"Miss Milla..." Said Elzen, gathering courage to break the awkward atmosphere. "Elzen..." At the same time, Milla tried to start the conversation, and now both look at each other with an embarrassed smile.
"Elzen... I know what happened when I was... unconscious. She talked to you, and... well, we are here now, or at least, one of us." Milla then talked about what happened inside her mind. She doesn't know if she is herself, Manila, or something else. Talking to him helped with her confusion; before, she could feel something else on her, but now there is nothing to sense.
"I know it's something too absurd to believe, but I can only say to trust me on this." She didn't look directly at him, but she poured all her thoughts, trying to bring order to her chaotic state of mind.
Elzen's facial expression was hard to read in that moment; she didn't know how he would react after hearing her story. He was calm, but his eyes were stone-cold, devoid of an inch of emotion. When she was thinking of talking again, he took the initiative.
"You stood alone for so long, it's understandable that you could never trust someone." His tone was sad, making Milla's heart feel a little tighter.
"But...I thought we had something, you and me, our friends, even Commander Boltu, I thought we meant something..." Before he could continue, she interrupted.
"You all meant a lot to her, I mean...me. I would not be able to resist for so long inside that cave, being tortured by that madman, if it were not for the memories I had with everyone, with you. I would probably have given up." She almost threw her blanket on the ground, trying to stand up, but the pain didn't allow her to stay standing for long, and she sat back on the bed.
Before she could continue to talk, Elzen approached and helped her to sit comfortably again in the bed.
"You should not exert yourself, lady Alliah told me. You are still hurt and need to rest." He covers half of her body with the fluffy blanket.
"I am okay, just feel a little discomfort while moving..."
"Stubborn as always..." He smiled happily, placing the flower bouquet on the nightstand on the left side of the bed. "Hear me out, Milla. I can't say I understand what happened to you or how your past influenced your current situation, I can't say either that you are the same person that I loved, but one thing I can say is..." He did a long pause, leaving Milla anxious.
"I felt your mana before, the same energy of the person I loved. I don't need any more proof than that. First, I thought you could have been suffering from memory issues or something way more serious because of what happened in your captivity, but now, after everything you said, I can understand more." He extended his hand, asking permission to hold hers.
"But, I don't even know who I am right now..." Slowly, she held his hand.
"So, how do you want me to call you?"
His question made her stop in deep thought. What does she want? Does it matter if she is Milla, Manila, or whatever she is after the conversation? She has her thoughts, desires, and wishes; they didn't change. It's time for her to decide who she is and focus on going forward with her will.
"Call me, Milla. This is the name I chose by myself, different from the one that was given to me by that despicable man. Milla Markrul, this forename I decided thinking about the most important people I had in my life." She gave him a beautiful and serene smile, and he understood how precious her words were.
"So, let me introduce myself one more time, my lady." He kisses her hand gently. "Elzen Rockrul, son of Hallinton and Elizin Rockrul. A guard in the city of Minarian, and a Loyal squire of Boltu Markash." Milla giggles after the long introduction.
"Nice to meet you, Elzen. I don't have such a long introduction, but you know my name; we can start from there." They laugh together, creating a harmonious atmosphere in the room.
"So, I know you came here, but why?" She asked, looking him directly in his eyes.
"First, because I was worried about you. After the healers told me you were stable, you didn't wake up, and that was frightening. Every day after your family brought you here, I've been visiting to see when you would wake up." His joyful voice had a hint of worry when he mentioned her unconscious state, but he proceeded in a way to reassure her.
"So, I am here to bring you the news, since you were unable to know what is happening in the city." He sat comfortably in the bed and then started to talk about the events. The tavern's owner demanded more protection from the adventurers' guild after the incident, as many of her coworkers asked about her well-being and if they could bring anything as a gift, and after telling many small changes in her social circle, Elzen prepared the most important news.
"As you know, there will be a diplomatic visit from the House of Felnatus to our duchy, so in the next week, there will be a two-day festival. When the committee arrived, escorted by our guard, the festival began. I have to be within the escort group, but I will be available in the afternoon. That's the second reason why I came here. Do you want to go with me to this festival?"
Anxiety was exuding out of his eyes; he wanted to be with her on that day so much. They needed to finish their date, interrupted by those despicable men. However, Milla was shocked; most of the news made her heart feel warm and filled with love from those around her, but the announcement of the festival in one week caught her by surprise; her time was limited. She needs to finish all the preparations. At the end of the festival, another dagger will pierce the heart of the Felnatus lineage.
"Will you escort the committee after the festival?" Worries filled her mind. If Elzen is part of this escort, she will need to rethink her plan.
"No, for some strange reason, they don't want to be escorted when the festival ends. I suspect they want to leave during the day, so there is less chance of someone preparing anything against it."
"Why do you think that?"
"Well...part is my intuition, why would they deny an armed escort to the territory border? The only reason they want this is to avoid too much attention to themselves. The Duke will talk about the plans, but as far as I know, I will be free from the escort duty on the first day. So...do you want to go with me to the festival?"
"Yes, I do. I think it will be fun." Her gentle smile made Elzen so happy; that's what he wanted, needed, and desired. The festival would be a nice chance for her to regain the lost time and opportunity, and a perfect opportunity to iron out her resolve.
For one hour, they discussed the date, where to go, what activities to do, and where to eat delicious and diverse types of food. It was a pleasant chat; Elzen was excited about it, and he could finally go alone with her for the entire day. Milla was not paying much attention to the plans, leaving him to decide everything; her mind was focused on the main reason for the festival, the committee.
How many guards will protect the carriage that will bring Amiliath and other diplomats to the city? Where should she intercept them to enact revenge? She had hope that no one she knew would be in there; it would be awkward and sad. Anyone in her way will need to pay the price for Amiliath's actions, but maybe she can only subdue them without the need to take their lives. Wait...why is she worrying about other people's welfare in this crucial moment? There is no time for distraction, but at the same time, they are not guilty of being close to her; many of those who will escort her are ignorant about her crimes. Is it fair to judge and punish them in the same way? Those questions brought distress to her; it was a new way of thought, nothing like what she had done before.
"Well, it's always lovely when I spend time with you, but unfortunately, I need to go back to my patrol." Since she accepted the invitation, he smiled nonstop, gently grabbed her hand again, and kissed the top of it. "I wish you a speedy recovery, my dear Milla. I can't wait for the day of the festival now."
"Be careful in your patrol, and thanks for coming to see me. Oh yes, thanks for taking care of me when I was at the tavern." Before he could remove his hand, she kissed it gently. The time they spent together was always filled with good moments. Deep inside her heart, she wants to finish what they started at the Harvest Festival, craving for his attention, warmth, and his lips. This festival will be the end of her old life and the beginning of a new one, so she needs to do everything she can to leave without regrets.
Elzen stayed a minute longer, loved by her beauty. The woman he loved was back within his reach; this time, he would not let anything happen to her. After he left the room, Milla rested for the entire day; she needed to gather her energy to complete all steps of her plan.
The first day was calm; she stayed in her room, but this time was not for rest. She spent most of the time writing letters; it's the only thing she can do to protect and show how much she cares for all the people she holds close to her heart. Each letter was written with a specific person in mind, expressing how much they were valued, remembering how they first met, and the reason why she wrote the letter.
On the second day, she went back to her routine, focusing on gathering resources and working on the forge. At night, she gathered information about the festival organization, the committee routes, and the guard numbers. She spent a large amount of her savings to pay brokers and merchants, but it was all worth it.
The next three days, she spent on the forge, crafting all the equipment she needed for her plans, finishing the last details on her armor and weapon, and as a thank you token, she did most work in the forge to let the storage be filled with ingots and orders, easing the workload for Ghord and Alliah. At the end of the fifth day, Ghord was impressed by her work and cooked a big feast for her to celebrate. She will miss these peaceful times with Ghord's family, which became the closest experience of what a loving family was.
One day before the festival, the atmosphere in the entire city was filled with ecstasy and anxiety. The city guard was prepared for any situation, allocating guards in every possible corner. Merchants had their warehouses filled with products, and inns, taverns, and restaurants hired more workers, expecting an increased flow of customers.
Then...the day of the festival arrived.