The sea hummed with its latent power as the setting sun cast its warm glow, turning the shoreline into a stretch of sparkling gold.
Seagulls glided above the sand, their sweet songs contributing to the beach's lively ambiance.
The waves soaked the sand, creeping softly to the shore and wetting the feet of a passerby.
His large footprints were erased by the waves, yet the young man remained engrossed in the natural splendor before him.
He was clad in knee-length black shorts and layered a white shirt over his t-shirt.
"Hey!! Are you even listening to me?"
Suddenly, a sweet voice whispered in his ears, and Cathain turned to see the pouting face behind him, recalling the presence of someone on his back.
He gazed at the girl with his deep black eyes, his hair swaying softly in the brisk wind.
Bathed in the warm sunlight, her dark brown hair and ocean-blue eyes appeared even more striking.
"I am listening…"
Cathain responded with guilt, having not heard a word she said, and she furrowed her brows in response.
Milenka, realizing he hadn't listened to her, angrily grabbed his hair.
"Ouch! Millie! Stop, we'll fall down!"
Cathain yelled, struggling to keep his balance, while Milenka showed no intention of letting go.
"Damn you! Cathain Dickhead!!"
"How dare you to ignore me!!"
"Let me teach you a lesson—aaah!"
Milenka's words were cut short as Cathain lost his balance, sending them both tumbling backward.
He lay there, gazing up at the expansive sky, sighing, only to feel a gentle nudge against his back and silence enveloped them.
Cathain's heart skipped a beat, and he swallowed hard, bracing himself for the tempest he feared was about to ensue.
"Cathain Donavon… you bastard…"
Milenka, trapped between the ground and his back, spoke through clenched teeth.
He quickly stood up and reached out to Milenka, who was nearly buried in the sand beneath his weight.
"It's not my fault... I warned you to stay still,"
Cathain spoke as he dusted himself off and helped Milenka to her feet. She was seething with anger yet unsure how to quell it.
Nevertheless, she allowed him to brush the sand from her brown hair and white dress.
"So, what were you saying?"
Cathain inquired, gently running his fingers through her hair as she stared at him with a glare.
"Why should I tell you now?"
His movements slowed until he came to a complete stop, bending down to meet her gaze.
"Am I to take your silence as consent to our families' arranged marriage?"
Cathain asked, prompting Milenka's blue eyes to widen in shock, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.
"I never agreed to that! I'm not ready to marry anyone yet!"
Milenka exclaimed, leaving Cathain at a loss for words.
"Millie, we've been dating for two years. You still won't even acknowledge me as your boyfriend... Doesn't it bother you to leave me hanging like this?"
"WHO IS DATING YOU?! YOU ARE STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION!"
"…"
Cathain folded his arms, gazing down at the girl who stood five feet four inches tall, dating him yet shirking any responsibility.
At twenty-six, Cathain was four years her senior, the girl before him being twenty-two.
After persistent pleading and daily vexation, Cathain Donovan finally secured consent from his father to propose marriage to Ethan Montgomery, the father of Milenka.
Ethan chose not to decide for his daughter, leaving the matter to Milenka, who at that time held no dislike for Cathain.
As they grew closer, Milenka began learning the business ropes from Cathain, and their chemistry blossomed organically.
Neither made a move to propose or confess, leaving the nature of their relationship undefined.
Yet, they relished each other's presence.
Their bond exceeded friendship, yet it didn't qualify as a romantic partnership.
Cathain, seemingly fearful of overstepping, never ventured beyond their established rapport.
Visions of a silver-haired girl with tear-stained jewel-blue eyes haunted him whenever he contemplated drawing nearer to Milenka.
She reminded him that her closeness was only due to her lack of memory of their past.
Cathain's dark eyes filled with pain as Milenka continued to gaze into them.
The cold wind brushed against them once more, causing her white dress to sway elegantly as the sun neared its descent.
A slight curve formed on her lips before she parted them to speak.
"Who are you thinking about?"
Cathain was jolted from his reverie by Milenka's unexpected question.
He glanced around, attempting to compose himself before responding.
"No one..."
He stammered.
Yet, a sneer escaped her as she turned her gaze away from him and bowed her head.
"I am not a fool, Cain... I recognize that look in your eyes. You seem lost when you gaze at me as if you're not really seeing me but searching for someone else within me..."
Milenka's words tumbled out in a single breath as she fought back her tears.
Clutching her dress tightly in her fists, she mustered the courage to meet his gaze once more.
"I HATE YOU CAIN!"
Milenka yelled at him before turning to run in the opposite direction, while Cathain remained motionless.
As he watched her flee, another image superimposed itself over Milenka's in his mind.
'I will never forgive you, Cain... for killing me and... my child.'
Cold, indifferent jewel-blue eyes haunted his mind, and Cathain found himself collapsing to his knees. The images and memories of Eleanora replayed incessantly in his mind, plunging him into darkness.
Her handcuffed thin wrist,
That shabby white dress on her body,
People were cheering for her death,
Her bloodied sword was in his hands as he killed her,
Cathain abruptly opened his eyes as he couldn't bear to face those scenes with a sigh before he turned to stare at the vast sea again.
'I am sorry, Elle... I have made you cry again...'
…
Cathain couldn't recall when or how he had made it back to their hotel room.
Upon entering, his gaze landed on Milenka's sleeping form. She lay on her own bed, as they habitually reserved a room with two beds.
With a deep sigh and a shake of his head, Cathain locked the door and fetched the hair dryer from the bathroom, noting she had fallen asleep with damp hair.
'This girl... when will she ever learn to look after herself?'
He mused as he began to dry her hair, his eyes were drawn to her side profile, casting a somber shadow.
Their faces bore a resemblance, yet their personalities were diametrically opposed.
He had never witnessed her radiate a smile as luminous as Milenka's.
She had never spoken with him so carefreely, and she had never been as happy as Milenka.
Cathain's heart ached, feeling he was wronging Milenka by still harboring thoughts of someone else who was no longer present... but he knew he could never forget her.
"She is right; it does seem like I'm searching for someone else in her,"
"My empress... whom I might never see again."
.
.
.
[A/N: PLEASE READ THIS NOTE!!
This is the story of the starting Cathain and Eleanora from the first volume of the book saving the abandoned empress; the one who was actually executed.
The second timeline's Eleanora only had this first timeline's Eleanora's memories and they were not the same as the first timeline's Eleanora was trapped in Abyss.
For those who are reading Season 02 directly without reading Season 01 can check out a few chapters from that book to know about this story better.
Season 01: Saving The Abandoned Empress.
CH 1-13 (The story before her execution, mostly from Eleanora's pov)
CH- 58, 75, 76, 119, 120, 122, 124, 137-138, 169-170 (The story after her execution from different characters pov and vision or dream)
CH 188 - 192 (The story after her execution, mostly from Cathain's pov)
CH 210 - 211 (The scene of their rebirth in the modern timeline)
Both timelines are the same, except for the main leads. So the starting is the same but the development and ending will be different. This season won't have anything that involves the first season drastically either]