Chapter 508: The Bargesian Princess’s Confession
Athillia sat at the edge of the fountain in the middle of the garden.
The water had long stopped flowing, turned off for the winter. Her soft cries filled the still air, echoing faintly through the bare trees. The Bargesian Princess’s sorrow clung to the silence like frost on the stone.
She had never felt so alone.
Her half-uncle had already taken a dislike to her from the moment they met. There seemed little hope of changing his opinion, seeing how furious he was, let alone mending the situation.
No matter how hard she tried to deny it, her ’supposed affair’ with Kyren had already seemed to take root in everyone’s minds based on how they looked at her.
Suddenly, she heard the heavy rhythm of boots crunching over gravel—firm, hurried steps growing louder with every beat. They stopped just a few paces behind her.
"I told you to go away!" she shouted, turning to glare through tearful eyes at the already known figure.
"I’m your escort. I can’t just leave you alone," Eli shot back. "Have you already forgotten what happened this morning? Do you want to put yourself in danger again?"
"Why do you care?" she snapped. "Maybe it’d be better if I just died! No one wants me here anyway!"
"No one said that!" the knight retorted. "You’re jumping to conclusions!"
"You don’t know me!" Athillia cried. "Ever since I was born, I’ve been nothing but a tool... an object! Something to be used for other people’s wants and desires! My only hope was in my mother’s wish that I could find happiness here in Cassian. I truly believed I could. I thought things would be different! But now... It’s all ruined. You saw how he looked at me... he hates me! He’ll never accept me!"
Eli let out a long breath, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Look... I told you. His Highness the Grand Duke is married. He’s devoted to Lady Raychard. Of course he won’t accept you as a concubine."
"What?" Athillia turned to him, confused. "Who said I was talking about Lord Kyren?"
"Then who else?" Eli blinked. "You even put on makeup and dressed up just to welcome him!"
"You think I did all that for him? Are you dense? I did it so no one would realise I am sick from nearly drowning! It was all for you!"
"You... did it for me?" Eli asked, visibly thrown.
"Yes!" she said, her voice cracking. "Because you’d get in trouble if people learned about the incident! And I didn’t want that!"
Eli stood speechless momentarily, the wind tugging gently at his cloak.
"I thought... I thought you hated me," he murmured.
"Why would I hate you?" Athillia asked, raising a brow. "Yes, you were rude and harsh with your words, but you never hurt me. You even saved me. Just because someone’s childish or says the wrong thing doesn’t mean they deserve to be hated. If that were true, then we’d all hate the whole world."
The young knight fell silent. For a moment, he studied the Bargesian Princess. Something in the way she spoke and the maturity behind her words struck him deeply.
"How old are you, actually?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
"I’ll be sixteen soon. Why?" she replied, wiping the last of her tears.
Eli blinked, caught off guard again.
’Nearly sixteen?’ he exclaimed inwardly.
She was still just a girl.
"Nothing. It’s just... You speak like someone much older."
Athillia pressed her lips together. Of course she did. Life had forced her to grow up quickly. Given the way she was raised, innocence hadn’t been an option.
"I guess I started on the wrong foot," Eli admitted. "So, I’m sorry."
She gave a slight nod in acknowledgement.
"But seriously," he continued, "if His Highness wasn’t the one you were referring to earlier, then who was it?"
Athillia looked away, her eyes dimming at the mention. The same ache pulled at her chest as she recalled the disdain on Matthew’s face.
"I suppose it’s His Lordship, the Marquess of Roland, right?"
The voice that came from behind jolted them both. They spun around to see Armel stepping out from behind a tree, arms crossed and smirking.
"What the h*ll?! How did you manage to sneak up on us?" Eli barked, clearly annoyed.
Armel shrugged with a smug grin.
"Let’s just say I’ve picked a few tricks from His Highness Prince Kiev. And, honestly, you two were so wrapped up in your heart-to-heart, I doubt you’d have noticed a parade walking by."
"I let my guard down a little because the other high-ranking knights are nearby," Eli muttered. "That doesn’t mean I wasn’t paying attention."
"Right, right. Whatever you say." Armel waved him off. Then his eyes shifted back to Athillia, more curious now than teasing. "But my guess was right, wasn’t it?"
"Oh, come on," Eli said, rolling his eyes. "Her type wouldn’t be some old man. Besides, this is the first time she’s met His Lordship, the Marquess."
The Bargesian Princess said nothing. Her watery eyes locked with Armel’s, a flicker of fear rising in her chest.
Now that the dukes and lords were inside the mansion, would he threaten her? Would he expose her to them?
She didn’t need an introduction to know that the figures returning with Kyren were high-ranking nobles, and revealing herself to them directly without the grand duke’s backing would be a serious risk.
Eli glanced between them, his gaze darting back and forth. His expression changed as realisation began to sink in.
"Wait... seriously? The Marquess of Roland?" he asked, incredulous. "How can you tell?"
"You might be a capable knight, Sir Henderson... smart and strong, but reading the room isn’t exactly your talent," Armel said with a faint smirk. "That’s something I am good at."
Athillia still said nothing. But her silence—paired with the lingering, vulnerable look in her eyes—was enough to confirm the teenager’s guess.
"Oh, lord!" Eli covered his mouth in surprise.
At the same time, something inside him stirred with unease. Why would a young girl like Athillia fall for a man old enough to be her father? It didn’t sit right with him. No matter how he looked at it, something about the whole situation didn’t make sense.
"I’m not here to hurt you, if that’s what you think. I’m just a servant for His Highness Prince Kiev, who is also a guest of His Highness the Grand Duke. I don’t believe you’re a bad person based on your background, nor do I think you were brought home as a hostage. If His Highness the Grand Duke chose to bring you here, I’m sure he has a reason," said Armel.
"Wait, what? Bad person? Hostage?" Eli interrupted, confusion etched across his face. "What are you two even talking about?"
Armel sighed and held up a hand to stop him.
"Don’t jump in just yet. This is something she needs to say for herself," he said calmly, then turned back to the Bargesian Princess. "Fixing a misunderstanding is hard when you keep running from it. Even your own escort is confused. How can you expect others to understand? It would help if you started by telling the truth. That way, I might be able to help you."
Athillia’s hands tightened in her lap. Her throat felt dry.
"How can I be sure you won’t stab me in the back?" she asked quietly.
Armel met her gaze, steady and unfazed.
"Have I done anything like that? I could’ve gone straight to the lords and told them everything. But instead, I came here to you. Does that look like something someone with ill intent would do?"
He paused to give the Bargesian Princess time to reflect on his words.
"The only thing I want," he continued, "is for Lady Raychard to be happy. She’s my good friend and has been deeply hurt by this misunderstanding. Everyone in this mansion is loyal to her. No one wanted things to turn out like this."
He then lowered his voice slightly. "If we don’t clear this up soon, you’re the one who will be in real trouble."
Athillia swallowed hard.
"But... but Lord Kyren—"
"You need other allies to rely on," Armel said calmly. "If you keep running to him, it’ll only deepen the belief that you’re trying to seduce him. You need a different approach, one that doesn’t revolve around him."
The Bargesian Princess drew in a long breath. The teenager’s words cut deep because they were true.
Without Kyren, she had no one here. But clinging to him would only make her look like a desperate third wheel... or worse, a threat to Anna, and she didn’t want that.
"I’ll tell you everything," Athillia said at last. "...But not him."
Her eyes flicked toward Eli. "He’s a knight of Cassian. I can’t take that risk."
Armel gave a respectful nod and smiled reassuringly.
"That is enough, my lady. Thank you."
"What?" Eli blinked in disbelief. "You’re cutting me out of this? Me? Your own escort?"
The Bargesian Princess nodded.
Guilt shimmered behind her eyes, but her resolve remained firm. She couldn’t risk the young knight she had secretly admired turning against her upon discovering the truth, as she wasn’t prepared for that.
"Please leave us, Sir Henderson," Athillia ordered.
"No can do!" Eli snapped. "I’m your escort!"
"Then it shouldn’t hurt to stand a little farther back and give us some space," Armel interjected calmly. "Besides, don’t you want the matter between His Highness the Grand Duke and Lady Raychard resolved as soon as possible?"
The young knight grumbled under his breath, clearly frustrated. But when he met Athillia’s eyes again, he saw the silent plea in them—her desperation.
"Fine!" he muttered at last. "But make it quick. And just so you know, I’ll keep watching you two!"
With a reluctant huff, Eli stomped off, far enough to respect their privacy but close enough to step in if necessary.
"Please begin, Your Highness," Armel said, giving her the floor once he was confident their conversation wasn’t being eavesdropped on.
Athillia inhaled deeply. The teen’s words affirmed her suspicion that he had overheard her earlier at the pond. She started to speak, her voice steady yet composed.
"I am Athillia Emir, the Princess of Barges. I’ve come here to find my family..."