To Keep a Promise

.21.

The letter that greeted me the next morning was not from my father like I expected, but from Mason.

Meet me in the courtyard. We need to talk

It was delivered when Estelle was getting breakfast, and just before she walked back into the room I shoved it in my pillowcase, sitting casually back at the table when she arrived with the food.

'At least it is now edible food' she had taken a Nadoran tray from the kitchen. 'Estelle, surely they would see that you had taken food meant for the Nadoran guests?'

After the Queens comments last night I was not too worried, but Estelle did not know that and she was behaving carelessly.

'No one noticed, it will be fine. I can just fein confusion'

Estelle was acting cold toward me and the tension remained, but I could not think about that now, instead I had to ask her about what had happened last night.

'I finally met the guard you told me about, Elias?'

She dropped the food from her hand as I watched her face burn bright red and her mouth open and close. 'You have seen him?' She whispered.

I looked around the room confused, but nodded 'Why are we whispering?'

The cautious Estelle that had trained me so thoroughly was definitely back. She gestured for me to scoot closer to her. 'He is... we are...' she couldn't finish her sentence. She jumped up and an uncharacteristic look of fear crossed her face. 'Nothing, Eve. Nothing'

I eyed her, noting the way her face had shut down from showing any emotion. 'What is going on?' I stopped whispering, too frustrated at her evasiveness to care about being quiet.

'I can not tell you Eve... because of who you are, and the rules it would break if you had to keep my secret'

Understanding dawned on me. As spies we were required to report and misbehaviour amongst the ranks to our master. My father believed it was effective in keeping his soldiers in line, but really it bred mistrust within the spies and meant that there was always a fear that someone would report you.

Looking at the response on Estelles face led me to the conclusion that she and Elias had feelings for each other. This had never been a problem before seeing as Estelle and I were the first female soldiers and spies, but Estelle knew as well as I did that my Father would never approve of two soldiers marrying each other.

'Estelle, I could never betray your trust. You are more than a friend to me, you are my family. If you have... feelings... for someone, then I want you to share that with me. No code is more important than our relationship'

She looked at me blankly 'I didn't think I could tell you. I thought you would tell your father'

'I would never. My loyalty to him is as a soldier, but it is to you as a sister'

The tear rolling down her face was the strangest thing I had ever seen so I walked over and wrapped her in a hug.

'I love him Eve, so much' her voice was muffled against my shoulder while she cried. I rubbed her back to soothe her, not quite knowing what to say.

After a few minutes she stood back with a deep breath. 'I am sorry, it is just such a relief to tell someone after all this time'

We sat back down at the table and picked at the food while we talked 'All this time? How long has this been going on?'

She was sheepish now 'About 4 years?'

My jaw dropping in shock prompted her to laugh and wipe her eyes.