“I wasn’t allowed to have any say in it, and my betrothed was horrible.” I twisted the truth a little. I never met Theodore; however, I could only assume he was a typical snobbish noble, which, in turn makes him horrible.
“Was he that bad?” Elias’s question caught me off guard for a moment. I was so lost in my memories that I forgot he was listening.
“Oh yes,” I fibbed. “What can you expect from a man willing to marry a sixteen-year-old girl only for her family’s business?” A shiver trickled down my spine from the uncomfortable reality of the situation. Elias looked equally disgusted. That was good. Perhaps this was the way to gain his assistance.
“Anyway,” I carried on, “my parents have legal claim over my social status until I turn eighteen, so I have no lenience in refusing the proposal. My father practically threatened me into complying with the arrangement, so I chose to take matters into my own hands.”
“So you ran,” Elias finished for me. I looked up to his face which was now enrapt in thought. “I understand now.”
“You see why I had no other option, then?” I looked at him hopefully. If he didn’t start showing signs of swaying to my side soon, then maybe I could try breaking out some tears—after all, it worked for other noble ladies.
He raised his eyes to mine, with a stone-cold glare. “You did have an option, though.” His tone chilled me and those warm hazel eyes looked far cooler now. “You could have married the man and lived comfortably. What convinced you to give all that up for a life on the run?” His expression was blank, but his voice exposed a twinge of resentment, and I couldn’t understand why.
I pondered his question for a moment. Why exactly had I run away? I didn’t want to get married, of course, but was it more than that? I wanted to escape from a life of propriety. To experience a freedom that was never intended for me since birth. I wanted to be free to dream, to laugh, to explore, and to do it all without fear of angering those around me. I knew why I ran, but would Elias understand?
“My life would have been ruined either way,” I answered plainly. “This way I at least had the hope of a second chance.” I matched the intensity of his gaze and his eyes softened.
“I understand your reasoning, Aurelia, but technically, your actions have exceeded the confines of the law.” Elias’s face remained calm and collected as my heart raced frantically.
“Please,” I begged softly. “Don’t make me go back there.”
He leaned back into his chair and folded his hands into his lap. “I’m not going to make you go back.” The words came out in slow motion. I felt a massive weight release from my shoulders when he suddenly spoke up again. “However, I do want you to reconsider leaving your life behind.”
My internal celebration halted. What was there to reconsider? If I went back now, my life would be even worse than what had been planned before I left. I gave him a quizzical look and he carried on as if nothing was amiss.
“Do you know what it’s like to be without a home?” His question surprised me.Where was this coming from?
“Well, a little… yes.” I answered honestly. “I’ve been away from home for days now. It’s been difficult, but I’ve managed myself so far.” I grasped my skirt, twirling the fabric between my fingers.
“A few days isn’t so bad,” Elias replied softly. His eyes had glossed over with an empty expression, and I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.
“How would you know that? You’re the son of one of the most powerful lords in the kingdom.” An awkward silence filled the air until Elias let out a light chuckle to himself.
“I am, aren’t I?” He looked at his folded hands with a slight smile. “Well, I am now, at least. I wasn’t always.”
My mouth fell open. He raised his eyes to meet mine and laughed at my befuddled expression.
“Wait just a moment,” I jabbered out the words in a slight daze. “What in the realms does that mean? Is Luke Oberon not your father?” My mouth stood agape at the possibility, but he only laughed more.
“Legally, he is my father, and his wife Jenna is my mother.” He chuckled, and if I was being honest, his amusement toward my shock was beginning to annoy me. “They never had children, so the lord and lady adopted me when I was seven.” He cocked his head and gave me a sideways smile, probably anticipating another massive reaction. I bit my tongue to keep him from getting the satisfaction.
“I never knew…” I tried my best to control the surprise in my voice. No wonder he looked nothing like his father. “Why were you adopted at such an old age? Most nobles only take in infants, if any, outside children at all.”
“Ah yes, that.” He shifted uneasily. “I was a beggar at the time.”
I gave up on withholding my reactions. My mouth fell open, and he laughed, the sound refreshing in such a dreary atmosphere.
“My birth parents died when I was four. My father was killed in the northern war, and my mother passed away from pneumonia. After their passing, I spent my days on the streets of the capital, begging. Most people pitied me when I was small, but it became harder as I grew older. Once I outgrew the adorable beggar-child look, most of the citizens glanced over me. People who had once tossed me bread or coins would avert their eyes if they passed my corner. Needless to say, I had to become resourceful…”
I leaned forward with an infatuated interest in his story. “Did you steal?” I blurted out the question before processing it in my mind. I placed a hand over my disobedient mouth. “Sorry, that was rude to ask.”
“I did,” he answered calmly, thankfully without any obvious offense taken. “At least, I tried to. I wasn’t exactly a natural pickpocket, so I got caught fairly quickly. The noble woman I tried to steal from wasn’t the forgiving type, so she brought me before the court to be punished.”
Something about his story tugged at the back of my mind, but I couldn’t quite place it. I remained silent as he carried on with his narrative.
“And that’s when everything changed…” A radiant smile spread over his lips, yet an eerie sorrow still lingered in his eyes. “Lord Luke Oberon was assigned my judgment that day, and by some miracle, he took pity on me. He shocked the entire court that day by accepting me into his home and calling me his son. It took a little while to get all the legalities sorted, but within the blink of an eye, I went from nothing to all this.” He gestured around the adorned room.
“That’s an incredible story.” I marveled at his rags to riches tale. “I cannot imagine going from so little to so much. It must have been rather overwhelming.” I watched curiously as his posture suddenly changed.