[The next day at the Everhart Palace, Queen Valeria and Annalise were having tea outside in the garden. This is something they would do frequently, and this is when Annalise would tell Queen Valeria about Caelia’s antics and the Queen would overly validate her. But for the past couple of weeks, Annalise had nothing to talk about.] 

ANNALISE - INNER MONOLOGUE:

It’s been too quiet around here without Caelia, haven’t seen her in a month. I’m glad her torture stopped but without them, I have nothing to talk about with Queen Valeria. It really strengthened my case over Caelia’s. The Queen hasn’t been praising me as much recently. But no matter, it’s preposterous that Caelia is doing a man’s work.

[Annalise pours the tea into Queen Valeria’s teacup and then gives it to her.]

I have nothing to worry about.

QUEEN VALERIA (calm):

“Thank you, Annalise. You’ve been such a great help around the palace, as always. I’m very glad you’re here.”

ANNALISE (fakely smiles):

“It's no problem, Your Grace. How have you been this past week?”

[Queen Valeria’s gaze darkens. She looks inside her teacup, seeing her reflection.] 

QUEEN VALERIA (unsurprised):

“Caelia caused some trouble in Kingsley.”

ANNALISE - INNER MONOLOGUE:

As expected, it was all an act, she couldn’t have survived there.

ANNALISE (fakely surprised):

“What do you mean? She’s doing great things over there to help, isn’t she? I mean, it makes me feel bad that I’m just here at the palace doing the typical womanly things…”

QUEEN VALERIA:

“Don’t say that, Annalise! You’re doing great! She actually caused a fire at the library in Kingsley a couple weeks ago. We got news of it earlier this week.”

ANNALISE - INNER MONOLOGUE:

She said I’m doing great! Oh wait, a fire?

ANNALISE (fakely surprised):

“What do you mean she caused it? Is everyone okay?”

QUEEN VALERIA:

“There were no casualties, but I called for Caelia to come back to the palace immediately and she refused!”

ANNALISE - INNER MONOLOGUE:

Typical Caelia, doing what she wants, when she wants. Although, I’m surprised she refused an order from Queen Valeria.

ANNALISE (fakely angered):

“What do you mean, refused? She can’t refuse the order from the empress, that’s unacceptable!”

[Queen Valeria gives a pensive expression and remembers the day when her knight came back from Kingsley.]

──────────﹒✶﹒﹒─

[FLASHBACK: A couple days ago at the palace, the royal knight arrived alone from Kingsley, failing to bring back Caelia. He returned to Queen Valeria and kneeled down in front of her.]

QUEEN VALERIA (angered):

“WHY DIDN’T YOU BRING HER BACK?

ROYAL KNIGHT:

“Caelia didn’t cause the fire, someone else did.”

QUEEN VALERIA (baffled):

“Now that just sounds like a lie! You know how she is, she was probably lying or bribed them off to lie!”

[The knight remembers Caelia’s hurt expression back in Kingsley. He averts his gaze to the ground.]

ROYAL KNIGHT:

“Your Majesty, it looked like she was very hurt, she didn’t want to leave.”

QUEEN VALERIA:

“So what? What does that have to do with anything?”

ROYAL KNIGHT (monotone):

“She wasn’t Caelia Ardent.”

QUEEN VALERIA:

“What are you talking about? Did you mistake her for someone else?”

ROYAL KNIGHT (monotone):

“No, I mean, that wasn’t the Caelia Ardent I knew about. So I didn’t bring her back.”

─﹒﹒✶﹒──────────

QUEEN VALERIA (suspicious):

“Apparently, it was someone else who caused it and it was an accident.”

[After a pause, Annalise fakely smiles again.]

ANNALISE:

“Honestly, that makes sense! Caelia wouldn’t have caused it. She’s too nice.”

ANNALISE - INNER MONOLOGUE:

Why is she so adamant on staying in Kingsley? Is there something that’s there that I don’t know about?

QUEEN VALERIA:

“Annalise, she’s not nice- you are. Even after all of her schemes on you, you still have a smile on your face. This is exactly what is needed to be a good empress.” 

ANNALISE (smiling):

“Thank you, Your Grace, as I’ve said before, I think Caelia is a hurt person. I’m happy she’s out here exploring her passions even if they’re a bit… different.”

[Queen Valeria rubs her head with her fingers, feeling frustrated at it all.]

QUEEN VALERIA:

“I’m not even quite sure why my husband even agreed to this. This is so unladylike.” 

ANNALISE:

“Even if it is unladylike, we should allow her to do what she wants! Does His Grace know about the library accident?” 

[Queen Valeria sighs, feeling defeated.]

QUEEN VALERIA:

“Yes but he believes she didn’t cause it. She's acting too inappropriate as a prospect. I much prefer a lady who stays in the palace.”

[She looks at Annalise with a warm smile and Annalise smiles back in victory.]

ANNALISE - INNER MONOLOGUE:

If she comes back, she will continue to torture me. I was worried about not having leverage over Caelia but turns out, I have nothing to worry about. Caelia can’t come back here. She’s self sabotaging herself over there.

ANNALISE (fakely smiles):

“Your Grace, I think she’s trying to showcase her strengths in her own way! I’m also doing just fine in the palace by myself!”

QUEEN VALERIA (baffled):

“I just can’t believe she is out there.”

[Because she didn’t hear any further praise, Annalise starts to feel insecure about herself, and her expression starts to waver.]

ANNALISE - INNER MONOLOGUE:

Why can’t she just admit that I’m better than her?

I’ve been doing all the palace work on my own and Caelia is out here destroying buildings…

It should be a no-brainer for Prince Theo and his parents to choose me.

ANNALISE (proposes sweetly):

“Your Grace, I think we should have dinner at the palace! Just you, me and His Grace. It has been a while!”

QUEEN VALERIA (smiles):

“I love that idea, Annalise. I’ll talk to my husband about it.”

ANNALISE - INNER MONOLOGUE:

I have Queen Valeria on my side, I just need to hear from King Oscar.

───── ⋆⋅⊹⋅⋆ ─────

[Back in Kingsley, Caelia and Cassian are off to their next project. Now that the library scandal was resolved, the crowd of people that were following them in previous days disappeared. Caelia sits in the carriage and looks over the letter they received for their next project: repairing a deteriorated shop stand at Kingsley Central Square.] 

CAELIA (surprised):

“And we are already on our next project! Man, these turnaround times are quick!”

[Remembering her hurt during the library project, Cassian looks over at her worriedly.]

CASSIAN (concerned):

“Are you sure you want to build after our last project? There might still be some people against you.”

CAELIA (smiles, straightforward):

“There always will be. I can’t control that. It’s okay, projects bring me joy. But, if it makes you uncomfortable, you also don’t have to work with me. You also got hurt because of me, so I understand.”

CASSIAN (softly):

“I didn’t get hurt and that wasn’t your fault. I still want to work with you even if times get hard.”

[Feeling touched at his answer, she remembers he lent his hand when she felt too anxious to move forward in Kingsley. Her face starts to slightly redden thinking about this.]

CAELIA - INNER MONOLOGUE:

I’m not sure how to repay him…

CAELIA (heartfelt):

“I didn’t get to properly thank you for all you do for me… So thank you.”

CASSIAN (smiles brightly):

“It’s no problem! We are partners, aren’t we?”

[Seeing him smile brightly, still wanting to work with her, makes her heart hurt. All she was used to in her past life was being alone. But with Cassian in front of her, she slowly accepts the fact that she isn’t alone.]

CAELIA (bright):

“That’s right! We are partners!”

───── ⋆⋅⊹⋅⋆ ─────

[They arrived at Kingsley Central Square where 15 years ago, it was the trading hub for all the neighboring towns. Its layout is open, being able to fit hundreds of stands and small businesses. People from all around the kingdom would arrive everyday to buy or trade. But nowadays, it’s empty. Only a few small businesses managed to power through the war, but the rest of the area was filled with abandoned stands. The engineers came to meet a singular man there. When the engineers arrived, they were presented with a man in his 40s, bald, muscular, and tan skin, standing in front of a cart that was on its last leg, literally.]

───── ⋆⋅⊹⋅⋆ ─────

[Caelia and Cassian exit their carriage. They meet with the bald man who wears a jolly expression.]

??? (jolly and friendly):

“Ah! You guys have arrived! Welcome, welcome!

[The man holds his hand out for a handshake.]

The name is Ulysses. Pleasure to meet you!’”

[Cassian returns the handshake first.]

CASSIAN:

“Nice to meet you, Ulysses. I’m Cassian Welsh, head engineer at Everhart Palace.”

[Ulysses turns over to Caelia and lifts his hand up for her to shake.]

ULYSSES (happy):

“You must be Lady Ardent!”

[Caelia returns the handshake.]

CAELIA (smiles back):

“Please, Caelia is fine. Nice to meet you, Ulysses.”

ULYSSES (happy):

“I’m glad you two are here. Thanks for answering my letter so quickly! As you know, you’re here to help me restore my stand.

[Ulysses presents his old stand, a stand that held a metal large pot with a lid and ladle inside.]

She’s really old so she can’t move anymore. Makes it harder for me to stop at different places around town. As you can see here… no one really stops by here anymore. It’s comparable to a ghost town.”

CAELIA (curious):

“It’s not a problem, Ulysses! If you don’t mind me asking, what do you sell?”

ULYSSES:

“Ah! Yes. I apologize for that.

[Ulysses hurries to his stand and grabs two cups and fills them up with soup. He then hands them over to Caelia and Cassian.]

I sell soup! Pretty weird for the summer, right? But they say that if you drink something warm in the summer, it cools you down~!”

[Caelia and Cassian drink the soup. A delicious aroma filled their noses of herbaceous spices and savoriness. The delicious taste fills their taste buds.]

CAELIA (astonished):

“WOW! This soup is really delicious!”

CASSIAN (agrees):

“Yeah, it’s pretty good.”

ULYSSES:

“Ha ha! Thanks for the compliments. Although, it’s not as good as the previous owner’s. He was the one who taught me the recipe but I can’t copy it. Unfortunately though… He’s not here with us today…”

CAELIA - INNER MONOLOGUE:

Oh no… The owner must have passed…

[Caelia starts to feel sad and mournful.] 

CAELIA (sad):

“I-I’m sorry for your loss, Ulysses.”

ULYSSES (confused):

“What are you talking about? He’s just at home right now! HA HA! That old man still has lots of life to live!”

[Ulysses starts laughing out loud. Caelia stands there stonefaced. Cassian starts chuckling to himself. Her face flushes out of embarrassment.]

CAELIA (panicking):

“I’M SORRY! I THOUGHT YOU MEANT HE HAS PASSED!”

ULYSSES (laughs):

“It’s okay, Caelia. Really. That old man entrusted his cart to me when he retired and I’ve never replaced it which is why it’s in bad shape now. I would like to replace this cart to try and keep his business alive. It’s the least I can do for him. So thank you guys again!”

───── ⋆⋅⊹⋅⋆ ─────

[After Ulysses emptied his stand completely and went home, Caelia and Cassian look at the old stand, now completely empty in its bare bones. The cart needed new reinforcements and structural integrity- it was barely standing.]

CASSIAN (confused):

“How did he run a stand here for so long with this? It’s barely standing up.”

CAELIA:

“I think it’s an easy fix, there’s no need to worry! We can just try to take it apart like a puzzle and then reattach new pieces of wood.”

CASSIAN:

“It might not be easy, if we take it apart, we might forget how it was assembled in the first place. There aren’t any plans.”

CAELIA (defeated):

“I guess you’re right… 

[Caelia starts looking around the area. There were some vendors that were running their businesses. Minimal customers would arrive and then leave immediately without looking at the other stands. The other stands were abandoned and broken around the area. She looks at one of the abandoned stands and then looks back at Ulysses’ stand, they looked very similar.]

Do you think we can reference those other stands? They look very similar.”

[He looks at the other stands surrounding them.]

CASSIAN (agree):

“Oh, I guess they are similar. You’re right.” 

CAELIA:

“Wait, say that again? I didn’t hear you.”

CASSIAN (serious):

“You’re right.”

CAELIA (sarcastically):

“Oh, sorry. Say that again?”

[He gets annoyed that he fell for a ploy.]

CASSIAN (deadpan):

“I’m not saying it, you heard me.” 

CAELIA (giggling):

“Sorry, sorry! Don’t be mad at me!”

[They walk over to one of the abandoned stands. It was an exact match to Ulysses, but just in better shape.]

CAELIA:

“I wonder why Ulysses didn’t just take this stand instead of asking us to fix his.” 

CASSIAN:

“He probably kept it to honor the old owner. And this stand probably was used for someone else’s business so he didn’t want to take it.”

CAELIA:

“Yeah, you’re right. It’s sad how all of these different businesses had to be displaced because of the war.

[Caelia looked around at all the other empty stands of varying conditions, feeling sad that many other businesses were affected by the war.]

It sucks that we can’t help these other businesses with their stands too…”

[Then a lightbulb lit up in her head.]

CAELIA (excited):

“Cassian, I have a crazy idea.”

CASSIAN:

“What is it?”

₊ . ⊹  ݁ ₊‧ . ‿⊱༻✶༺⊰‿ . ‧₊ ݁ ⊹ . ₊ . ⊹  ݁ ₊‧ . ‿⊱༻✶༺⊰‿ . ‧₊ ݁ ⊹ . ₊

[End of Chapter 6 Part 1]