen must be hungry too. Why don’t you both have your breakfast?" Anna suggested.
"Thank you, but I don’t feel very hungry," the knight said.
" neither, my lady," Helen added.
"Don’t say that. I know you’re concerned about , but you both need to nourish yourselves, too. Otherwise, you might get sick, and we don’t want that," Anna insisted.
Damon smiled, appreciating how caring and considerate she was. The princess had always put others before herself. Sadly, now she was being accused of infidelity despite having such a gentle and honest nature. How could this be? This was cruel!
"My lady is right. We need to eat as well. Could you whip up sothing with the ingredients I brought?" Damon asked the governess.
Helen approached the table and rummaged through the parcel.
"Eggs... flour... spices... hmmm... I think I can prepare sothing light for breakfast, if you don’t mind waiting a bit," she said.
"Sure, no problem," the knight replied.
"You went out to get us food supplies?" Anna asked, realising only now that Damon had left while she was asleep.
"Yes. This place that Miss Reed suggested has basic facilities, but the food supplies are limited. So, I went to the market early this morning to gather more essentials. Interestingly, I heard an announcent while I was there..." Damon paused, a hint of a smile forming on his lips.
"What kind of announcent?" Anna asked, intrigued.
Helen leaned in to listen.
"It’s about the case of Sir Noah Brooks from two years ago, which tarnished the reputation of the Knights of Gerhard," the knight explained.
"You an... the m*rder and r*pe case involving the slavewoman? Elis’s sister?" Anna asked.
"Yes. The town crier announced that he was found not guilty, and the real perpetrators of the offence were the Knights of Abinair, who willingly confessed to their cris. Sir Brooks is now cleared of all charges, and the convicts will be executed for not only assaulting and ending a life horrifically, but also framing an innocent man. Their actions will not be pardoned, and they will be beheaded," Damon said, his eyes shining with satisfaction.
The revenge plan initiated by Kiev was finally coming to fruition. The Knights of Gerhard regained their honour, and the true culprits would receive just punishnt.
"I’m glad it turned out this way. At least Elis got justice for her sister," Anna said, though her eyes held sadness. "She deserves happiness after everything she’s been through."
"It wouldn’t have happened without His Highness Prince Kiev’s efforts. He initiated the plan for revenge against the Knights of Abinair and—"
"Sir McQuinn!" Helen suddenly called out, interrupting him.
The knight turned to the governess, initially perplexed.
He had shared details of the previous day’s events with her before leaving for the market—the case of the Knights of Abinair against Noah and the marriage of Kiev and Elis. So he was confused by her concern when he talked about this.
But when he noticed Helen raising an eyebrow and saw Anna’s gloomy expression, he understood.
"I-I’m sorry! I didn’t an to..." Damon stamred, realising he had erred by ntioning the derian Prince’s na.
"It’s all right. I’m fine," Anna replied quietly.
"Why don’t you co with , Sir McQuinn, and help prepare breakfast while Lady Raychard rests?" Helen suggested, trying to lighten the mood.
"Ah, yes! You might need all these ingredients. Let help you with that," he said.
The two quickly left the room, allowing Anna so ti to calm herself. It didn’t take long for Helen to prepare a light yet filling breakfast for everyone.
"This is delicious, Helen! It’s been so long since I’ve enjoyed a al prepared for . Your cooking is easy on the stomach and truly satisfying," Anna praised as they sat together at the table, having breakfast.
"I used to suffer from bad morning sickness too, so I thought this al would suit you. Although the symptoms can vary from person to person, I hoped my guess was correct," Helen smiled.
Damon paused, his spoon hovering in mid-air.
"You have a child, Miss Reed? I thought you weren’t married!" Anna exclaid in surprise, asking the sa question lingering in the knight’s mind.
The fact that the governess had been married was not known to them.
Helen smiled wistfully, distant mories flooding her mind.
"I was married, my lady. My husband passed away due to illness," she explained.
"Oh, my!" Anna gasped, covering her mouth. "...And your child?"
Helen hesitated before answering, "I had a miscarriage after two months. I didn’t realise I was pregnant and was grieving at that ti."
"I’m so sorry for your loss!" the princess said, placing her hand on Helen’s. "Forgive for not knowing! I should have been more aware!"
Helen smiled softly, brushing away the pain.
"I might not have shared these details if it weren’t for the current situation. The truth is, I prefer to keep my story to myself. No one wants to hear an uninteresting tale about a widow," she added, masking her true feelings.
"I would like to know!" Damon interjected eagerly, surprising both won.
He felt embarrassed when he noticed their astonished looks and quickly added, "I an... You are Her Majesty the Queen’s trusted person. It wouldn’t be wrong to know more about you. One must learn about another to build trust, right?"
His tone turned awkward despite his efforts to remain composed, but fortunately, Anna accepted his reasoning.
"Sir McQuinn is right. There’s no harm in sharing... if you’re comfortable," she encouraged.
"I seldom speak of this since no one has shown interest. But you seem eager to know... Well, it’s not anything special anyway," Helen hesitated.
"Please, carry on! I’m sure it’s worth hearing," Anna urged.
At least she could divert her attention from the predicant befalling her montarily.
"Actually, I got married quite late, when I was in my mid-twenties. It was an arranged marriage. My parents have passed away, and I have no siblings, so I lived with my uncle and aunt. They arranged the marriage with a family they knew," Helen began.
"So, you didn’t know your husband before the wedding?" Anna asked.
Damon perked up, listening attentively despite maintaining a composed deanour.
Helen shook her head.
"We only got to know each other after we were married. He was a good man, hard-working and reliable, but there was no love in our relationship. He was just fulfilling his duty as a husband. Later, I found out he loved soone else."
"Did he have an affair?!" Damon interjected.
"No, not like that! He had loved another woman before we were married, but they couldn’t be together, and she ended up marrying soone else. That’s why he couldn’t love . But he never hated and treated kindly. It’s just... he couldn’t love ," Helen explained.
"What about you? Did you love him?" Anna asked.
Helen sighed.
"I wish I did... but I couldn’t force my heart. Truthfully, I didn’t think of getting married, but my uncle and aunt insisted it was for the best since I had already passed the ideal age to wed. Besides, they couldn’t afford to take care of , they said."
"I see... what happened next?" Anna inquired.
"We continued our lives as husband and wife. Though we had no deep feelings for each other, we maintained mutual respect, which was enough to get by," Helen reminisced. "Until one day, he fell ill..."
"What was his sickness?" Anna asked, her curiosity piqued.
"It began with a high fever. At first, he recovered, but then it returned again and again. The intervals grew shorter, and soon he beca bedridden. The healer said it was likely an internal infection. No matter the treatnt, his condition only worsened, until one day, he died in his sleep."
"Oh, dear!" Anna’s sympathy was palpable.
"I admit I was devastated by his loss. I may not have loved him, but I missed his companionship. His family believed I was bad luck and blad for his illness. Furthermore, I never bore him any children during our three years of marriage, so they accused of being barren," Helen continued.
"How pathetic they were for so easily placing the bla on you! I bet they’re the type who never lend a hand but take advantage of others!" Damon grunted.
Helen smiled faintly.
"You’re right. Just a month after my husband’s death, his family demanded the house we lived in. I had to leave because the deed was in his father’s na. I tried to reach out to my relatives, but they abandoned too, saying I was an adult who should stand on my own and not rely on others."
Damon clenched his fist under the table, anger bubbling inside him. How could they abandon her like that? Even as an adult, she deserved support during such a difficult ti.
"Then what happened?" Anna asked.
"Without a place to go, I sought help from the authorities, and they took to a safe house. This place we’re currently in was the first safe house built in Gantz. It was where I used to reside," the governess explained.
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