Alora couldn't ignore the way Roxana looked at Ambrose.
Every time he walked past, Roxana's eyes followed him. Whenever he spoke to her, her cheeks turned pink, and whenever their hands accidentally touched, she suddenly became interested in whatever happened to be on the floor.
But Roxana would never admit it.
Alora knew her friend well enough.
"If Roxana can't tell him how she feels..." Alora murmured to herself, a mischievous smile appearing on her face, "then I might as well help him notice."
The following morning, the carpentry shop was already filled with the sounds of hammers striking nails and wood being cut.
Alora arrived carrying a small parcel of food.
She spotted Ambrose in the corner, carefully working on a wooden chair.
"Good morning, Ambrose." she called cheerfully.
"Good morning, Alora."
He didn't look up until the smell of freshly prepared food reached him. His eyes shifted toward the parcel.
"What's that?"
Alora smiled brightly, "Roxana asked me to give you this."
Ambrose stopped working. "Roxana?"
"Yes."
She held out the food, for a moment, he looked confused, but he quickly accepted it.
"Well... tell her thank you."
He opened the parcel and smiled when he saw what was inside.
"I was starving."
Alora tried not to laugh, "Enjoy."
She turned and walked away, her job was done, now all she had to do was wait for the result.
---
By afternoon, Ambrose finally found Roxana.
"Roxana."
She turned around, "Yes?"
"Thank you for the food this morning."
Roxana stared at him, "The food?"
"Yes. Alora said you sent it."
Roxana's eyebrows rose, "I didn't send you anything."
Ambrose frowned, "You didn't?"
"No."
For a moment, they simply stared at each other, then Roxana's eyes narrowed.
"Alora..."
Ambrose finally understood, "She tricked me."
Roxana covered her mouth, trying not to laugh, "She probably did."
When Alora returned from delivering groceries later that afternoon, Roxana immediately confronted her.
"You!"
Alora burst into laughter, "I had to do something."
"You told him I sent the food!"
"Exactly."
Roxana shook her head, but a smile slowly appeared on her face, "You're impossible."
"And you're welcome."
Roxana laughed softly.
Perhaps Alora's little plan wasn't such a bad idea after all.
---
Royal Palace
Duncan arrived at the palace to find King Alexander speaking with Nathaniel.
The moment the King noticed him, he raised a hand.
"Lord Duncan. Come here."
Duncan approached and bowed, "Your Majesty."
Alexander gestured toward Nathaniel.
"His Grace believes the inscription found in Stone Valley may not have originated from Zafarya. He thinks someone could have planted it deliberately to mislead us."
Duncan looked at Nathaniel.
Nathaniel met his eyes calmly.
"What do you think?"
"It could be possible," Nathaniel continued, "but considering the current tensions between Valtheris and Zafarya, I believe we should consider another possibility. If someone wanted to commit a crime and blame another kingdom, wouldn't they leave evidence pointing in that direction?"
Duncan's expression hardened, "I investigated the scene myself. I know what I found."
Nathaniel remained calm, "And I'm not questioning your investigation. I'm questioning the conclusion."
Duncan's jaw tightened.
King Alexander noticed the tension immediately.
"I understand both arguments," he said. "But we cannot afford to make a costly mistake, especially now that Valtheris and Aerathia are working together."
Nathaniel nodded, "Then perhaps we should examine the border security."
He turned toward Duncan.
"Lord Duncan, were the borders tightened after the Stone Valley fire?"
Duncan looked at him.
For a moment, it seemed as though he would answer. Instead, he turned toward the King.
"Your Majesty, I'll continue investigating the matter."
He bowed, "Excuse me."
Then he walked away.
Nathaniel watched him disappear down the corridor, his question had been deliberately ignored.
Interesting.
He turned back toward the King, but before he could speak, movement caught his attention.
A familiar figure was approaching.
Maya.
A small smile immediately appeared on his face.
"Good morning, Your Grace." Maya curtsied.
"Good morning, my dear."
She glanced around.
Several nobles were nearby, and she immediately lowered her voice.
"Mother asked me to visit you. She thought you might need some company."
She lifted the small food flask in her hand.
"And I brought you something to eat."
Nathaniel's eyes brightened, "Food?"
Maya nodded, "Yes."
"Then I suppose your mother has excellent timing." He smiled, "Where is it?"
Maya handed him the flask.
Nathaniel opened the flask and took a bite.
He paused.
"This is delicious."
Maya smiled. "Of course it is."
Nathaniel looked at her, "Just like you."
Maya's smile immediately disappeared, "Your Grace..."
She glanced around the palace.
Several nobles were still nearby, and a few of them had already begun looking in their direction.
Nathaniel seemed completely unconcerned.
Maya lowered her voice, "Could you please stop saying things like that?"
"Why?"
"Because people are listening."
Nathaniel looked around before calmly returning his attention to her.
"Let them listen."
Maya's cheeks warmed, she wished the floor would open and swallow her.
"You're impossible."
Nathaniel chuckled, "Come."
He led her toward a quieter corner of the palace where they could eat without being surrounded by so many people.
They sat beside one another on a long cushioned bench.
For a few moments, neither spoke.
Maya kept her eyes lowered, carefully avoiding the curious glances coming from across the hall.
Even though they had moved away from the crowd, she could still feel people watching them.
She adjusted the sleeve of her dress nervously.
"This is embarrassing."
Nathaniel turned toward her, "What is?"
"The way everyone keeps looking at us."
He glanced across the hall, "They're probably wondering why a beautiful woman is sitting with me."
Maya looked at him in disbelief. "You really don't take anything seriously, do you?"
"I take you seriously."
That answer caught her off guard, she quickly looked down at her hands.
Nathaniel returned his attention to the food.
"Would you like some?"
"No, thank you."
"You brought it for me."
"I know."
"Then you should at least watch me enjoy it."
Maya couldn't help but smile, "You're strange."
"I've heard that before."
Nathaniel took another bite while Maya quietly watched him.
Despite her embarrassment, something about sitting there with him felt strangely comfortable.
She wasn't used to this kind of attention.
Nathaniel was different.
Perhaps too different.
But as she watched him eat the food she had brought, a small warmth settled somewhere in her chest.
She quickly dismissed the feeling, don't get carried away.
After a few moments, she finally asked, "Duncan seemed annoyed earlier. Do you know why?"
Nathaniel swallowed before answering.
"Honestly, I don't."
"You don't?"
"I've been nothing but polite to him."
Maya tilted her head, "Perhaps he doesn't like you."
Nathaniel shrugged, "If he doesn't like me, that's his problem."
Maya smiled quietly, "Perhaps you're right."
Maya stared at him for a moment.
Then...
A small smile slowly appeared on her lips, not her usual polite smile, something else.
Something almost mischievous flickered in her eyes as she lowered her gaze, hiding the sudden spark that had appeared there. An idea was already beginning to take shape, and she struggled to suppress the smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
Nathaniel continued eating, completely unaware of the little plan taking shape in Maya's mind.
---
Later that afternoon, Nathaniel asked Maya to accompany him outside the palace.
They eventually arrived at a quiet residential area on the edge of the Noble District.
Maya looked around, "Where are we?"
"I've been looking at properties."
"For what?"
Nathaniel pointed toward a modest but elegant manor.
"I've been considering purchasing a residence here."
Maya looked at the house.
It wasn't enormous like Ashbourne Mansion. It was smaller, warmer, with a neat garden and large windows overlooking the street.
"It's beautiful."
Nathaniel smiled, "I thought so too."
Maya walked toward the gate, "You would live here?"
"Sometimes. Aerathia is my home, but I'll be spending more time in Valtheris."
He paused, then he looked at her. "And if we marry..."
Maya's steps slowed.
"...you'll probably miss your family."
She turned toward him.
Nathaniel continued.
"I thought a place like this might give you somewhere to come whenever you wanted. You could visit your parents, stay here for a few days, or simply have a place that feels familiar."
Maya stared at the manor.
She had expected Nathaniel to impress her with jewellery.
She hadn't expected this, he wasn't talking about diamonds, he was thinking about her future.
"You've already thought about all that?"
Nathaniel smiled, "I've thought about many things."
Maya looked at him, "Why?"
His expression softened.
"Because if you're going to become my wife, I want you to be happy."
Something inside Maya shifted, it was small. Almost imperceptible, but she felt it.
For the first time, she didn't see Nathaniel as merely the Duke her parents wanted her to marry.
She saw a man who had been quietly paying attention to her, a man who remembered what mattered to her, a man who was already making room for her in his future.
Maya looked away before he could see the smile forming on her lips.
"I like it."
Nathaniel smiled, "The manor?"
She nodded, "And the idea."
He raised an eyebrow, "The idea?"
She finally looked at him, "Having somewhere to come when I miss home."
Nathaniel's smile widened, "Then perhaps I'll make sure it's yours."
Maya's heart skipped.
She didn't know why, perhaps it was the way he said it.
Perhaps it was the thought of having a place that belonged to her.
Or perhaps...
She was beginning to see him differently.
They spent the afternoon viewing several properties, but Maya kept returning to the first one.
It felt warm, comfortable.
Like somewhere she could actually imagine herself living.
Eventually, Nathaniel turned to her.
"Shall we go?"
Maya nodded. "Yes."
As they walked back toward the carriage, Nathaniel held out his hand.
Maya hesitated, then she placed hers in his, neither of them said anything. But this time...
Maya didn't pull away.
---
That evening, Maya returned to Ashbourne Mansion.
While her maids helped her bathe and prepare for bed, her thoughts remained somewhere else.
The manor.
Nathaniel's words.
His quiet smile.
The way he had spoken about her future as though it were already part of his own. She found herself smiling.
Then she caught her reflection in the mirror, the smile disappeared.
"What am I doing?"
One of the maids looked at her curiously, "Miss?"
"Nothing."
Maya quickly looked away, but the smile returned, she remembered his words.
"If you're going to become my wife, I want you to be happy."
Her heart fluttered again, she placed a hand against her chest.
Why was it doing that?
She had spent so long telling herself that Nathaniel could never replace Duncan.
Yet today...
For the first time...
She hadn't thought about Duncan nearly as much. Maya slowly sat on the edge of her bed.
"The least I could do for my future wife..."
The words echoed through her mind, and she smiled faintly. Would she really marry Nathaniel?
She didn't know, but for the first time...
The thought didn't feel impossible, only time would tell.