“Gardening? Growing vegetables?” Elizabeth could have thought of thousands of requests but this would have still not crossed her mind. A scowl formed on her face as she tilted her head and repeated Evangeline’s words.

Evangeline laughed awkwardly and nodded. She knew that nobles did not do menial tasks like planting vegetables. But she did not find a good excuse and she wanted to talk to Elizabeth alone too.

“We do not plant vegetables in our garden.” came the cold and curt reply of Elizabeth and then she narrowed her gaze on the maids who bowed and scurried from there.

“Then how about a walk in the garden?” Elizabeth knew that she was making excuses. She must have wanted to apologize, with that thought Elizabeth nodded.

“I think I still have half an hour left before checking the list of guests.” Although Evangeline knew that Elizabeth tried to be strong and strict every time, she could feel that she was also a lonesome woman, she was not the cold and heartless woman as she depicted she was! Yet she did not know if she should meddle in their affairs, especially when the crown prince was involved.

At least, I could warn her about the gossip! With that thought she followed Elizabeth to the garden!

Evangeline knew that the garden was beautiful yet she was mesmerized to see its splendor from close by. There were all kinds and colors of rare flowers. As if the painter had thrown a plethora of colors on the canvas, the place looked lively.

“You can come to walk here anytime, if you like the place.” Elizabeth was looking at the hearts forming on the face of Evangeline as she continued to walk in the garden. She had investigated the girl, except for teaching some kids at home. She spent all her work gardening and doing simple chores at home.

If she had not run away, Elizabeth would have tried to train her, but now! She was not sure! If the girl was so much against marrying then she did not understand why her father was so adamant and why her brother did not say a word against it.

“Thank you, my lady. You are a very kind and warm person.” Elizabeth blinked at the sudden complement. Since the time she was remembered, everyone has called her a genius, bright, wise and much more. But one thing was common in every compliment that she had a good control over her emotions.

It has grown to a limit that people around her often forget that she had emotions too and take her for granted. Like the prince, the man who was about to be her husband. He had always taken her as a responsibility, not even once there was a compliment he had given her. Instead there was hatred in his eyes whenever he looked at her.

Yet here she was! Still burdening herself with the consequences of breaking the marriage. This was the first time someone had called her warm person, and the words sounded totally stranger to her.

“Are you worried about something, lady Elizabeth?” she heard Evangeline and then looked at her concerned filled eyes. She did not know how she let her guard down in front of a stranger. Maybe it was because of her eyes, whenever she looked at the eyes of Evangeline, it reminded Elizabeth of her mother, whom she missed dearly.

“No, I am perfectly fine.” she replied, burying her emotions deep in her heart like always. She could not and would not show anyone her weakness. She was trained to be the perfect lady of the house and she would never disappoint her grandmother and father by showing her vulnerabilities.

Evangeline was not surprised when Elizabeth did not tell her. She knew that she was an intrusion in their life but then she was not her out of her will. She had tried to run away but the luck was as bad as she thought.. She had no idea how strong the family was or how far their roots had spread.

“Elizabeth, i heard the maids gossiping about you. I did not know if it is right for me to interfere or not, but I want to tell you that you should not accept a man just because he was a noble or had strong foot holding in the empire. If the man did not give you enough respect, you will never be happy even if you live in a room made of gold. And sometimes even raw fruits is enough to make you contended if they were given with love.” She did know how the mind of nobles worked. But love was the basic thing a person needed to get married was all she had learnt in her life.

“Do you think it is that easy? Denying the emperor is no less than treason. We are the strongest family in the empire and I could not let my family suffer because of my selfishness. Not everyone is like you who would even forgot about the the last wish of his father when others are trying their best to fulfil it just because you did not love the man you are getting married.” The cold and harsh words pricked the heart of Evangeline who was genuinely concerned about Elizabeth. She wanted to make the girl feel that she should think about her whole life but was she really that selfish when she decided that she did not want to marry a stranger and to this crazy family who have kept her as hostage, who did not allow her to live life on her own terms.

But if that was the case then why was she worried about Elizabeth at the first point and why was she feeling hurt with her cold words.

“Do you think your brother is that weak that he needed your sacrifice to maintain his foot holding in the empire?”

“………..”