"Raza, promise me you'll stay here with mom and protect her." Eleanor whispered to the cute child in front of her as she squatted down to meet his eyes.
Raza stared blankly at her for a sec before nodding, "I'll do anything mama says."
'..Like what I'm ordered to.' Raza thought seeing Eleanor breath a sigh of relief.
"Thank you" Eleanor kissed Raza's forehead and hugged him before sneaking out of her room through her balcony.
"My lady! Where are you going?!" Emma screamed at the top of her lungs.
Eleanor put her finger on her lips, "Shh!"
Emma was confused but she trusted her lady wouldn't do anything reckless, "...I understand, come back safely." Emma smiled and shook her head helplessly.
Eleanor turned away from Emma then hopped in a carriage not far in the distance, "Why is everyone here?" Eleanor said with wide eyes.
"We decided to come along!" Alastair shouted and Hugo nodded.
Constantine turned seriously to her, "Sis, Don't worry I'll protect you." Constantine said with a determined look. 'Yes, even if i have to die trying, I'll protect you at all cost.' He thought.
Charles yawned, "I was bored, so i decided to come along."
Eleanor laughed with teary eyes, "THANK YOUUUUUUUU! WUUUUUUUUU!"
They couldn't help but facepalm, "Stop crying would ya? Outsiders would think we bullied you." Hugo said shaking his head. While Constantine was fumbling his hand around trying to stop Eleanor from crying.
Eleanor sat beside Cole who was silent this whole time. Eleanor thought Cole was angry at her for hiding this but unexpectedly Cole sneakily intertwined his hands, of course they all noticed but turned a blind eye.
~Flashback~
"You mean your mother did all this?" Cole said through gritted teeth seeing all her bruises and cuts.
"Shh! Keep your voice down, only you and Emma knows about this."
"...I...I'm sorry." Cole rested his forehead on Eleanor's shoulder.
"You must've been scared." Cole whispered as Eleanor shook her head and smiled.
She had to stay strong in front of him, who had gone through the same thing.
"I'm alright, as long as everyone's alive, I'll be fine." Eleanor said as Cole grabbed her hands and placed a kiss on her bruised wrist.
Cole stared at her with his blue eyes glinting, "I'll protect you after i become stronger, wait for me."
Eleanor smiled, "If i had to choose I'd marry you right here and then." She laughed but someone took it seriously.
He went away to teleport to find a priest, "STOPPPPPP! I was joking!!" She said as she hugged his waist.
"Finally you aren't faking your smile anymore." Cole said grazing his thumb on her lips as tears continuously fell one by one on her eyes.
"I should've been there for you, I'm sorry, my princess." Cole said as Eleanor shook her head and smashed her lips against her.
"Don't be sorry, you did nothing wrong, if anything it's all Lilian's fault." She whispered as she burrowed unto his hard chest.
Cole patted her back but could not hide is killing intent leaking.
~End of Flashback~
"We've arrived?" Eleanor said looking around the villa who was covered in vines.
"HeloooOoo?" Alastair shouted from the gates yet no one answered.
"When did the Marquis's estate become like this?" Hugo said as he opened the gate with no effort.
"I...I have a favor to ask." Eleanor whispered and they all turned to her.
"Please, let me face her alone."
"Bu--" Constantine tried to intervene but was faced by an intense aura coming from Eleanor that barely made him tremble.
They all froze as they felt the aura expanding each second.
"We'll stay here." Cole said with a dark smile, "But I wont hesitate to intervene if she attacks." Cole whispered to Eleanor as she walked away.
After a few minutes Eleanor finally reached the door, She looked back and smile, somehow the dark room behind her made her look more scarier like the dark is calling out to her.
Alastair watched the door close before he breathed in, "I almost died there, was her aura always this intense?"
Hugo shook her head, "No, someone activated this part of her."
Constantine laughed, "That Bitc-Lady Lilian deserves it after all she's done."
Charles chuckled and turned to Cole.
Cole chuckled, "So you all knew? Lady Lilian tried to kill Zira a couple of times."
Charles nodded,"But unlucky for her, you were always at Zira's side right?"
Cole nodded his head slightly, "I couldn't save Duke Chrysantia though, I tried to save him, but he said it was hopeless...That the evil got to him." Cole mumbled those last words but everyone heard it.
"..No..Sis...Is she in danger?" Constantine said looking at the villa with a cold look his eyes loosing color.
"...Trust in my girl, Brother-in-law." Cole chuckled and pat him in the back, Constantine blinked a couple of times and his eyes were back to normal again.
"Yes, we know she's capable of handling this on their own, but why does it feel like a thousand of eyes are watching me?" Hugo said looking around feeling shivers run down his spine.
***
-Eleanor's POV-
3 hours, it has been 3 hours since i came here. I've been wandering around this place for 3 damn hours yet i couldn't find her.
I continue to look around, going up the stairs and checking every corner for where she is.
Nothing.
Suddenly i felt a strong presence pulling me somewhere, of course i followed it and was led to a dead end.
Where the fuck is she?!
I slam the wall out of annoyance but i could hear a faint sound coming from behind it.
Could this be a secret passage?
I punch the wall again and only a sound could be heard. I crack my knuckles and laughed.
"Devour."
Immediately a black aura consumed the wall and it was gone just like that. She went down the stairs but froze when she heard a familiar voice.
"You finally came."
***
"It's you?!" Eleanor shouted in disbelief.
She laughed tying her hair in a ponytail, "Eleanor, It's been a while."
Eleanor covered her mouth in disbelief, "Cath! Why?!"
"Why?" She laughed, "You have the audacity to ask me why?!"
Eleanor took a step backward as Cath shouted inside her prison cell.
"You ruined my life! You took everything away from me!" She shouted.
Eleanor was conflicted, "What do you mean? I never took anything from you!" She shouted back.
Cath's face was full of tears as she spit on Eleanor but she dodged it. "You really don't remember huh, Stella?"
Eleanor froze. "How...How could you know that name?"
"Wait...you couldn't be..." Eleanor's eyes was full of tears.
"Hani." Eleanor whispered as She smiled.
"It's great that you finally know, Stella Devan." Cath--now Hani sneered at her as she stared at those same eyes who betrayed her.