Tale 4
Falling

Adelina’s plan to divorce the Duke failed.

Time for Plan B: Befriend the villainess to avoid death.

If that failed too, the alphabet still has 24 more letters.

Adelina busied herself on writing a letter. She made sure that aside from the polite greeting, everything else were insulting to grab the attention of the recipient.

This is a letter meant for Daniella Agrielle, and she’s using reverse psychology to get close to her.

Daniella Agrielle is the villainess in the novel  [Queen of Hearts].

She was described in the novel as someone wicked and ruthless. She’s obsessed with Niklaus, so she often bullies Adelina when they were young. In the novel, she tried to harm Lilianna many times, and in the end she was sentenced to death after her link to Adelina's death was exposed.

But since Adelina’s plan for divorce failed, she must befriend Daniella who will be the mastermind for Adelina’s death.

The two of them became pen pals, they kept exchanging letters insulting each other for a couple of months, making them friends in the process.

***

Months will passed by, Adelina realized that the Duke is actually becoming friendlier with the passage of time.

He never missed dinner and he make sure that the two of them spends time together, during tea time, when she went out shopping for new clothes, when she take some long walks at the garden or even when she’s just at home reading books.

If she didn’t know that he have feelings for Lilianna, she’ll probably think that he likes her or something like that. But that’s just crazy. Something like that is impossible.

“Duchess, I will leave this jar of lemon water here in case you grew thirsty at night.” Sabrina said before bedtime

“Thank you Sabby.” Adelina

“Good night, Duchess. Rest well.” Sabrina smiled at her before closing the door.

The room was suddenly shrouded in darkness, the only source of light was the flame in the fireplace warming her cold room and Adelina drifted to sleep.

“Hey.”

Adelina’s slumber was disturbed by a small voice.

“Hey, who are you?” the voice grew louder in her ears and Adelina opened her eyes.

“Hmm?” she was surprised to be greeted by an unfamiliar face.

She was pretty sure that she was alone in her room earlier. Where did this guy come from? How did he enter her roo—Wait! This is not her room?!

“Where am I? And who are you?” Adelina asked warily

“I should be the one asking that. How did you get here? It’s my first time meeting someone in this Dream Realm.” The guy replied

“Dream Realm?” Adelina never heard about something like that before.

“This is my family’s secret training ground. This is the world of dreams. How did you get here?” asked the guy

“I honestly don’t know either.” Adelina

“No way, could it be because you’re acknowledge by the gods? But you’re a woman!” the guy exclaimed

“What are you talking about?” Adelina is confused

“If you’re also a King’s Vessel like me, then we’re enemies!” the guy declared

“Do you mind explaining? Stop randomly spouting nonsense. I can’t understand what you’re trying to say.” Adelina complained

Instead of responding with words, the guy suddenly pulled out a sword.

“Hey, chill!” Adelina is only wearing her night gown, completely unarmed.

“There can only be one king! And that’s going to be me!” the guy shouted before he slashed his sword

Adelina did her best to dodge and then she activated the Legacy of Strength at the same time. She reacted immediately and kicked the guy away. He was sent flying away by her powerful kick.

“The Legacy of Strength? Are you from the family of Baron Oakley?” the guy asked in shock

She ignored his question and scanned her surroundings instead.

This is definitely not a normal place.

There are floating whales in the sky, and she can even see some butterflies lifting an elephant.

A dream.

This is a dream.

But not an ordinary dream.

“Dude, your cool with me borrowing that weapon, right?” Asked Adelina

“Weapon? Yeah sure..” The guy smiled, “Do you think a simple sword can actually hurt me?”

“Huh? I’m not talking about your sword.” Adelina suddenly vanished and reappeared beside a giant hammer that was on display in the wall. “It looks like Mjolnir but bigger and better. I’m borrowing this.”

The man smiled mockingly, as if she’s the most stupid person on the planet, “If you can draw it, why not?”

His tone pisses her off, “You sound like this is really the hammer of Thor. Do I need to be worthy or something like that? Is pulling this out as difficult as King Arthur’s Excalibur or something?”

The guy didn’t respond, he probably didn’t understand the reference.

She then grab the hammer and used her full strength to draw it, but to her disappointment....

.... she was able to pull out the hammer easily.

There’s no challenge at all!

She swing the giant hammer around and realized that it’s so light, it’s like swinging a toy wand!

Is this hammer really a weapon? Can this smash people? The guy made this weapon sound so special. Why does it feels like a scam now?

She looked back at the guy to complain but she saw that he’s looking at her with a shocked expression. His mouth hanging open, she worries that he might accidentally swallow a fly at this rate.

But above all else, his shock expression made her realized something.

“Dude, don’t tell me you cannot draw this hammer and I was the first person to do so in centuries?” Adelina rolled her eyes when he nod. Seriously?

The guy walked towards her in a hurry. He got down on his knees and said, “My Lady, please be my queen.”

“........” she was speechless because of his sudden change in attitude.

And wait, did he just propose to her as if he wasn’t trying to kill her just a few moments ago?

“Dude, are you mental?” she asked, half annoyed, half disgusted.

“I’m serious though. That is the Lightning Hammer of the Royal Family. Only the worthy can draw it. So you are worthy to be on my side. Will you marry me?”

Lightning Hammer of the Royal Family?

Shocks. Is this really Mjolnir? And she can lift it? Thor will be so proud.

And wait, marriage? Does this guy have some loose screws? Why would she marry an idiot like this?

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I’m already married.” She shrugs

The Duke is the best excuse at times like this. Thanks Duke, I can’t believe you can be useful too.

“Then leave him! I ‘am going to be the next king, I will make you my queen!”

“Why? Are you perhaps the Crown Prince? Are you Prince Maxwell?” Adelina shook her head mockingly. She doesn’t believe that the prince famous for his intellect and grace is the same person as this tactless guy in front of her. The Crown Prince is not one of the love targets in the novel, he was often mentioned but he didn’t played a big part in the novel.

“I’am.. My name is Maxwell Travis Lionel, the heir to the Kingdom of Lionel.”

“As if!” she said and kicked him away

“Ouch. I can’t believe that love can be this painful. But I like it!”

“........” Adelina was speechless

Is this guy mental?

A masochist?

“What’s your name my Queen?” the guy asked excitedly

She was about to punch him out of annoyance when she suddenly woke up.

She saw her familiar room inside the Sullivan’s Mansion.

“What a shitty dream.” She can’t help but say

She sat up and stared at the empty darkness.

She’s no longer sleepy after waking up from such a strange dream.

She stood up to drink some water.

It’s around midnight now.

She had a satisfying dinner, but for some reason, she’s feeling hungry. No, she’s actually starving.

Was it because of the dream?

She contemplated if she should teleport towards the kitchen, but decides not to because there could still be people in there. It will be difficult to explain if she suddenly appear out of thin air.

She silently went out of the door and walk towards the familiar hallway leading to the kitchen.

As expected, there were still a few servants around.

They happily handed a few slices of bread to her and several cookies, they even gave her a cup of hot chocolate.

She happily accepted all of it and left the kitchen full and satisfied.

“Is the Duchess pregnant? Why else would she crave for food in the middle of the night?” the servants gossip. And so, a new rumour will start to circulate in the mansion.

On her way back to her room, she accidentally saw a familiar figure outside the balcony.

“What is the Duke doing out there in this cold weather?” Adelina got curious

She opened the door and walk towards him.

Niklaus felt her presence and immediately looked back, “Duchess? Why are you still awake?”

“I woke up because I was hungry so I went downstairs to eat.” Adelina

Upon seeing that she’s only wearing her nightgown, Niklaus removed his coat and wrapped it around Adelina’s shoulder, “It’s cold, you shouldn’t have come out here.”

“I can say the same thing to you, Duke. Why are you out here?” Adelina

“I can’t fall asleep. The cold doesn’t bother me that much so I went out here to look at the moon for a while.”

“Is something bothering you?” Adelina asked. Why else would he be having trouble sleeping if not for a problem?

Niklaus shook his head, “There’s nothing bothering me. It’s more like.... someone.”

“Someone’s bothering you? Should I help you beat him up?” Adelina offered

“No.. Why are you so thuggish?” Niklaus chuckled.. ‘She’s just too.... cute.’

“I may look small, but I’m good at punching people!” Adelina said proudly with a smile

Niklaus stared at Adelina’s smile. With the moon shining above, Adelina’s silver hair shines even brighter. Her long silver hair looks like silk threads that seems too soft to the touch. Her pair of violet eyes were bent into crescents. And her long eyelashes were like butterfly wings fanning her cheeks.

There is only one thought in Nicklaus’s mind right now—How could someone be this beautiful?

Then he gazed down on her red luscious lips.

His mind was suddenly clouded with so many messy things. A voice inside him keeps on whispering for him to pull her closer and close the distance between them. It keeps urging him to just take what he wanted. To plunder without a care. The thin line of reasoning on his brain is this close to breaking.

“You okay?” Adelina asked because he went silent and just kept staring at her.

Her question suddenly dragged him back to reality.

That was dangerous! He can already feel his sense of reason breaking. Good thing he snapped out of it on time!

His wife might really punch him if he just jumped her out of the blue.

Oh, how dangerous.

“I think.... I’m under your spell.” Niklaus said as he heaved a heavy sigh.

“What spell?” Adelina asked, confused.

“Why are you slow in this kind of things?” Niklaus complained

“Why are you getting angry?” Adelina

“I’m not... I just.. I keep thinking about you.. And I can’t even work. Or sleep properly at night because of you.” Niklaus

“Are you blaming me?” Adelina

“No...”

“Then what are you trying to say?” Adelina

“I think.... I’m falling for you.”

~~~~~~~~~