"Mmm~ What a great sleep~" Eilownia said groggily as she stretched. Marix was already awake and laying next to her on his side, watching.

"How are you feeling?" He whispered as he gently placed his hand on her lower abdomen.

His heart skipped a beat. It was the first time he’d touched her there since they reunited. He rubbed it with an even gentler touch at the thought of his child being in there.

Eilownia didn’t react at all to his touch of her stomach and looked up at him, "I feel fine so far. A little bloated.....but I don’t feel sick."

Marix nodded, "That’s good. Take a few more minutes to relax and wake up and we’ll get going."

She wiggled her mouth. "Are you sure we have to go to that place? I want to go home."

Marix pressed his lips against her cheek, "We will go home directly after. I want to make sure you feel safe not just temporarily but for eternity."

He then took her hand and kissed her knuckles as he continued, "I will ensure that your father can never take you away again and, I will ensure you get what you are owed."

Eilownia gave him a small smile as he rubbed her cheek with his thumb, "I would like to get one or two things~"

Marix nodded, "And get them you shall."

A few minutes later, Eilownia stood outside the gates to the Evans Estate and stared up at them. It was only the second time she’d ever seen them, the first being when Marix delivered her back after his interrogation.

Now that she was there, her body started to tremble and her hands got clammy. She gulped hard as she fidgeted with the fabric of her dress and chewed on her bottom lip.

Marix placed a comforting hand on her shoulder as he noticed her distress.

"What if he’s here?" She said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"That’s what I’m hoping for." A smirk appeared over his face as he began imagining his confrontation with Lord Evans.

Eilownia let out a shaky breath, "I’m scared to see him again. What if he does something? What if you can’t stop him?"

Marix turned to face her fully and placed both his hands on her shoulders.

"Whin, that will not happen. You are carrying the current heir to the Viraaz throne. None of these men," He motioned to his troops, "are allowed to let any harm befall upon you. Right now, you are the safest you’ve ever been in your life."

She stared up into his eyes to see they were full of promise and intensity. Despite how her heart was racing and every never in her body was screaming at her to not cross the threshold into the Evans Estate, she couldn’t help but nod.

"I trust you."

Marix took her hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze as he turned to the troop behind him. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"Keep her surrounded at all times unless she or I otherwise command. Her safety is our top priority!"

His men diligently saluted, "Yes, sir," before gathering around her, like secret service members.

Seeing how she was still a bit tense, one of the soldiers grabbed her shoulder.

"Don’t worry Miss. We won’t let anything happen to you. We will guard you with our lives."

She nodded her head and closed her eyes for a moment as she took a deep breath.

’It will be okay. We can do this.’

With everyone’s support, she exhaled out most of her nerves.

"Okay. Let’s do this!"

Three of the soldiers bust down the gates to the Evans Estate, causing a loud crackling of wood and ’THUD’ to echo throughout the grounds.

A group of guards came rushing out with their weapons drawn but upon seeing it was the Viraaz army, they immediately parted the way for them.

The Evans guards glanced nervously at each other, knowing it was a bigger group than they had previously encountered.

Marix headed straight for the shed. It was boarded up again, most likely to ensure no one would find Eilownia’s belongings in there like he had the first time he’d come. He wrapped an arm around her tightly.

"Tear it down."

His men nodded and tore the wooden planks off the door, before kicking it down.

They peeked their heads inside. It was nearly pitch black.

Two of the men stepped inside, one a red head, the other a brunette, with their weapons and stances in the defensive.

After confirming no one was inside, they worked to tear the wood pieces off the skylight, allowing light to flow in.

"This is where she lived?" The red headed one whispered as he stared at the tiny, destroyed space.

"What kind of father....does this?" The brunette responded, shaking his head in disgust.

"It’s all clear." They said in unison solemnly as they exited the shed.

"Alright. Go in, take whatever you want." Marix stood next to the doorway and faced outward with his weapon drawn, ready to keep her safe.

Eilownia gave him a small nod as she placed one foot inside. She hesitated for a moment, taking another deep breath, before entering fully.

It had been her home and her dungeon, yet suddenly it felt completely unfamiliar, like being there at all had been nothing but a dream.

She looked at the skylight and pictured all the nights she stared up at it and dreamed of running along the stars, then at the floor and how many times it had served as a ballroom for her and her imagination.

Her fingers danced along the old vegetable box that she used as a makeshift shelf before she grabbed it and flipped it on its back.

A small laugh escaped her lips.

’It seems your true purpose has come back to you again~"

Her dolls, her jar of buttons, her book. She wanted to keep them, even though she wasn’t sure what she’d do with the buttons...or the book now that she had the other copy Marix had given her.

She then picked up her mildewed rabbit plush and gave it a squeeze as tears filled her eyes, "Hello. I’ve missed you so much. Did you miss me?"

After a few moments of squeezing it, she held it out in front of her and pet its head.

"We’re finally leaving here together, for good. Are you excited? I have so many things to show you~ For now," she placed it into the box next to her branch doll, "stay in here where you’ll be safe~"

Next she knelt on the floor and pulled up the floorboard. Sitting right where she had left it, was her mother’s jewelry box. She smiled and gently lifted it out.

She opened it up, its contents fewer than before.

"Thank you, Mother. I sold your things to go to Viraaz and met someone who has rescued me. Thank you for sending him to me~"

She stood up and gently placed it into the vegetable box, cushioning it with her rabbit plush to reduce risk of damage during transport.

Next, she took her dresses down and looked over each one. She’d worn them so many times. At first, she tossed them all on the ground, ready to never see them ever again.

Then she stopped and looked down at her nightgown. She picked it up, folded it nicely and placed it into the box before rubbing it with her fingertips, "You have guided me to so many dreams. I will take you with me~"

As she looked around one last time, ready to say goodbye to her shed once and for all, she hesitated at the potting bench.

For some reason, the thought of saying goodbye to it made her heart ache.

The night of the storm flashed back in her mind and how the bench had held her up despite its protests, keeping her dry.

"If it weren’t for you, I probably wouldn’t have made it through the night, or the next day.....and I wouldn’t have made it to the festival. Thank you so much."

Marix glanced inside and saw her trailing her fingers over the bench.

"Do you want it?"

She looked up at him and smiled, "If I could take it, I would."

Marix nodded at his men, then nodded towards the interior of the shed.

They gently moved Eilownia aside and picked up the bench carefully, carrying it out.

"What are they doing with it?" She questioned, hooking her arm around Marix’s.

"If you want it, we’ll take it." He whispered in her ear as another soldier took the box from her.

"Isn’t that stealing?"

Marix laughed, "How is it stealing when it’s yours?"

"EXCUSE ME?! What do you think you’re doing here?!"

Eilownia stiffened at the sound of that all too familiar voice.

Marix immediately got in front of Eilownia protectively as all of his men pointed their swords at source of the voice – Lord Evans.