Dream Flight: Ascilia's rise

Chapter 9

⁺

It was early in the morning, yesterday Elye had a hard time avoiding Ascilia. Every time he saw her it felt like his heart was beating in his throat. Elye was sitting on his usual spot at the long dining table. There was a relaxing silence between the seven people in the room. As soon as Elye finished his food he excused himself from the table and left the room. Not much later Ascilia did the same and decided to follow him, "What is going on with you?!" she called out, her voice echoing through the hall. "Why do you keep ignoring and avoiding me?" Ascilia continued, coming closer to Elye who stopped walking. "I want answers, Elye what did I do wrong?" The eighteen year old continued. "It's not your fault okay? It's mine! I just could not face you knowing I did not visit you in the last months." Elye interrupted Ascilia. Tears started to form in his eyes, he couldn't cry, not in front of her. 

"I'm sorry," he mumbled before running off to his chambers, leaving Ascilia alone in the hall. Elye rushed past the servants and guards. As soon as he arrived to the doors of his chambers he opened it quickly before throwing it back into its lock. Tears started to roll down his cheeks, letting out a scream, throwing a plate onto the ground. A soon as it touched the ground it shattered in various pieces. he tugged his dark brown locks behind his ears and opened his balcony door which looked on the gardens.

⁺

It was hard for Ascilia to continue her day like nothing happened. Louie and Kathryn tried to cheer her up but it was of no use. But the two had an idea in mind, they were going to create the most beautiful dress this country had ever seen for her. Partly because the ball was coming up soon and Ascilia did not have a dress yet but Kathryn did, and Louie already had a beautiful robe. Kathryn and Louie forced Ascilia to go down and help customers while the two were plotting the dress, making various of sketches and gathering different materials. 

Once in a while Ascilia went up the stairs to deliver new measurements and sketches to the couple, oblivious to the little surprise they were making for her. Around midday Louie went downstairs to help Ascilia with the customers. He now had her job, while Ascilia was giving the dresses finishing touches and giving them to the women they belonged to. Kathryn however was working hard on Ascilia's dress, and of course also working some dresses for customers. 

The rest of the day Elye beat himself up. He rarely left his room, he did get the broken plate cleaned up. But he mostly just read a book he currently was reading. His peace and quiet was disturbed by his brother, Charyls who stormed into his room. "You missed fencing! Where were you Elye." That was the first thing Charyls said when he entered his room. "I did not feel like it brother. Just leave me be," Elye sighed and turned to Charlys. "This isn't about Ascilia, is it?" Charyls asked to which Elye could only nod, making Charlys groan in frustration. "She's just a stupid peasant girl, get over her! She just got this privilege because mother likes her. Show her you're better than her at mothers ball Elye-"

 Elye looked at his brother furiously, how could he say all these things about Ascilia when he did not even know her! "You don't even know her Charyls, how could you say all that nonsense. I said it before and I will say it again, she is different. I can feel it in my blood." Elye argued back, leaving his younger brother speechless. "Your brother is right Charyls. Ascilia is something else," Philipe said, who had been eavesdropping. "Come on Charlys, give you brother his space," Philipe said in a demanding voice and winked at Elye before closing his chamber door. 

Elye only sighed, before walking over to his balcony and looking at the slowly setting sun. This was a crazy day. And he was not the only one who could agree. All the way across the palace Ascilia stood on her balcony too, looking at the sea moving gently. Kathryn just left, the two had talked a good two hours and they would meet again at dinner.