Sometimes,theheart remembers what the mind tries to forget.
VIOLET'S POV
I don't like people.
Not literally. Not figuratively.They smile with venom and lie with charm. They hold daggers behind honeyed words.
So today, like many days before, I did the only thing that gave me a semblance of peace—I escaped.
I slipped through the palace gates unseen, ditching the suffocating silence of velvet halls and glistening chandeliers. Out here, under the dusk-kissed sky, everything felt alive. Real.
The fair had taken over the town square, with stalls dressed in colors that bloomed like wildflowers. Streamers fluttered above as laughter and music tangled in the wind.
I kept my hood low and my steps quiet, weaving through the crowd until I found what I was looking for—a quaint little inn, with warm light spilling from its windows and the smell of grilled spices in the air.
Heaven.
I stepped in and found a quiet corner table. The waitress blinked when I gave her my order—seafood platters, roasted chicken, sweet rolls, and more.
She tilted her head. "How many people are you expecting?"
A slow smile curved my lips. "Just me."
She left looking mildly horrified.
But when the food arrived, I didn't care. My soul needed this. My tastebuds danced, and for a moment, I wasn't a princess. I wasn't Violet.I was just a girl—savoring food she never had the freedom to enjoy.
NOAH'S POV
It had been days since I fell into this world—and days without finding Abigail or Yami. Worry clawed at my insides, refusing to let go.
The body I now inhabited belonged to a man of duty—Noah Dravonox, son of General Varek Dravonox and grandson to Eryon Dravonox, a sharp-tongued minister loyal to the empire.
Born of legacy. Raised by rules. Groomed for obedience.
His name was mine now. His life, his armor, his wars. And I was expected to fit perfectly inside that mold. So I did—waking early, training harder, performing flawlessly.
But none of it erased the emptiness gnawing at me. Not even the weight of a sword in my hand felt as real as the questions in my mind.
Today, I was granted a rare breath of peace. My father allowed me into the city with a few fellow soldiers. We wandered toward a local eatery we often frequented. The air smelled of roasted meat and cinnamon.
As we sat down, jokes flew across the table, and then—
"Think she can finish all that?" one of them muttered.
I followed his gaze and paused.
She sat alone in a corner, hood slipped back, revealing hazel-brown eyes that glowed with pure, uninhibited joy. Her lips were curled in satisfaction as she devoured her food like it was her last meal. Not a care in the world. Not a shred of hesitation.
I watched her with faint amusement… and something else I couldn't quite name.
And then—
It happened.
The light in her expression vanished.
I noticed her by the counter, eyes wide, voice trembling."I had a full coin pouch—I swear it was with me... I-I don't know where it went..."
The owner's face was already twisted in suspicion. Her hands shook as she searched every corner of her cloak. People had begun to stare.
And in that second, I remembered.
A page from the book. A scene I'd read and dismissed.This was Violet's nightmare.Her humiliation. The incident that haunted her long after it passed.
But this time, she wasn't alone.
I stepped forward, reached into my belt, and pulled out my coin pouch. I placed it gently on the counter between them.
"Here's the payment," I said coolly.
The silence that followed was almost reverent.
I turned to her—our eyes locked.
"Let's go," I said simply.
She hesitated for a heartbeat. Then nodded and followed.
We walked in silence through a dimly lit alley behind the square. Cobblestones echoed under our boots. When we stopped, I turned and bowed slightly.
"I'm Noah," I said. "From House Dravonox."
She blinked in surprise. "How do you know who I am?"
I smiled softly. "You're not exactly forgettable, Princess."
A breath caught in her throat.
"Next time," I said gently, "bring maids. Shadow guards. Anyone. Don't walk alone."
She nodded, visibly flustered, then composed herself.
"I'll escort you back to the palace."
A nearby carriage pulled in. I mounted my horse and dismounted swiftly in front of the carriage door, offering my hand.
Her palm met mine—soft, almost weightless. Electricity danced in the quiet air between us. She stepped up, eyes unreadable.
As the door shut behind her, she whispered, "Thank you, Noah. You may leave."
I watched the carriage roll away, the flicker of torchlight catching in her hair as it disappeared down the path.
A strange pull settled in my chest.
And I knew this was only the beginning