Awakening Love: Reborn to Be His Duchess Chapter 509: The Gift Outside

Elowen glanced over the setup, then said to Cora, "Line the tables up properly and leave enough space between them. I don't want anyone bumping into corners or getting hurt."

Maerwyn and Elara exchanged a look, both clearly pleased with how things were going.

After finishing that, Elowen naturally turned her attention to Lyra.

Lyra had arrived late, so her seat still needed to be arranged.

Lyra lifted her face, her tone gentle and well-mannered. "Aunt Elowen, it's really fine. I can sit wherever there's room."

Elowen had always liked girls with that kind of easygoing, considerate nature. She softened slightly and glanced around the hall.

Behind the main seat on the left, there was an open space that had originally been set aside for decorative arrangements. It looked spacious enough.

Elowen said, "Cora, add a place setting there for Lyra. Keep her close to me, it'll be easier to talk."

Maerwyn and Elara both paused, then leaned toward each other, whispering.

Maerwyn said, "Why does she get to sit that close to Aunt Elowen?"

Elara said, "All she said was that she didn't mind where she sat..."

Maerwyn muttered, "That's not simple, that's calculated."

Elara nodded. "I'm learning from this."

Everyone took their seats one by one.

Mira approached, holding the performance program with both hands, and stopped respectfully beside Elowen.

Elowen didn't take it. She smiled gently and said, "Let Duchess Roland choose first."

Cora answered, "Of course," and turned toward her.

This time, Duchess Roland didn't insist on refusing. She accepted it with a bright smile, flipped through briefly, and chose a lively, festive performance.

Elowen smiled as she spoke, her tone casual. "When I got married, there wasn't a suitable brother to escort me out, so Leonhart carried me instead. I hadn't seen him in a long time after that, but seeing him today... he's grown into quite the handsome man."

Duchess Roland smiled broadly, though her words stayed modest. "That boy? Handsome? If he really were, he wouldn't still be single at twenty-one without even a match arranged."

Elowen let out a soft laugh. "Marriage depends on the right timing. Mine didn't happen early either."

Duchess Roland covered her smile. "If Leonhart could have even half of Cassian's fortune and ability, I'd consider myself very lucky."

On the stage, the performer presented a symbolic blessing, drawing cheerful attention.

At that moment, Gerda hurried over and leaned down, speaking quietly into Elowen's ear.

"A large carriage just arrived outside the gate. Four tall horses pulling it, heavy enough to leave deep tracks in the dirt. They say it's a birthday gift from the Crown Prince. It's covered in fine cloth, so no one can see what's inside, but there's movement. It's alive, and it sounds big."

Elowen's brows drew together slightly.

A gift from Alaric.

She remembered what he had said earlier in the study, that he regretted everything, that he had prepared something for her birthday, that he hoped she could forgive him.

Recently, she had also heard that the Crown Prince's Wing had sent people far north, deep into the open plains, searching for something. The effort had been significant, though tightly concealed.

Elowen glanced sideways. "Can you tell what it is?"

Gerda hesitated for a long moment, her lips pressing into a thin line. "...It's a horse. A rare warhorse."

Elowen's fingers trembled slightly.

A sudden wave of nausea rose in her stomach, sharp and overwhelming, rushing up toward her throat. She forced it down, her frown deepening.

Her mind pulled her back to last autumn.

Ember lying in a pool of blood, those gentle eyes that had always looked at her slowly losing their light, its coat stained dark red.

Alaric had killed Ember.

And now, he was sending her another horse.

Elowen was so angry she almost laughed.

She couldn't understand how Alaric could think that killing Ember and replacing it with another horse would erase everything that had happened.

She couldn't understand why he believed such an extravagant gift would make her forgive him.

Then again, she did understand.

Because it was Alaric.

Alaric had always been like this, arrogant and blind.

Elowen's expression cooled. "Keep the horse outside. Do not let it in."

Her gaze flicked briefly toward Maerwyn and Elara, who were both watching her with wide, curious eyes.

A thought crossed her mind.

"If the Crown Prince's Wing asks," Elowen added calmly, "tell them I was watching the performance and couldn't be interrupted. If he wants an answer, he can come ask me himself."

Gerda answered, "Understood," and stepped back.

Elowen straightened again in her seat.

The performance on stage continued, bright and celebratory.

Elowen spoke softly, "Seeing that offering reminds me of a horse I raised when I was younger. It loved fruit, especially apples. Every time I went to the stables, I would bring a few. It would nudge my palm with its nose, and when it got impatient, it would tug lightly at my glove."

Maerwyn leaned forward, her eyes shining. "Aunt Elowen, are those horses really that fast? I heard they run like the wind. Is that true?"

"It is."

Elowen's smile deepened slightly. "My horse was named Ember. When it ran, it was faster than anything you could track with your eyes. And it understood people well. It would only let me ride it, no one else."