As it was afternoon already and would almost be evening. Madam Danielle had already decided to leave for the farm. Claiming she had some undone works to do there.
Noelle had even wanted to escort her, however, she refused. Insisting that Noelle should stay behind and rest for some time as she appeared quite thin in Madam Danielle's perceptive. She didn't want to make Noelle do some unnecessary works.
Therefore Noelle remained at the house. She was still sitted on the fluffy couch, relaxing her head on it. As she covered half of her body with the soft blanket Madam Danielle gave to her due to the coldness of the atmosphere.
Noelle was attempting to sleep as instructed. She was already even sleeping when out of the bloom she heard the front door opened up, and apparently someone seemed to be coming into the house, as she could percept the sounds of footsteps.
Opening her eyes, and lifting her head upwards, 'Is Madam Danielle back so soon?' Noelle wondered doubtingly.
At least that was what the poor mermaid thought until she unexpectedly heard a man's voice, and the voice sounded quite familiar to Noelle in a strange manner;
"Mother I'm home!"
'Westley…?' Noelle hastily elevated herself from the fluffy couch anticipatingly, probably knowing that it was Westley Nicodemus, her old-time best friend whom she missed a lot.
'He's here,' she thought excitedly.
Entering into the living room promptly was a fine young man. He had some really amazing good looks, he was quite tall and his skin were as fresh as snowflakes. Westley was wearing a brown trouser and a black shirt, and importantly he was wearing a cloak which had a hood.
And it seemed quite familiar to Noelle. Squinting her eyebrows, 'Have I seen that cloak before? I think I have,' she thought.
As their eyes locked, Westley was jolted backwards a bit by the mesmerizing figure of beauty before his eyes. A bit taken aback by the girl's charisma, and also by something else best known to him. His lips parted in awe.
"You're here…?! What are you doing here…?" he asked slightly nervously, as he instantaneously hid the small red purse which was in his clasp away from Noelle's eyes guiltily.
Immediately Noelle realized that the red purse looked exactly similar to the one which she had lost earlier back at the market area. Putting two and two together, Noelle smartly figure out that it was Westley back at the market who stole her purse. The familiar voice, and the black cloak, it all made perfect sense now.
"You!" She exclaimed furiously. Walking closer ragefully towards Westley, like a policeman ready to catch a nasty criminal. "Tell me where did you get that red purse from, uh?"
Noelle stopped walking, now basically standing only few inches away from Westley, reaching only the young man's shoulder in height.
Hiding the purse away sinisterly behind his back.
Westley stared back at Noelle, "I should be the one asking the questions here, not you. What are you doing in my house?" He asked shamelessly.
And this disgusted Noelle, "You remember me don't you? Weren't you the one who stole my red purse back at the market area two days ago? I know it's you so cut the crap and hand over my purse back to me now!" she demanded with a clean frown on her pretty face.
"Finders keepers!" Westley argued. "So what if I stole it from you? Is that the reason you came to my house? I assume it's not the reason right?"
"Of course not," Noelle stated angrily, widening her eyes dangerously. "I didn't get to see the face of who stole my purse that day. So how then would I have been able to know your house? It's impossible."
"So why then are you here? And where is my mother? Did you do something to her?" The young man asked tilting his head trivially, and rather suspiciously.
"Westley how could you think such a thing of me?! I didn't do such a thing. I came here to visit her instead, you idiot! Anyways she went to the farm not too long ago." Noelle folded her arms. Pouting her lips childishly, "And by the way Westley, It's me, your childhood best friend, Noelle."
"Come again," Westley uttered as though he hadn't heard it the first time, which he had. Staring confusingly at the extremely beautiful young lady before him.
Noelle rolled her eyes rampaciosly. "I said it's me your childhood best friend Noelle. The former Princess of Sunria, and also the little girl who use to bully you, and whom you also use to bully back playfully, when you still use to stay at the castle with us."
Westley still didn't want to believe what he was percepting. Was he dreaming or awake? Did he hear it right or wrong?
"No way…!" Westley whispered astonishedly, not wanting to believe. "That's impossible… no way…! Tell me how did you know all that?!"
Noelle sighed tiredly, "Because I'm her you idiot. Why don't you believe me?"
"No you can't be her… you can't…"
Noelle smirked. Knowing exactly how to make Westley understand that she was truly Princess Noelle, the former princess of Sunria kingdom, and his true childhood best friend too.
She shifted her gaze upon her right arm. Lifting the sleeves of her dress slightly without a second thought. Noelle pointed towards a particular place on her smooth elbow.
"Here. Look at this birthmark on my elbow. Do you remember it? You had abused me about it back then, telling me it looked like a poop. And I had cried a lot about it that day, that I even didn't speak to you for days," Noelle narrated. "Does that ring a bell?"
Westley who was now staring down at Noelle's elbow which had that exact birthmark he always knew about. His mouth opened widely in awe. His eyes as amused as ever.
"It's really you. Noelle. It's really you! How did…? I didn't know you survived."
Placing both his hands firmly on Noelle's shoulders, "I've missed you so much Noelle," Westley admitted. Moving closer towards the young lady, he hugged Noelle tightly like a little child. "You're so grown up now. Where have you been all this years?"
Noelle let him hug her. Although she felt quite awkward about it. But if it's just this once, it didn't matter, simply because she missed him too. Noelle smiled.
"I've missed you too Westley. Actually I went into hiding after the war happened, that is why I'm still alive up untill this moment," Noelle also admitted truthfully as the hug ended.
"But I'm still very angry at you for stealing my purse. You have no idea about what I had to go through that day due to your bad behavior." Tenderly pushing Westley's shoulders backwards with one her hands as she said those words with a little bit of tension.
Realizing his mistakes, "Here Noelle. You can have your purse back. Keep it," Westley stated, taking the girl's hand delicately, he aimed the purse back upon Noelle's palm. "I'm really sorry Noelle. I had no idea it was you. Please forgive me. I promise that I would make it up to you. You can ask me whatever you want, and I'll give it you."
Noelle pouted her lips. Gripping her purse firmly, "Let's sit first," she insisted sheepishly, knowing exactly what to ask Westley.
They both assumed themselves on the couch, as they sat opposite eachother.
"Have you forgiven me yet?" Westley asked.
"Not yet," she stated, as her voice sounded sinisterly. Causing Westley to feel quite wary.
"You have to forgive me Noelle. For the sake of old times, would you? I'll feel bad if you don't. I'm really sorry," Westley begged, staring into the girl's emerald eyes.
"Alright, I will," said the alluring mermaid, as her lips curved into a smile. Causing Westley to feel entirely relief. At least not until he heard what Noelle had to say next;
"But only on one condition."
Eating out of the plates of cookies on the table, Westley sighed. "What condition is that?" The young man with brown hairs asked attentively, willing to do anything in his powers to earn Noelle's affections back.
"That aside for now, I'll say it later. Westley now tell me. Why are you being involved in stealing other people's property? You're not like this before. What happened? Don't you presently have a job?"
Upon hearing this, Westley smiled slightly. As though a painful meaning was hidden behind the gentle smile of his.
"Noelle what can I say…? Even if I lie to everyone else I can't lie to you… It isn't my choice to steal too, you see…" he trailed.