Ever Ever After

What She Sees

While Clint headed to the Imperial Castle to receive the documents certifying his marriage to Ailea, Kaiton helped Ailea pack the luggage. It was to help her move to the mansion provided by the Crown Prince. It wasn’t much. Most of the items belonged to the cat.

“What is this?” Kaiton asked, picking up the rolled papers. The white paper was bound with a blue ribbon-like an autumn sky.

“I put together a list of things around the Excalibur Castle.”

The papers were full of information about Sutton; topography, climate, history, culture, and everything else in between were there.

“Clint is always on the battlefield, so I thought this information might come in handy one day.”

“You—you arranged this much in such a short time?”

“There are lots of blanks, though, but I’d like to collect as much data as possible from the Imperial Castle’s library before going to Excalibur Castle.”

“Ah! That’s why you said you wanted to stay in the mansion the Crown Prince had prepared?”

Ailea nodded. “Since Khanna Empire had ruled over Sutton for a while, it would be challenging for someone who came from the capital like Captain Clint, to win the people’s hearts. I might not be able to help, but I want to be able to do as much as I can.”

Kaiton saw the rolled paper with a massive amount of data written down. In such a short period, she managed to extract this much information from Clint’s library alone.

“Still… he’s not someone who would treat those who can’t defend themselves harshly. If he sees Sutton’s people struggling from the results of the war, I’m sure he’ll work earnestly,” she said, slightly embarrassed.

Kaiton couldn’t believe that such thoughts were inside the head of an easily intimidated and fragile-looking woman. Nervous, he gulped.

‘Captain, looks like you thought about this all wrong,’ thought Kaiton while his mind wandered back to last night as feigned asleep listening to Clint and Shantee.

***

The Knights Orders’ 30-day mandatory service in the capital was nearing its end. Clint immediately fell asleep at home after listening nonstop to the elders’ nagging lectures about the importance of protecting Excalibur with his life.

He’d been living the life of a philanderer all this time to stay out of the limelight and he played the role well. He didn’t hate drinking all day. Even enjoyed the one-night stands with women who sought the same thing he did. That changed though. He’s a married man now and he had to be conscious of how others perceived him ‘lest he causes his wife to be disappointed in him.

Speaking of her, what is she doing now? She hasn’t come out of her room yet.

On the first day, he had intended to see her, but she was nowhere to be seen. The second day was the same as well aside from the ceremony. Where was she? Clint thought that she was already playing the part of the wife by choosing to stay in the mansion to see if he was fooling around with other women. The thought of it brought a smile to his face, but he hadn’t seen her since then.

‘I mean… what did I expect?’

But wasn’t it too much for Ailea to neglect her husband?

His patience was running thin and he needed to see her. He had to. An invitation to attend the royal ball was in his hand.

He knocked on the door and said, “Ailea, it’s me. Come out for a moment.” There was no answer. Clint frowned, knocking on the door once more. “Ailea.”

He kept calling but it was deathly silent that eventually the head maid said, “Lady Ailea is out at this hour, sir.”

“She went out?”

“Yes.”

She wasn’t at home?