One morning, while Aura was collecting firewood in the nearby forest, she stumbled upon a man sitting on the ground, with a battered hat covering his eyes. He appeared to be a beggar, dressed in rags and looking frail.
"Excuse me," Aura said, approaching the man. "Are you all right?"
The man lifted his head, and Aura realized that he was blind. "I'm fine," he replied, his voice soft and gentle. "Thank you for asking."
Aura felt a pang of sympathy for the man and offered him some food and water. To her surprise, he refused the food and told her that he could not eat as he had no money to buy any.
"Please take this," Aura said, handing him a coin. "It's not much, but it should be enough to buy yourself some food."
The man thanked her and they struck up a conversation. His name was Caecilius, and he had been blind since birth. Despite his misfortune, he remained optimistic and kind.
Over the next few weeks, Aura and Caecilius became good friends. He was the only person who did not seem to be affected by the curse, as he could not see her beauty. He saw her for who she was, a kind and gentle soul.
As the winter days grew colder, Aura and Caecilius would often huddle together for warmth. Their friendship slowly blossomed into something more, and Aura found herself falling in love with the kind-hearted beggar.