Chapter 84 - Announcement

Hello everyone, I want to thank all of you for supporting me so far even though I have not been able to update regularly since I started writing. I think I need a break, maybe for a few days or maybe for months or it can be for years. I have some issues going on and I am not in the state of mind to continue my books, or writing. Like some of you wanted, I was looking forward to a writing career but things happened and plans might change. If you all are patient, then you can wait for me to resume my work even though there are chances that I might not resume them. I know how it feels to read a half-written work because as a reader, I have faced that too. So, I will accept all your criticisms and hate. And in the future, if I can, I will try to give you a short ending concluding the books but I am still not sure. It is not easy for me to say this because no matter what, my works have always been precious to me and close to my heart. I have been thinking about it for 2 days but I decided it today. Thank you everyone for being there and I appreciate all the support and recognition I got here because of you!

I will remove privileged tiers so you will be able to see the privileged chapters next month. Thank you for your patience and kindness again.

Sincerely,

Auroraaa

...

''Cough Cough...'' The food was stuck in her throat and Esme drank some water. ''How do you know?" She asked after calming down. She was talking to Duchess Flora, ''You... were you sitting on the tree?'' She remembered there was some noise in the back. 

Aleister paused, ''It was Rowan.'' 

''You are keeping an eye on me?" 

''For your safety,'' And to ensure your distance from unwanted flies. He added in his mind. 

Esme lowered her head before she continued eating without saying anything. She had no face left. 

She did not want to talk to him. She cried in her heart.

Aleister let her have her peace without further pushing her buttons.

After breakfast, Aleister said, ''Would you like to go to the Royal hunting ground?" 

Esme, who was reading a book on her bed tilted her head to look at him, ''To hunt?" 

Aleister quirked a brow, ''Anything else that you would like to do?"

Esme did not say anything as she placed the book aside before nodding, ''Let's go,'' As they walked into the Royal hunting ground, she noticed that there were many people and guards here and there, practicing their skills. 

Some of the people were lying on the ground, bruised and bloodied after a practice battle. 

All of them came to their knees and pressed their right fist on their left chest, ''My Lord,'' Their voices rang in unison. 

Aleister tilted his head to the side before he held Esme's hand.

Esme turned to look at their intertwined fingers. 

''...My Lady,'' They greeted her. 

Esme tilted her head to look at them before giving a small nod.

''Let's go, Princess,'' His voice was not small and those who had doubts about her position understood that the rumors were true and the Prince wanted to marry her.

''Where?" 

''To the other side,'' Aleister brought Esme towards the forest of the hunting field. 

As they walked inside the forest, Esme asked, ''Enchantment Forest border starts towards the end of the hunting field, am I right?" 

Aleister nodded. 

The gap between the Castle and the Enchantment Forest was this hunting field. While a part of the hunting field was used by the soldiers to train themselves, the other part was left for hunting. 

''It is different here,'' Esme walked towards the side, keeping a large distance between them. 

Aleister noticed it but he did not walk closer to her. Instead, he said, ''You have nothing to ask?" 

Esme glanced at him, ''I have many things that I want to ask. When we looked into the well, did you see those....'' She paused before adding, ''...Those fins?" 

Aleister tilted his head to look at her, ''I did.'' 

He stopped walking and she asked, ''What happ-'' She paused when he walked towards a horse near the bushes. The guards standing beside the horse bowed to them and Aleister mounted the horse before extending his hand towards her. 

''Give me another-'' horse. I know how to ride it. 

She paused and tilted her head down to look at the gown that she was wearing. She could not do it in this. 

''Come here, Princess,'' Aleister looked at her with a kind smile. 

No wonder. No wonder he walked at a distance and did not pester her all the way.

Esme forced a smile on her face as she walked towards him before placing her hand in his. 

He helped her up to the horse and Esme slowly moved her leg to the side before leaning back on him as he grabbed the reins. 

As the horse picked its pace, Esme straightened up and tilted her face to the side, ''You did it on purpose,'' She eyed him accusingly. 

''What did I do?" Aleister asked innocently. 

''If you had told me that we will be riding a horse, then I could have changed my clothes.'' 

''I forgot,'' Aleister held the reins of the horse between his thumb and the first and second fingers of his right hand while he shifted his other hand to her waist. 

Esme turned her face and her hair flew in the air as it fell above his shoulders, ''I don't know what I should do with you,'' She whispered as she removed her hair from his shoulder. 

He raised an eyebrow before leaning closer to her. 

She bent slightly back and he tightened his hold on her waist, ''Anything that you would like to do with me,'' He whispered, his words somehow dispersed in the air but not before grazing past her ear. 

Esme paused as she lowered her head before leaning close to him, ''I would like to stab the hands that always hover over me...'' saying that, she pulled away from him before looking into his eyes. 

''Do you need a dagger?" 

''I owe you too much to do that,'' Esme shook her head before she turned to look at the front, ''Do you think that he lied to us?" 

''If you are thinking that witches don't exist, they do. Along with the witches, there is another kind of creature who is never talked about.'' 

''Merfolk,'' Esme said, ''Until I saw his fins, I also did not think about that.'' 

''Yes,'' He replied. 

''Tell me more about them,'' Esme said, ''I have not read about them before. I know only what I heard from you.''

''They are the water-dwelling beings. The males are known as merman and the females are called mermaids,'' he pulled the reins of the horse before getting off it. He extended his hand towards her and as she placed her hand in his, he helped her down, ''Other than that, we have to read that book to know more about them.'' 

''Are you talking about the book that we saw in the church library?" Esme asked with a small frown on her face. 

''Yes,'' Aleister responded. 

''But we don't know what those verses mean. Without understanding them, we won't be able to open the book,'' Esme glanced at the vast sea in front of her. 

She looked at the sky. It was dark as if it was going to rain soon. 

This place was at a distance from the border of the Enchantment Forest and Esme felt different here.. Whenever she stepped inside the Enchantment Forest, it felt like something was weighing down her shoulders and there was lingering darkness inside that place.