The lockdown is really driving me crazy. I spend about eighty percent of my day sleeping. Although I'm an introvert by nature but I value my evening walks to just clear my head and I can't do that now.

My best wishes are with everyone that we live through this viral outbreak❤❤❤.

This chapter's dedicated to hazzy048, my latest follower.
Thanks hon.
🔽🔽🔽

"Who do we have here?"

Flinching at the familiar voice, Ella paused midway in throwing a punch at the poor tree before her.

"Ella, is it?" Wendy's smooth voice sailed in through Ella's ears.

"Yes, do you need anything?" She faced Wendy and the two girls with her, one with stringy brown hair, the other with silky blonde short hair not going past her chin.

"The nerve of her, Ava." The brown-haired girl said.

Wendy's laughter came rather unexpected to Ella as she wondered what was so funny.

"You have no idea, do you?"

Ella bravely met Wendy's gaze. "Idea of what in particular?"

"She's Becca's daughter, stupid. No one talks back to her."

Instant dislike for the brown-haired girl overwhelmed Ella. For one, her loquaciousness was an unbearable trait.

"Shut up, Ensley." Wendy snapped.

Two, her name. What kind of name was Ensley?

"I was in the middle of something before you interrupted. Could you tell me what you want." Ella felt her patience supplies fast drying up.

"I'd shut up if I were you." Ava spoke up after maintaining a sullen demeanour.

"I just want to have a friendly chat with you." Wendy smirked. "Lately, Eric and I have been talking and he has told me quite a lot about you."

She succeeded in forcing a reaction out of Ella. A small twitch at the corners of her lips.

"I don't see how your conversation with the prince is any of my business?"

Wendy smiled brightly. "Of course it is. Like how you were a maid in the Palace before..."

Ensley grinned. "Before he brought you here with him-"

"-out of pity, if I may add. Aren't you a pathetic little rat?"

"It's obvious your only talent is sticking your noses in other businesses and causing trouble. It's no wonder the entire village hates you. You're nothing but filthy leeches." Ella spat.

Ensley squealed out of disgust. Brushing off the imaginary parasites from her skin. Wendy's eyes narrowed at Ella for a brief moment and then she smiled.

"I always thought you were a spineless mutt. It seems like I was wrong. Let's go girls, before she infect us with her misery."

They disappeared around a bend in the corner, leaving Ella's blood boiling. Without reasoning, she swung her fist hard at the tree and whimpered, sinking to the earth and hugging her knees to her chest.

How could Eric do this to her? She sobbed, tears soaking into the fabric of her trousers.

"What happened? Did you get bitten by a stupid antelope?" Pascal's voice startled her.

"No."

He crouched in front of her and wiped away the lines of tears pouring out of her eyes.

"Tell me." He pleaded.

With blotchy eyes and tear- stained cheeks, Ella peered up at Pascal's concerned face.

"Wendy. She was here with Ensley and Ava. Eric probably said some words to her and she lashed at me with them."

'That's right, Ella. Run back to daddy like the coward you are.'

Ella swore she heard a voice much like Wendy's. Maybe it was just her mind playing tricks on her.

"-are you listening to me, Ella?"

She offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry."

"If you're going to cry because of some bad words, I'm pretty sure your tear ducts would run out of tears soon."

"Wouldn't that be nice? It means no more crying for me."

Pascal's shoulders sank. "Ella, come on. Your tears aren't worth wasting on any human. You've got to let that stick in your memory next time Wendy shows up."

"You mean, I should turn off my emotions? Become cold and ruthless?"

"Cold, yes, ruthless? When it's needed. Only the strongest survive out here." Pascal offered a hand to help Ella up.

"Do not let your emotions show." He raised her to her feet wearing a grave expression.

Ella swore the Pascal standing here was not the same boy she knew. He seemed so different.

Had Wendy triggered some form of reaction in him?

"Don't let emotions show. Yes, sir." Ella saluted, meeting his blue eyes.

A little smile stretched Pascal's lips. "Come on, it's almost time for dinner."

***

While eating, Ella decided she was going to do two things this night before sleeping.

One, talk to Eric by all means, two, she was going to speak to Benjamin and the other men from the Palace. How she would accomplish the second, she had no idea.

Pascal could help...

Yes, Pascal.

"Pascal." She called out to Pascal while they were strolling down the village, observing the nightly ritualistic activities of the people.

"Yes." He focused on her.

"Could I by any chance speak to the prisoners?"

"Which of them and why do you wish to speak to them?"

Honestly, she had no idea. "Um?"

Pascal sighed. "You won't be allowed to see any of the prisoners without a plausible reason."

"Pas-"

"Drop it, Ella. There's no way Becca would let you speak to the prisoners for whatever reason you might give her."

And Ella abandoned every hope of speaking to Benjamin or the other men. There was something important she had wished to ask them about the Palace.

They came across some children listening to an elderly woman as she told them stories from her memory. "Pascal, Ella, join us." The children chorused.

Ella smiled timidly. Already, her cheeks were heating up because of the sudden attention on her.

Also flustered, Pascal scratched the back of his neck, letting out a smile. Two girls came up to them and seized their hands, compelling them to sit with the other children.

"Pascal. It's been quite a long time since I saw you." The woman said, gently patting a cat that lay on her lap.

"I've been clogged with responsibilities, Zara. Have you been well?" Pascal asked.

The woman nodded. "Now, back to our story..."

Almost all the children were asleep by the time Zara concluded her story. Some parents came to carry their children back home while Ella and Pascal helped take others to their houses.

"I haven't sat like that for awhile... you know, laughing, without a single care in the world." Pascal told Ella as he walked her back to her hut.

"You should relax more often, Pascal. All work and no rest isn't good for your health." Ella adviced, glancing up at him.

He looked down into her calm eyes. "I'll take your advice, maybe?"

Ella frowned. "Maybe?"

Pascal laughed. "Yes, maybe. What are you doing tomorrow?"

Ella intended visiting her mother the next day and helping her with some chores. Then, she would practice the skills Pascal taught her the previous day, hopefully, there wouldn't be any distractions like...

"Ella..." Pascal nudged her.

"I may be a bit occupied with visiting my mother and practicing the moves you taught me."

He grinned. "Ditch practice. There's somewhere I need to show you."

Ella blinked comically. "Are you-" She pointed at him. "-Seriously asking me to ditch practice? What happened to 'take practices seriously like your life depends on it'?"

Pascal snorted."Just this once, okay?"

"If you say so."

They had gotten to Ella's certain but someone was standing beside it. A certain dark-haired Prince with blue eyes.

Normally, Ella should have felt giddy inside but now, seeing him, nothing was stirred in her. Instead of smiling as she used to, she kept an apathetic face.

"I came to visit but Trisa said you haven't been in since morning." Eric's cool gaze strayed to Pascal, wondering who the guy was.

"Yes. I've been preoccupied." Ella glanced at Pascal who seemed awfully uncomfortable like a deer caught unawares.

"We'll talk tomorrow, Ellie. Sleep well." Pascal purposely used his nickname for Ella in Eric's face and smirked when confusion clouded the Prince's face.

"And you too."

"Is that him?"

Ella narrowed her eyes unpleasantly at Eric. "Him? What do you mean by that?" She wished the Prince could realize that his mere presence here annoyed her.

A little.

"The guy who has had your attention all these days?"

Ella couldn't believe her ears. "Good heavens! These days? Really? Honestly, I'm not surprised you're talking this way, afterall, you've been spending a lot more time with Wendy and it seems she's infected your reasoning."

Eric flinched. "You didn't have to insult me."

Ella laughed dryly. "You call that insult? I'm only stating facts. What's happened to you? What's happened to saving Aria? What's happened to getting the throne back from Brian?"

Eric blinked twice as if he didn't know what she was talking about? "I don't understand. Who's Brian? Where's Aria and what throne do you mean?"

It seemed like Ella had been hit by a cudgel. She opened her mouth to speak but was stunned into more silence when she inferred that the Prince had been charmed.

"Can we talk tomorrow?" Ella suggested.

"Why not?" Eric smiled in his usual charming way.

"Good night Eric."

"Night, Ella."

Ella watched the Prince's withdrawing figure till he was concealed by the darkness.

The Prince had been charmed and the crucial question was who did this and how could it be undone.

Dun! Dun! Dun!

Things are already heating up already 😎

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