To His Hell and Back-Chapter 213: I’m Leaving

Arabella who had gone far enough sighed when suddenly she was spotted by the cat. The curious Lala cat turned around her, circling around her ankle.

Meow. Meow.

Lala demanded attention and only when Arabella had bent down and scooped the cat that it did stop crying. The cat made her arms as its bed, muffling around her neck like a scarf once it had tired itself from resting around her arms.

Unlike the real Lala, this Lala cat was quite a mischievous one. With a hobby of meowing when things didn’t go its way and demanding for certain way to be hold, angry when it’s denied.

Arabella found the cat’s personality to be too similar to Cassius and the way it warmed up only to her was quite adorable. So despite her own stress, Lala’s presence became like a comfort place for her, making her to smile when thoughts swirled in her head without end.

"Oh Bella!!" A bright tone called up for her mind when she reached the gallery. Turning up she found Princess Isabelle beside Princess Marissa and when their eyes met, an awkward situation appeared between the two who had left on a sour note the last time they had met each other in the garden.

Even as princess Marissa nodded her head in a bow, Bella could see how her hands were holding together in a prayer or as if she was trying to ease up the awkwardness she felt.

"Princess Isabelle, princess Marissa, good day to you two," she greeted the two when suddenly princess Isabelle tugged her hand.

"Why are you so stiff? Be at ease Bella! We are friends aren’t we?"

Arabella could see the glimmer in princess Isabelle’s eyes, clearly the happiest to see Arabella like a friend would. Bella also found the bright and cheerful Isabelle similar to her sister and the soft spot on her heart grew despite the bitterness she had also felt when she saw her with Cassius.

"We are," she answered the lady who beamed in response.

"I’m glad that I’m not the only one who sees you as a friend! By the way Bella are you alright? Is it me or you look paler? You also look thinner even though we just saw each other yesterday. Have you eaten well? Should we go and have a lunch together? Were those ladies bothering you again? They shouldn’t dare to do so after... well don’t hesitate to tell me if they are, I’ll make sure they learn their lesson this time and rectify their mistake. I’ll also make sure-"

"Princess Isabelle I think you’re overwhelming her." ƒreewebɳovel.com

Upon princess Marissa’s words, the cheerful princess schooled herself with a nod, "oh I’m sorry I was just too excited to see you, Bella."

"Mhm I don’t mind. I’m alright princess, I’m sure I have eaten well and enough so I wouldn’t lose more weight overnight," and when she heard the princess chuckle, Bella broke to a smile. "Are you going to the garden now?"

"Yes, yawn," sang Princess Isabelle, "I was totally busy yesterday without even a moment to breathe."

"Ah," last night she was busy with Cassius.

Princess Marissa turned to her and gently spoke, "How about going to rest instead Princess Isabelle? You don’t have to worry about garden meeting."

"Oh but how could I? All the other candidates are in the garden to get to know each other meanwhile I-" she sighed. "If only I had been quicker in finishing the duty His Highness has given me."

"Don’t blame yourself, he needed the help and you were willing to do so." Princess Marissa said. "Please take your time to rest. I shall notify your absence."

"Well then," Princess Isabelle yawned again and turned to Bella, "ah Bella would you want to come to my room?"

Confused, Arabella who was still focused on how Isabelle had been given a "duty" by Cassius faltered to understand her words, questioning it innocently, "But you are going to rest?"

"Yes but well you can sleep with me right? We could talk and sleep beside each other." Princess Isabelle said with a chuckle and Arabella politely shook her head and though the princess was saddened she hadn’t forced Arabella and left the place not long after, bidding a brief goodbye.

Left with Princess Marissa though she felt a little awkward alone with the princess, she tried to make a small conversation, "Are you happy these days Your highness?"

Princess Marissa was a little taken aback by the question but as they walked, her tension loosened and her truthful words came, "Happy, I suppose I have been happier."

"That’s great, you must have found someone who had made your days better," expressed Bella and she could see the princess softening.

"Indeed. My brother too, he has changed hasn’t he? In a better way which could bring joy to the whole nation."

Arabella held herself and she nodded but deep down she questioned whether it was her who changed Cassius or Isabelle.

"I have overstepped my boundaries last time Bella," the princess said with a hesitant look on her face. I was trying to find a way where you could be more truthful or perhaps comfortable... I don’t know what I should say, I just wish that you wouldn’t have to hide your t aemotions. As a friend..."

"I’m not someone who can choose... it’s a privilege to be able to love someone whose rank is higher than yourself." Arabella said with a soft sigh, "but I understand what you are worried about. It’s alright, your highness. I will try to protect Cassius as best as I could even if our relationship stays as a friend."

Marissa turned at her, "My brother can be difficult to deal with."

Chuckling she nodded, "I knew that beforehand. I know how stubborn, proud, and a little too knowing. But he has good in him and he is someone who could improve. He also has many people who is against him and it could worry you but as long as he allows me to be with him, I shall try my best to be someone he could put all his trust into."

Chuckling she nodded, "I knew that beforehand. I know how stubborn, proud, and a little too knowing. But he has good in him and he is someone who could improve. He also has many people who is against him and it could worry you but as long as he allows me to be with him, I shall try my best to be someone he could put all his trust into."

"You will?" Princess Marissa asked and with a soft nod Arabella promised.

"I like being beside him." Arabella admitted. "Though I don’t know how much longer he would like me to be beside him..."

"No, my brother would be delighted. I am also delighted to know that I could trust him to someone else." Then the princess looked around them to make sure that no one else would listen to their conversation. With a held breath, the princess whispered. "Truthfully I plan to leave."

Arabella was surprised how the princess had told her the truth despite the fact that the princess was going to run away and how it should be an ultimate secret.

She tried pretending to have known nothing, "Ah back to your old castle?"

"No. I plan to leave everything. For good."

Arabella stared at her unblinking. She tried to pretend not to know anything but didn’t expect the princess to tell her the truth without a single hesitation written on her face as though she didn’t mind if Bella would tell the news to everyone including Cassius.

"Does his highness know about this?" She questioned Princess Marissa who shook her head in answer. "Then aren’t you worried that I will tell this to his highness?"

"No," Princess Marissa answered with a firm heart. "To be more exact, I don’t mind it if you told Cassius about my plan. I want to leave but I also want to be truthful to the one person who will be protecting my brother in my stead. He’s powerful and his physical body would hardly be harmed. But his heart? I don’t know about that. He pretends nothing matters truly to him but we know it’s not because he doesn’t care but he tries not to care as it would hurt him more to be hurt by someone he cares for."

Thinking about Cassius, Arabella began to wonder if he ever cry. Much less having someone to cry in front without feeling worried that his weakness had been exposed?

She didn’t think that he has anyone like so, knowing well that he doesn’t even show this side to Marissa so how could he ever show this side to anyone else?

The King? The current Queen Morgana who is out to kill him?

But if he could cry to someone and that person betrays him.

Yes, that would hurt most.

She nodded to the princess’s words, "I agree. Perhaps Cassius knew that trusting someone would mean losing more of himself and he prevent it by not opening his heart at all."

"Yes, Hans was the one who told me about this and once I reflect on it, I understand what he means and became worried. That worries though made me more impatient and I had instead overstepped my boundaries. For that, I apologize. I understand that you have your own position and as you said, to love someone so openly could be a privilege to others. I’m too naive and if not for Hans, I wouldn’t have known this."

Arabella smiled softly, "Seems to me that Hans is such a good man."

"Indeed he is," said Marissa with her dreamy eyes.

"What kind of man is he?" Bella asked and her green eyes caught how the princess took a moment of silent, her heart seemed to blossom with happiness before her she opened her lips.