[Scene: Two days later - The royal carriage, morning sun glowing on the cobblestone path. Caelia sits beside Cassian, holding a rolled-up blueprint.]

Cassian (glancing over):
“You’ve redrawn the plans three times. Nervous?”

Caelia (soft chuckle):
“I just want it to be perfect. It's her home, after all. If this were me, I’d want to feel safe… especially at that age. We still should inspect it to make sure our plan lines up.”

Cassian (smiling slightly):
“Yeah, let’s do that together.”

[Caelia looks out the window, hiding the way her cheeks turn warm.]

CAELIA - INNER MONOLOGUE
When did I start caring this much? Maybe because in this world, I finally have a chance to make a difference.

[Scene: The elderly woman’s home — a crumbling cottage at the edge of the village. The wood is rotted, the floorboards uneven. A crooked ramp replaces stairs. Trash sprawled across the entire floor.]

MRS. POPPY:

“Hi dears. Thank you for fixing my home. I apologize for it being such a mess.”

CAELIA (smiling):

“No worries Mrs. Poppy. We want to provide you with a nicer home.

Would you mind sitting outside for a bit while we inspect your home?”

[Mrs. Poppy looks at Caelia with tender eyes and nods. She then goes outside to sit on a chair at the porch.]

Cassian (frowning):
“It’s worse than I thought.”

Caelia (nodding):
“She must have been living like this for a while. I think the first step is to identify what we need to do first. It seems like we need to fix the rotting wood and the water pipes.”

[Caelia kneels and inspects the side wall. She pulls out a piece of chalk from her satchel and marks measurements on the wood.]

Caelia:
“And we should raise the entryway so she doesn’t get water pooling at the door when it rains. ”

Cassian (watching her work):
“You always talk to yourself when you're focused.”

Caelia:
“Was that a complaint?”

Cassian (smirking):
“No. It’s… nice. Watching your mind work.”

[Caelia looks up and realizes how close he is. She quickly looks away.]

CAELIA - INNER MONOLOGUE
Focus. Focus on the house, not his face.

[Scene: Caelia and Cassian walk around the house for initial inspection. Some rotting wood, unclean water, an outdated house that was unfit for an elderly woman. Some villagers outside the home see the royal carriage that brought over Caelia and Cassian.]

Villager 2 (whispering):
“Is that the duke’s daughter?”

Villager 1:
“What is she doing at that house..? We don’t need those damned royals messing up our town!”

CAELIA (determined):

“Alright, maybe we first need to tackle getting rid of the rotting wood and then maybe we can check out the pipes.”

CASSIAN:

“That sounds like a good idea. I can take care of fetching the wood. However, this might be too much of a task for two people to do.”

[Caelia takes a peek outside the window and observes the townsfolk sneering at the royal carriage.]

CAELIA: 

“It doesn’t look like I am welcome here. Can’t blame them either. They’re probably wondering why a royal is standing in their community.” 

CASSIAN:

“I can go outside and ask them if you want me to.”

[Caelia stops and thinks for a moment. Once she gets a plan, she immediately steps outside.]

CAELIA (announcing):

“Hello everyone in Kingsley! If anyone wants money, please help us fix this home for an elderly woman!” 

VILLAGER 1 (angry):

“We don’t need your fucking money! 

If you guys had money to begin with, you guys would get us out of poverty. But you fuckers keep all the money to yourselves!”

VILLAGER 2 (angry):

“Aren’t you a witch anyways? Get out of our fucking town!”

CAELIA (in shock, awkwardly laughing):

“AHAHAHA- r-right! I’m sorry!” 

[Caelia runs back inside the house, embarrassed.]

CAELIA - INNER MONOLOGUE:

Fuck, I thought money would work! 

But they’re so valid for thinking that way! 

[Mrs. Poppy looks at Caelia running into the house and slightly smiles.]

CAELIA (to Cassian): 

“They really don’t want a royal here. Let’s just try to fix this home with just the two of us.” 

CASSIAN:

“They were really mean to you out there, huh.

CAELIA:

“I don’t blame them. Royals like me have all the money in the world but can’t spare any change for people who actually need it.”

CAELIA - INNER THOUGHTS:

It’s the same in the modern world, even if it looked a bit different. The system is flawed in every timeline and universe because of greed.

I feel guilty for being born as Caelia, who was rich right from birth. I really do feel for everyone in this village, I really do. 

But I’m also trying to get by in this game called life, in fact I guess it’s technically my second time playing. I literally am going to be executed in 6 months. 

[Caelia gets lost in thought and guilt.]

CASSIAN (walking towards Caelia):

“Caelia”

“Caelia”

“Caelia!”

[Cassian puts his hand on Caelia’s shoulder. Caelia breaks from her trance.] 

CASSIAN:

“Caelia, no one chooses who they were born as. None of us chose to be alive. 

It’s how you make your life that truly matters.”

[Caelia looks at Cassian in silence.]

CAELIA - INNER THOUGHTS:

He’s right. This life, my previous life, it’s how I make it.

[Caelia’s face lights up with resolve.]

CAELIA:

“You’re right Cassian, thank you.” 

[Scene: Caelia outside the home cutting some wood with a hack saw. She is visibly sweating.]

CAELIA - INNER THOUGHTS:

Man, I haven’t done that much labor even in my previous life. And Caelia’s body is so fragile at that! I’m so weak!

But this is for an elderly woman, I have to be strong!

[Villagers outside observe Caelia struggling to bring wood into the house and start laughing at her but Caelia ignores.] 

[Mrs. Poppy observes this.]

[Caelia drops the cut wood on the floor of the home.]

Alright, Cassian is out getting more wood. I should try to take apart the rotting parts of the home.

The infrastructure of the original home was flawed in the sense that a lot of water mechanisms had water seeping into the wood, which caused it to rot.

[Mrs. Poppy gets up from her chair outside on the porch and goes into the house to greet Caelia.] 

MRS. POPPY (smiles):

“Lady Caelia, how are things going so far?”

CAELIA (turns around to Mrs. Poppy):

“It’s going good, Mrs. Poppy! Sorry if I’m causing too much ruckus. This wood is heavy!

You also can drop the formalities and just call me Caelia!”

MRS. POPPY:

“Okay Caelia.

Would you like to sit down for a bit outside on the porch and relax?”

[Caelia and Mrs. Poppy sit outside. It is a bright, sunny day in Kingsley.]

MRS. POPPY (softly):

“First of all Caelia, I would like to thank you for coming all the way over here and fixing our home.”

CAELIA:

“It’s no problem Mrs. Poppy! 

Not to be rude but I thought you lived alone?”

MRS. POPPY:

“Yeah, it’s me and my late husband’s home.”

CAELIA (apologetic):

“Oh.. I apologize! I didn’t mean to be so insensitive!”

MRS. POPPY:

“It’s okay dear. I apologize that the house is in really bad shape. Ever since he passed, I haven’t been upkeeping the house and it got to this point. 

He was the one who kept the house running even though it was old… 

As run down as it is, it is our house.”

[Caelia felt her heart rip and looks at Mrs. Poppy with sadness.]

MRS POPPY:

“I’m glad that you and Sir Cassian are here to fix the house up. Hopefully, it’ll give me a fresh start to actually living my life.” 

CAELIA (confident): 

“Mrs. Poppy, I can assure you that we will rebuild your house so that you can do that.”

MRS. POPPY:

“You know Caelia, I must admit that I was a bit concerned after hearing that you were coming over. I found myself caught in those rumors about you. 

But right when you approached my door, I felt your kind aura. 

Don’t listen to any of the townsfolk. 

You are a kind person.” 

CAELIA (touched, smiling):

“Thank you, Mrs. Poppy.”

MRS. POPPY:

“Cassian is such a nice boy too! Have you two been working for long?”

CAELIA:

“Ah no, we have only been working together for about two weeks.”

MRS. POPPY:

“Really? It seems like you two make a great team. What do you think of him?”

[Caelia pauses for a moment to piece together the words.]

CAELIA:

“Cassian is a very kind and intelligent person. A very supportive person who challenges you in a good way. 

He would say otherwise, but he does most of the work, I just help him out here and there. 

He really, really stands out in a room with his intellect.”

CAELIA - INNER THOUGHTS:

And unfortunately looks as well…..

[Caelia starts to blush a little bit. Mrs. Poppy slightly chuckles.]

MRS. POPPY:

“If he stands out the most in a room, what does that make you?”

CAELIA (confused):

“What do you mean?”

[Mrs. Poppy reaches her hand over to hold Caelia’s hand.]

MRS. POPPY (smiling):

“Oh nothing. He really is a sweet boy.”

CASSIAN (yells):

“CAELIA! I’M BACK WITH SOME WOOD!”

[Caelia looks over at the direction of where the yelling was coming from. Cassian is back with some extra wood, the sunset setting behind him. Smiling while looking at Caelia.]

CAELIA (yells back):

“Hold up Cassian! I’m coming over to help you!”

CAELIA (to Mrs. Poppy):

“I’ll be right back, I’m gonna help Cassian bring the wood.”

[Caelia rushes over to Cassian to help him.]

MRS. POPPY - INNER THOUGHTS:

Lady Caelia… 

If he shines the brightest in the room, what does it mean when he’s always looking towards you?

She really doesn’t give herself enough credit. She is too kind.

[Montages of Cassian always looking and admiring Caelia even when she is not noticing.]

[End of Chapter 4 Part 1]