CHAPTER 514: THE FAIREST

The fairest of them off.

It makes one wonder who could be described by those words.

Towards the north of Darconia in the continent of Theraxia, there lies a small kingdom, which, despite its size, was very influential because of its blessings.

The kingdom of Crystarium was popular for its wealth but there was a time when Crystarium was popular for something else.

A princess said to be blessed by the goddess and called the fairest of them all, Princess Eleanor Von Omerta the current queen of Draconia.

Eleanor was the second daughter of the queen but her beauty surpassed everyone not even her mother could compare

She was described as perfect, noble, smart and beautiful. She had it all so they said...but Eleanor never thought so.

There was something even the commoners had that she lacked: free will.

Eleanor, as a princess, knew her fate was written in stone; princes fought and brought glory and prosperity to the kingdom, with the chance of succeeding to the throne.

For a princess, it was different; Eleanor had multiple brothers and even an elder sister. The throne was never in the picture for her. Her fate and only duty as a princess was to be a political tool, to marry well and bring prosperity to the kingdom

She didn’t have the free will to choose her companion, and love was a far-fetched dream. Her entire life she was groomed for the best.

Being exceptionally beautiful even came as a curse before she came of age; she already started having several powerful figures vying for the right to wed the perfect trophy wife. This drew the jealousy of other princesses, including her own sister. This was her burden to carry.

Whoever her father saw fit would eventually be her groom.

Eleanor knew she was beautiful but could not be smug about it.

The hall was lit, and soft music was playing. A welcoming ball was being held because of trade talks. Representatives from several kingdoms, merchants and nobles were all present.

Eleanor stood wearing a lovely green dress, which hugged her curves, her black hair pooling around her, her grey eyes carrying a green glow. Eyes filled with admiration and jealousy were on her. The princess had already gotten numb to it.

She had several men buzzing around her. She found the attention suffocating. By chance, she was able to slip away and make her way to the garden.

It was a lovely spring night, and the sky was adorned with stars. The crescent moon glowed softly. Night lamps burned, making the air smell like a perfect blend of ash and pollen. It was soothing and she found herself relaxing immediately.

Eleanor started humming softly walking through the trees. Her voice was soft and alluring just like her. She made her way to a fountain, her smile faded immediately same with the humming

That’s where she saw him for the first time. A man or rather a boy. He was still very young in his late teens. The boy sat on a bench by the fountain. His eyes were closed, a peaceful expression on his face, while he listened to the calming sound of water.

Her brows furrowed, she didn’t recognise him, there was no way she would not have noticed a face like this, there were only a handful of men this handsome. With his eyes closed he looked like an angel.

From his clothes, he was either a high noble or a prince.

Eleanor would not be fooled; all men were not the same. They only cared about looks.

"Guests aren’t allowed to loiter around." She grumbled. Her hands are clutching her dress. He wasn’t asleep, he probably sensed her earlier and thought she would walk by

A groan slipped out of his lips and his eyes fluttered open. A soft frown was etched on his face which Eleanor failed to notice because she was lost in those eyes. The purest gold orbs ever.

His frown deepened, finding her stare annoying. "I didn’t know the gardens were out of bounds. I just needed to clear my mind a bit." He said casually.

Everything about him was refined and impeccable.

An aura nurtured for years. He stood up from the bench, "excuse me," he said walking past her

Eleanor reached out for his wrist. He stopped then glanced at her, his gaze sharp and cold. It was the first time any man aside from her family had ever looked at her with that look. One lacking the slightest look of infatuation.

Surprisingly she wasn’t offended by this. Eleanor jerked letting go of his arm. She immediately understood what the look meant. Eleanor cleared her throat, and the awkwardness looked away.

"You can stay a bit. I don’t mind." Eleanor mentioned while taking a seat on the bench. "Parties can be overwhelming. That I know."

The man arched his brow at her. Eleanor avoided eye contact with her. She wasn’t comfortable with his presence, yet she invited him to stay. He released a long breath.

He was exhausted mentally and didn’t want to go back yet. Small talk could be tiring.

Her body stiffened when she felt him sit by her side. He didn’t say anything and closed his eyes again.

Eleanor bit her lips, her gaze lingering on him longer than necessary. It was considered rude. He ignored her and sank into his world.

He looked untouchable. He wasn’t the first handsome man she had met or the only one with such demeanour and aura, yet something was different about him she could not point her finger at.

The silence was not awkward but weirdly comforting.

"Why did you flee from the ball?" She asked softly, finally gathering the confidence to speak.

She wasn’t expecting a reply but he unexpectedly spoke. "It’s draining being sent for a diplomatic meeting just after a battle. The endless chatter is unnerving." He grumbled.

A small smile graced her face. "I understand. The attention can be overwhelming." Eleanor replied. He glanced at her. A smile broke on that cold face.

She thought he was handsome earlier, but his smile was on another level. Gentle yet devious. "I can understand why. You must be Princess Eleanor."

She was puzzled by what he meant by that. "I mean I heard the queen’s second daughter was a true gem. You are indeed as the rumours say. " He explained. A sad smile lingered on her face. So he knew her.

"Yeah, I am Eleanor." She muttered.

"The princess who is known only for her beauty, which might fade one day." She added, sounding disheartened.