XIX
When Lennox returned from the conference to the physician's wing, he was surprised to see who was sitting in the chair next to his bed.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Really? That's the first thing you say to me after the explosion?" Evangeline asked sarcastically.
He sat on the bed. "Sorry, I just didn't expect to see you. I thought you would be with your family."
Evangeline frowned. "Did you not want to see me?"
"No," Lennox paused, "It's nothing like that."
"Good, I'm glad," Evangeline forced a smile. "How are your injuries? Last I heard, you had a nasty gash on your stomach."
"They're alright; they've been treated well, so I'm expected to make a full recovery. Turns out, I had nothing to worry about. I was in... capable hands." He noticed the bandage on Evangeline's upper arm. "Are you alright?"
"Oh, yeah. It'll leave a nasty scar, but I'm just glad to have my arm at all," she joked.
"Not funny."
"It was kind of funny."
"Was not."
"Was too."
They both looked at each other. Lennox noticed the war that seemed to be going on in Evangeline's head. Her expression had a hint of sadness, and she smiled down at the ground.
"...is it true?"
"Is what true?" he asked.
She let out an exhale. "Your mate. She was at the investiture?"
Lennox's eyes widened. "How did you know?"
Evangeline snorted. "It wasn't that hard to figure it out. I noticed you were distracted for the last part of the event, like your mind was somewhere else. And now, something about you is different. You feel more... serious in a way."
She folded her hands in her lap. "And the fact that the guards aren't very good at whispering."
What she hadn't mentioned was how she noticed he was looking at her differently. Because while there used to be a small flame of passion between them, that light had been entirely snuffed out now. Their relationship had finally shifted. And a part of her wished it hadn't.
"Which one was she?" Evangeline whispered.
Lennox explained what she looked like.
Evangeline nodded her head in understanding. "I know who you're talking about. I remember noticing her gown; it was lovely but different. Who would've known..."
"Did you speak with her at all?" he asked.
"No, I remember her because she was trying to remove her bracelet from your sleeve. Your expression was...unlike anything I had seen before."
Silence fell between the two.
"Does anybody else know?"
"No, besides Sebastian and me, I don't think anyone has a clue. People are a little confused since guards are going around and checking people's names from the attendance list."
Lennox nodded.
"So, I assume this is where we say goodbye to this chapter of our lives," Evangeline said more as a statement than a question.
Lennox gazed at her intently. Because she was right. He couldn't go on pretending that his soulmate was some stranger and indulge in the fantasy of a relationship with Evangeline. They would have to go back to the way things used to be.
Because while the woman in front of him had seen him grow from an awkward and pathetic teenager into a full-fledged man, they were not meant to be life partners.
He had enjoyed their time together, but they had both understood what they were getting themselves into.
They knew that one day, this would all come to an end, whether they liked it or not.
"I truly care for you, Evangeline, but it's time for me to grow up. You'll be getting your mark soon, too. This is the best decision for both of us."
Evangeline looked down at her lap, obscuring her eyes from view. "Mhm. I wish you luck in finding her. I know you'll make her happy, just as you did with me."
Lennox grabbed a tissue from the table and handed it to her. She gratefully took it and began to dab at her eyes.
Y/N walked into the room and paused at the awkward scene in front of her. "Oh, sorry. Is this a bad time?"
Lennox shook his head. "Come in."
Evangeline quickly stood up from her seat and brushed past Y/N, out the door. Y/N turned back to look at her in worry. She had clearly seen Evangeline's tear-stained cheeks and flushed face. What had she just walked into?
"Did you need to check something?" Lennox asked.
Y/N turned her attention back to him. "Not anything in particular, I just wanted to check up on your wounds to make sure they're healing right."
Lennox nodded and leaned back on the bed. He winced as the stitches stretched.
Y/N put on a pair of gloves and approached him. She pulled back a couple of his bandages to check on their healing.
"Do you really need to wear gloves every time you're touching me?" he questioned.
Y/N paused. "Yes, I wouldn't want to get any bacteria on your wounds as they're still healing."
Lennox nodded absentmindedly. She wasn't even touching most of his wounds, and a lot of them had already started clotting and closing. He thought she was being overly cautious and found it amusing.
When she had finished her examination, she laid the bandages back in their original placements. She tried taking off her gloves, but the latex had practically stuck itself to her skin. Frustrated, she bit down on the middle finger of the glove to pull it off.
Lennox, watching the whole thing, widened his eyes at the sight before him. The scene was far too... suggestive. He coughed and averted his gaze.
"Are you alright?" Y/N asked. She noted the pink flush on the prince's face.
"It's awfully hot in here; get me a glass of water," he demanded, fanning his face.
Y/N, completely oblivious, just nodded.
Lennox watched her exit the room in search of water and threw his hands on his face. Honestly, what was wrong with him these days? He was acting like a schoolboy who had his first crush. He had been spending way too much time with Healer L/N.
——— ??ˋ ? ?ˊ? ———
Y/N walked out the back entrance of the castle, near the spot where she and Kent had made their escape from the palace, what felt like a lifetime ago.
With the sun setting in the distance, she was given a break after yet another day of non-stop work.
She desperately needed fresh air but didn't feel comfortable going back to her and Kent's garden with the extra security there.
She couldn't help but wonder why there was an increase in guard presence there.
She noticed a figure sitting on the steps, staring off into the distance. With the way her midnight blue hair fell down her back, she knew it was Evangeline.
Y/N stood on the step next to her. "Mind if I join you?"
Evangeline didn't pull her gaze away from the setting sun. "Go ahead."
Y/N sat on the stone, which felt cold against the back of her knees. She let out an exhale and placed her head in one of her hands.
Evangeline pulled a pack of cigarettes out of a pocket in her dress. She lit the end and exhaled the smoke. "You must be tired."
Y/N was surprised that she was speaking to her. "Yeah, not a lot of time to rest these days."
"Must be hell."
"I like the work that I'm doing, so it's not all bad. Would definitely appreciate more breaks here and there." Y/N joked.
"It must be nice to have something like that."
Y/N turned to her in surprise. "You don't have something you're passionate about?"
Evangeline stomped on the cigarette. "No. You think I would be here if I had been allowed to explore my interests?"
She turned to face Y/N, "I've known my place all this time. I was always going to be an accessory to someone else. Someone they could parade on their arm to the world. I wasn't given the chance to learn about myself."
Y/N remained silent at her confession.
"Honestly, I grew to think it wouldn't be so bad if I were to be that for... him. As the Queen, surely I would have some power to make changes and help people. Be someone useful. Hell, I even...????? ???. I had deluded myself into thinking that maybe, just maybe, I was his.
That the reason no one had come forward and claimed the throne was because I hadn't turned 25 yet."
Evangeline choked up on her words, "That I was his, and he was mine."
"I'm sorry."
Evangeline leaned back to look at the sky.
"It's fine. I knew what I was signing myself up for. I just... didn't expect myself to fall for him so hard. "
She smiled painfully, "It's my fault, honestly; he's an idiot, he's stubborn, he's playful, he's everything I thought I hated. But somehow, he's all I've ever wanted."
She wiped her tears away. "Sorry, I didn't mean to throw all of that on you. I promise you I'm more fun to talk to when I'm not like this."
Y/N pulled a lollipop out of her pocket. "Here, we only give these to the best patients."
Evangeline laughed at the offering with her eyes still filled with tears. "I was wondering where my treat was."
The two sat in silence. Guards patrolling would walk past them now and then, but didn't pay them any mind.
Y/N's mind was running at an incomprehensible speed.
Because here she was, sitting next to a woman who was in love with her soulmate, and she was none the wiser.
She felt her heart ache seeing the pain Evangeline was in. It was all her fault.
She couldn't stop thinking about all of the "what ifs." What if she hadn't attended the ball that night? What if Lennox hadn't seen her mark? What if the ball hadn't taken place on her birthday? What if she had never been fated to the future king of her kingdom?
She stared at the floor with a completely cold expression.
She hadn't wanted this. Any of this. All she had ever wanted was to live a quiet life where she could travel the world and heal people who needed it.
She had always been independent and headstrong, and knew ultimately what she wanted out of life.
And she knew being Queen was dead last.
Because while it seemed like a dream to most, all she saw was a gilded cage.
Beautiful, for sure, but a cage nonetheless.
She wouldn't be allowed to practice her healing, the thing that made up her identity.
The thing she fought to have for years. Even when she was at the lowest points of her life, she knew deep down that the path she was on was the one for her.
Even when she questioned if she was good enough, she wanted to fight.
And that quiet life she hoped for would go up in flames because no one faced more scrutiny than the Queen.
Not even the King himself, the one calling all of the shots.
Miranda's existence seemed a lonely one; she didn't seem to have any friends to socialize with at the investiture.
She had to hold herself apart from everyone else.
That was the kind of future Y/N had to look forward to if she acquiesced.
And the thought made her ill.
Somewhere in the back of her mind, a pair of green eyes made her heart skip a beat. Because while she hadn't wanted to admit it, perhaps there was also someone else who made her want to fight. Fight fate or destiny or the Goddess Irene herself.
"Eva!" a voice called out.
Both girls turned around and saw a man with red eyes and hair so silver it almost looked white.
Sebastian Orlowe.
Y/N felt her heart drop. Outside of Anastasia, he was the person she spent the most time socializing with at the ball. While Anastasia might not have recognized her, there was no telling if Sebastian would.
Y/N quickly turned back around to face the horizon, with the sun having fully set.
"Thank Irene I found you; I've been looking everywhere for you. The King is requesting the presence of all the guests who attended the ball. I think it's for..."
he trailed off, looking at Y/N's figure, wondering if he should say what he was thinking out loud since it didn't seem to be common knowledge yet.
Evangeline stood up. "I got it." She turned around to Y/N. "Thank you for keeping me company, Healer; we should do this again sometime."
"Of course, anytime."
Sebastian's eyes narrowed. Where had he heard this voice before?
Evangeline linked her arm with Sebastian's. "Let's go."
Sebastian nodded but took one last glance at the mysterious girl.
He felt a strange sense of déjà vu looking at her, but he just shrugged it off.
"I really need to get more sleep," he whispered to himself.
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