Betrothed To The Prince

"So Nora, I have to leave now, but enjoy the rest of your day and I will see you later." said Wura as she broke the hug.

"Oh alright my queen... but are you not going to finish your breakfast?" asked Nora as she noticed that Wura had barely touched her food.

"Oh no, I am so full of joy from seeing you that I cannot eat anymore." replied Wura as Nora laughed.

"Oh my queen, I do feel the same, alright then, should I bring your meal at midday?" asked Nora as Wura shook her head.

"No, I do not think that is a good idea, I will be in my office all day and Mero might be there when you walk in, since you do not want to see him for now, it is best that you do not come to my office without informing me first." said Wura as Nora nodded understandingly.

"You are right my queen... I will make sure to inform you beforehand, so I will see you at dinnertime then?" asked Nora as Wura nodded.

"Yes, at dinnertime, see you soon and enjoy returning to work." said Wura as she smiled and gave Nora a quick hug before she left.

"I will my queen... enjoy your day." replied Nora but Wura had already left.

Nora sighed a happy sigh, one that showed how happy she was to be back to work.

She decided to clean up in here and before she knew it, she had spent an entire hour thoroughly cleaning Wura's room.

She wondered if the other replacement maids had actually cleaned anything, or maybe she was just really just a perfectionist when it came to cleaning.

Regardless Nora left Wura's room feeling fulfilled that today instead of laying in bed and crying she had actually achieved something tangible that made her feel so good.

On her way out she realized that she had nothing else to do for the day. Usually she would be by Wura's side at day at her beck and call, but because of her wish that she avoid Mero, she just could not do that.

Nora sighed, she hated how her entire life had been changed by a single man, a man that she knew she hated and yet she still had feelings for.

Before she knew it Nora found herself in the kitchen that was less busy than it was early in the morning.

She was just going to stay around here, there was nothing more for her to do and she did not want to go back to her tent, she feared that her previous depression would come back if she was to be alone.

"Nora, are you alright?" asked the cook as Nora looked at her and nodded.

"I am sorry for asking, but you do not seem alright." said the cook as Nora sighed.

"I am alright... do you have anything for me to do?" she asked.

"No, all the maids have already served everyone their breakfast..." replied the cook.

"All except for... the knights that went out on patrol early this morning, they just returned and have not had breakfast yet." said the cook.

"That's is wonderful, finally something to do, I can go serve them their breakfast." replied Nora happily, the thought of having something to do just excited her.

"Ummm... I do not know about that, will not the queen need you? I do not want to have to go find you when she comes asking for you." replied the cook, it was no secret that the queen's favourite maid was Nora.

It was not that the queen was mean to any of the other replacement maids, but it was clear that she was not as excited to see any of them as she would be if it was Nora.

"No, you do not have to worry about that, the queen will not ask for me today." replied Nora.

"Are you sure about that?" asked the cook, she did not look like she believed that statement.

"Yes, I am very sure, so send me." said Nora.

"Oh alright then... here... they will be at the camp's southern walls." said the cook as she handed Nora the tray and she nodded.

Nora instantly took off, she wasted no time at all. The cook shook her head and sighed.

"Ahh the poor thing, she was treated unfairly by that Sir Mero, just look at her so broken." tisked the cook to herself.

...

Nora walked happily through the camp as she came to the southern wall where she saw the last person she expected to see over here.

"Nora?!" called Zuph in a mix of surprise and happiness.

"Zuph... what are you doing here?" asked Nora surprised as she laughed.

"I should be the one asking you that." said Zuph.

"Alright that is true, I am here to serve breakfast for the knights that went out for an early patrol." replied Nora.

"Oh was a coincidence, that's why I am here as well." said Zuph.

"You are?" asked Nora confused.

"Yes, because I was part of the knights that just came back from patrol." said Zuph.

"Oh, that makes sense." said Nora as she smiled.

"You look happy... I am glad to see you happy." said Zuph as he smiled.

"And I am glad to be happy." said Nora as she smiled.

"Here is your breakfast." she said handing him his breakfast.

"Thank you..." said Zuph as he smiled.

"Have you had breakfast yet?" he asked.

"Ahh, no not yet, it skipped my mind." she replied.

"Would you like to come and have breakfast with me?" he asked.

"Sure." she replied.

"Let me just go serve these first." she said as he nodded and smiled.

...

"So how are you finding your first day back to work?" asked Zuph as he and Nora were sitting beside the wall as they ate their breakfast.

"Well it is wonderful... it feels good to be back but..." said Nora as her voice trailed off.

"But what?" asked Zuph.

"But I feel so bored since I asked her majesty if I could avoid Mero." said Nora.

"You want to avoid him?" asked Zuph.

"Is that not the logical thing to do?" asked Nora.

"It may be, but it is also the fearful thing to do, you need to confront him." said Zuph.

"You cannot avoid him forever." he added.

"I can and I will." she replied sternly and Zuph did not want them to get into an argument.

"Alright..." he said knowing fully well that this was a very delicate matter for her.

"I thought you took a few days off?" she asked.

"I did, but only to look after you... I went back to my duties yesterday and that is why I was posted to an early patrol." said Zuph.

"Oh I see." said Nora as Zuph smiled.

"Nora... do you really think that avoiding Mero is the best thing to do?" asked Zuph as Nora sighed.

"To me, it feels like the right thing to do, he broke my heart and I truly do not want to have anything else to do with him." she replied angrily.

"I understand that clearly Nora, but avoiding someone like that... it will not be good for you eventually." he replied.

"You cannot avoid him forever, you cannot ignore him forever, it will not be good for you." he repeated hoping that she would consider his words.

"You are really the last person I expected to tell me that because judging from the gossip swirling around you have not spoke to Mero in days because of what happened between me and him." said Nora as she scoffed.

"Yes... but that is only because I find his behaviour unacceptable, her hurt you." replied Zuph.

"We are basically doing the same thing for the same reason. The day you move on and forgive Mero for something that has nothing to do with you is the day I decide to stop avoiding him and actually talk to him." she replied with a tone of finality.

"Alright fine... you are right, you win." said Zuph as he sighed in defeat, there was no way that he was going to forgive Mero for his lies and deceit.

"I do not understand Zuph... does this matter really upset you that much?" asked Nora, she was confused, surprised and worried that a matter that concerned her would cause Zuph to lose respect for a man he had been friends with for years.

"Yes Nora, it really does." he replied.

"But why? Why does it upset you so much why?" she asked, she still did not get it. Why would he be so angry over something that concerned her and not him.

He had nothing to do with this at all and yet he was on her side and not speaking to Mero because of that.

"Because I care about you and anyone who hurts you has me to deal with." he replied sternly.