As they walked around the castle, Princess Eleanor's eyes darted from one identical looking tapestry to the next, from one grand, shadowy archway to another and she couldn't help feeling lost, though she could at least recognize some particular hallway, courtesy of Orion's tour and she could already imagine herself wandering lost in these hallway forever.
"You'll soon get used to it." Nikolai's broke the silence just as the thought fully formed in her mind and her head snapped up towards him in surprise, her eyes wide.
How could he have known exactly what she was thinking of?
"How do you know what I was thinking about?". She asked in awe and then a sudden realization dawned upon her as she pulled her hands his, stopping in the middle of the corridor.
"You don't happen to be able to read minds, do you?". She asked curiously. He's a vampire, a being of supernatural abilities and perhaps this was just one of his many abilities.
Nikolai looked down at her, a small grin spreading across his face as he replied. "Maybe I can, when I want to".
Her mouth fell open in surprise as she nodded. "Wow."
"But doesn't this mean that I have no privacy at all ?". She cried inwardly.
"Of course not". Nikolai answered smoothly, resuming his pace along the silent corridor.
"You have your absolute privacy. It's just that it's too silent here and I can literally hear your wild thoughts tumbling around like a rockslide." He added, his blue eyes glinting at her stunned expression after he'd replied.
Princess Eleanor was beyond stunned.
Did he just read her mind again?.
Before she could formulate a response, they'd already reached into the castle's main courtyard.
"Prepare the carriage". Nikolai commanded a guard standing watch.
It was only then that she realized they had exited the castle.
The courtyard was illuminated by flickering torches and ornate lanterns and the sky above was a deep, velvety indigo, providing a faint, ambient light.
The evening scene here was surprisingly vibrant with guards and servants moving about their business.
It was peaceful and serene , a stark contrast to the fearsome and bloody reputation of Darkvalley.
"Huh?". The guard exclaimed, his surprise evident.
"If His Majesty says prepare the carriage, so prepare it!". Orion's voice cut through the air as he strode up behind them, hands on his hips. "In what position are you to defy?".
The guard bowed deeply, obviously flustered. "Forgive me, Your Majesty My Lord!. I'll prepare it right away! I was just… stunned for a moment as His Majesty always prefers his horse."
"Can't you see Her Highness is with him?". Orion added, his tone chiding but good-natured. "Of course he can't take a horse, the air outside is chilly, what if Her Highness catches a cold or falls off the horse, will you take responsibility?".
"Yes, My Lord! Right away!". The guard scurried off and Princess Eleanor couldn't help the smile gracing her features.
The carriage was brought around swiftly and Nikolai carefully helped her inside, carrying the train of her dress.
It was only when she'd settled comfortably that he then followed, settling onto the plush velvet seat opposite her.
Orion took his place as coachman outside and the carriage began to move with a lurch.
Alone in the enclosed space with him, the Princess's nerves returned.
"It is a little long journey from here. You can take a nap if you wish". Nikolai said, his gaze on the darkened landscape outside the window.
"It's okay". Princess Eleanor replied, her smile tight and forced and she couldn't help the anxious thought surfacing in her mind again.
Will it be like the last time when they were ambushed?.
"No such thing will happen". Nikolai stated, his voice flat and certain.
And Princess Eleanor couldn't suppress a soft scoff.
Didn't you say I had my privacy earlier?
Why are you prying on my thoughts now?
"I didn't mean to ". He said as he turned from the window, a small smile touching his lips at her expression.
"If you are that worried, I will assign you a capable attendant to watch over you in case of any unforeseen circumstances. But I assure you, no such scene will occur."
"Thank you". She said and just then, the carriage wheel seems to have hit a deep rut in the road and it jolted violently, throwing her forward into his embrace.
Princess Eleanor landed with a soft gasp directly against Nikolai's chest, her hands splayed against the firm damask of his doublet.
She scrambled back immediately, her face flaming. "Forgive me, Your Majesty!". She stammered, shifting as far to her side of the carriage as possible.
But before she could move any further he reached out, his hand closing around her wrist and pulling her back into his embrace.
"Relax". He said, gently steadying her in his embrace as he added. "Just obediently take a nap and I will wake you when we arrive."
Too flustered to argue, she simply nodded, her blush deepening and she immediately closed her eyes, feigning sleep while hyper-aware of his solid presence beside her.
Princess Eleanor must have truly drifted off to wonderland because the next thing she knew, the carriage was slowing to a halt.
She stirred, subtly shifting away from him as she adjusted to her surroundings. The carriage had stopped in a secluded, mountainous area and Nikolai gently helped her down, his hand firm on her elbow.
The sight that greeted her made her gasp.
Nestled against the backdrop of dark pines was a small and clean charming cottage made of honey-coloured wood, but it was the garden beside it that stole her breath.
It was even larger and more lush than the castle's, a wild, vibrant tapestry of flowers and herbs that seemed to glow with their own inner light under the bleak sky.
Princess Eleanor looked at him, her eyes full of excitement.
Nikolai nodded with a soft smile. "Go ahead."
She needed no further encouragement, she immediately walked into the garden, her fingers brushing against the velvety petals and fragrant leaves.
"You can take anything you want". He called out, holding out a woven basket and a pair of silver scissors he'd surely gotten from the cottage.
With a delighted smile, she began to carefully select and snip stems, filling the basket with a rainbow of twilight blooms and silvery herbs.
"Are these enough?". Nikolai asked when she finally paused.
"Yes". Princess Eleanor nodded, her face radiant with a happiness she hadn't felt in weeks. "More than enough." She added, looking at the two huge baskets that were already filled to the brim.
Nikolai smiled back, captivated by her blinding bright smile and he gently walked towards her, closing the distance between them, his eyes locked on hers all the while.
He gently reached out, tucking a strand of stray hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering against her cheek as her heart pounded erratically in her chest.
His touch was tender and warm but his expression was distant, full of a profound, aching sadness.
"You have no idea how much I missed this, Emily ". He whispered, his voice thick with emotion as his thumb stroked her cheekbone.
Princess Eleanor froze. "Emily?". She repeated, her voice small and confused.
Had he taken her for someone else?.
Emily?.
The moment the name left her lips, his entire demeanor shattered.
The softness in his eyes immediately vanished, replaced by a flash of shock and then a cold, impenetrable wall.
He instantly dropped his hand as if her skin had burned him and turned away sharply with his back to her.
"Let's go". He said, his voice flat and devoid of all its earlier warmth.
And he began striding back towards the carriage without a backward glance. Princess Eleanor stood rooted for a moment, lost and confused.
Who's Emily?.