Elenor frowned. What could she possibly want Alec for?

"If I may question why, your highness?" she asked calmly.

Elenor knew if she disobeyed, her head would be cut off without hesitation. The thought of her head rolling to the floor caused her to internally shudder. Hera looked at her before answering,

"Your butler is quite a beauty. I wish to have him by my side." she responded, her gaze falling on to him.

A smile fell on her rosy lips, "Perhaps Lady Elenor who has come from Elaelind doesn't know that I love collecting pretty things."

'I wish I didn't.'

"Please forgive me your highness, for not being able to know the hobbies her highness adores." Elenor bowed as she spoke with mannerism although the hint of sarcasm was there.

Hera didn't seem to notice it as she hummed and nodded. She walked towards them before stopping right in front of Alec who did not bat an eyelid at her.

Seeing this made her smile slightly sour.

"I've always wanted a doll with black hair and eyes." she muttered, carefully taking a close look on him.

"Give him to me." Hera demanded, her cold eyes swept towards Elenor who had no expression on her face.

She could hear whispers around them as the people in the garden looked over at them. Her fists that were at the side, clenched tightly before releasing them. Hera was supposed to go for Lloyd not Alec.

She remembered she wrote that Alec did follow Rosina and Hera did notice him but didn't bat one eye at him, only wanting Lloyd. She internally sighed to herself, how was she going to get her and Alec out of this situation now?

"Your highness, please forgive me for barging in." Richard suddenly spoke, standing in front of Elenor now.

"What is it?"

"Unfortunately, her butler has been with her for a very long time and has made a promise to never leave my sister's side. It has also been written in a contract and a blood oath." he explained.

Blood oath? Contract? Elenor never recalled having those done before. She couldn't voice her opinion out as if she did, she would most probably destroy Richard's plan of getting them out of this situation.

"Ah I see. So her butler has already done a contract and a blood oath to your family and Lady Elenor here?" Hera questioned.

"That is correct your highness."

"Hmm is that so?"

Hera snapped her fingers and two guards grabbed Richard from the back, pulling him away to the side.

"I don't care about such things. I can easily erase those with a snap." she chuckled.

He glared and struggled to get out of their hold but was not successful.

She then stood in front of Elenor in an imposing manner.

"I'll pay for him. How much do you want? 1000 gold coins? 1 million? Say your price and I'll pay."

Elenor frowned at the suggestion. "My deepest apologies, your highness but Alec is not for sale and will never be."

Hera smirked and shook her head, "I never said I cared about your opinion did I? Now, stop being so stubborn and understand your position. You are a mere marquess daughter. Who are you to defy the princess of Vaidia?"

Elenor gritted her teeth. Oh how she wanted to give a good beating to this girl right at this moment.

Before she could speak back to Hera, Alec pulled her behind him.

"Alec-"

"Milady please allow me to handle this." he spoke in a calm soft tone.

She wanted to protest but seeing how he wasn't going to take no as an answer. She swallowed her words and nodded not before lightly tugging on his coat.

Alec shot her a warm smile before it disappeared as he turned back to Hera who was no longer patient. Seeing his face, she began to smile again.

Alec went on one knee as he bowed.

"Alec..!" Elenor tried to make him stand back up but he refused, not moving an inch.

"Your highness. It is an honour to have received your attention." Alec began speaking.

Hera nodded, happy by his attitude. "Alec is your name, correct?"

"Indeed, your highness."

Hera chuckled, bending down a bit, lifting his chin up so he would look at her directly in the eye. With a grin she said,

"You shall become mine."

Alec closed his eyes for a mere second before opening them again, "As you wish, your highness."

Elenor's eyes widened in horror. 'No!' she yelled in her head.

This wasn't supposed to happen. She didn't want Alec to be taken away by Hera of all people. Before she could even protest, Hera stood back up and turned to Elenor.

"Don't worry Lady Elenor. Even if I have taken your butler, I will repay you for such a wonderful gift you have given me today." with a single clap, the doors burst open and in came many pretty, eye catching men.

They were all lined up from the tallest to the shortest. Some had smiles on their faces while some had no expression at all. Hera pointed at them and spoke,

"As a thank you gift, please do pick one of them to become your new exclusive butler."

"..." Elenor didn't know what to say.

She wanted none of them. Not a single one. She just wanted Alec by her side.

Hera gasped as if she remembered something, "Doesn't Lady Elenor and I have something in common? We both like pretty things don't we?"

Elenor's eyes twitched. "...Pardon?"

"I heard that Lady Elenor liked pretty things as well. Am I correct?"

"Haha...indeed your highness." she forced out a laugh.

'I want to punch you in the face. I don't care how pretty you fucking are.'

Trying her best to keep her anger down, her eyes swept through the line of men in front of her. They were dressed in clothes that you could tell were somewhat in shambles. Elenor knew from that moment, that the people lined up in front of her were ones she wanted to dispose of.

Her eyes fell on the one at the farthest right. The shortest person among all the men. It was a boy no more than ten years old. He had no expression and he somewhat reminded her of Alec. Though instead of black hair and eyes, he had ash blonde hair and ocean blue eyes.

His eyes fell on hers as well. They stared at one another before Elenor broke eye contact with him.

"So? Which one do you like, Lady Elenor?" Hera asked.

Elenor let out a soft sigh. If it's like this, she might as well save a child from this hell of a place. She walked up to the young boy who was startled by her appearance. She knew he didn't think she would pick him out of all people.

Elenor turned to Hera and spoke, "I would like to take him, your highness."

Hera took one look at the young boy before lightly laughing at her choice. "If that's the one you want, go ahead."

"Thank you, your highness." Elenor bowed.

The event continued on after that but everyone was gossiping to one another about what had just unfolded right in front of their eyes. Rosina, Isabella and Richard were worried for her as she quietly sat in her chair.

Once it was all over, they all left and returned back to the west building. Alec returned back with them as well as Hera allowed him to pack his things up and come to her living quarters the next day.

The young boy followed them as well. He didn't have much to pack so he immediately followed Elenor back without a word said.

"I would like to talk to Alec alone please." Elenor said once they reached her room.

Her friends and brother worriedly looked at her before nodding, leaving her and Alec. Elenor turned to the young boy who had been tailing behind her this whole time. She smiled at him, patting the top of his head.

"Please follow my brother for now. I'll come pick you up later."

The young boy nodded wordlessly before following her brother to his room. Elenor and Alec walked into her room and once the doors closed, she sharply turned to him.

"What were you thinking back there!?" she shouted angrily.

"It was the only way." he calmly answered her.

"What 'only way'? There are millions heck trillions of different ways we could get out of that situation!" she punched him on the chest repeatedly.

Alec didn't say a word, allowing her to release her anger and frustration onto him. Slowly he felt her punches weakening before stopping. Her shoulders shook as she looked down to the floor.

"..Didn't you say you wouldn't leave my side?" she shakily mumbled.

"..."

"Now you're leaving... Hey, you're breaking our promise you know?" she cried.

Elenor hated this. She didn't want to look weak and vulnerable in front of anyone. This was also her second time crying in front of him. She rather cry alone where nobody will see her in this terrible state. She knew this was a stupid reason to be upset and cry over about but her anxiety was shooting up to the roof just thinking about what Hera will do.

She couldn't even use her knowledge about her own book now. Everything was now in the hands of the world and the plot she never continued.

"Hye-"

"Shut up. I don't want to hear what you want to say right now. Just... please don't go.."

Alec wrapped his arms around her body, pressing her closer to him as she silently cried into his chest.

"I have to go..it's inevitable." he whispered into her ear.

Elenor didn't reply to him. She already knew he had to but couldn't she have just a tiny hope in her that he wouldn't?

"I'll always come back, I promise." Alec mumbled, pulling her to a soft kiss.

It was salty due to her tears. It felt like a goodbye kiss instead of reassuring her. Thinking that way, she teared up but tried her best to hold it in.

Before Alec left her room, she ran and hugged him from the back.

"I will find a way to get you back." she swore, hugging him tightly.

Alec twisted his body around, he wiped away the tear stains on her cheek. His gaze warm and lovely,

"I'll be waiting then."