Saving The Abandoned Empress

176 “Eleanora’s Plan”

“Pardon me, Your highness... But i can only heal physical health problems. Not your brain.”

“...”

“Pff-”

Eleanora chuckled as she saw how pale Cathain’s had become after hearing her words.

Cathain didn’t minded and let her tease him, as it was rare to see her so comfortable around him.

“How’s your work going? Crown Prince Dominic is on coming with the team of healers for help.”

“Oh, Brother Dom is coming?”

“...”

“It’s been so long since i saw him, i couldn’t even talk with him properly during my birthday banquet.”

.....

“...”

“I really miss him.”

“...”

Eleanora exclaimed with joy as she brewed a cup of tea for both of them and passed the teacup towards Cathain.

“You seem to be really close with your cousin.”

Cathain spoke as he pretended to ask casually like it didn’t mattered at all.

“Yeah, We spent a whole year together when my father went for the border inception. I grew closer with him at that time, if i had a older brother then it must be him.”

“That’s a relief...”

“Huh, what relief?”

“No-Nothing...”

“...”

Eleanora shrugged her shoulders as she knew he won’t tell her even if she asks.

Where Cathain felt relief as she only took Dominic as an older brother.

“Enough of jokes; What brings you here, Your Majesty?”

Eleanora asked with a normal tone, which was not colder anymore.

Which made Cathain stunt a little and feel happy at the same time.

‘W-What happened to her? Why is she suddenly acting so f-friendly?’

‘But why do i feel that something is wrong...’

“Your Majesty?”

“Oh, Actually i came here to seek your advice.”

“Advice?”

“Yes...”

And then Cathain began to tell her the story.

Last night, the knights who was on patrol suddenly saw a colonel from the Rua passing through Scunthorpe to reach the capital city.

Before the imperial knights was about to catch him, that colonel shoot himself and suicide.

Later the knights found a piece of paper, which revealed about the enemies next move.

They are preparing to launch a pincer attack on both sides of the imperial army as scheduled.

After learning this information, the majority of the officers voted to use this information.

As they can predict where the enemy will move and ambuse them before the they can even react.

This way, they can inflict heavy damage to Rua’s Army with less effort.

They want to sent their all soldiers, who are guarding Scunthorpe.

As the days went by, more knights are getting affected because of the epidemic and sent to Demacia.

To them, it’s more suitable to use their main forces in order to launch a counterattack on the enemy.

Although Cathain agreed with the high ranking officials as he alone can’t take decisions.

It concerns the whole army and if something happens, then he can’t bear to take the responsiblity.

To him, the time is just too perfect.

In just a month, the whole army turned upside down because of a unknown epidemic.

It’s still not clear about either the Rua was behind this or not yet.

Dion and Jennifer are busy at the field hospital, Cedrick is helping Eleanora at Demacia knight quarantine.

So infront of the officials, even if Cathain speaks up about his opinions.

There is no one to support him.

And he can’t lose this golden opportunity just because he doesn’t feels good about it.

They have to move their troops tomorrow morning, time is running out.

This is why he came here to discuss it with Eleanora, to know her thoughts about this plan.

“So, what do you think?”

Cathain asked after he explained the situation to Eleanora, who was in a daze after hearing the situation.

“I think it’s an good opportunity. Even if the timing is coincidental, but if we can win then there is nothing wrong.”

“You think so too?”

Cathain become a little astonished as for some reason, he thought that Eleanora would agree with him.

‘So... Am i thinking much?’

“Your Majesty should lead the troops, i will stay back here with the knights in the quarantine.

There are 12 thousand troops here and the field hospital also need some knights to protect them just in case.

So it would be best if i stay back to manage them and you take the main troops to attack the next two fort.

That way, it would be a matter of time to win the capital city and the victory will be ours.”

Eleanora spoke with a smile and every words she said made sense.

But Cathain still felt uneasy.

Things was going too smooth, which was hard to believe.

How could Mendel come up such a easy plan and the Rua’s war colonel would be caught right before he was preparing to execute his plan?

And the two army commander, Eleanora and Duke Richardo both are busy with the medical camp.

Along with the Raven Siblings.

The troops are being affected and this left him with no other option but to believe in the note they got from the Rua’s colonel.

“Oh, Your Majesty. Take Colonel Raven with you. The more people the better. He doesn’t have any works to do here anyway.”

“...But wouldn’t it be better for him to stay with you?”

Cathain refute even if he didn’t liked seing Cedrick with Eleanora.

‘She is acting weird.’

“He is a war strategic, an assistant mage but not a healer. He has no works here.”

“...okay. I will let him know.”

Cathain unwillingly spoke as he took another sip of the tea and lost in thoughts.

To him, Eleanora’s sudden friendliness looked suspicious.

He was happy at first but now he is doubting her sudden change in behaviour.

“Your Majesty...Umm, this is for you...”

Eleanora spoke shyly as she pushed a sword tarsal towards Cathain, which was decorated with black and red gemstones.

.....

Along with some white mana stones, which contends her ice magic.

“H-Huh?”

Cathain stared at the sword tarsal with his dumbfounded red eyes in confusion.

“Is it for m-me?”

“Yes... You gave me a locket so, i also wanted to give back something to you... Am not that good with crafting but i tried my best to make it look beautiful,”

“...”

Cathain didn’t spoke anything and kept look at the sword tarsal infront of him.

Which made Eleanora feel that he didn’t liked it.

“Well, it’s okay if you don’t like it-”

“Who said i don’t like it?!”

Cathain spoke as he snatched the sword tarsal, which Eleanora was about to take back from him.

‘How can i not like something which was given by her?’

“It’s beautiful... Thank you.”

“W-Welcome,”

Both of them spoke as they felt a little flustering and didn’t knew what to say anymore.

“Commander! There is another knight who needs- Oh, Greetings! Your Majesty!”

The knight who came to inform Eleanora about the sick knights who came a little while ago, didn’t expected to see the emperor too.

He hurriedly bow down as he greeted the emperor.

Where both Eleanora and Cathain stood up together.

“Okay, then you go to your work... I need to go back as we have to move out early in the morning.”

“Take care, Your Majesty... Be safe.”

“Hmn.”

Cathain nodded to her before he turned to leave with a strange feeling in his heart.

He doesn’t know why but he was feeling strange.

Everything felt strange to him.

Either the tomorrow’s movement or Eleanora’s behaviour today.

“YOUR MAJESTY!!!”

Just as he was about to walk out of the door, Eleanora’s sudden calling made him stop on his tracks and he looked back.

But before he could react, Eleanora hugged him tightly; which made him not only surprised but equally stunned.

“E-Elee?”

Eleanora didn’t replied and stayed quite as she hugged him tightly, with her face burried in his chest.

“Thank you for everything till now,”

‘In this life...’

“Your Majesty...”

‘...Cain,’

With amusement and a strange feeling raising in his heart, Cathain raised his hands and hugged her back.

He didn’t knew why he was feeling heartbreak, where he should clearly feel happy that Eleanora is finally acting normal with him.

But her normal behaviour felt strange to him.

It felt like she suddenly changed like this, so that she doesn’t feel regret...

Like something is forcing her to accept this changes for something unspeakable.

‘Why am i feeling like this?’

“Thank you for everything, Your Majesty...”

Eleanora spoke again in a low voice as she pushed Cathain a little and his hands loosened up from her body.

Without looking at him anymore, Eleanora turned to leave with the knight and head towards the quarantine room.

Where Cathain just kept standing without moving.

He gritted his teeth with frustration and decided to leave without caring for the strange feeling which continued to grow inside his heart.

‘Please be safe too, My empress... Don’t get hurt,’

…

“Prepare yourselves, We will move as soon as the imperial army moves out from the base.”

“B-But would that be alright?... The emperor or no one else knows this...”

“...If they knew, they wouldn’t agree for sure; specially the emperor. Just do as i told you all,”

“YES, COMMANDER DALTON!!”