Eric's heart became heavy as he remembered the past. Snapping out of his trance, he stood for a few moments longer before heading to his bedroom.
After that, he went straight to bed. Hoping that the next few days won't be too intolerable.
The next morning, he got up early due to his habit. A few valets came to help him get fresh. He only let them prepare the water for him.
He emerged after washing up, a towel in one hand as he adjusted his robe. He was still rubbing his hair with a towel until he heard a knock on the door.
He dropped the towel on a nearby table while he fixed his robe properly, covering his chest. He then gave his permission to enter to whoever it was.
"Good morning, your highness. I, Duchess Lancaster, greet your highness." - The Duchess bowed.
She had entered with another man trailing behind her. A tall man with a sturdy body. Young, strikingly handsome—with golden hair and piercing blue eyes, he looked almost angelic.
"Morning," Eric replied shortly while he eyed the man behind her.
"Let me introduce him to you. He is Sauveur Edoril. The commander of the second imperial knight division and also my husband," she straightened as she introduced Sauveur.
"Greetings, your highness. Her majesty appointed me to be your personal knight," he bowed, his voice crisp.
Eric's heart dropped, yet he held a poker face. A personal guard or an eye and ear of Nashia? Furthermore, he is the Duchess of Lancaster's husband.
I will need to be cautious of him. He thought, clenching the handrest of the couch where he had sunk in.
It won't take long for Nashia to know about Eric's movement if her aide's husband is his guard.
"I see. Raise. I will be in your care then." Eric spoke.
"Yes, your highness. I will try to be satisfactory to you," Sauveur said before he straightened.
"There is also another thing, your highness," the Duchess added.
"What is it?"
"Your highness's maternal family will be departing by noon. They were hoping to see you once before they return."
His family. If they leave today, who knows when he will see them again. He doesn't even know if he will ever be able to see them again, let alone when. He nodded.
"Understood. Anything else?"
"No, your highness. That's all. Then I will take my leave. Hope you get along with him well. Have a good day," the Duchess bowed slightly before turning back to leave.
Eric watched her leave. His eyes then turned to Sauveur, who was standing still before him.
"Before you get comfortable in your role, let me tell you some things I hate. Don't ever walk in my chamber unless I call for you or permit you to do so." Eric said with a stern tone, wary of him.
"Especially when I'm asleep or bathing, I don't want anyone around me."
"Understood, your highness." - Sauveur nodded.
Eric warily eyed him once again before he sighed lightly. He poured himself a glass of wine from the table before him. He sipped it slowly while he sat silently there.
Later in the afternoon, he was dressed up for the day. After a light lunch, he went down to meet his family. They were already prepared to leave by then.
"Mom! When is brother going to come? Won't he meet us before we go back?"
Princess Avira paced around before the carriage while the servants secured their luggage. She nagged at her mother, Gloria.
"He should get the news of our departure. I don't know why he isn't here yet, Avira. Don't pace around like that. Hold your dignity," She nagged Avira. Though that fell on deaf ears.
"Ugh! I can't. I want to meet him one last time!"
She huffed in annoyance. While Alex, their father, and Aurther were standing together. Alex was calm; however, Aurther seemed more engrossed in throwing flirty gestures to the surrounding ladies.
"You are that eager to see me, bubble?" - Eric asked as he approached them from behind. Sauveur was trailing behind him.
"Brother!" - Avira ran up to him and hugged him.
"Why were you late? I thought you wouldn't come."
"How can I not? I had to come to see you for one last time."
"Hmph. Whatever. Brother, please. For goodness ' sake, please take care of yourself. Don't neglect yourself. I won't be here to look after you if you are starving yourself or not."
"I will. Take care of yourself, too. Don't get in trouble as you always do."
"Yeah, yeah. I won't. Here." She added, pushing a set of matching embroidered handkerchiefs to him. "Take it. I made it myself."
"It's beautiful. But why are there two of them?"
"It's a couple handkerchiefs? The other one is for her majesty," She replied softly.
"Then why didn't you give it to her?"
"Come on! How can I give something like this to her myself? It's…. So little of a gift." - She sulked a bit.
"You can give it to me yourself. I won't mind."
A powerful voice rang through the air. All of them turned their heads to see Nashia approaching with the duchess trailing behind her.
They didn't think that she would come to see them off. After all, this marriage was more of a legal war hostage taking.
All of them greeted her as she stood before them with her sharp, commanding presence as always. She looked at Avira, expecting her to give the handkerchief.
Avira stared at her for a second before a smile crept up her lips. She had thought that Nashia wouldn't be like the normal sister-in-laws. Avira took back one of the handkerchiefs from Eric and gave it to her.
"It's not much, but I put a lot of effort into it. Hope you will like it, your majesty," her voice filled with young innocence.
"It's beautiful," her words short, feeling the handkerchief between her fingertips.
Nashia hates the Rosett Imperial family. But Avira's effort seems too precious not to accept it. Even with a bitter heart, she couldn't bring herself to break her heart.