"We were twins but we were different characters. He was fearless while I was afraid of my own shadow," Eleanor said hesitantly.
Alaric laughed slightly. Elinora thought it was a good sign.
"No, really," she continued, "When we were young, five or six years old I think, we were playing in the garden until I noticed something following me. I started running and squealing around. Then my brother, instead of trying to calm me down, laughed so loudly and fell to the floor. I felt very embarrassed that day."
"Why didn't he try to calm you down?" asked Alaric as if that was all he had heard.
Elinora hadn't expected that question. She had never thought about why Edmond laughed at that moment, but it seemed normal to her. He liked to tease her a lot and did it every chance he got.
"That's what brothers do to each other. He was the first to make fun of me when embarrassing things happened to me and the first to defend me when something bad happened to me."
Alaric hesitated a little. But finally he asked.
"Was?"
"Yes. My brother has gone somewhere far away," Elinora got a painful look on her face as she answered.
She didn't know if she herself had still accepted his death, how could she tell him that her twin brother, the one she loved more than anyone in this world, was dead and no one was mourning him?
"I hope he comes back someday," Alaric said, watching Elinora thoughtfully.
She laughed and looked away to hide her misty eyes. She had to find something quickly to keep Alaric occupied.
He remained silent. He watched as Elinora thought hard and processed her. He was confused by her kindness and couldn't understand why she was doing this.
"Why?" he finally asked.
"What do you mean, Your Grace?" Elinora looked at him in wonder.
"Why are you staying here with me? Why-" she stopped abruptly, catching his head.
"Your Grace?" shouted Elinora, but he did not answer.
His face turned white and a cold sweat was pouring down his face. He seemed to be in agony and having trouble breathing and looked around as if someone was talking to him.
Elinora tried to help him but she was frozen. She was watching a man suffering, and her mind was blocked. What should she do?
"What's wrong? Please tell me what's wrong!" She said with intensity, but he didn't hear her.
Alaric got up after a while and curled up on the bed and cried out: "No, no, no! It's not my fault. It's not true!"
She, seeing him suffering and screaming, tried to pull him to help him catch his breath but then Alaric, in a reflexive move, pushed her so hard that she fell to the floor, crashing into a piece of furniture.
Silence reigned. Elinora was lying on the floor trying to calm herself as she felt a sharp pain in her head. She was afraid of what might happen to her but she knew that Duke Alaric was not someone who would harm her.
Pull yourself together, Elinora! You're not in your house anymore. Here, there is no one to protect you. The Duke needs you now, and that means you must find the strength even if you tremble in fear.
Unconsciously a few tears fell from her eyes but she wiped them away and tried to stand up.
However, when she stood up she began to feel dizzy. She reached for her head and then noticed that she had a wound that was oozing a good amount of blood. Shocked, she looked at Alaric, who had stopped and was looking at her full of remorse.
"I'm fine, Your Grace," she told him to reassure him, in a tone that tried to sound firm, but failed.
Her hands were shaking and her eyes were constantly bulging.
He stood up and walked over to her.
"No, you're not."
She and Alaric were now very close. He raised his hand, wanting to see her wound, but she pulled away. She closed her eyes as if expecting something, her face looking frightened.
"Let me see," Alaric said.
His hand approached tentatively, as if he was afraid of hurting her more. His fingers gently touched her forehead, examining the wound.
Elinora then opened her eyes and looked at him. He was very close to her and her heart pounded as he looked at the wound on her head with guilt and anguish, as if he was looking at something much deeper.
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