Chapter fourteen

Family, games, laughter, Clyde.

Clyde's point of view:

I woke up early in the morning and got ready for the gathering. I made sure that everything is ready and perfect. After I wore my suit this morning, I kept shuffling from place to place to wanting a single mistake. I stood behind the chief which made him uncomfortable I could say and it made me relax a bit when I saw his clean work. Then I checked the dining table and made sure that the cups and plates are clean as well. I might be over worrying, but my family tends to look into every mistake and pick on it.

"is Eleanor up yet?" I asked Destiny.

"Yes," she answered. "I just woke her."

"Make sure she doesn't take long getting ready, my family will show up at any time, they never give a heads up."

She nodded, "I will go back in, I will make sure she gets ready as soon as possible."

-

After about half an hour, Eleanor walked down the long stairs, wearing a beautiful yellow dress, her hair in a low bun with a few strands let loose showing her natural curls.

"How much longer are you going to stare for?" She questioned, snapping me back.

I cleared my throat, "Sorry" she giggled which brightened her eyes, her smile could alight a whole room if she wanted to. I shook the thought away, "Right on time, my family's carriages are right outside."

She rushed down the stairs and stood beside me, her breathing fastened "relax," I whispered as the front door swung open and I immediately intertwined our arms. "You are doing just fine." We took few steps forward and smiled at the faces of my family members who go inside.

"Brother!" Darius spoke loud and clear as always as he opened his arms for a hug, so I hugged him. Then his dark-skinned wife and daughter turned into view.

I bowed to the wide right before I carried his daughter who jumped into my arms. "Alicia!" I smiled wide, "haven't seen you in so long

"I asked daddy to see uncle Clyde but he didn't allow it until today!" She spoke in a confident tone as she eyes her father, challenging.

"Brother!" I exclaimed, looking at Darius trying to hold back my laughter. "How dare you? You can't say no to an uncle-niece reunion!"

"That's right!" She said, causing the whole family to laugh, including Eleanor.

I soon let Alicia down and talked with my father beside Eleanor. She was shy and nervous but she did just great. I have one sibling, but I am apart of a big family; a huge amount of cousins. so I don't blame her, it is a lot to take in.

She ended up going outside to play with the kids, leaving me stuck inside with so many questions and conversations with my endless family members. The most repeated question is where is Eleanor, so I walked outside to bring her back inside. I saw her playing with the kids around the wide nature in front of the castle, she ran around and they tried to catch her. Their laughter filled the place which gave me an unusual warm feeling through my heart.

I didn't want to stop the fun, but she had to come inside or my family won't stop complaining and asking.

"Willie," I spoke. "Call Eleanor for me, will you? My family are expecting to converse with her."

"Of course, sir" he bowed and walked away. "Mistress," he called as he rushed behind her, with his hand resting behind his back. "Mistress"

"Yes, Willie," she turned away from the kids to face him, causing her dress to move as she twirled. "How may I help you?"

"The Royal family expects you," he informed. "Can you come inside please?"

"I don't have a choice, do I?" She said then huffed a strand of her hair back as she faced the kids. "I am sorry, but I think the fun is over." She knelt to their lever and whispered, "for now"

I chuckled and shook my head, she locked my eyes as she walked towards me. "Don't leave me alone with them again," I warned as I intertwined our arms. "Apparently all they want to know about is you."

She giggled, "no promises," she said. "I will leave the first chance I get."

"Here she is!" my father cheered, grading everyone's attention towards us.

She gave him a warm smile as she clung into me tighter because of all the eyes that followed her. "You are okay," I whispered as I gave her a reassuring squeeze.

-

And before I knew it, she has disappeared again. I walked back outside but there was no sign of her. The kids were still playing, but she wasn't. I asked the maids and every worker my eyes looked at, but no one has seen her for a while.

"Have you seen Eleanor?" I asked one of the drivers.

"Yes," he answered, I sighed in relief. "She asked me for a ride, I told her I can't give her one until you give me your permission, so she ignored me and took a ride with Willie instead."

"of course she did," I shook my head disapproving. "do you perhaps know where she might have gone to?"

He shook his head, no. "Sorry, sir."

"I might know where she could have gone," I turned around to the source of the voice, it was Destiny's.

I stared at her waiting for an answer, but she did not give me one. "Go on?"

"Oh right," she snapped out of her thoughts. "She might have gone back to the gardening shop?"

"Why would she-" I paused, "of course she would. Thank you for your information." She bowed in response. "Make sure my family doesn't sense our disappearance." She nodded and rushed inside to inform the other workers. I turned around and took my car out of the garage and immediately drove away.

I parked in front of the shop and walked inside, looking into every aisle, between every flower but she was no where to be seen until- "there you are," I said as placed my hands on the shoulders of a dirty blonde haired girl and turned her around. "Sorry-" it was not her.

Where are you?

My eyes scanned the place, and there she was. She stood up straight from bending down behind a large amount of flowers which is why I didn't see her. Her blonde hair was let loose, free of the tight low bun she had earlier. She closed her eyes and took on the smell of the flower between her hand. I shook my head and approached her, I caught myself zoning out quite a lot by her existence. which is something I do not understand why I am doing, I don't entirely like the feeling either.

"Eleanor," I spoke taking her of guard. "Explain your disappearce. I looked for you everywhere."

"I am sorry," she said."I couldn't take the crowd anymore."

"Come with me," I said as I pulled her out of the shop, she wince in pain and I immediately let go of her wrist when I realised that I have hurt her. "Get in the car please," I said as I took a deep breath, trying to calm down.

As soon as we were both inside, I started the car and drive back towards the castle. "I understand you were nervous, but you can't leave me in such a situation."

"Then you should inform me before hand, you can't expect me to be ready in a one day notice." She said,"Don't you know how scary that is?"

"Eleanor!" I screamed out of anger, I do not know what I was angry about, is it because she left without permission? Is it because she left me there alone? Or is it about something completely not her fault?

she protected her face with both of her hands. I stared at her with a slightly opened mouth, shocked at her instant reaction. I breathed in and out slowly as I parked the car to the side and quickly opened the door of my side of the car and walked over to her side and opened the door harshly, she leaned back in her seat, with her hands up ready for defence.

I talked without thinking. "Why did you cover your face?" I asked, but she didn't respond. "Did you think I was going to hit you?" She looked at me with wide eyes still terrified for some unknown reason. "Eleanor, why did you think I was going to hit you?"

"Because you are mad..." She responded softly, her eyes were glossy. I looked at her in disbelief and shook my head disapproving.

"It is not okay to get hit, even if someone is mad. Do you understand?" I spoke loud and clear looking straight into her watery eyes. She nodded but she was still scared, she kept her head as far away from me as possible. "No one"-I raised my voice-"No one is allowed to hit you or anyone else in that matter." She nodded repeatedly as a tear slid down her cheeks. I wiped it away without hesitation and walked over to my seat.

I started the car and gripped tight on the wheel  in anger, this time I do know why. It hurts and angers me the way she reacted, it never is okay to hit someone. And I felt mad that she thought I would do such a thing, I felt like boiling from the inside.