“Why, Elle. Why did you do it?”
“Why did I lie?”
“Why did worm your way into my life and lead my servants astray? Why did you befriend me under false pretenses? Did Lucien order you to?”
“Severin, my affection for you is real. If it wasn’t it would not have broken the curse. Why does no one seem to understand this except for your brother?” Elle said.
“Lucien sees only what he wants to see.”
“What? What does that have to do with anything? Your curse was that a girl had to fall in love with you. I did. I told you so and your curse was broken,” Elle said.
Severin shook his head. “No.”
“WHY are you being so stubborn when the evidence is staring at you in the mirror? Do you think your servants no longer have masks because I was able to trick magic with lies?”
“Silence!” Severin roared, sounding much as he did when he was a beast. Fidele shied from him, snorting and tossing his head. “Leave.”
“What?”
“Leave the palace. You have no reason to be here anymore as I gave you enough money to live comfortably on for the remainder of your life. Leave, and never return. I never want to see your face again. I have no use for faithless liars,” Severin snarled before mounting Fidele and riding off.
Elle’s shoulders shook, and she turned to watch Severin disappear through the gates before she fled to the stables.
Rosemerry neighed when he saw her. Elle ran to him, startling the pony when she threw herself into his stall and hung her arms around his neck. She cried into his soft mane, muffling her sobs. The pony good naturedly bore it as Elle wept in frustration and pain.
It hurt to be misunderstood. It hurt to be rejected.
Elle almost jumped when something pulled on her cloak.
It was Oliver. “I believe you, Elle.”
Elle smiled, brushing tears off her face so they wouldn’t freeze. “Thank you. That means the world to me,” she said, patting Rosemerry to reassure the fat pony. She glanced at the pony before returning her attention to the stable boy. “Oliver, would you do me a favor?”
“Anything for you, Elle.”
“I’m going on a long journey, and I won’t be back for weeks, maybe months. I can’t take Rosemerry with me.”
“I will take care of him,” Oliver volunteered. “His Highness paid his board and feed for a year. I will groom him and see that he is fed.”
“Thank you, Oliver,” Elle said, stroking Rosemerry’s forehead. “If I am unable to return… he is yours.”
“It’s another mission, isn’t it,” Oliver said, his voice shaking.
“What?” Elle asked.
“Your journey, it’s a Ranger assignment. A dangerous one,” Oliver said, his voice almost accusing—but with fear, not anger.
Elle hesitated. “Yes,” she finally said. “It’s an important mission, there’s a lot at stake.”
“But you don’t have to do it,” Oliver protested.
“I do,” Elle said, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, Oliver, but I must do this.”
Oliver hugged Elle. “Why? Why do you hafta leave? Why doesn’t His Highness believe you? It’s obvious that you love ‘im.”
“Sometimes adults quarrel over silly things, and we are too proud to make amends.”
“Being an adult sounds painful,” Oliver muttered, pulling back from the hug.
“Love can be painful,” Elle agreed. “But it is worth it. I promise. Thank you, Oliver, for believing in me and for caring for Rosemerry.”
Oliver nodded and rubbed his eyes.
Elle sighed. “I had better go. Take care, Oliver. I am so glad I finally got to hear your voice,” Elle smiled before she left the stall, leaving the groom and pony together.
Oliver thoughtfully looked up at the pony. “Adults quarrel over silly things, but not all adults. There’s one adult who is always right, and who everyone respects. I wonder, can we find her?”
Two months had passed since Severin last saw Elle in the courtyard before she returned home. It was the middle of winter and Severin was stuck in Lucien’s private study—avoiding their father and listening to Lucien make hints about a war against Arcainia.
“Father actually went ahead and suggested an arranged marriage between our countries in a communication with Arcainia’s king, can you believe that?” Lucien complained. “He is set that I marry that trumped up princess.”
“What was their response?”
“A short letter from the crown prince.”
“And?”
“He said absolutely not.”
“So why are you complaining?” Severin asked, paging through Ranger records.
“He said I wasn’t good enough! The letter was quite abusive, actually.”
Severin glanced up. “What do you care? It means you don’t have to marry the princess.”