Chapter 117 - 116: Ellory with her Friends
After saying goodbye to her brother and leaving the study room, Ellory returned to her bedroom. The maids were already waiting with a fresh dress, and they helped her change quickly.
Her hair was brushed neatly, her shoes were clean and shiny, and her dress was light blue with small white flowers sewn into the skirt. When they were done, Ellory turned to the mirror, smiled brightly, then rushed out of the room with excitement in her steps.
She ran down the hallways, passed by the staircase, and stepped into the warm sunlight of the garden. The flowers were in full bloom, birds were chirping in the trees, and near the fountain, four girls stood waiting with smiles on their faces.
"Ellory! Finally!" one of them shouted, waving her hand with energy.
It was Marriane, a tall girl with curly brown hair and a strong voice. Next to her stood Clarisse, calm and graceful, her long dark hair tied in a braid. Hannah was sitting on the edge of the fountain, swinging her legs, while Hestia—who was the shortest—stood with both hands behind her back, smiling shyly.
Ellory laughed and ran to them, hugging each one. "I missed you all so much!" she said, nearly jumping with joy.
"We missed you too!" Hannah said. "Do you know how many letters we sent? Ten! And every time, you said you were too busy studying!"
Hestia nodded, puffing her cheeks. "We thought you were avoiding us."
"No, I wasn’t!" Ellory said quickly. "I just... I was really busy. I’m sorry. Brother and I were learning many things. And Owen was teaching us too. I didn’t mean to ignore you."
Clarisse smiled softly. "It’s okay. We understand. We just wanted to see you again, even just for a day."
Marriane placed her hands on her hips. "Well, you’re not allowed to study today. We’re going to spend the whole afternoon together!"