"It is, indeed, me," Maximilliansaid, a hint of amusement in his voice. "And I must say, I am pleasantly surprised to see you here. I wasn't sure if you'd be willing to risk another encounter with me. I mean, I thought you would be sleeping.
"I wasn't expecting you either," Adela replied, her voice coy. Disappointment settled in, Maximillian wasn't whom she really expected. Now, she had to find her way out.
With Maximillian's eyes locked onto hers, Adela knew she needed to defuse the situation quickly. "My apologies," she said, giving a small curtsy. "I was just…surprised to see you."
"Well, you certainly looked surprised," Maximillian said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "You looked like you were expecting someone else. A lover, perhaps?"
Adela's heart skipped a beat. How much did Maximillian suspect?
Adela smirked, throwing her hands. "A lover? I barely leave the walls of this palace. Oh, that's only of you mean a guard."
Maximillian raised an eyebrow, seemingly unimpressed by Adela's deflection. "Come now, Adela. We both know you're far too clever to simply be 'surprised' by my presence. And I've never known you to shy away from speaking your mind." He stepped closer to Adela, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Tell me, what were you truly expecting tonight?"
Adela bit her lip, torn between her secret and her desire to protect the stranger.
Adela hummed, her mouth to his ears, "Since you've caught me, I have no other choice that to yell you. I was actually expecting you without your cloak on."
Maximillian tensed at her words, a mix of confusion and surprise crossing his face. He pulled back slightly, his eyes searching Adela's face. "Without my cloak?" he repeated. "Are you implying I should have come to your chambers half-dressed?"
Adela gave him a mischievous smile. "No, no, Maximillian. That would be far too forward. I merely thought perhaps you'd come dressed as yourself. As my fiancé. Not as a… shadowy visitor in the night."
"Mm, I see. Can I go and turn back the clock? Let's redo the moment." Maximillian questioned.
Adela couldn't help but chuckle at his suggestion. "I'm afraid the past cannot be undone, my lord. But I appreciate your concern."
Maximillian paused for a moment, his eyes searching Adela's face again. "Then perhaps we can start from here," he said, his voice low and intense. "As the man you've agreed to marry, I have a right to know the truth. Who were you expecting to see tonight?"
Adela's heart raced.
"First, Mr. We are not married yet, and if this is how you are going to be around me, then let's just end this for the better. I'm sorry, I need to sleep, if you may kindly excuse me.
Maximillian looked stunned at Adela's words, his mouth slightly agape. "You would end our engagement… over this?" he asked, incredulous.
Adela's expression hardened. "I will not be questioned like a criminal in my own chambers," she replied firmly. "You have no right to interrogate me, regardless of our engagement. Now, goodnight."
Maximillian searched for words but found none. With a nod, he turned and left, the door closing behind him.
After the lamp went out, she saw a blur of shadowy figures and dark spaces. But there was always one figure that remained constant: the stranger. He seemed to materialize in her chamber, his smile warm and his eyes full of mystery.
She didn't know how old he was, but his confidence and intensity made him seem mature beyond his years. And the way he looked at her, with such sincerity, made her feel seen and understood.
As Adela watched, the figure of the stranger grew clearer until it felt like he was standing right in front of her.
"Why do you come to me in my chamber?" Adela asked, her voice soft.
"Because you wish for me to be here," the stranger replied, his voice low and rich. "And perhaps, deep down, you know that our paths are meant to cross."
Adela shook her head, trying to shake off the strangeness of this conversation. "You don't know me.
The stranger smiled, his eyes sparkling in the dim light of her dreamscape. "Do I not?" he asked. "You are Adela, daughter of Lord Benjamin and Lady Elisabeth. Betrothed to Maximillian, but yearning for more. You are a woman of spirit and intelligence, yet bound by duty."
Adela was taken aback. How could he know so much about her? "Who are you?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"I am simply a man who sees you, Adela. I see your strength and your passion.
Her sight shifted around them, transforming into a lush, green forest. The stranger reached out and gently took Adela's hand, guiding her through the undergrowth.
"Tell me," he said, his voice gentle. "What is it that you truly want?"
Adela was silent for a moment, her mind racing. What did she want? Freedom? Love? Adventure? All of it, she realized.
"I want it all," she whispered. "I want to live my life on my terms."
As Adela and the stranger wove through the trees, the forest gave way to a sun-dappled glade. In the center of the clearing stood a fountain, its waters sparkling like diamonds in the sunlight.
"What do you see when you look into the fountain?" the stranger asked, his voice soft.
Adela looked into the water, and as she did, she saw a reflection of herself, not as she was, but as she could be: a woman standing on her own two feet, strong and confident, with a cloak of independence draped around her shoulders.
"I see a woman who is her own person," Adela whispered, her voice barely audible. "I see a woman who is not bound by duty or expectation, but free to live as she chooses."
"Then perhaps that is the woman you need to become," the stranger said, his voice gentle but insistent. "If you allow yourself to be only what others expect you to be, you will never truly live."
Adela considered his words, her mind turning them over like smooth stones in her hands. Was it possible to become the woman she saw in the fountain?
With that, she heard a knock twice, she opened her eyes and realised it was a dream. She sighed disappointedly, "If you didn't come to me in reality, then I will, stranger. Wait for me. " She bold told herself and got up.