While the empire sympathized towards the emperor, a girl stood like a lifeless statue in a corner. She wanted to cry but her tears seemed to have dried off before even reaching the surface. Standing at a corner, she saw faces which she hated the most; faces of greed and sorrow. Low nobles, who wanted to increase their family standing, started introducing their kids to her with smiling faces. Heads of those families approached the newly seated emperor with a smile which a predator would give when approaching its prey. Wherever her eyes went, there were smiles. Words didn’t match the look on their faces.

‘Scums! How can they even dare to come here? Forget about the emperor, I just lost my husband and they are already approaching me with marriage proposal? I’ll kill them, kill them all! I’ll make sure they beg for their deaths!’ was what she thought while keeping an emotionless face.

For Emilia, Caspar was her everything. Being the 5th daughter from the Streingford Family, Emilia didn’t receive much attention from her parents. As they represented the household, they were constant busy with political affairs or those of the province they governed. While her elder sisters kept her company, she (Emilia) couldn’t help but feel emptiness within her. Emilia started tending her garden to fill that emptiness. It was during that time she met him, a boy who didn’t behaved like other nobles but like a playful pleasant. He was covered in mud even though he was on a tree! His clothes were torn at places and so did his skin. He slowly approached the lowest branch of the tree, and bent down. As he moved his hand further, the branch can down a bit-by-bit. Emilia neared the boy who grabbed one of the roses on the side. Emilia got furious as she saw one of her rose get plucked.

“Hey, who are you? Don’t you know what this place?”

The boy turned towards her and jumped of the tree. He then approached her and stood in front of her.

“Sorry, sorry. This rose just caught my eye.”

“So what? This my garden; how the hell did you even get inside? Judging from your appearance, you don’t even seem to be working here. Answer me, who are you?!”

The boy starred at her for a while and then gave a smile. He glanced at the rose in his hand and then looked back at Emilia. Emilia was a bit irritated. Not only did this kid disturb her, he also stole a flower from her precious garden.

While Emilia kept an angry look, a soft hand from front placed the rose in her hair.

“While I prefer white upon red, this one suits you. Guess you got no complains over there.”

That was the first time Emilia met that kid and the first time her heart tingled. It felt weird. Though he was covered in mud and plucked a flower from her garden, she didn’t felt any anger for him. It was as if that smile which he gave was a magic spell that would calm anyone down.

“Prince! Prince! Where are you?”

Emilia turned towards the voice to find a maid calling out for someone. Suddenly, Emilia felt like being cornered. While she didn’t know who she (maid) was searching for, she didn’t want her to see this kid in front of her. If she (maid) were to see him (kid) like this, he would definitely be thrown out! Emilia wanted to talk to this kid more. If a single smile made her heart tingle, then this kid can make her free from all the emptiness that clouded her all the time.

“Oye Shirley! Here, here.”

Emilia turned towards the kid who was waving his hands at the maid. She was full of shock.

‘Why the hell are you calling her?! Wait a sec… Do you know her?’

As the maid neared them, Emilia felt something close to her ears-

“I like you. Let’s meet inside”

Emilia quickly turned to see the kid smile and then run towards the maid who was now complaining at the kid’s appearance. Emilia stood there with a confused look.

‘What did he mean?’

As she started to walk something strange started to happen. Her body started to feel heavy as if she was carrying something. Her throat started to dry off. She got on her knees as she couldn’t bear the weight anymore. She tried to call for someone but her voice won’t come out!

‘What’s happening? What the hell is going on?!’

As Emilia lifted her head she felt some trying to choke her! She tried to struggle but it seemed impossible; her body won’t move! Her head got lifted up as she tried to breath with every inch of energy she had. But the hell wasn’t just the choking but something much above. As her head lifted she saw hell; the sky being torn apart by a black crater!

“Welcome to Hell, Emilia Streingford”

Emilia woke up covered in sweat. She couldn’t move! As she tried to look for the reason, she got consumed…

Bang!

A punch was landed on Alicia who was lying on Emilia.

“What the hell are you doing Emilia?! I just was going to kiss my prince”

“Prince? My foot! You nearly choked me to death, you idiot!”

“What?”

Alicia glanced around and found it was all her fault. She then gave a smile at Emilia and ran to her bed. Emilia got out of her bed and went out of her room. After passing a few rooms, there was an open space whose one end lead to the stairs and the other outside to balcony. Emilia went outside and looked up at the sky. The cold night breeze blew past her as she stared at the stars in the sky.

“Pretty aren’t they? Makes you feel you aren’t alone.”

“Who knows. From where I see they seemed to be a pretty sad sight.”

“Sad? Why would they be sad? Just look at them, aren’t they twinkling in happiness”

“I don’t know. To me they seem sad and twinkling as if they are crying.”

“What’s that? I never heard anyone saying stars are sad.”

“Well, if you look at it this way; you may get it. They are so close to each other but they still can’t be with each other, as if an invisible wall is keeping them away.”

Cecily turned towards Caspar who was lying on ground staring at the sky. Her eyes were filled with sadness and something else.

“Why are you here?”

Caspar turned towards her and sat up. He stared at her for a while and then looked up at the sky.

“I got lost.”

Cecily grind her teeth. Her hands started to shake as rage started to fill her. She moved towards him and before Caspar could realize there was a girl with her hands around him.

“Miss?”

Cecily hugged him hard as if he would writher away if she let go of him. Caspar on other hand didn’t know how to respond. He couldn’t push her away as it seemed a wrong thing to do but he couldn’t let her hug him like that while he didn’t know the reason why she was being like this. He mustered some courage to push her back when he suddenly lost that courage. He let his arms go around her but put no wait in them.

“Miss. I don’t know what happened or why you’re being like this, but you shouldn’t be crying in front of a guy like this.”

Cecily pulled Caspar closer. For a while there was just silence and then she let go of him. As she pulled her back, she saw his white hair wave as the cold night breeze blew. As he opened his closed eyes she saw his blue eyes shine as he gave her a smile.

“Why?”

“Pardon Miss.”

“Why did you come back? Was making me fall once not enough that now you are making me fall again?”

“Miss, I’m sorry but…”

“-you don’t remember anything, right?”

Cecily sat next to Caspar and hold his hand in hers.

“I don’t know you completely but…” Cecily gazed up at the night sky then closed her eyes as if she made her mind up.

“Caspar; I don’t know you completely but; I know a part of you.”

“A part of me?”

“Yes, a part of you. Let’s relocate ourselves first.”

“Where are we going?”

Cecily stood up and gave a smile. She knew what she was going to do next was not only breaking rules but also dangerous.

“To a land where the boys dream of; The Girls Dorm”