Mirabelle finally gave up the thought of leaving the palace that day, if the king assured her safety then everything would be fine. After all her father was never hurt the times he was at the palace. She thought.
She sighed and caught the attention of the king. "Anything lingering on your mind?" He asked turning to her.
"No milord. Actually I'd like to return to the guest room if you let me" Mirabelle tried to cover up her still existing worries but the king saw right through her but decided not to probe.
"I'd take you. No servant is here now" Sebastian said and before she could say anything, he grabbed her by the hand and walked towards the guestroom.
If one didn't know the girl was blind and needed help with walking, one would think the king and the human girl were a couple.
As they walked past servants and guards, the gazes on them lingered but more on the girl. They didn't dare stare at the king for more than five seconds.
Sebastian caught sight of their questioning gaze while the girl beside him was completely ignorant of it.
The king opened the door to the room and called a human servant to quickly join her incase she needed anything. He had thought her father would be inside the room but the man wasn't.
He was still holding her hand leading her inside the room when she called out "Milord".
"Yes?".
"Please I don't think I want to stay with someone I don't know. Not after what happened earlier" Mirabelle said after hearing the king call on one of the servants. Her voice let out as a whisper.
His eyes scanned her face and he felt her hand slightly tremble in his. She was genuinely scared. Seeing her like this tugged at his heart as he remembered a time in his life when he was also vulnerable.
The instinct to protect this human girl sudden kicked in. She was so fragile, like an egg. He slightly squeezed her hand but not in a painful manner, trying to suppress the urge to head to the dungeon and rip Helena to pieces for traumatizing his innocent creature.
Sebastian didn't understand what had changed in him since he saw this creature. Since the moment he laid his eyes on her. He felt like he was drawn to her by an invisible force. Greater than his control and hate for the human specie.
"Your father is not here Mirabelle. Waiting alone isn't also the best option" Sebastian explained.
Mirabelle knew her father wasn't present. She couldn't smell him in the room. Sir Thomas had once gifted her father a perfume and Nolan treasured it much and used it all the time.
Mirabelle had mastered the scent and whenever her father was around, she could identify that if was him because of the it. She had mastered the scent of her other family members also. The skill helped her alot as one of her senses had been blocked due to a curse.
Mirabelle didn't know if she should stay with the king or the servant or better left alone till her father returns from wherever he was. With the king or the servant, she didn't exactly feel safe with either.
But before she could make a decision, Mister Nolan joined the picture.
"Milord" he greeted.
"For a second I thought you had gotten lost in the many turns and passageways in the castle. Your daughter was worried" Sebastian said with a bit of annoyance in his tone.
Not annoyed at Nolan but annoyed that her father's absence had made her feel vulnerable.
"I'm sorry milord" Nolan said before the king let go of mirabelle's hand and walked away without saying another word.
The servant who was standing outside the door was left confused. After seeing the king leave, she took the initiative and walked away from the door but remained in close distance with the room.
"Father! Where were you? Where you able to send the letter?" Mirabelle asked as her father led her towards the bed.
"I was in the fields my child, trying to clear my mind and yes I was able to send the letter. I gave it to a servant and I suppose she was kind enough to send it to the Coachman" Nolan explained.
"Trying to clear your mind? What is bothering you?" Mirabelle asked carefully adjusting herself on the soft bed.
"Your well being my dear" Nolan answered.
"I actually feel fine now papa. So you need not worry" She said and Nolan sighed.
His worry about mirabelle's well being wasn't related to the incident that occurred but something else. Something else that he had never seen coming. Sometimes that the king now knew and was the reason he wanted them to remain in the palace.
He sighed as he began to blame himself once again for his daughter's blindness. If he didn't do what he did, they wouldn't be here now. Perhaps his daughter's fate would have been less cumbersome.
He began to sob and Mirabelle jolted. Her father was sitting beside her bed and she quickly sought for his hand and Nolan let her take hold of his hand without her searching too long for where it was.
"Father why are you crying? Did something else happen?" Mirabelle asked she began to feel hurt by her father's sobs.
"My child. I am just feeling stressed. That's all" Mister Nolan lied. He hated lying to his dear child but he couldn't bring himself to say the truth.
The consequences of his actions had cut deep into his core and he felt disappointed in himself.
Mirabelle knew her father didn't want to say exactly what troubled him. She didn't want to push it so she didn't ask him anything but hugged him instead.