My chest, like the weather, palpitated in the waves of the gray skies. The thunders roared like a mighty lion, water dripping, streaming down my face.
It's not bitter, it's just warm.
My vision, although clear, couldn't stop my hands from wiping my forehead.
My mouth went dry, clenching and unclenching my hands, I breathed out some air, and roughness collided through my throat. No matter what I do, or try to say, it's no use when it comes from above.
People below them are in order. They are the elites, middle class, lower class, and commoners.
Decrees, rules, and approvals always come from the sun's palace. Only those with the same bloodline could start a rejection, but neither from the order of classes.
History in the past hundred years, had rebellions against them, yet no one has won.
Except for one… From the same bloodline.
Charles, as the second-in-line managed to secure his throne, from my previous life.
Bitter memories of a winter cold invade an old nostalgia of emotions where I used to be in the middle of a meadow, staring at an imaginary road to a future with the person I fell in love with.
What captivated me in my first life, became a passing chill of an autumn breeze.
Smiles that created butterflies became illusions of a snake's deception.
All I've been taught, seen, and held by him, were no more than a sandcastle through the waving ocean.
His sweet tone of voice like an angel, became a devil's disguise.
Remembering him, made a chill pass. Reorganizing what happened in the past and now, became different.
A huge difference occurred.
A book appeared out of nowhere. A letter happened to be sent earlier than expected. I stole Adviel from Charles' manipulation.
Changing the course of actions has become common, but no one can be certain what the future holds.
The book's prophecy remains a puzzle.
Yet, Charles might be the subject of that prediction.
Feeling suffocated, I walked out of my room, to go for a night stroll in the garden. My head started spinning when I couldn't feel some breath earlier.
"Milady here," a sudden gust of sweetness came to my ears from the tantalizing voice of a young boy.
Melodies invaded my mind, and before knowing everything, I saw my reflection in his golden orbs.
"It's night; shouldn't you be sleeping in your quarters now, Adviel?" I asked
He sighed, shaking his head. Our hands collided when I claimed the blanket from him. I felt a sudden spark. Is it because it's cold here outside?
The breezes in the garden when it's night aren't friendly at all.
"I couldn't sleep, so I took a walk, then I saw you, so I might as well hand you some warmth," he said.
This was the person I hated in my previous life. I didn't know that he could be like this.
Warm.
Safe.
Comfort.
In his eyes, I couldn't see the person whom I was in my first life. I can only see a young lady who stares outside looking at the stars, holding a blanket over her shoulders, and feeling the chilling breeze from a night's sky.
It was me, with a person called Adviel, a person I regretted hating.
Me, and him, under this starry night sky, fell so surreal.
He mirrors my reflection well as if we're two peas in a pod. My chest hurt. For a second, it felt hard to breathe in this open.
"Are you alright, Milady?" Adviel asked.
I chuckled, gripping my blanket.
"Never been better than before. So call me Isabela, Adviel, just as I always asked you."
"I-Isabela."
"Now, that's been better," I said.
His skin felt warm to mine. Shaping his cheeks, his eyebrows raised.
But just as I thought earlier, let me just enjoy my time as a kid.
From now on, I will look outside the frame of a young boy.
"So are you going to continue munching my cheeks like they're dough?"
"I just like the idea of teasing you," I said.
I let go of the warmth and turned to look at the sky.
I sighed.
"Adviel, can I ask you a question?" I asked
I didn't hear any response until a few seconds later.
He sighed.
"You're already asking one, Isabela," he whispered.
I smiled.
I don't know.
Maybe because of the sounds of the leaves dancing, or was it because of our breaths passing through the wind?
"When knowing a person, would you trust them immediately just because of their kindness to you? Or would you remain skeptical knowing that person's true motive?"
I knew he wouldn't answer my questions in a second. I gazed at him and saw a mature-looking person.
He felt different for those three seconds.
"Whatever the case, I will trust that person," he said.
He didn't stutter.
I heard his voice straight like it was the end of a question.
"Why?"
I don't know the words would come out before I could stop.
I know I shouldn't. But I can't help being curious.
"Because if that person's kindness stems from either motive or real, my trust will never be broken."
"Why?"
Again…
"Because trusting a person is my choice."
"So, you choose to trust them even if they have a motive for you? What if their motives are bad, and if you're not useful to them anymore, they'll discard you like a used object?"
"Even if they did, I know I didn't doubt taking their hands. I didn't doubt trusting them. In the end, trusting a bad person is a lesson."
"Doubt? Lesson? I seem confused right now, Adviel," I asked again.
He sighed.
"You know, Isabela, a child like you, will be hard to understand."
"Why? I'm the one who asked you a question, Adviel!"
He shook his head. My shoulder became heavy and his warmth invaded them.
"Listen carefully then," he paused.
"Trusting is different from blindness."
"Of course, they have different meanings."
"No, Isabela, you must know the difference."
"Then what are the differences?"
"A person can kill someone they trust, they can betray someone they trust, they can hurt someone they trust, and the same goes for the ones who never trusted them. But a person who blindly follows someone without knowing any reasons for what they're doing is called idiotic…" he paused
"So now, do you understand?"
I couldn't respond.
A sudden thought came to mind.
Trust.
A word I regretted doing.
Yet now, it's like a puzzle. It's confusing when it's him when he speaks his heart out.
I gazed at his sunny orbs and asked.
"Then right now, Adviel, do you trust me?"
I saw the edges of his lips curled up. He knelt on the grass, his left hand over his chest while his right hand caught mine.
His lips touched the back of my hand.
I remained standing.
"You can use me as you will. My life is all yours to take, Isabela. I oath this in my name. We are already bonded by an unbreakable contract."
Like that, golden mists appeared.
And I fell right through his arms.
"Sweet dreams, my dearest Lady Isabela," his smiling face seems familiar. Like I saw it in a nostalgic dream.
***
Golden Festival arrives sooner than expected. It's a festival where people celebrate an abundant harvest. The village people perform different street dancing, theatre acting, and magical shows in their designated places at the market.
Some nobles will arrive, some will disguise, and others might rest in their residences.
But since Father is a Duke who rules in the region, he's expected to start the celebration.
Even the apple candies might be a thing like in the past.
Sonia and I talked about the upcoming festival, and a sudden knock echoed in the room.
"Come in," I said
I asked Sonia to leave.
The door opened and beheld a young boy with a crimson sun's kissed hair. A grin became visible in his eyes. Then I fixed my posture, putting the cookies Sonia left me earlier on the tray.
"When a lady is eating, you have to be aware of any leftovers," Adviel said
He wiped the right side of my lips, then brought a small chunk of cooking from his thumb to his mouth, licking the edges of his lips.
"What the----"
For a moment of shock, he didn't spare any time to let me absorb what he just did.
"The Duke and Duchess called you to their office. They have something important to tell you," he said
His voice changed. It became stern, not like earlier.
I bit my lips and clenched my hands.
"Adviel you!!!" I shouted.
But I felt his pointing finger in between my opened lips.
"Believe me, they have news for you. So are you coming or not?"
My eyes stared at his, and I saw my eyes widen.
In a blink, we're already in my parent's office.
"Good, thank you, Adviel. Now, Isabela, listen," Father spoke. He paused for a cough then continued.
"The festival will be in a week at the Loveness Market. I arranged what had to be, and the people complied very well. I just hope they don't disappoint my expectations," Father said pausing with a cough.
He set the paper down on his table and looked at his wife with eyes I could see full of warmth.
Mother began speaking after, "He's saying that with the people's effort, he couldn't do this alone," Mother then chuckled.
Father sighed but smiled in the end.
My parents knew what's best.
They also know how to handle the land they rule abundantly.
It's the land where people can roam freely at night, and work without anyone abusing their authority.
"So we just hope the Adviel you guard my daughter in behalf of us…"
"It's my honor to do so, My Lord."
***
A week later, I ran into someone familiar.
"You said you're name is Carcel, right? So did we meet before?"
"Thank you for bringing me to this wonderful forest I enjoyed watching the fireflies with you. But unfortunately, no, we haven't met before, Milady," he whispered.
Something about his smile felt surreal.
It reminded me of those silvery moon dusts
I sighed.
He might just be another ordinary kid I saved from a passing carriage.
But why do I feel like his dark blonde hair has silvery highlights at its edges?
A second after we parted ways, I glanced at his back to see his hair turning silver.
I blinked, and he was gone.
Was it a result of meeting a mage in disguise?
I became curious but my curiosity changed when warmth covered my whole body.
Goosebumps crept through my skin when I felt his face snuggling to my neck.
I even felt some goosebumps when his face came closer to my neck
"I thought I had lost you, Isabela. Please don't make me feel worried like that ever again…"
"I promise…" were the words I said but I never thought I would still make some mistakes from that simple and small promise.