The door's knob rattled.
It swung open, and Noah came across a pair of jewel green eyes.
Her raven black hair had been tied back into an intricate bun, and her purple blouse tenderly hugged the tips of her shoulders. The emerald stone in her necklace complimented her snow white skin.
Unexpectedly caught in her gaze, Noah found himself frozen in his spot.
"Aria! Know that our engagement is over if you take a single step out of this door!"
Noah saw the frown that came over her delicate features. She looked over shoulder at the angry young lord inside the room. Noah recognized him to be the only son of count Darren.
"Oh really, Alfred? Who are you to break off this rotting engagement after so fearlessly cheating on me with some commoner?"
She shouted, hands gripping tightly the turns of her white skirt.
Noah looked over her head, and at the man who stood in the center of the room. Chestnut brown hair and dark black eyes that showed not a single hint of guilt in them.
'What a lowlife!'
He thought, disgusted.
"Oh please! Why are you making such a big scene? In front of some stranger as well!"
He raised a hand in annoyance, gesturing towards Noah.
"Ahem!"
Noah cleared his throat. It was time to leave. The knights looking for him would be here any moment.
He bowed his head, a hand on his chest.
"I apologize for intruding. I shall be taking my leave."
"Oh no, you shall not!"
Aria grabbed his wrist.
"What?"
He stood up straight, eyebrows furrowed.
She came to stand beside him, and wrapped her around his. Alfred's eyes went wide, his face flushed with anger.
"Aria? Have you finally lost your senses?"
He shouted, and Noah saw her flinch, her trembling fingers digging deeper into his shirt.
He clenched his jaw.
'He's annoying.'
"Why? If you can go around sleeping with other women, why can't I hold another man's hand?"
Count Alfred was speechless.
"Listen well, Alfred Darren! I'm breaking off this engagement right here, right now!"
"Huh? What? You insane woman! You think that you can do whatever you please!"
He stomped towards them, and grabbed her elbow, pulling her away from Noah's side.
She groaned in pain that his hold was inflicting.
"Alfred-"
"Who'll accept a woman like you? If it wasn't for my generosity, nobody would think of marrying the stupid eldest daughter of Duke Haeyet!"
Slap!
He had been forced to shut his mouth.
"I d-dare you to sprout such nonsense again, you filthy lowlife!"
Her voice was shaking, her eyes bloodshot from the tears that stung them, but she didn't stop.
"You can not disrespect my father like that! I'll pull out your disgusting tongue, and feed it to the hounds!"
Noah was bewitched.
'How? She's just a woman. Women are supposed to submit.'
"I have had enough!"
He raised his hand.
"This will bring you back to your senses!"
She kicked him. Right into the balls.
'Ooh!'
It made even Noah wince.
Alfred's face morphed into an excruciatingly painful expression as he bent over. He fell on his knees, face sweaty, and eyes tightly shut.
"I'll be sending the annulment paper this evening. Make sure to sign them if you do not wish to lose your manhood."
"Curse...you..."
He mumbled from beside her feet.
To Noah's surprise, she grabbed his wrist before stepping out of the door. Quietly, he followed her down the hallway, and towards the staircase.
"Hah..."
She plopped down on the top step. He had no choice, but to sit down beside her.
"I can't believe that I hit him right where it hurts."
She raised her, only to find out the wrist that she had been subconsciously holding all this time.
"I would like my wrist back, sweetheart."
She instantly let him go.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
The tip of her nose turned pink, and Noah smirked.
'How amusing~'
"Gaining my forgiveness isn't that easy, princess."
"Then, what must I do?"
He leaned forward, and tucked a stray strand of her hair being her ear.
"I'll tell you some other time. You just need to remember me, princess."
She blinked, her wide green eyes sparkling like jewels.
"How can I forget a commoner with an expensive shotgun in his belt? That is of you are just a mere commoner, sir."
He looked down at his gun that was covered by his shirt. Only a part of its guard stuck out from underneath the fabric.
"You are mistaken."
He leaned back. She tilted her head, her chin in her hand.
"I do not think so."
He felt himself getting excited.
"And why is that so?"
"Hmm. That silver pattern engraved in its guard. I think it's the same as the one on my father's gun."
He smiled. Something he had done for the first time in a very long time.
"Was I right?"
She chirped, hands clasped together, and eyes looking hopefully at him.
"You have beautiful eyes."
She blinked, and a shade of pink slowly crept on to the tip of her nose. She looked away.
At the foot of the stairs, there was a commotion. Noah got up on his feet.
"Before I leave."
He leaned down, his warm breath brushing past the skin of her ear.
"You guessed it right, sweetheart. Keep your promise. Remember me."
He smirked, and stepped away.
Bewitched, she watched him as he jumped right out of the window that stood open beside the staircase. Footsteps hurriedly ascended the stairs.
"Princess Haeyet!"
A knight called her. Breaking the trance she was in. She looked away from the window, and towards the man who stood on the step below the one she sat on.
"Are you alright?"
"Huh? Yes. I'm alright."
She nodded, and got up to let the knights pass by.
"Have you seen a man with black hair, and a shotgun?"
'Black hair?'
She looked over at the window.
'What other secrets were he hiding?'
She shook her head.
"No, I have not."
"There's a man knocked out on the floor here!"
A knight shouted from the room, and she lifted her hand to her mouth to hide her grin.
"I suggest that you look after him."
"Yes, my lady."
"I'll be leaving then. Good day, sir."
She turned around, and descend the stairs.
She had a news to break to her family. She wondered how they would react upon hearing that she had broken off her engagement.