WebNovels

Chapter 25 - His First Love

A slender figure stood by the tall window of the somber palace, draped in a thick, white velvet gown. Her eyes, as dark and deep as the midnight sky, mirrored the hue of her cascading hair that flowed down her back. With a gaze filled with sorrow, she peered out of the window, lost in thoughts too profound for words to convey. It was a ritual she repeated every day, an unspoken lament etched in the lines of her face.

"Your Highness." When her maid arrived, Silvia jolted ever so lightly, as if awakening from a trance. She had forgotten the fact that she was barely breathing, lost in her thoughts.

"Hm?" She turned to look at her, and the maid's head was bowed.

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince is arriving," the maid spoke, her tone respectful.

For a moment, Silvia's dark, dead eyes showed a flicker of hope, but it took her a few seconds to respond. "Oh, you mean Dastan," she said, her voice heavy with emotion. She then took a long, deep breath, filling her lungs before nodding. "I will change into something more lively," she said, looking down at her clothes.

"Yes, Princess," the maid replied hastily, scurrying to prepare Silvia's clothes.

Meanwhile, Dastan, who had reached the foot of the Mourning Palace, paused to gaze up at the snow-covered, gloomy structure. The walls of the palace, once a somber gray, were now enveloped in pristine white. He released a heavy breath and dismounted his horse. His arrival had been anticipated, and the guards hurried towards him.

"Greetings, Your Highness," they said, their tone tinged with amazement. Dastan's awakening was still nothing short of a miracle.

They led his horse to the stables while Dastan gave them a brief nod before making his way into the palace. His heart pounded against his chest as he entered the palace, his palms growing sweaty with nervous anticipation. It had been years since he last saw Silvia. How much had she changed in that time? Surely her hair would be longer now, her features more mature. Despite knowing she was betrothed to his older brother Isa, Dastan couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement at the thought of seeing her again. After all, she was his first love. Dastan's mind was consumed by memories of Silvia, his thoughts swirling as he walked aimlessly through the palace corridors. He was oblivious to his surroundings, lost in the echo of their last encounter. The sound of his own heartbeat drowned out all other noise, until a familiar voice cut through the haze.

"Your Highness?" Silvia's voice pierced through his reverie, causing Dastan to halt in his tracks. His breath caught in his chest as he turned to face her, his heart racing at the sight of her.

As Dastan stood rooted to the spot, his internal reflections seamlessly merging with the reality before him, he found confirmation in his musings. Indeed, Silvia's hair had grown longer, cascading in soft waves around her face, framing features that seemed even more alluring than he remembered. Her eyes, deeper and more captivating than ever, held a warmth that stirred something deep within him. In that suspended moment, time seemed to lose its grip as he drank in the sight of her, frozen not in the past but in the present, entwined with the woman he had never truly stopped loving.

A gentle smile curved Silvia's lips as she drew the heavy embroidered shawl around herself, moving closer to Dastan with a sense of familiarity and comfort. 

"Your Highness, it has been such a long time," Silvia's voice echoed softly, resonating in Dastan's mind as he watched her speak. His eyelashes fluttered, caught in the spell of her presence, and he nodded lightly. "Y-Yes, it has been a long time," he stammered, a heavy nervous breath escaping him. 

Silvia's smile, bright and warm, seemed to illuminate the dimness around them as she reached out to touch Dastan's cheek gently. His body quivered at her touch, a rush of warmth flooding his senses. "It is warm," she laughed lightly. "You scared us all when you froze like that, you know?" Her voice carried genuine sadness, a testament to the worry she had felt during his mysterious absence. "I really missed you, Your Highness," she added, her words tinged with longing.

Dastan listened to her words, his heart aching. He understood that to Silvia, he was merely a cherished friend, a companion from childhood. Yet, in the depths of his being, he yearned for something more. "I think I have missed you too," he replied softly, masking the depths of his longing behind a veil of diplomacy.

"Let's go and sit somewhere and talk. I think I really needed someone to talk to," Silvia said, extending an invitation to Dastan to join her in the room. Dastan nodded, silently acknowledging her offer, and followed her into the living room.

They settled across from each other, the maids bustling around them as they brought out refreshments. Silvia broke the silence, her voice gentle yet probing. "So, I heard you have a new bride, Your Highness," she began, her question hanging in the air.

Dastan felt a pang of guilt at her words, his gaze meeting hers as he replied defensively, "I didn't agree to it. She was forced onto me."

"No, I didn't mean it in that way," Silvia clarified, sensing Dastan's discomfort. "I was just saying because she healed you." She reiterated her words, trying to steer the conversation away from Noori. However, Dastan's reaction made it clear that he didn't want to discuss her.

"I don't want to talk about her. She isn't someone important. The marriage will end soon, so there's no point in discussing her," he declared, his tone stiff and annoyed. Silvia observed his expression closely, noting the tension in his demeanor.

"I understand. Waking up and realising that you've been married to the alleged monster of Nuria," Silvia sighed heavily, her voice tinged with empathy. "I wonder what was the Emperor of Nuria's plan in doing such a thing. Why would he send the future queen of Nuria to Solyria?" Her tone was filled with curiosity and a hint of disdain. "I'm sure they are up to no good. I hope Your Highness takes good care of himself. The princess is just as people define her—heartless."

Silvia's words painted a picture of someone who held strong opinions about Noori, almost as if she had known her for a long time. Dastan couldn't help but notice the hostility in her tone and the darkness in her eyes when she spoke of Noori.

"Don't worry about that, I will handle her," Dastan assured her, his voice firm with determination.

Silvia's facial expressions instantly shifted to a calm smile, as if she had realised she had revealed too much emotion. Dastan noticed the sudden change but chose to overlook it.

"I think we need to change the subject," Silvia suggested, smoothly diverting from the topic she had brought up earlier.

"Yeah, so, how is everything? I heard you moved here from the Jasmine Palace. What do you like about it here?" Dastan inquired, casting a disdainful look around the cold, gloomy palace. It was evident that he wasn't fond of the place at all.

Silvia's throat tightened, and her eyes slowly welled up with tears. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath, wiping away the tears before Dastan could notice they were ever there.

"Well, that palace had gotten too lively for someone like me. I couldn't breathe in the scents of jasmine anymore," Silvia admitted with a heavy sigh.

"Hah! I thought you loved the scent of jasmines. You used to make Isa bring you them every day, so how come?" Dastan remarked, lightening the mood. Silvia offered him a smile in response.

"I think—" She paused, her gaze drifting outside, her chin trembling slightly as she suppressed her sorrow. "I think that is the exact reason I can't breathe in the scent of jasmines anymore. They remind me of him too often."

Dastan grew worried, rising from his seat and approaching Silvia slowly. He knelt beside her, gently taking her hand in his. "What happened? Is everything okay between the two of you?" he asked, his concern evident. He knew how much Silvia admired Isa, his older brother.

Silvia looked at Dastan with watery, sorrowful eyes, wanting to speak but finding her words muted by emotion. As tears welled up in her eyes, Dastan tenderly cupped her face in his hands, wiping away the tears. A pang of pain shot through his chest. "Tell me, what is it? What happened?" he pleaded desperately.

Silvia shook her head. "Nothing, nothing at all," she whispered softly, her voice barely audible amidst the weight of her unspoken feelings. Her hands clenched onto the edge of her shawl, channeling her frustration into the fabric, while her sad eyes remained fixed on Dastan.

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