The room was immersed in a cozy penumbra, illuminated only by the flickering candlelight. At this moment, a figure was sitting on the edge of the bed, lost in thought.
'A month has already passed…'
Eleanor massaged her temple, weary as she recalled her path leading up to this situation.
She had just returned from Reynard's study, and her thoughts were scattered elsewhere. The trip she was expected to take with him truly brought her a sense of urgency.
It was the first time since she began serving Reynard that she was doing something significant, like accompanying him on a journey.
Eleanor had never known luxury. She grew up in a village and married young. Her husband was a simple but hardworking man who always gave his best. Fate, however, was cruel. A landslide in the mines took her husband and many other lives while they worked, leaving her a widow with a daughter to care for.
The roof over their heads, the savings they once had — everything was quickly gone. She tried to remain strong for Lydia's sake; however, they had nowhere left to go. And, just like that, they ended up on the street.
The villagers looked at her with pity. Nevertheless, no one offered help or extended a hand. If it weren't for a generous old seamstress who offered one of the rooms in her house, she wouldn't know what would have happened to her and her daughter.
Her days seemed to have become peaceful after the mourning and difficulties. She and Lydia helped the old woman with her sewing, cleaning the house, and handling the small daily chores. Unfortunately, the tranquility was short-lived: three months later, the old woman passed away, leaving the two once again without a roof over their heads.
The old lady's children allowed her to stay in the house for a little longer until she could find another place, but the deadline was too short, and they were eventually forced to leave.
The money they saved was enough for them to stay in a room for a few weeks while she tried to continue looking for other ways to earn money.
Simple jobs paid little and barely covered food for two mouths.
Thinking of alternatives while looking for work in the fields, she accidentally overheard rumors about the noble who lived in the nearby castle.
"Reynard made his servants disappear."
That was one of the first stories she heard while walking through the village with Lydia.
Reynard was a name whispered with apprehension among the villagers. Some said he made his servants disappear without a trace; others believed he had killed his own family to inherit the castle and lands.
What truly happened, no one knew for sure. And it wasn't as if the truth mattered to these people. The fact that anyone believed the possibility only made Reynard even more feared.
She knew the rumors, she knew what they were saying about the man who lived there, but she was desperate. There were no other alternatives. And that was how, with all her pride crushed and full of apprehension, she knocked on the doors of Reynard's castle.
Even with the rumors, the promise of stability working at the local lord's castle was too tempting to ignore. The next morning, Eleanor made her decision. She put on what remained of her most presentable clothes, carefully pinned up her hair, and held Lyra's hand firmly.
That day, Reynard had welcomed her… for reasons she was still trying to understand.
Eleanor questioned how a man like that could have accepted two strangers, asking for nothing in return besides their services.
Was there a price that hadn't been collected yet?
Or was he truly a good person, and all the rumors were false?
She was inclined to believe the latter.
'When was the last time I felt this way?' Eleanor sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers sliding over the soft fabric of the dress she was wearing. She looked out the window, where the soft light had long lost its strength, giving way to shadows that stretched across the corners of the room.
"Reynard…" She whispered, almost not realizing she had said the name aloud, without calling him 'Master' as she was accustomed to.
Her heart raced, and her face turned red just thinking about him.
Just thinking about him made her feel strange — like an insecure girl, not the mature woman she should be. In recent days, his behavior had become harder to interpret. He was kind, in an unexpected way, yet his words often carried a subtle lust, as if it were impossible for him to disguise his interest.
And Eleanor knew he watched her.
She felt his eyes on her body when she walked through the corridors or when he called her to discuss something.
"Perhaps it's time…"
A shiver ran down her spine, but she didn't know if it was caused by the memory of Reynard's gazes or by the growing anxiety within her over her thoughts.
'What are you thinking, Eleanor?!' These thoughts were emerging more frequently than she would like. She couldn't explain why this was happening. It was so abnormal and unnatural.
It was as if… she were burning.
Eleanor got up and walked to the mirror in the corner of the room. She looked at her reflection, her eyes scanning her own body in the dress. Her fingers traced the curve of her waist, assessing the reflection with a mixture of doubt and hope.
'Am I beautiful?'
SLAPSLAPSLAP
She brought her hands to her face, tapping her soft cheeks three times. Her white skin could not withstand the blows, and a redness appeared as evidence of her attempt to push away those thoughts and encourage herself.
There was still beauty there, but was it enough?
She knew she was no longer young. Nevertheless, there was something in his gaze that hadn't existed in her youth.
Or, at least, she didn't remember it existing.
"Is that what he sees?" She bit her lips, recalling how Reynard looked at her with a mixture of desire and something deeper. It was as if he was always thinking about something while looking at her.
Eleanor knew it was dangerous to become attached to that castle and that life. He could discard her at any moment, as a man of his standing had the power to do.
And if that happened, where would she and Lydia go again?
There was no one else who cared to rescue them.
"I… I will do whatever it takes to protect my daughter." Eleanor murmured, her gaze fixed on the reflection. "Even if that means…" Her voice faltered for a moment.
She had thought about joining the local brothel to support her daughter in the first days of difficulty, but the idea of giving herself to several men disgusted her. Her face went pale just imagining it.
She would rather die than have such a cruel fate. Fortunately, the old woman extended her hand and helped her at that time, so that thought had disappeared.
However, offering herself to Reynard was different. He hadn't forced her into anything. When she knocked on his door, she had already made up her mind. If necessary, she would use everything she could to gain his favor.
Despite Reynard's interest seeming obvious, he never crossed the line.
This confused her.
He could have her if he wanted, and yet he never did. He provoked her in various ways, encouraging her to cultivate certain ideas she preferred not to think about. Despite all this, he never tried to act during the month she served him in his castle.
This made her feel even more insecure, as if she were always on the verge of something that never happened.
She felt she could be discarded at any moment.
Perhaps Reynard was just waiting for the right moment? Or maybe he just liked to provoke her and had no real interest in her?
In the end, she was just a common woman...
Eleanor sighed deeply, pushing those thoughts away. She needed to understand what was truly going on in Reynard's mind. And, more than that, she needed to find a way to remain relevant there, to ensure that she and Lydia had a secure future by his side.
Despite all this, Eleanor didn't want to admit it, but there was a part of her that was anxious and expectant.
Today, Reynard's gaze reignited something within her.
It wasn't just a desire for survival—it was ambition.
Eleanor knew she couldn't hesitate.
Clenching her fists, her gaze shone with determination.
"I must do it tonight!"