Relief washed over me—pure, undeniable relief.
I was not losing my mind. Julia was real.
I traced the faint scar upon my forearm and whispered to myself, "Very well... I must read more of the Northern Kingdom."
A knock upon my chamber door startled me.
I had asked Maria to leave me undisturbed—so who could it be.
"Enter," I said.
It was the head maid.So soon, I thought bitterly.
Not even two hours have passed, and he already calls for me.
I was led to his office, and for that I felt a small mercy—at least I would not be forced to change my clothes.
"Come, my dear," he said warmly.
"I have brought you a gift. I hope it pleases you."He placed a velvet box into my hands.
When I opened it, I found a necklace of emeralds—large, vivid stones that would cover my throat and upper chest.
It was undeniably beautiful. I stared at it in silence.
"Do you like it?" he asked.
I forced myself back to the present. "Yes, Father. It is exquisite. Thank you."
"Allow me," he said, stepping closer.
He brushed my hair aside, his breath lingering far too near my skin. "I have missed this scent," he murmured.
He fastened the necklace and guided me toward a mirror. "Look how radiant you are," he said, his eyes locked on mine through the glass.
"I will give you everything, Aria. I will make you a queen."
A chill ran through me.
What does he mean? I wondered. Does he intend rebellion—or to bind me to the prince? No... he would never give me to another.
His lips touched my neck, pulling me back to the moment.
I turned away, struggling, but his grip tightened.
He pressed me against the wall."There is nothing more enticing than resistance," he whispered. "Struggle all you wish."
I went still. There was no escape.
"Good girl."He forced a kiss upon me.
I kept my lips sealed, but his command came sharp and cold. When I refused, his hand closed around my throat, stealing my breath.
In desperation, I gasped—and he took that moment to slip his tongue inside.
He was so persistence so intense his tongue licked all inside my mouth, eventhough his hand loosened on my neck I still couldn't breathe
My vision blurred. When he finally released me, I sagged against him, shaking, barely able to stand.
"You are irresistible," he said softly.
"I will never tire of you."He kissed me again, relentless and consuming.
My hands pressed weakly against his chest, useless. I felt hollow—drained of all strength.
At last, he stepped back."You may return to your chamber now."
Confusion flooded me, then rage. I fled to my room, slammed the door, and tore the necklace from my throat, hurling it across the room."I hate you," I screamed.
"I swear it—one day I will kill you, Christopher. I will tear your heart from your chest!"
The mirror shattered with a sharp crack.
I froze.
Maria and Luna rushed in. "My lady! Are you harmed?"
"I threw something," I lied. "By accident. Leave me."
They hesitated. "We must clean—"
"Later. Please."
When they left, I collapsed onto my bed, utterly spent. Sleep claimed me at once.
---------------------------------------------------
"Remember that dream about the Victorian-time-like world I told you about before?" I asked.
"Yes," David answered, kicking a pebble as we walked back home from school.
"Yesterday, I had a dream about the same girl. Can you believe that?"
"Oh? What was the dream, and how do you know it's the same girl?"
"Her name is Aria too, and she has the same hair color and the same world setting."
"Okay, but that doesn't mean she's the same."
"No, she is, because in this dream she was adopted by some duke family. So she's the same, because she lost her father before."
"Hahaha, you're talking and defending her like she's a real person."
"I'm starting to think she is real. I mean, who dreams about the same person in another time? Anyway, I didn't tell you the weird part yet."
"What is it?"
"She looks like me, only her hair is darker than mine."
"That's it? That's just your subconscious. You like Victorian crap and drama, so you're basically making a movie you enjoy."
"Or maybe I'm her reincarnation," I said with a wide smile.
"Hahaha, you really have a big imagination. Anyway, what was the dream—or let's say the next scene of the movie?"
"Ha ha ha, laugh all you want, but I believe she's real. Anyway, her adoptive mother, the duchess, was a psychopath. She always forced her to wear a blonde wig so she would look like her dead daughter. She tried to shave Aria's hair, which is really beautiful. I mean, Aria is the glamorous version of me. Anyway, Aria refused, of course, because she promised her father she would never cut her hair."
"Wow, so many details. The character is well-built. You should write these dreams and make a novel out of them."
I ignored him and continued. "She always called her Leia, her daughter's name. And if she saw her without the wig, she would beat the shit out of her. She would make her lay forward on the table with her ass sticking out, and she would slap her bum with a thick stick. It was really intense. I mean, I woke up feeling my bum stinging a bit."
"Wow, sexy," he laughed. "Did you watch S&M porn before sleeping?"
I looked at him with my deadliest stare.
"Hahaha, sorry, sorry, I won't joke anymore. So... does your butt still sting? If you want, I can check it for you."
"Ah, you bastard! I'm going to kill you," I said, chasing after him.
He ran away, laughing.
"You better run, because if I catch you, you're a dead man!"