Royalty: Shadows of Past

❀Episode 5❀

*＊✿❀Evelyn's POV❀✿＊*

After a day of travel, once Felix had replenished his mana, we swiftly arrived in the North. As soon as we entered the territory, a chill enveloped me. Glancing out the carriage window, I saw what I had heard about—the North covered in a blanket of white. The strong winds made it difficult to keep my eyes open.

Searching for signs of life, I found none. It seemed as though the North was devoid of any inhabitants. My heart raced as I recalled the tales I had heard about this place—how Arthur dispatched anyone who dared to enter. Suddenly, a voice called out, jolting me back to reality. Two of Arthur's knights stood by the carriage as we came to a halt, while Arthur himself was engrossed in conversation with Liam, Felix, and the other two knights.

"My Lady, hope you are doing well. The journey must be tiring for you, but we are almost there. You'll soon see the Mighty Castle of North." The two Blonde knights, mounted on their horses, smiled brightly at me, while the one with hazel eyes, similar to Alex's, spoke. They were young, younger than all the knights, including myself.

"Oh, Yes," I couldn't say much as I was taken aback by those hazel eyes, my mind filled with bittersweet memories.

"My Lady, The North is a lot colder than Asther. We had a hunch that you'll not be ready for this cold, so we packed this Cloak with us," the other guy with blue eyes spoke. Both of them had such a warm aura around them that I suddenly felt comfortable. A smile rose on my face.

"Thank you, You two," I said and gently picked up the cloak they offered. "May I know your names?" I asked, their faces beaming.

"Yes, My Lady, I am Noah," the guy with blue eyes spoke, "and he is Leo. We both are the youngest Royal Knights of North," he said with pride. It was just a moment I met them, but I myself felt really proud of these two.

"Are you both by any chance related to each other?" I spoke out of curiosity.

"Oh yes, we both are brothers. Noah is my elder brother; we are year apart," Leo spoke with excitement. Even though they were Royal knights, the aura around them was different from Felix and Liam. After that the both of them left leaving me to get indulge by negativity again.

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Finally, we arrived, and my eyes beheld the mighty castle of North, known as the Death Castle. It was just as I had always heard: no one could tell that anyone lived here. From the outside, it resembled ruins. My heart raced as we slowly moved inside.

I once lived in a lively castle, surrounded by my family. Now, I was here, all alone in this dark castle with one of the most ruthless men in the empire. Darkness enveloped me as we ventured further inside. The carriage stopped outside the castle's mighty door. The guards opened it swiftly after confirming that it was Arthur and not an intruder. We entered, but I could see no one there as the carriage halted in the courtyard. Arthur and the knights dismounted from their horses.

Liam hurriedly approached us. "My Lady, we have arrived." He offered me his hand, and I stepped out of the carriage. Even the warm cloak given by Leo and Noah couldn't entirely fend off the cold air.

My eyes welled up for no apparent reason. Anna came beside me as we approached Arthur and the other knights.

"My Lady, meet them," Arthur gestured toward an elderly man and woman. "Mr. Bannet is the butler of this house, and Mrs. Bannet will be assisting you along with your lady-in-waiting until we can find you some additional maids," Arthur explained as he removed his heavy cloak and sword, handing them to one of the guards. I greeted the elderly pair formally.

"Thank you, Your Grace, but Anna is sufficient for me. I would appreciate knowing where I'll be staying. I could use some rest," I stated with a serious tone. Exhaustion weighed heavily on me; I desperately needed some rest.

Everyone seemed taken aback by my request, as if I had no right to decide for myself.

"Of course, you must be tired," Arthur responded after a moment, his gaze seeming to penetrate my soul. "Mrs. Bannet, I trust you've prepared the lady's room?" Arthur inquired, to which Mrs. Bannet confirmed.

"Excellent. Liam, please escort Lady Evelyn and her lady-in-waiting to their rooms. Afterward, join me in my office. Thank you, Felix and all the knights, for your efforts in the past few days. You may all take some time for yourselves," Arthur commanded.

I stood there, observing Arthur. It was evident that he was born to rule, commanding respect and authority with every word he spoke. Liam came beside me and I shifted my attention.

Walking through the halls of the castle, I couldn't help but notice the stark contrast to Asther. While Asther was always bathed in light, this castle was shrouded in darkness. There were no lavish decorations or painted walls here, just bare, dark corridors illuminated by dim lights.

The absence of bustling servants only added to the eerie atmosphere, making me feel even more isolated in this unfamiliar place.

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As Mrs. Bennett showed me to my room, Liam opened the door for me. "Here is your room, my Lady," she said kindly. "Your chamber is in the same hallway as His Grace's. You don't need to worry about anything. If you need anything, you can call me or anyone of us anytime."

"Thank you," I managed to say before they left. Once alone, the floodgates opened, and I finally allowed myself to mourn for my family. The grief that I had held back for so long overwhelmed me, and I sobbed uncontrollably. No one came to comfort me, but perhaps it was for the best—I needed this time to grieve, to let go of the pain that had been weighing me down for so long.

In this dark, desolate castle, surrounded by shadows and silence, I realized that I had lost. Arthur, Lucas, Father Alaric—they had all won, and I was left alone to mourn for my people until the end of my days.

❃.✮:▹To Be Continued◃:✮.❃