Marry me Elara (by minutes story)

"mother I don't know about anything."

Elara protested, trying to deflect the barrage of questions that had been coming her way since Sebastian's departure.

Her mother's eyes narrowed, a mix of concern and frustration etched on her face. "The prince comes to our house, showers us with gifts, and shows you affection, yet you claim to know nothing?" Her voice rose, but she quickly reined it in, switching to a gentle tone. "Listen, Elara, I know you're worried about me, but this is serious. Tell me what really happened. Please, don't lie to me this time... I'm your mother."

Elara hesitated, her eyes darting around the room before settling on her mother's expectant face. "I... I don't know, Mother. It was just an accident,"

Her mother sighed, her eyes never leaving Elara's face. "Sit down...And relax." Elara had no way but to do what her mother said. She complied, and sit Infront of her mother on the couch, her gaze dropping to the floor.

"Elara." Her mother called her out gently, like a bird being coaxed to safety. "Look at me." When Elara raised her head and their worried eyes met, her mother smiled.

"I know my daughter is strong and very brave," her mother said, her voice filled with conviction.

"But she is a little secretive, which I don't like. It's good to keep your big secrets to yourself, but don't hide them from your mother. You can tell me what happened there. I won't judge. I just don't want to be in the clouds, Elara. It will be good if I get the right information from you instead of hearing the wrong one from someone else."

**********

Elara sighed, knowing that there was no reason left to hide the truth from her mother. After all, Sebastian had already told her mother half of the story. "Okay," Elara said, taking a deep breath. "I will tell you, Mother."

She explained the situation, word by word, telling her mother about how they had met with a few neighbors from their town, how Jacob and Lily had bumped into Princess Florence, and how the princess had slapped her in return. Elara told her everything - about Princess Florence's behavior, the Crown Prince's behavior, and Sebastian's behavior. She gave her all the details, including the dance with Sebastian after the slap.

Her mother listened attentively, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity. Elara could tell that she was trying to process everything, to make sense of the strange and unexpected events that had unfolded.

The next day, early in the morning, Elara's father returned home after being away from the family for months. Elara and Jacob had been waiting for him patiently, excited to see him again. They had missed him terribly, and it was clear that he had missed them too.

The family spent the day celebrating his return, with special food, laughter, and stories. Elara's father shared tales of his journey, regaling them with stories of far-off lands and exotic cultures. Elara made his favorite meals, and Jacob was overjoyed to receive gifts from his father's travels.

But amidst the celebration, Elara's mother couldn't help but think about the story Elara had told her the day before. She knew that she had to tell her husband about it, to fill him in on the details.

That night, after the children had gone to bed, Elara's mother told her husband everything. He listened attentively, his expression growing more serious with each passing moment.

The next morning, Elara's father asked her to confirm the story, to make sure that she was telling the truth. Elara reassured him that she had no interest in the third prince and that they had never met again after that day.

Her father nodded thoughtfully, his eyes filled with understanding. He told his wife to eat the fruits and handed Elara the jewelry and dress that Sebastian had gifted them earlier.

"They're from a wise ruler," he said, "who knows what his duty is. And we are his people, his father is our king, his son has ordered us to use his gifts, so we will use them wisely."

Elara's mother let out a sigh of relief, her shoulders sagging slightly as the tension eased out of her body. But then her husband's expression turned serious, and he added a warning. "But hide them from outsiders," he said, his voice low and urgent.

This little sentence was heavier than the gold they had been given. Elara felt a shiver run down her spine as she realized the weight of her father's words. He knew that even though they hadn't received any further action from the palace, and especially from the third prince, on this, there was still a risk of unwanted rumors making a drama out of this situation.

As the days passed, Elara found herself looking over her shoulder, wondering if they were being watched. She knew that her family had to be careful, that they had to keep the gifts hidden away from prying eyes. Everyone in the family agreed to use the gifts behind closed doors, not showing them to anyone except Jacob.

But Jacob was curious, and he asked Elara why they were being so secretive. Elara explained it to him, and after realizing what was going on, he told Elara that Lily was also with him when Sebastian had come with the gifts.

They immediately warned Misses Marathon to keep the secret hidden, knowing that little Lily wouldn't be able to keep it from her mother. Misses Marathon reassured them that she wouldn't tell anyone.

The next few days passed uneventfully, with no more gifts or unexpected visits from Sebastian's side. Elara thought that the trouble which had been troubling her was finally over. But little did she know, it was just the starting of the biggest storm, which had yet to come.

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