CHAPTER 27 - The First Time He Saw Her
The applause still echoed throughout the Evermont hall.
The orphanage children stood up from their seats, clapping with bright, excited faces. Some of them even waved at Keira, who was still sitting at the piano.
Keira slowly rose from her seat and gave a small bow in gratitude.
Another cheer rippled through the hall.
Yet amid all that noise, Keira's eyes were drawn to something else.
On the second-floor balcony of the hall, someone stood there.
Hidden partly in the shadow of a stone pillar.
But Keira recognized the figure easily.
Alaric.
The King of Valtherion.
He wasn't standing in the hall with the guests. He was up there alone.
Silent.
Watching.
Their eyes met for one brief second.
Then Alaric stepped slightly deeper into the shadows as if he didn't want to be seen.
Keira said nothing.
She simply turned her attention back to the guests in the hall.
A few moments later, Cassian stepped onto the stage.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," he said with a proud smile.
Applause filled the room again. The orphanage children even ran closer to the front of the stage.
"Your Majesty sings beautifully!"
"That song was amazing!"
Keira smiled softly. She stepped away from the piano and gave another light bow.
Cassian looked toward them.
"Now, let us continue with dinner."
The children immediately cheered.
Keira stepped down from the stage.
Daniel was standing near the steps with a satisfied expression.
"Still as good as ever."
Lucien simply said quietly,
"Valtherion has never had a queen like this."
Cassian gently patted Keira's shoulder.
"You made tonight far more meaningful."
Keira glanced toward the rows of orphanage children.
Their faces were filled with happiness.
And without realizing it, she thought again of Aelirra.
The girl had grown up in this house.
In this family.
In a place that truly cared about others.
No wonder she became someone so gentle, Keira thought.
After speaking with the children for a few minutes, Keira finally stepped away from the crowd.
She walked toward the side door of the hall.
Kael immediately moved to follow.
As always.
But before he could walk any farther, Keira stopped.
She turned to him.
"Sir Kael."
Kael halted instantly.
"Your Majesty."
Keira gave a faint smile.
"I just want to take a short walk."
"Allow me to accompany..."
Keira shook her head gently. "That won't be necessary."
Kael looked hesitant. "Your Majesty, I was assigned to guard-"
"I know." Her voice remained soft, But firm. "But this is the Evermont residence."
She gestured toward the garden visible through the windows. "No one is going to attack me here."
Kael still didn't look convinced.
Keira added with a small smile,
"And I only want to walk for a while."
A few seconds passed.
Finally, Kael lowered his head.
"Very well, Your Majesty."
Keira gave a small nod.
Then she walked out of the hall.
***
The night air in the Evermont garden was cool.
Garden lamps lit the stone pathway between the trees.
Keira walked slowly along the path.
She didn't have to search long.
On a stone bench near a large tree, Alaric was sitting there.
He didn't look surprised when Keira approached.
As if he had already known she would find him.
Keira stopped a few steps away.
"Your Majesty…"
Alaric let out a quiet breath.
"You don't have to call me that."
Keira shrugged lightly.
"Then… Alaric."
She sat on the same bench, keeping a small distance between them.
A few seconds passed in silence.
Finally Keira said,
"I saw you on the balcony."
Alaric looked out toward the garden.
"I didn't want to disturb the event."
Keira tilted her head slightly.
"Or you didn't want to be seen?"
Alaric didn't answer immediately.
He only gave a faint smile.
"Maybe both."
Silence fell again.
The night wind rustled the leaves above them.
After a moment, Alaric said quietly,
"Your voice… is incredible."
Keira looked at him.
"Thank you."
Alaric smiled faintly.
"Now I understand."
"Understand what?"
"Why your world loved you so much."
Keira didn't reply.
But her expression softened slightly.
A few seconds later, Alaric spoke again.
"It's funny, actually."
Keira glanced at him.
"What?"
"The first time I met Aelirra was also in this garden."
Keira looked surprised.
"Here?"
Alaric nodded.
"Years ago."
He leaned back against the stone bench.
"I came to Evermont to see Cassian… and I was walking through the garden when I saw someone sleeping under a tree."
Keira raised an eyebrow.
"Sleeping?"
Alaric chuckled softly.
"Yes. In the middle of the day."
Keira grew interested.
"And then?"
Alaric looked toward the large tree in front of them.
The same tree.
"Aelirra was lying under that tree."
"With her face… covered by a book."
"Oh really?"
Alaric nodded.
"I thought she was actually asleep."
"And then?"
"I took the book."
Keira turned toward him immediately.
"You stole the book of a sleeping girl?"
"I only wanted to see her face."
Keira laughed.
"And?"
Alaric kept his gaze on the tree.
"She woke up immediately."
Keira could imagine the scene.
"And Aelirra's reaction?"
Alaric smiled.
"She looked at me for a few seconds."
"Then she said…"
He imitated a calm voice.
"'That's my book.'"
Keira covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
"That's it?"
"Yes."
"No screaming? No panic?"
"No."
Alaric turned toward Keira.
"That was Aelirra."
Calm.
Gentle.
Never overly dramatic.
Keira fell silent for a moment.
She looked at the large tree again.
"I think I'm starting to understand why everyone loved her so much."
Alaric didn't reply.
But his gaze changed slightly.
"She was an extraordinary girl," he said quietly.
Keira nodded softly.
"The Evermont family is extraordinary too."
She looked at Alaric.
"Cassian is truly a good brother."
Alaric didn't deny it.
"He has always been like that."
Keira sighed softly.
"I'm a little jealous."
Alaric frowned.
"Jealous?"
"Aelirra had a very good family."
Keira looked at the garden.
"Cassian."
"This house."
"People who loved her."
She smiled faintly.
"I understand why she became so gentle."
A few seconds passed.
Finally, Alaric spoke quietly.
"She was fortunate too."
Keira turned.
"Fortunate?"
"Because the world gave her a second chance."
Their eyes met. Keira said nothing.
"And… there's something else I want to ask you," Alaric said carefully.
"What is it?"
"I'm sure Cassian has already told you everything…" Alaric lowered his head. His eyes looked slightly glassy. "Do you hate me?" he asked in a weakened voice.
Keira fell silent for a moment before finally answering.
"No."
That short answer made Alaric immediately look into her eyes.
There was no forced lie there.
"Wh–why?" he asked.
Keira answered calmly.
"To be honest, I don't like your reason for hurting Aelirra."
"But I have to say this again....I'm not Aelirra."
"And I don't think I have the right to hate something that wasn't even my own pain."
Silence fell between them.
Alaric kept looking at Keira, as if trying to make sure he hadn't heard wrong.
The night wind moved softly through the Evermont trees.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Finally, Alaric lowered his head slightly.
"I still did it," he said quietly.
His voice was almost a whisper.
"No matter the reason… I still hurt someone who trusted me."
His hand lightly gripped the edge of the stone bench.
"And she died alone."
The sentence fell heavily into the night air.
Keira didn't answer immediately.
She looked at the ground in front of them for a moment before speaking.
"Cassian said… Aelirra left a letter."
Alaric nodded slowly.
"I've never seen it."
Keira turned quickly.
"You never read it?"
Alaric shook his head. "Cassian kept it." He exhaled quietly. "Maybe that's for the best."
Keira tilted her head slightly.
"Why?"
Alaric gave a faint smile, but it was full of exhaustion.
"Because I'm not sure I'm strong enough to read the last words of someone who died because of me."
Silence returned.
Keira looked at the man beside her.
For the first time since arriving in this world, she saw Alaric not as a king.
Not as the person who had brought her back to Valtherion.
But simply as a man…
who was still living with regret.
"Aelirra didn't hate you," Keira said softly.
Alaric turned to her quickly.
"How do you know?"
Keira looked at the large tree again.
"Because if she had hated you…"
She paused.
"…she wouldn't have written a letter saying that she understood."
Alaric didn't answer.
But his eyes looked even wetter now as the night wind passed through the Evermont garden.
Keira finally stood up from the stone bench.
"I should go back."
Alaric didn't stop her.
But before Keira could walk away, he said quietly,
"Thank you."
Keira paused.
"For what?"
Alaric looked at her.
"For not hating me."
Keira studied him for a few seconds.
Then she gave a small smile.
"Don't feel relieved too quickly."
Alaric frowned slightly.
Keira added calmly,
"Because if someday you try something foolish and attempt to hurt me too…"
She crossed her arms lightly.
"…I won't be as kind as Aelirra."
Alaric chuckled.
And that laugh felt far lighter than any of their previous conversations.
Keira turned and walked back toward the Evermont house.
Meanwhile, Alaric remained seated on that stone bench—
staring at the tree where he had first met Aelirra.
And after so long, the weight in his chest finally felt a little lighter.