The Kingdom Of Aartals was ruled by the Welhem Royals.
Their distinctive feature was black hair and green eyes. They were as brave as to kill lions with bare hands and as cunning as a solitary fox. But one thing was ta weak point of the Welhem royal family.
The Gilbert Duchy.
Noah Gilbert, who only knew profit and business above all the emotions, was the current generation of the Gilberts. And thus, the royal family had no way other than being constantly wary of The Gilberts to maintain the power balance in their favor.
"My lady, it's surprising to see you at an event like this after so long." The crown prince said while kissing Janice's hand.
"I don't think we have ever met before, your royal highness. Have we?" Said Janice politely with a slight bow.
Royal Crown Prince, Kyte Welhem, was the most dangerous enemy anyone could ever make.
Behind the mask of his beautiful face, he had a heart that had almost no feelings. He could stab anyone in the back with a clean scene. No one could ever point their fingers towards the Crown Prince anyway.
But the thing was, Noah and Kyte, were best friends since childhood, and Wendy Brooks was his cousin from his mother's side.
"The game is clearly unfair for me." A quick thought brushed across Janice's mind.
"It's a pleasure to have you here too, Duke Gilbert." Said Kyte with a wide beaming smile.
"What a hypocrite, hmph." Janice thought to herself.
But what shocked both Kyte and Janice was Noah's response.
"Yes, your highness, it's a pleasure for me too." Said Noah with a bow.
"What is suddenly up with this duke. Why did he give Kyte a cold shoulder when he is speaking so nicely, Is it due to some political reasons or what else?" Janice had all kinds of weird assumptions.
"I would love to take my wife and go pay respects to the emperor.", Noah said as he grabbed Janice's hand and took his leave.
Kyte calmly watched Noah walking away with Janice, but what stayed with him was,
"Janice wore that dress and Noah called her 'My wife' openly at Wendy's ball. Something is not right. But it seems interesting. Lively things will be happening in the kingdom soon." Kyte thought to himself with a smile.
Noah dragged Janice towards the outer garden of the count's mansion.
"Why is he taking me towards the garden? What is he trying to do now?" Janice anxiously thought as she was being dragged by Noah.
"Hey wait.", Janice commanded.
Noah just ignored her words.
"Duke? Duke stop." She said with a much louder voice.
But he didn't stop. He was rushing towards the garden with his one hand tightly grabbing Janice's hand.
"This bastard is plainly ignoring my words now?" Janice was getting angrier with every growing moment.
"Just leave my hand." She shouted angrily and snatched her hand to break free.
Noah stood there with no reaction.
His back facing Janice. A tall and lonely back.
"Why does he seem so lonely? Why isn't he reacting?" Janice thought to herself.
"Hey, are you ok?" Janice spoke softly as she took a step towards Noah.
He stood there with no reaction.
And then suddenly, he fell down with a thud.
In the middle of a young night, in the garden which isn't a known place, Janice stood completely clueless as to what she was supposed to do with an unknown fainted man.
"Shit, What just happened?" she rushed over to the fallen duke.
She turned him over.
His clothes soiled but his eyes closed peacefully.
"How can he have this peaceful expression?" Janice thought to herself with a silly smile.
His face was as calm as a pond at night that reflected the rays of the silver moon with ease. "He is handsome. But he seems strangely familiar." Janice thought to herself with frowned eyebrows.
"Who are you exactly Noah Gilbert?" Janice mumbled as she unknowingly touched his forehead.
"He is burning with fever. I have to take him out immediately." Janice decided to herself.
She made him stand up and put his hand across her shoulder to hold him more firmly. They just had to walk to the carriage that was parked in the backyard of the mansion.
"Let's get going. Shall we?" she said with greater enthusiasm, that she would almost run towards the carriage.
But as they were passing through the garden gates, Janice heard a murmur coming from the other side of the trees. She could have just ignored them but one sentence caught her attention,
"Did she just wear that dress? She is one hell of a courageous duchess. She should know her place but coming from the countryside this is what to be expected. Old habit dies hard after all." Said, one lady.
"How can she wear a gift given by her ex-fiance to a ball organized by Count Brooks? She is indeed shameless." Expressed another lady.
"But the most shocking thing is, the duke who is always so particular about not creating any controversies, allowed the duchess to wear that dress. I guess their marriage is further going to get sour." Said one while laughing.
"What did I just hear? This dress was given to Janice by her ex-fiance? And even Noah didn't oppose me wearing this dress?" Janice was herself shocked.
"There is something more mysterious buried underneath this arranged game. I must find it out." Janice mumbled.
They soon reached the carriage and they hurried towards their mansion. Noah's fever was going up constantly and even his face was turning red.
"I must help his fever get down until we reach the mansion." Janice thought and asked the footman of the carriage to get her a cloth and a vessel of water.
There was still a long way to go before they could reach their mansion.
Noah was still unconscious and Janice was growing anxious with every passing moment.
"Is this duke having a certain health condition? His fever is only getting worse. It hasn't been long since I came into this world and in this body, but why do I feel this kind of attachment and worry for the duke. Are they real Janice Tyler's feelings , or do I remember Noah , whom I left behind? Am I feeling close to him because his name is Noah?" Janice was quietly pondering over many things together as Noah's head rested on her laps and the carriage made haste towards the mansion.
"I guess it isn't much late in the." She said as she glanced out of the window.
"I wish I could get drunk on the beauty of the sky tonight. It is just as beautiful as this gown that Janice's ex-fiance gave her." She mumbled.
She started feeling drowsy. "Oh! I guess I am sleepy. I am tired. I have felt this thing, this feeling before. But now I want to just close my eyes." She quietly closed her eyes as the moving carriage gave her a little peace within.
The night was indeed charming and the moon shone brightly amongst all the stars. The kingdom of Aartals was blessed with a high altitude region. And thus it made one feel much closer to the infinite sky.
"I wish I could've held your hand forever Janice." Said a young boy who seemed to be around seven years old.
"Who are you?" asked Janice in a puzzled way.
"Why is my voice like a child? I feel like I've become younger again." She thought to herself.
There was a cloud of thick smoke.
Everything was blurry even if the sun shone brightly. It must be morning. That boy had a familiar charm to him.
"You know me Janice. I'm disappointed in you. I wanted a revenge. But I got cursed. Will you help me?" he asked with a smile on his face and a casual warmth.
"Yes, I will help you." Said Janice.
"Wait I can't control what is happening. Why am I helping a faceless stranger?" Janice thought to herself.
There was no clear identification of who he was. Even his words were getting distorted. He held his hand out towards her. And a gush of wind blew, brushing all the smoke away.
"You should know the entire truth. I want the truth." His face suddenly became like a unknown stranger. She got scared and suddenly opened her eyes in panic.
" WAIT…" She screamed bouncing up from the bed.
The bright sun rays coming from the bedroom window shone directly on her face.
"Uh?" she covered her eyes instinctively.
"It's Morning already?" she mumbled to herself.
"Ah, my shoulders are aching and even my neck." She said while slightly massaging them.
"What happened yesterday?" she was a little puzzled seeing herself in her nightgown.
"Oh , we went for the ball yesterday. Hope the duke is resting good." She said stretching her body.
"Let's get down from the bed, it's time to rise and shine and work for my life." She motivated herself.
Cindy came in to help her get clean and Beth helped with the breakfast.
"Can't believe I'm in someone else's body and that I died earlier. But I can't trace any past memories of this body and thus have to struggle myself alone." She said massaging her forehead as she felt a little helpless.
"I'll have to start all the research from start, but the first thing is what was with that weird dream?" she said with sudden realization.
" That boy? Who was he? Was that my dream or Janice Tyler's memory. I can't even get the slightest hint. " she sighed.
"I also have to find out about the ex-fiance of Janice." She thought.
"Let's ask Cindy about it, she'll definitely know. I don't know if they consider me as their master yet but she will have to at least tell me that honestly." She had the sudden bulb on moment and called Cindy inside.
"Yes my lady?" she bowed as she entered.
" Guess she isn't as afraid of me as the other maids in here are. That works just fine for me." Janice smiled lightly and proceeded with her question.
"Cindy would you tell me who my ex-fiance is? Is definitely not the way I should ask it." Janice had a conflict going inside of her mind.
After a brief moment, she thought,
"Ok , let's ask her and finish this matter quickly." She came to a conclusion.
Cindy was certainly puzzled but chose not to show her expression and let the duchess take her time.
"Cindy?" Janice finally decided to ask.
"Yesterday's dress…" she continued with a little anxiety and lot of stress in her sentences.
"Yes, my lady?" Furthered Cindy.
"It's not as precious for me to keep it in my collection. So what is the best way to dispose it off?" she carefully placed her question expecting a reaction from Cindy. And just as she predicted Cindy said,
"My lady! How can you dispose off the dress given to you by the Crown Prince?" she said with a most shocked expression.
But the person who was more shocked than her was Janice, the duchess herself.
"Wha…what the Crown Prince??" she thought to herself in disbelief.
"Ahem, well what you say is true. Let's not dispose it off. You may leave." She calmly send Cindy off. And on the other hand Cindy was getting more confused.
"Damn that cunning bastard was Janice's Ex-fiance? If yes then this complicates everything even more." She mumbled to herself.
And there was a knock on the door of her room.
"My lady the duke is here." Said her guard.
And the duke entered the room.
"I am here for business." He said coldly.