To His Hell and Back-Chapter 210: A Grave Situation-I

Cassius saw as Arabella made her way out of the forest, her hands behind her and dressed in the pretty gown, she looked just like any other young girl of her age.

A soft hum echoed from her lips, her curious green eyes stared at the sky and despite passing by a few curious glances from the villagers who had once hated or even made her life worse, she appeared as steadfast as ever, so strong despite her small back.

He could feel that even as Arabella entered a large group of crowds she would shine. Shine so brightly that he didn’t need to search to find her.

He didn’t know since when Arabella’s eyes was the only thing he could pay attention to. He couldn’t tell when he had became someone who could appreciate beauty.

He also couldn’t tell when it had been since he had became a coward, someone who fears something precious to be taken away from him.

Ever since he was young, he had been polished as a weapon and he never questioned why. Even after his mother’s death and his father who had ordered him to enter the battlefield with nothing but his sword, Cassius had never once uttered a complaint. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to complain, it was more like... he couldn’t, or perhaps the thought of complaining about those wounds and hardship never once registered in his head.

Due to it, he grew cold to the people around him, even those who had shown care and uttermost loyalty. He knew there are people who would lay down their lives for him, no question needed to ask. Yet he never felt that he could open up to them unless it was necessary for his missions.

Why was it? Why was Arabella different then?

He had shown him her loyalty, indeed, but how could that be any different than those soldiers who had lay down their lives for him? He could never connect to anyone, not even those who swore loyalty, or those who had died for him but it was different when it comes to Arabella.

Maybe because without his notice, he had somehow became someone only she could handle.

Unlike all the others he had chosen to stand beside him, those who served him, fought for him, pledged their loyalty, this time, it was different.

He didn’t choose her.

Not with his head, nor with his heart.

It wasn’t his eyes that followed her, nor his ears that clung to the sound of her voice.

It was deeper.

It was his soul.

His soul was called to her and so naturally that he couldn’t even fought back against its magnetic pull.

"Why are you not moving?" Arabella turned behind, not noticing the slight redness that had reached to Cassius’s ears or the way that his smile had glowed brighter than ever, as if finally he could learn what it means to smile from the bottom of his heart.

"I was just wondering where you were going to walk," he said and she turned, raising her eyebrows.

"Ah you’re thinking that I’m trying to find a way to run away?" she teased and his expression became more complex for a moment.

Time stilled as she wondered if her jokes had fell flat and now he was really thinking that she was trying to find a way to escape and was angered by it.

But how surprised was she when a question came out from his mouth instead?

"Do you want to leave the castle?"

Arabella’s body turned stiff. Her smile that was on her lips also slowly inched away from the corners of her lips, turning into a round shape.

"Did I hear you right?"

Cassius looked at her and nod, "If you want to leave the castle, you can tell me."

If she asked... would he let her?

Before she could ask him further, Cassius had turned away, walking toward the carriage before her.

"But why?" she whispered and usually Cassius would hear and turn around to answer her, after all her whisper would never fall so quiet to his ears. But even though he could hear it, Cassius didn’t turn around to answer her question.

Was he... letting her go?

Why?

Ah... considering what had happened last night, about her mother, about Owen and Morpheus, about her sister, and about her father and grandmother...

Did he finally understood how much of a case she was?

Well... she couldn’t blame him for thinking she’s exhausting could she?

After all she doesn’t truly know what she is or who she was. She was also connected to the person who had caused chaos in Versailles and she had even caused so may chaos back in the castle, enough to make anyone feels exhausted by her.

Had he gotten tired of trying to help her?

No, Cassius wasn’t someone who help someone because he wanted to, rather because it’s interesting and maybe... just maybe... he has finally became disinterested in her.

Disinterested.

Arabella’s green eyes turned glassy as she stared at the carriage where Cassius had entered, her blood didn’t run cold, her heart didn’t drop.

But in just a swoosh, she could feel the world before her falls apart.

Arabella didn’t know how she had entered that carriage or stayed in it as they got back to the castle.

All she knew was that night she had returned to her usual attire and Cassius didn’t return to his chamber. Instead it was the next morning when she heard the servants giggling, and it was hard for her not to eavesdrop into their conversation, hearing loudly how the servants had chattered about a new discovery.

"Last night Princess Isabelle made the bold move to visit His Highness in his study!"

"Woah," someone covered their mouth in excitement, "Did His Highness turn her away?"

"That’s the thing! Usually he would have kicked out any women trying to pull moves to him in his study room right? The Crown Prince despise letting someone seducing him in the study room where he works after all."

"Then you mean..."

"Yes! Since last night, His Highness and Princess Isabelle hadn’t stepped out from the study room. They had been locked up there, even now!"