20💫

  Third persons POV

The door to Hadrian's room flung open and he walks in with Eleanor and Fredrick trailing behind him.

"What was the meaning of that?" Eleanor begins with what seemed like tears bubbling in her eyes.

"I had to do it, you won't understand" Hadrian simply says and sits on his bed sighing heavily.

"Understand what? that you were just been irresponsible and selfish" she snapped.

"Eleanor you won't understand," Fredrick says supportinHadrian.

"You are supporting him?" She turns to face her betrothed.

"That's because I understand him, think about it, what will people say when he admits to have been making out with a slave in the woods, he had to protect his reputation," Fred says.

Eleanor's eyes darted, she couldn't believe the words that came out of his mouth" And what about Irene's reputation?" she begins to cry. Eleanor is just getting familiarized with Irene but she has a liking for Irene since she is also Hadrian rõsë.

  "I'm sorry Eleanor" Hadrian simply say.

  "This girl will be dead in a matter of fewer than 48 hours!" she snapped.

  "Enough Eleanor!, I said I'm sorry" with this, Eleanor's eyes flashed with tears as she nods and left the room.

"Let her cool off first" Frederick is stopped by Hadrian's voice.

"What are we going to do now?" Fred asks.

"I don't know".

****************
Eleanor made her way to the dungeons where Irene was kept, a guard opens the door and she walks in slowly seeing the helpless and frustrated Irene on the floor. Irene's head bent down with her hair ever so messy clouding her face.

" Irene?"Eleanor calls out sitting on the floor close to Irene.

"Just go" Irene cried.

"I won't leave you and you won't die," she says with so much enthusiasm.

"You heard the king and you surely heard Hadrian. I feel like such a fool" Irene clenched her fists and Eleanor without hesitation took her hands in Irene's trying to console her not knowing when she also began to cry.

"You will not die, I promise" Eleanor assures her, Irene wrapped her hands around her and cried profusely at her chest.

Irene felt so betrayed and Eleanor was just disappointed.

"But was it all a joke to Hadrian, "Irene thought to herself.

********************
The next day came fast and the countdown to Irene's execution continued. Eleanor sat in her room brushing her silky curly short blonde hair. She stood by the window looking down at the carpenters who were constructing the hanging pole, she didn't even notice when Frederick walked in, he stared at her looking at how beautiful she had dressed. Eleanor isn't the type to wear gowns, she is always seen in trousers and she is that knight princess trained by Hadrian. Frederick and Eleanor's love story was something to tell about.

They first met in the fields where Hadrian trained Eleanor, Frederick heard he was there and chose to visit him, and there he met Eleanor at first they hated each other because Frederick will always bug Eleanor during her training time but the hate turned into love the time Eleanor spoke up to Fred. Then slowly from friends to their first kiss to lovers and then, he proposed and they got engaged.

Frederick noticing Eleanor's u awareness, walked up to her slowly and slid his hands around her waist.

She gasps" what are you doing Frederick?".

  "Nothing love" he nibbles on her neck.

Eleanor barely resists Fred's touch but this time she had to, she shrugs out of his touch and sits on the bed.

 "Eleanor what's wrong," he asks.

"Don't touch me, Frederick" she simply says. 

Fred sighs"don't tell me you're still mad about what happened yesterday".

"You know about Irene being Hadrian's rõsë and yet you still supported him" Eleanor points out.

"I had no choice, I put myself in Hadrian's shoes, I understand because I too am a prince and I know he had to protect his reputation" Fred defends.

Eleanor opens her mouth with astonishment at the choice of her betrothed words" so you would have done the same if It were me?".

"Eleanor_i_" Frederick trailed.

"Answer the question," she says standing up slowly just inches away from Frederick.

"It's not you, Eleanor " He looks directly into her tear-filled eyes.

"You would let them execute me, that's the answer" Eleanor cries.

"Eleanor don't do this now," Fred says and plumps on the bed.

"You would have done the same, you are as selfish as Hadrian, as irresponsible, as stupid!!!!" She snaps.

"Enough, stop being stubborn" Fred yells at her which he never does.

 "Selfish, that's what you are, do your worst Frederick!! come on, I dare you " Eleanor pushes him.

He stood up so quickly and his hand was in the air, Eleanor shielded herself with her hands. Since he did not hit her, their eyes met and he calmed down realizing his mistake.

 "You would hit me?" Eleanor sobs.

"I'm sorry, it just happened, Eleanor _I_" he shutters trying to hold her but she shrugs out of his slight and irresistible touch.

"Stay away from me, if anything happens to Irene I will never forgive you nor Hadrian" she sobs and immediately rushed out the room slamming the door hard.

"Eleanor" Frederick calls out but she's out of sight now.

Eleanor wiped her tears and made her way to Leos's workshop.

KNOCK KNOCK

The door opens and Eleanor meets with Leo.

"Your majesty, what are you doing here?" He asks bowing.

 "Please don't bow, can I come in?" She asks politely and Leo constantly nods his head and made way for her to come in.

"I'm sorry if the place is messy I haven't been myself lately," Leo says grabbing a rag and dusting a stool to let Eleanor sit.

"Irene?".

"Probably" Leo wiped a tear that rolled down his cheeks.

"That's why I'm here" Leo looks surprised at what she said.

"What do you want to do?" Leo asks curiously.

"I will release her but I need your help" she confesses.

"Your majesty, I can't do this, this is the king's order"

"She is your friend, you even need to do much!" She snapped but calmed down"I'm sorry, I mean I just had a fight with_with Fred and I can hardly bear it, I just need your help please" she begs.

Leo looks at her and notices she must have been crying for a long time.

"It's okay, please don't cry, I should be the one doing that. How do I help?" Leo says with so much confidence.

 "Thank you, I just need the strongest sleeping draught you have," she tells.

 "Hmm, ok" Leo quickly gets a bottle and gives the princess.

 "Time to make a king sleep" she smiles and Leo shrugs his eyebrows" once you hear the king has collapsed, get Irene out of the city, I'll drive the attention of the others," she tells Leo.

  "I will do just that but be careful, just two drops is enough, too much might cause damage and I'll tell Darius so he'll know what to say" Leo suggests.

 "Perfect, thank you".

"I should be thanking you, your majesty"Leo bows slightly, and Eleanor smiles and leaves.

************
Hadrian's POV
My head throbbed painfully, I can remember Irene's face when the judgment was passed but the truth is I had to do it.

I looked over to Frederick who sat close to me in the dining room, my father, Isolde and Natasha were all seated eating but Eleanor was nowhere to be found.

 "What's wrong Fred?" I take a berry and put it in my mouth.

He sighs"Eleanor isn't happy" he looks at me" she wouldn't let me touch her and she says I should stay away," he tells me.

"She'll come around" I rub his shoulder.

"I highly doubt that, she also says that if Irene dies, she'll never forgive us," he tells me.

I sigh at the thought, Eleanor is the most stubborn person I have ever met.

"Just... " I got interrupted as the door opens and Eleanor walks in, this time in her usual dressing, not in gowns.

"Eleanor you joined us, please sit" my father acknowledges her presence, and Frederick stands to drag the chair out for her to sit. Eleanor ignores his gesture and takes a seat.

"I'm sorry, I was training" I could sense that was a lie, when Eleanor trains, her hair is always packed in a bun until the end of the day.

 "Always training, someone would say she's stronger than her sister" Isolde teases, and all laugh except Natasha.

My father continues his fit of laughter and starts coughing. 

"Your majesty" Isolde holds him up.

"I'll get water" Eleanor rushes to get water from the upper end of the room, she took a little while before bringing a cup to give my father.

He is fed by Isolde and his coughing is reduced.

"Are you alright father?" I ask the question.

He still coughs and then slowly I noticed him fade off.

"Father, father!!, guard!!!" I immediately call out and rush to my unconscious father. The guards arrive momentarily and carry my father out, I follow with Isolde and the rest trail behind me.

What could have happened? I thought to myself.

**
Like the story?

Vote😩

Comment💫

Share🌹

You, yeah I am talking to you

I love you❤