133

“Which one of you girls shipped Colin’s body to the palace?”, Isla asked, looking between her two daughters.

Amar laughed nervously. “And who’s to say that we are the ones who did it? It could have been anyone. Right Toreh?”, Amar asked, turning to her sister.

Toreh wasn’t even listening. She just couldn’t unsee it. Samantha wearing Eloive’s shirt. She only snapped out of it when Amar nudged her with her foot.

“Huh?”

“Mother thinks we’re the ones who shipped Colin’s body to the palace.”

Isla glared. “I don’t think, I know. Girls, how could you? Don’t you think the king would have your heads once he finds out what you’ve done?”

“If he finds out!”, Toreh announced. “That’s not even my real handwriting. Not even Amar’s. we faked it.”

“He is the king for a reason Toreh. He will find out. My God! What were you guys thinking? I promised your father that I’ll take care of you both and now…”, Isla trailed off, looking close to tears.

“You saw father?”, Toreh asked with glee. Isla shot her a look. “Is that the only thing you got out of that statement?”

“Yes,” Toreh replied.

“That’s it! No food for you two! And no gifts for you until after the ball. If you would survive the ball. Now out of my sight, you two!”

The knock came just as Toreh was about to leave the sitting room. Her mother glanced at her and she walked over to the door and opened it. Immediately she saw who was at the door, she shut it but Eloive wedged a foot between the door and the doorway, preventing it from closing entirely.

“Get the fuck out,” she snarled, slamming the door against his foot.

Eloive swore. “Cupcake, you’re going to break my foot.”

“I know and I don’t care!”

”Toreh dear, who’s that?”, Isla asked.

“Hust a random stranger. He’d be gone in a few.”

Eloive was pissed. “A random stranger? Is that all I am to you?”

She glared at him. He was wearing the damn shirt Samantha had been wearing earlier. “That’s all you would ever be!”

He pulled her to him and shut the door. Toreh trashed in his hold. “DDon’t touch me! Don’t fucking touch me!”

He released her. She backed away from him, breathing hard. Eloive focused on the rise and fall of her chest before looking away.

“Cupcake, if I…”

She cut in rudely. “Toreh. My name is Toreh.”

He swallowed hard. “toreh if I have upset you in any way, please let me know so that I can make amends.”

“There’s nothing you shall say or do that will change the way I feel about you right now. You called me a slave, not just once, but twice. You let her wear your shirt and now you show up to my home wearing the same shirt she was wearing earlier. And for everything you did, you never uttered a word of apology.”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“It’s too late for apologies prince, now leave,” she said, wiping away a stray tear.

“I won’t leave until I’ve heard you’ve forgiven me.”

“You’re a prince. A slave’s forgiveness means nothing to you, now get out.”

“Toreh….”

“Leave Eloive and never come back.”

“I would be back. I…”

She removed her shoe and threw it at him. “Get out! Go! Leave!”

“I won’t leave. I’ll spend the night out here on your porch.”

“Suit yourself,” she sneered, before walking away.

….…

It was midnight by the time Toreh stopped crying. Feeling a little bit better, she rolled out of bed and ventured into the kitchen to put some food in her belly. After devouring the leftovers from lunch, she stepped into the sitting room and was shocked to find him fast asleep on the rug, lips slightly parted.

Annoyed, she walked back into the kitchen, filled up a bowl with water; walked back out and then poured it on him before putting the bowl away.

Drenched, he woke up, looking up at her. “What the…”

“Who the fuck let you in?”

“Your mother,” he replied, rising. “She said I could come in if I replaced the bottle of wine your sister broke. I did, so here I am.”

“Get out.”

“Was the water really necessary? You could have just woken me up with a kiss,” Eloive chided as he stood up.

She glared at him. “Get out. Go away. I don’t want to see you! I don’t want to look at you and I surely don’t want to breathe in the same air you do!”

He swallowed hard “I said I’m sorry.”

“And I don’t care!”

He approached her carefully. “Your words are hurting me Toreh.”

“And I don’t care. Leave my home Eloive.”

“I’ve already apologized. What else do you want from me cupcake?”

“I want you to leave. I want you to walk out that door and never return!”

“I don’t love Samantha. We didn’t even kiss. All we did was talk and…”

”I don’t want to know what you did with Samantha, Eloive. I just want you to leave.”

He fell on his knees in front of her. “What are you doing?”, she asked, surprised.

“Asking for your forgiveness. I’m very sorry Toreh. I’ll never talk to her again if you wish it.”

“Eloive, stand up!”

“I will only do so if you’ve forgiven me.”

“Fine! I’ve forgiven you. Now get up.”

Eloive jumped to his feet, glad. “You’ve just made my morning cupcake,” he muttered, smiling at her. She, however, didn’t return it. Her face was contorted with all seriousness, he began to wonder if she had truly forgiven him.

“Toreh, what…”

”Shh,” she whispered, before waking over to the windowsill, peeping outside. “There are some armed men outside.”

Eloive groaned. “They are the palace guards.”

“That means they have come looking for you. You must follow them at once.”

“I don’t want to follow them. I want to stay here with you!”, he whined.

Toreh sighed. “Eloive, if they come in here, they will kill me, my mother and sister. Is that what you?”

“What I want is to stay here with you.”

She sighed again and then rushed towards him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, before pulling away. He wrapped his arm around her waist and she laid her head on his shoulder, weary. “I want that as well, but I also want my mother and sister alive. Please understand.”

“Fine. I would leave. But promise me that once I return, you won’t make me sleep on that awful porch again.”

She laughed. “Promise.”