A soft breeze whispered through the trees, the branches dancing amongst themselves scattering a confetti of petals around the small clearing. At the heart of the clearing stood a tall fountain, pieced together with small colorful tiles. A steady stream trickled down the fountain, creating a symphony of nature with the instrumentals of the forest

At the base of the fountain lay a young girl, her eyes closed and body nestled into the soft embrace of the grass and wildflowers carpeting the forest floor. The secluded spot was a new find for the mischievous young girl. She'd been in Os Alta for nearly two years, but she hadn't lost the sense of adventure she'd built back home, exploring the fields and forests of Ivets.

The girl wasn't supposed to be exploring the grounds of the Little Palace, but she'd snuck off from her lessons in favor of breathing in the fresh air and finding reprieve from the complexity of her learning in the fountain's presence. The girl was familiar with every nook and cranny of the Little Palace grounds—except, it seemed, for this one hidden corner. The boundaries were clear: the Grand Palace and its surrounding paths were off-limits.

Yet on this particular afternoon, with the golden sunlight filtering through the leaves and dancing on the dew-speckled grass, she had ventured into the trees, following the faint stone path back to the fountain, seeking refuge from the watchful eyes of her instructors. She knew it was only a matter of time before the General found out she was skipping her afternoon lessons and she wanted a spot closer to the Little Palace. The only problem with the fountain was its proximity to the Grand Palace, a place forbidden to the students of the Little Palace without their General.

The spot remained one of the girl's favorites though, as what was life without a little risk.

The sudden snap of a twig made her jerk upright, her pounding heart encompassing her throat. Had she been discovered? Her head spun on a swivel, her long, wavy brown hair whipping around. Her gaze locked on another set eyes just beyond the clearing, a boy not even bothering to hide himself behind a tree. The girl scooted back against the fountain, unsure about the boy. She didn't recognize him from the Little Palace and the only person anywhere near her age she knew of in the Grand Palace was a nasty boy, older than her, who had come with his father to the Little Palace and was nothing short of unpleasant towards the girl and her peers for the duration of his visit.

The boy took a step closer to the girl, showing no hesitation or anxiety, only a glowing look of intruge. The girl's breath hitched and she tried to hide on the other side of the fountain, planning her strategy. She snuck a look at the boy and took in his appearance. He was dressed in clothes the girl would have never chosen for the woods, a neat green shirt, buttoned to the top was clad over a pair of black slacks. If it weren't for the dirt dusting his clothing, the girl would have been more likely to believe he teleported to the fountain rather than came across it.

"Not a step closer," the girl stated, a wave of authority filling her bones. She came to her feet, hands spread apart - just like she'd seen the instructors do a million times.

The boy raised his hands in the air, one hand clasped around something that sparkled in the sun. He took a wide step back. "Whoa!" He exclaimed, "I'm not going to hurt you!" The girl's intuition and curiosity took control of her body, her posture immediately relaxing. She stepped around the fountain, closer to the boy.

"Who are you?" She questioned, eyes squinted and brows furrowed.

"You have a twig in your hair."

And that was the day in Valeriya Alferova's history that she met the one and only Nikolai Lantsov.

Author's Note

Hey y'all!! So I've officially started the full overhaul rewrite of this story, but it will be a slow and steady process. I do feel bad about not doing anything for long, but work increased and college has been stressful! I miss writing and am very excited to get back into it!

That being said, I appreciate each and every one of you who has given this book love and support even in these messy stages. Love you guys ❤️