Skye brought her face closer to the window and squinted to look better at the two people walking arm-in-arm in the garden.Although Skye couldn't see their faces, she recognized Hector's distinct build and long black hair.The figure next to Hector was a woman, but she was unrecognizable. She wore a cape, and the hem of her dress protruded from it. She was also much shorter and more petite than Hector, who stood beside her.Her heart sank; had he already replaced her? She clenched her fist to her chest, pursing her lips. Her eyes watered, and her vision blurred.Just a moment...She quickly wiped her eyes on her dress sleeve.That coppery long hair, sure she had seen it before.But, of course, her lips spread into a smile. How did she not realize it earlier? She was her…"This girl is Eithne, Maysie. Eithne!" she said with a laugh of relief.Maysie looked down at the girl in the garden and then at Skye. "You know her?"Skye quickly nodded. "She's Lennox's sister, Hector's best friend.

"You've hardly touched your food," Maysie said sadly, eyeing Skye's almost-full plate."I'm just not very hungry," Skye replied."Maysie sighed, picked up the food tray, and carried it to the table by the door, hoping the chamber would only smell food once a maid came to collect it.A sudden knock echoed through the room as Maysie placed the tray on the narrow table. Her eyes widened, and she hurried back to Skye. "What's wrong?" Skye asked, sensing the tension. "Someone's knocking on the door," Maysie replied, trembling slightly.Skye sat up nervously. "Did you ask?"Maysie nodded."Okay. Ask who is and come to tell me.""Okay," Maysie replied and moved towards the door. "Who is this?" she asked, her lips almost touching the door.“It’s me Maysie, Roisin. Please let me come in. I am not here with bad intentions; on the contrary."Maysie didn't answer and turned back to Skye. "It's Roisin and she says she didn't come with bad intentions, but quite the opposite."Skye furrowed her brow

The soft knocks on the door gradually grew louder and more forceful."Eithne, please open the door. I know you're inside.""No, please go away. I want to be alone," came the reply from inside the chamber.Hector stared at the closed door, anxious to know what had happened. It was rare to see Talisha so upset. She had rushed to him, pouring out her heart as she explained that she had seen Eithne in a terrible state running down the corridor, and she was almost sure she had heard her crying."Please, Eithne," he said softly, barely audible. He decided that it was useless to insist. He would try another time again, maybe the next day. He turned to leave, feeling confused about what had just happened. One thing was clear to him: things didn't turn out how he expected or wished for. He rubbed his neck. What went wrong?The swish of the door opening made him snap his head back.Eithne's head appeared in the opening."Come in," she said. Her familiar smile was absent, her eyes were red and p

Hector's hand trembled against his temple, the weight of Skye's words reverberating mercilessly in the depths of his soul. "Annulment?" he echoed, the word foreign and jagged on his tongue, a stark contrast to the warmth and familiarity of their relationship.Had he heard right? Had Skye just asked him to call off their wedding? The wedding he had patiently waited for twelve years to make come true and was finally a reality? A dream that had finally come true, but with just one sentence, that dream was destroyed, leaving only ashes behind. Memories of all the good times they shared flashed past him rapidly, each a painful reminder of what was slipping away. He remembered all the kisses and caresses they had shared, each touch now a bitter memory. He felt his muscles freeze as her once warm and sweet gaze turned ice like a frozen landscape, replacing all the words of promise for a beautiful future with a chilling emptiness."What did you say?" he asked. His voice remained steady, but h

The girl stood up, and Talisha took her hand. She took the empty basket, and they headed for the exit."I'll send another maid to collect your tray later," Talisha said. "Continue eating in peace. Enjoy your food, and have a great rest of the day."Talisha's words were a distant echo as the door shut, sealing her in solitude once more. The untouched tray of food lay forgotten as she drifted towards the window, her gaze lost in the relentless downpour.As she gazed at the torrential rain beating down on the lush foliage, she watched the tiny rivulets that had emerged on the earth, tracing their way through the landscape.Each droplet was a note in the symphony of her despair, the rivulets on the glass a map of her shattered expectations.She noticed the candlestick was still beside the wardrobe, burning the candles. Its flames danced with a warmth she couldn't feel; their flickering light starkly contrasted with the cold emptiness clutching her heart. Her breath hitched, poised to exti