Neri glanced at herself in the mirror. "Not bad, I didn't know you had this type of hobby."

Enya stayed silent for a few seconds. "My mother was a maid. When she became ill, I worked in her place and learned by watching the other maids."

She glanced at her. Enya's eyes were filled with sadness. 

"You did well, Mother will be pleased."

Enya's eyes widened, "Y-you, just now you... praised me." 

Neri looked away feeling embarrassed, it was her first time complimenting someone. Wait... did she just try to comfort someone?

 

She walked out of the room. "Don't overthink it. Let's go, we're going to be late."

"Yes, my lady."

***

They approached a large, beautiful glass building as they exited the main house.

She felt someone approaching from behind, and she ignored it, but was stopped.

 "You there, Halt!"

She decided to keep walking, 

"How dare you ignore me! You are not allowed to enter that building. 

Only the Rue and their closest friends are allowed."

Enya clenched her hands and was about to attack, but she held her hand up and stopped. 

Neri laughed softly, "You should know who you are speaking to before jumping to conclusions."  

Entering the building, she looked around in awe. It was a jungle of flowers, even a small river running through it. The doors were pushed open. The same voice cutting through the calm. "How dare you cut me off!"

 She looked at Enya and whispered, "What's with him?" 

She shrugged, "I also have no clue, my lady."

"I'm right here. You should look at me when I'm talking to you." 

“I’m right here. Look at me when I’m talking to you.”

Neri kept walking.

“For what? I’m quite busy.”

She glanced back to see a boy about Alen’s age, with dark brown hair and striking jade eyes.

Neri froze.

For a brief second, everything around her seemed to fade into silence. A flicker of memory surfaced — warm sunlight on stone paths, the distant splash of a fountain, the scent of oranges in the air. A boy with jade eyes offering her a sweet, his smile mischievous and kind. She had long buried that memory, lost to the haze of time... but now, looking at him, something in her stirred.

She blinked, and the vision slipped away like mist on glass.

She turned to face him, and the boy straightened "Now do you know who you-" The boy paused as his eyes widened. 

She took a step towards him, and the boy stumbled back.

Something in his chest tugged. Those eyes. He'd seen them before, hadn't he? Not here, not now, but... long ago? In a garden? Or was it a dream? A little girl with eyes like liquid moonlight. But that couldn’t be—

 "Your eyes..." He must have noticed her similarity to Nathan,

 "My eyes? Ah, yes, they're unique, aren't they? I must say yours are quite pretty as well." She walked closer while observing his eye color.

The boy's face flushed red as he looked away, "I've never met someone so... so like you."

She shrugged, "I'm merely acknowledging a beauty when I see one." 

Seeing his face turn red made her want to tease him more. 

She let out an exaggerated sigh, "I'll stop here, it seems if I say another word you'll faint, your face is quite red." 

"Neri, there you are. We've been waiting for you-" Nathan appeared from behind a curtain of vines, 

He spotted the boy

 "Oh, Lucien, it seems you've met... why's your face so red? Do you have a fever?" 

"Don't mention it," the boy grumbled.

Enya bowed. "Lord Nathan, this boy has disrespected my lady and attempted to stop her from entering."

 

Nathan turned to the boy, his expression turning serious, "Care to explain why you stopped my sister, Lucien?"

The boy looked very confused. "Sister!? I... I didn't know..."

 Keir came in. "What's the holdup?" He lifted Neri. 

She sighed. What was this family's obsession with carrying her? 

Sure, she was small for her age, but her legs worked just fine.'

She looked down at the boy, "So your name is Lucien? Allow me to introduce myself. I am Nerissa Rue, the only daughter of Duke Rue."

 Lucien looked at her, then at Nathan, then back at her. Keir chuckled, "I suppose you don't remember. They're twins." 

 A moment later, Alen's head appeared from behind the curtains. "Come on, guys. Oh hey, Lucien ." 

***

Lucien watched as they all entered the clearing, the duke and duchess sat at the picnic table.

The duke glanced at him. "Come join us, Cien." 

He watched as Nerissa laughed with her family. 

She was a completely different person. 

Earlier, when she glanced back at him, her expression was cold.

Her angelic eyes seemed to be holding back something, her aura seemed murderous, almost.

Not to mention how blatant she was. 

His face turned red again as he thought about how close she was.

How could someone so young be so... cunning?

Could it be that he was mistaken?

 He still couldn't believe Nathan had a twin sister, it seemed the rumors of the Rues' hidden daughter were true. 

It was odd, he was sure he would have remembered her. He always visited the Rues, but not once seen her. Why would Keir say that he didn't remember?

His thoughts were interrupted as he realized Nerissa was staring back at him. 

She smiled and looked away again.

***

Nerissa could feel Lucien's gaze on her, she was going to ignore it but it was starting to get annoying.

She turned and locked eyes with him, It took him a moment to realize he had been discovered.

He quickly turned away. 

She laughed 'How amusing' 

She turned and realized Nathan was watching her with a smirk.

It annoyed her how they always seemed to know each other's feelings.

She walked passed him. "Don't misunderstand, I only thought he was entertaining." 

Nathan chuckled, "I didn't say anything." She glared at him, "You didn't have to."

Alen called out, "Let's begin, I'm starved." Everyone sat at the table as the maids brought in the food.

After they finished eating, Nathan spoke up, "Can I take Neri to see the city square?"

Her parent looked at each other with worry. She could tell what they were thinking.

 She glanced at Enya, and she nodded, "If I may speak your grace." Her father spoke, "Go on."

"They can dress in commoners' clothes and have a knight disguised as their parent accompany them.

I, as well, will protect the lady with my life."

Keir and Alen both stood from their seats. "Don't forget about us! We can protect Neri!"

Her mother glanced at her, "Neri, do you want to go?"

She stayed quiet for a moment, this was her chance to visit her master. "Yes, it's been a while since I've gone out."

"Very well, prepare a carriage-" 

Keir interrupted Mother, "We'll go by horse."

"Wait..." Everyone turned to look a Nerissa, should she reveal it? She thought about it, it didn't seem that it would backfire in any way or expose plans. "Can I ride on my own?" 

Everyone in the room had a look of surprise on their face, except for her parents, who appeared to be unsurprised. "I learned while I was away."

She glanced at Lucien, whose expression filled with confusion.

Her mother carried her. "Very well, first, let me show you your birthday present,"

They stepped outside, and her mother signaled to the guard standing at the door. 

The guard whistled, and in the distance, she saw the riding hall gates open.

 Her mother set her down, "Nerissa, do you know how to whistle?" Neri nodded. 

Feeling a bit nostalgic, she decided to whistle her owl call. 

A rush of excitement hit her as she heard a familiar neigh, was she going crazy? 

Out of the riding hall came a familiar black figure, quickly approaching. 

She gasped, "Nyx..." No, there's no way.

 Her family didn't know of her horse; she never mentioned it. 

She glanced at Enya, and Enya shrugged.

 

The only possibility was Enya, but she knew it wasn't her. Who was it? 

The horse was in front of her in seconds, there was no mistaking this was Nyx.

He was as beautiful as ever, the fastest, smartest, most loyal horse anyone could ever own, Nyx.

The horse nuzzled her shoulder, and she hugged him. "Nyx, I missed you." 

Nyx lifted his leg, and she used it as a step to climb onto his back.

"Wow, cool!" Keir, Alen, and Nathan exclaimed.

"And here I thought he was untamed," her father mumbled. She looked at him with confusion.

 "Your horse here almost killed a few servants who tried to go near him." She glanced at Nyx, and he snorted.

"I apologize, Nyx hates being away from me. If I may ask, how did you know?" 

"You'll find out soon enough." Her mother said mysteriously. 

Nathan ran up to Nyx. "Can I ride with Neri?" 

"Nathan, no!" her father yelled as he ran to intercept Nathan from approaching Nyx.

 
"Don't worry, Nyx isn't exactly what you think. He just happened to give you a bad first impression."

Nyx snorted as her father looked at him warily. "Nyx down," her horse lowered itself.

 She held a hand out to Nathan, "Hop on, Nathan." Nathan happily took her hand.

 Nyx stood up and began prancing around. "What a beauty," Her mother breathed. 

Her father looked impressed. "Well, I'll be."

Keir and Alen both stood there with shocked expressions. "Is that the dressage?"

Lucien spoke up "Where did you learn that? Only an equestrian can manage that style of riding."

"Halt." Her horse came to a stop. She had forgotten Lucien was here.