CH 99

“This ploy of his is a very meticulous and persistent one, Elena. It was hard for me to believe that Logan possessed such an aspect to him as well, but he succeeded somehow, because it seems that the king was not able to notice this. Do you see these pictures? They denote warhorses, soldiers, knights, and weapons. Logan must be standing at the vanguard for the king’s cousins.”

Gareth suddenly became quiet when he reached the last drawing. He didn’t say anymore, even though Elena could tell the picture indicated something of great importance. His face definitely became darker than before. Elena wondered what it was, but did not ask him. Although it was almost spring, it was snowing every day where they were, more than usual.

* * *

Elena sat in her chair and watched Gareth as he finished inspecting the weapons and began to write something on rough parchment with a piece of charcoal.

‘What was the last picture? Why didn’t he tell me what it was?’

Gareth approached Elena at that moment as if he was finished with what he was doing and leaned down towards her. He fiddled with her hands for a while as he breathed in a rather shallow way. Elena couldn’t do anything but stare at the top of his head. It seemed that he wanted to tell her something, and Elena couldn’t help but think back to the unexplained picture in the letter last night.

“I need to leave soon to meet someone,” Gareth finally announced.

Elena took a sharp breath in without realizing it.

“I won’t be going as a mercenary. This is just to determine whether or not we will be alone in this war. We’ve been asked to meet at a location three days away from here.”

Gareth, unable to look at Elena in the face, became quiet for another moment as he continued to fiddle with her hands. His arm that had been injured by the wolves was a lot easier to move now, but it still brought discomfort at times. Nevertheless, there was no more time to wait for the injury to fully recover. Hansen’s last drawing meant that the leader of the previously unidentified force wanted to meet with Gareth. Moreover, the person who was revealed to be the leader was…

“I think maybe he’s the one I need to follow… given my situation of having no choice but to participate in this war. I don’t feel confident about meeting him since it has been a long time. I’m sure he’s changed like me…” Gareth paused for a moment, then declared with a decisive voice, “But if it’s really him, I have to go.” Gareth then looked up at Elena and asked, “Is it okay with you for me to go meet him? Will you wait here for me?” He was afraid that Elena might leave him yet again during his absence. He was terrified of the possibility of learning that she had gone missing when he returned, for if she was gone, he believed there was no point in returning home.

“I want to come back home to you, Elena,” he said quietly, then bowed his head, kissed her palm, and buried his face in it. It had already been a few weeks since Elena had returned to the castle, and the first and last time she had spoken was regarding the dead child.

“I want to keep coming back home to you, Elena.”

Elena felt Gareth’s breath enter her through the palm of her hand and gently spread throughout her body.

“Please, Elena. Let me come back to you,” the man begged with a trembling voice.

Elena blinked her teary eyes as she watched the man’s head buried in her palm.

“Please, Elena… Please…”

His voice permeated deep into her heart.

* * *

That evening, Gareth ordered Giggs to get the men ready to leave at dawn. He then carried bath water to his room by himself once again. Once the tub was filled with hot water, he undressed Elena and carefully placed her in the tub. Elena remained still as the man washed her hair and body. It then suddenly occurred to her how much time had passed since her arrival at this estate. It had been at least two or three months since she had arrived here… and she had never menstruated once. Elena’s whole body suddenly became stiff.