The next day…
Through the hallways Silas strode his mind carried away in wonders of Evangeline.
His darkened demeanor sent chills down the spine of all who passed him. Not a single servant dared to look at him as he passed by, all of them only muttering a simple, "Your Grace," as a greeting to him.
He paid no attention to his servants, his mind stuck on continuous flashbacks of his face to face encounters with Evangeline.
'She doesn't know who I am. She doesn't recognize me at all… How, how am I going to convince her that I'm Cade? How am I supposed to reveal my true self to her? How…'
"Reuben,"
Evangeline's calls cut through his thoughts, gaining his attention.
He turned around, seeing her running towards him, wearing a simple floor-length salmon colored dress that had sheer bell sleeves.
Her hair bounced in the wind, with each step she took, her smile was radiating. She looked back letting out a contagious laugh as she ignored servant women calling for her to come back as they chased after her.
She looked back at Silas, running into his arms. His eyes widened as she wrapped her arms around his arm.
"So beautiful," He uttered, his words being drowned out by the servant women's calls.
She looked behind her, seeing four servant women running down the hallway, and hid behind Silas.
"Hide me," She muttered, holding tightly onto his arm, "Don't let them get me."
The servant women stopped before Silas, each one of them freezing in fear, as they bowed to him.
He glanced over at them, watching as they trembled in place and looked over his shoulder, back at Evangeline.
"What did you do," He whispered.
"It doesn't matter what I did, you're my personal guard, it's your job to protect me," She huffed, pursing out her lips.
He looked back at the servant women, each one of them continuing to shake.
"Speak," He commanded, his grimacing glare chilling the room.
"W-We're j-just trying to g-get her dr-dress, Y-Your Grace and s-she in-insists on w-wearing cl-clothes th-that aren't f-fitting for her," A servant woman stammered.
He looked over his shoulder, glaring at Evangeline.
"What," She whinged, holding tightly onto his arm.
"Why are you being so difficult," He grumbled.
"I'm not being difficult," She huffed as she let go of his arm, putting her hands on her hips, "If anyone's being difficult it's them."
"Lady Evangeline," He muttered.
"What," She whinged, crossing her arms as she looked away, "Why should I get presentable for a man who cares nothing about my feelings? He just claims me as his without even asking me first. I won't do anything he says, not for one second."
He turned around to face her, glaring at her as she met his eyes.
She pointed at him, stomping her foot.
"What's that look supposed to mean? Your size nor your muscles intimidate me," She caterwauled, crossing her arms as she looked away, "Besides you're supposed to be my personal guard. Who's side are you on anyways?"
He sighed, turning around to face the servant women, as Evangeline looked at him.
"Leave her alone," He commanded.
"Y-Yes, Y-Your G-Grace," They quavered, bowing to him.
Evangeline looked at the servant women sticking her tongue out as they surried away.
He looked behind him, seeing Evangeline making faces.
"Stop being a knucklehead," He scolded, flicking her on the forehead.
"Owe," She whined, rubbing her forehead.
"Stop making things harder for them, they're only doing as commanded," He chided, "Be more considerate of them, they mean well."
"I'll do whatever I want in a place I don't want to be in and if His Royal Highness doesn't want me to be mean then he'll let me go and let me live my life without interference," She sneered as she pressed her finger into his chest, staring into his eyes.
'This whole encounter made me forget she doesn't know who I am… She thinks I'm someone who stole her away from her love… If only she knew… How can I reveal it to her now…'
He glanced down at her hand, and looked back up at her, as he grabbed her wrist.
"Let go," She protested, trying to pull her hand away.
"Stop being mean to the servants," He muttered, meeting her eyes as she stopped pulling away, "You aren't even mean, you're just upset about the situation which is understandable but you can't be mean to the servants because of it."
"Oh, and why can't I," She seethed, "Why should I care about anyone else's feelings when mine are disregarded?"
"Lady Evangeline," He sighed, "Please, be nice to the servants."
"Fine," She agreed, pulling her hand out of his grip as she turned her back to him, "I'll be nice because you told me too but don't expect me to be happy around here. You won't see me smile not once."
"Is that so," He snickered.
"Yes," She vowed, "I won't smile for you or anyone else, starting now."
"Yeah, we'll see how long that lasts," He chuckled.
"I'll have you know I can hold out very long, Reuben, just you wait and see," She proclaimed, "I won't smile, not once."
She looked down the hallway in front of her, seeing Lord Declan in the distance making his way towards them.
She took a step back bumping into Silas, her body trembling.
Silas looked down at her, his heart sinking.
'She's scared of him, she's scared of me… She's actually terrified… This isn't what I wanted, how can I tell her if she's so scared… To her I'm the enemy… She'll never accept that I'm Cade, not while she thinks I'm against her… I need to wait… Just for a moment…'
She hid behind Silas, holding onto his arm.
"Scared are we," He whispered.
"No I just hate him," She mumbled, lying through her teeth.
"Is that why you're shaking so much," He smirked, looking down at her.
"I'll have you know this is not a fearful shake, this is an angry shake," She grumbled, "How can anyone be scared of a man that ridiculous. Just look at him striding over here with those stupid glasses. He makes me sick and I can't stand the sight of him."
"Be nice," Silas muttered.
"No," She protested.
"Lady Evangeline…"
"I'll be nice when he falls off a cliff and breaks both of his legs," She grumbled an interruption, wrapping her arms tighter around Silas', "And you're supposed to be my personal guard. Who's side are you on anyways?"
Declan stopped in front of Silas and Evangeline, smiling at them as she looked away, ignoring him.
He bowed, watching as Silas shook his head at him.
"Your Royal Highness, welcome back," Silas greeted, bowing to Declan as he raised an eyebrow, scratching the back of his head.
"Are you alright, Your Grace," Declan questioned.
"Never better, and look Lady Evangeline is well," Silas deflected.
"Yes, I see, and I'm very happy to see you well again Lady Evangeline," Declan chirped.
"Well I'm not happy to see you, matter of fact I'm annoyed," She coldly stated, looking into his eyes.
"Lady Evangeline, have I offended you in any…"
"Come on Reuben," She interrupted, looking up at Silas, "This place is boring me, I want to go somewhere else."
"Reuben," Declan repeated.
"Yes Reuben," Evangeline lashed, looking at Declan, "That's his nickname because so far he's the nicest one here, and if Your Royal Highness has a problem with me calling him Reuben then you should take it up with someone who actually cares."
Declan looked at them, shifting his gobsmacked stare between the two of them.
"I will take great care of Lady Evangeline and report back later to you," Silas stated, bowing to him.
"Report back to me," Declan guffawed, pointing at himself, "Since when…"
"Thank you for your understanding," Silas interrupted, glaring at him.
"O-Okay, Your Grace," Declan stammered with widened eyes, "Hopefully we talk soon."
"Don't bet on it being soon," She snarked, "Reuben is my personal guard, so he won't be leaving my side anytime soon."
"Personal guard," Declan repeated, puzzled.
"Come on Reuben, I don't want to be around His Royal Highness for another second," She huffed, tugging on his arm.
He bowed to Declan and left with Evangeline, as Declan watched on in confusion.