Chapter 2: The Proposal

Evanara

"Nara!" Kevan threw his arms around me as soon as he saw me by the old termite-infested door. He smelt like smoke and vinegar and I resisted the urge to cough as the smell of the smoke was stronger. I ignored it and patted his bare back.

He released me and gave me a radiant smile. His brown eyes glowed with happiness as he gazed at me. He must have thought I had gotten the money. How was I going to break it to him that I could not even get a coin today?

"Come Nara. I made some soup." He said. His voice had a melody to it today and it made me feel even guiltier.

"Come on." He said pulling me inside the hut. We lived in a hut. When father died, everything was taken from us. Our home, our farms, our food...our name. Father used to be a Merchant too. Merchant Adolf. A few months after mother died, he took ill. Physicians said it was a mysterious disease that could not be cured. I was but a child then. A few months older than seven. Kevan was only a month old. I believed he would get better eventually. I would get herbs like mother taught me to and make tonics from them for father. He lasted for two months before his health failed. He passed on and when he did, the Emperor at that time, Emperor Ajax confiscated his properties. All of them. Disregarding myself and Kevan, he stole everything that belonged to us. Why he had hated father so much was still unknown to me.

My eyes landed on a small brown sack at the right corner of the hut. A black tunic stuck out of it and a few paintbrushes.

"Already packing?" That which was meant to be a thought turned out to be said out loud as Kevan chuckled from the other side.

"You sound like I have a lot to pack, Nara," he said. Although it was meant to be funny, I did not find it in the least funny. He was right. He only had two pairs of torn pants and a black tunic...which was inside the sack. If only I could earn some more...but I could not. Guilt gnawed at me and it quenched my hunger. I would have to find a way to get some money for Kevan. I looked out through the small window. Dusk. I sighed. There was a curfew today. Stupid son of Ajax. Why did today have to be the showcase?

" Nara...you did not attend the showcase? "

Kevan asked out of the blue and I suddenly noticed he was beside me, drinking a bowl of soup. When did he get there? He had even lit the candles.

I looked at him through the dim light and arced a brow.

" Why would I go, Kevan? Why?"I asked.

"You are aging Nara. Will you not marry?" He said with a smirk on his face.

"Kevan..." I dragged. "I'm just twenty-two," I added.

"You do match all the criteria the Empress dowager requested. Daughter of a noble..."

"Dead noble." I interrupted.

Kevan shrugged and continued. "Fair-skinned. Educated..."

"I did not finish at the Academy, Kevan."

"Even so...you would still beat them all when it comes to intellect." Kevan countered.

I felt red creep down my cheeks. Kevan said the nicest things.

He took a sip from the bowl and swallowed loudly to irritate the guts out of me.

I brushed his hair wildly with my hands and he burst into laughter.

"Seriously Nara...you would make a fine Queen," Kevan said amidst laughter. The smile on my face dropped along with my hands.

"I would rather die than be a courtesan to that son of Ajax," I said with conviction.

Kevan sighed beside me. "But he's a good man. He is nothing like his father."

I turned, bewildered. "Now how can you be sure of that?" I asked.

"I...I...I..." Kevan stuttered. "What is it, Kevan? Spit it out." I said.

"I...I talked to him today." I gasped. "Did he come here? How does he know where we stay?" I asked and gasped again. I placed my hands on his shoulder and looked at his face more closely.

"Did he hurt you anywhere? Did Ajax send him here?" I asked as I felt tears rush through my eyes. I would die if anything happened to my brother. I would die. He was all I lived for.

"No. I...stepped out today." He said and frowned, unhappy with my reaction.

"You what?!" I shouted. I stood immediately and pulled him up with me. "I told you not to leave without letting me know first!"

He dropped the bowl and placed his warm hands atop mine. "I am sorry Nara. I just wanted to see Adrienne. He promised to give me some things for the Academy. I would not have left otherwise."

I calmed on hearing Adrienne's name. He was Sir Gilbert's eldest son. He was the closest man I had in my life and I loved him very much. He worked as a Knight in the castle and it was only logical that Kevan bumped into the Emperor.

My lips pursed and my anger waned. "You went to the castle then?"

"Yes but Adrienne was not there at that time. He had gone to the Assarian river with the Emperor so I went down there to meet him." I blinked, gaze softening.

"You went that far?" I whispered as I cupped his cheeks in my hands.

"Yes. I want to study ahead. I know you can not afford the books. They are much too expensive so I decided not to be a bother to you. " he said with a very light tone.

I felt tears roll down my cheek while he spoke. I kissed his forehead and embraced him tightly.

"Oh Kevan, you are no bother." I cried. He withdrew from me and cleaned my face with the back of his palm.

"Do not cry, Nara. You have shed enough tears that I am beginning to wonder how much more you have left."

A smile found its way to my lips and laughter escaped from it when I sniffed.

"Did Adrienne give them?"

"Yes. They are underneath the sack." I sniffed again and nodded.

"Alright then. I will go thank Adrienne. Do not stay up late."

********

"Sir Adrienne! "I waved as I noticed Adrienne riding towards me.

He stopped by me and removed his helmet. He looked so manly in his armor and strong too.

" Evanara. "He smiled and I loved the way my name rolled off his lips.

He stabled the horse and dismounted it. I stared into his dreamy grey eyes. I always seemed to get lost in them. In them, I found the love and affection I craved.

He took my palm in his and kissed it.

Every time he did that, I had a very disturbing feeling in my stomach and chest and I would often find myself blushing. He was the only man that had touched me. Not in an unacceptable way though. He had never forced me to do anything I did not want to. He knew when I was uncomfortable with something without me even saying it.

We never shared a kiss on the lips before but the love we felt for each other knew no bounds.

" Permission to walk you, m'lady?" He curtsied with the smile that always swept me off my feet. I laughed and he walked me down the road to my home. It was dark but the stars provided enough luminosity for us to see the path.

It was a beautiful sight. The stars looked like fireflies only that they burned brighter against the glowing black satin behind layers and layers of calm clouds above my head. I shifted my glance and I found Adrienne smiling at me.

"You are very beautiful, Evanara." He said. I was thankful that under the moonlight, Adrienne could not see the red in my cheeks.

"Thank you S-Adrienne."

"I am glad you are finally taking to corrections." He laughed.

It had taken a while to get used to calling his name without honorifics.

"Adrienne, Kevan told me. Thank you."I said.

He caressed my hand. "It was nothing. I will do right about anything for you."

I looked away from him and smiled. He was indeed very wonderful.

"Evanara, were you able to get the money for Kevan's fee?"

My heart jumped but not the good kind of jump. In the fleeting moment, I had forgotten about it.

Sadness crawled back in and I sighed.

"No S-Adrienne. The showcase got in the way." I said sadly. Adrienne stopped walking and held both my arms.

"Allow me to help you. Please." He pleaded. His eyes shone under the moonlight and I could see worry etched on his forehead.

"No. I told you before. I can not accept your help. You have done quite a lot of favors for me and Kevan. I can not take any more of them."

"I am not doing you favors--"

"What is it then? Charity?" I interrupted and I noticed pain flash in his eyes when I spoke.

"I am sorry, Adrienne. I am just really--I'm exhausted. Kevan is my responsibility. Mine alone. I can't be indebted to you every time." I said and I felt my eyes sting.

"Alright, Evanara. You do not want to feel indebted to me, right? Is that it?" Adrienne asked with so much affection in his voice that it overwhelmed me. I nodded, searching his beautiful eyes for something and nothing in particular.

"If you will accept then Kevan will be both our responsibility. That way, you will not be indebted to me anymore. "

I frowned. "By that you mean..."

"Marry me Evanara."

I could not have heard right.

"Marry you Adrienne?" I asked to be sure.

"Yes. We love each other. I will take care of you. We three will live together in a house, not too big or too small. Just the perfect size for us and our children, far away from the critics, far away from their stares and gossip. I will work for us. Kevan will go to the Academy and I will fund him through his years there. I will love him like my own. Just say yes Evanara. Please say yes and make me the happiest man in Astros."

Tears blurred my vision. Truthfully, I could not have asked for more. I was not a woman of many dreams. All I wanted in my life was what Adrienne just put before me. How could I possibly say no? How?

I nodded until I was able to put air in my lungs and say, "Yes Adrienne. I will most certainly marry you."

Adrienne laughed and pulled me into his arms before swirling me around until the world around me spun madly. I closed my eyes and laughed.

"Put me down, Adrienne. My head is spinning." He obeyed and dropped me gently.

"I can not wait to tell Father. He will be the happiest. He adores you so." Adrienne said.

"And your mother?" I asked.

"Her biased opinion makes no difference to me Evanara and you know that." He said.

"Adrienne... Would you let me fulfill this last promise to Kevan? Let me work tomorrow. I will find a way. Trust me Adrienne. Just this one time. If it does not work out, I will leave it up to you. Please?"

His eyes roamed about a bit and I saw that he was not very comfortable with the request. A man letting his betrothed dance for money on the streets would be looked upon with disdain.

I took his hand in mine. "Please Adrienne. Just once. Allow me to do this on my own...and if I can not,I will surely take your help." I said.

Adrienne nodded slowly and sadly. I knew it was too much to ask but it was important for me. It was Kevan after all.

“Tomorrow, Evanara. Just tomorrow and you will cease to work. I will take care of ecerything else.”He said and placed a kiss on the top of my head. I smiled, delighted and i clenched my fists, unsure what to do with my hands. I did not know much when it came to the matters of men but with Sir Adrienne, i could safely say i had found my prince charming.