[Caelia and Cassian leave the scrap pieces of wood at the library for tomorrow’s work. They then go to their guest home in Kingsley where they each have separate rooms. After saying goodnight to each other, they both go to sleep.]

───── ⋆⋅⊹⋅⋆ ─────

[The next day, Caelia and Cassian arrived at the library with more tools such as saws and hammers to eventually start the building process today. Ms. Poppy also came over to the library just to watch them work. The engineers have to work outside to cut the wood as the library is too small; however, when working outside, they are more exposed to the townspeople of Kingsley giving them dirty looks.]

[After measuring, Caelia and Cassian are cutting some wood with hack saws. She is visibly sweating.]

CAELIA - INNER MONOLOGUE:

Man, I’ve lived a privileged life to not ever have used power saws. I haven’t done this much labor even in my previous life. And my current body is so fragile at that! I’m so weak! But this is for an elderly woman, I have to be strong!

[Townspeople outside observe Caelia struggling to saw wood. Some start laughing at her but Caelia ignores and uses it as fuel to saw even faster. Some townspeople even start gathering around the library to witness the anomaly of a noble sawing wood.] 

TOWNSPERSON 1 (looking at Caelia):

“Is that Duke Ardent’s daughter?”

TOWNSPERSON 2:

“Yeah, apparently people saw the royal carriage yesterday and now all of a sudden she’s helping out at the library! Isn’t that crazy?”

TOWNSPERSON 1:

“What is she doing? Why is a lady cutting things to begin with? That’s so weird. I wonder how that guy she’s with feels about it.”

TOWNSPERSON 2:

“I’m not sure, but it seems like Pops’ is okay with it. I find it ridiculous letting a royal help out, but you know Pops’ she’s too nice.” 

[Throughout the day, Jack is seen off to the side observing Cassian and Caelia sawing down the wood, sneering at them and trying to catch a moment where she acts wicked.]

───── ⋆⋅⊹⋅⋆ ─────

[For that day, Caelia and Cassian finished cutting the wood for their first prototype bookshelf. Caelia looks at all of the sprawled pieces of wood and starts to mentally visualize how to put the pieces together.]

CAELIA - INNER MONOLOGUE:

Alright, so we should first organize all of the wood pieces by function. Then, we should probably try to hammer together the skeletal frame of the bookshelf, and then from there we can…

[As Caelia thinks to herself intently, Cassian glances over at her.]

CASSIAN:

“What are you thinking about, Caelia?”

[Caelia doesn’t answer as she is intensely focused on her visualization, still intently looking at the scrap pieces of wood. Instead of getting upset at her, Cassian looks at her and smiles to himself.]

───── ⋆⋅⊹⋅⋆ ─────

[Then the two of them hammered and connected all the pieces together to create something marvelous. It was beautiful, made with dark-stained wood, and stood tall with many shelves built in to hold many books.]

[Caelia and Cassian bring the shelf inside the library as a test. They secured the bookcase to the floor and loaded some books on it. Ms. Poppy was overjoyed as they installed the first new bookshelf in the library.]

MS. POPPY (sensitive):

“My dears!!! This is so beautiful! Thank you so much!!!”

[Seeing Ms. Poppy's smile at their work made Caelia’s heart smile.]

CAELIA:

“We still got a lot more to make, Ms. Poppy! It should take us the whole week and then you can start your new life.”

MS. POPPY:

“I’m looking forward to it!”

───── ⋆⋅⊹⋅⋆ ─────

[For the rest of the week, Caelia and Cassian were hard at work. They were cutting and assembling the entire week to create all of the 10 bookshelves of the library. The sizes of the bookshelves ranged from small kid bookshelves to tall bookshelves. The townspeople were starting to get mixed opinions of them working as the week went by.]

“It really does seem like she’s helping Mrs. Poppy out with the library.”

“Yeah, it seems like she’s working hard.”

“I still don’t buy it.”

“The shelves are actually coming together even though they’re made by a woman!”

“No way, that guy she’s with is probably telling her what to do.”

“I can’t believe Caelia Ardent is doing this.”

[Jack, observing them the entire week, felt the energy change day-by-day from the townsfolk, changing into Caelia’s favor and he gets more and more bothered by the day. By the fourth day, his rage was consuming inside him.]

JACK - INNER MONOLOGUE:

I don’t understand. Why are these people’s opinions changing so fast? She’s not even doing much. The royal circle always promise something and never deliver. So why are these people so gullible???

───── ⋆⋅⊹⋅⋆ ─────

[When the week ends, all of the new bookshelves are installed in the library as well as the new additions of the kid-friendly shelves and step stools. Even with the new installed bookshelves, the library still kept its charm. Caelia looks around and smiles to herself at their achievements.]

CAELIA - INNER MONOLOGUE:

Wow… It really came all together. 

CASSIAN (to Ms. Poppy):

“Okay, I think we are all done Ms. Poppy. Let us know what you think!” 

[Ms. Poppy looks around her newly renovated library and marvels at it. She smiles ear to ear.]

MS. POPPY: 

“Thank you, thank you, my dears!!! This is absolutely amazing! I feel like I’ve been reborn again! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

[Ms. Poppy starts to tear up and immediately hugs Caelia. Caelia felt that warm fuzzy feeling again, like the time she helped the maids, making her genuinely smile. She hugs Ms. Poppy back.]

CAELIA - INNER MONOLOGUE:

This… This makes me feel good.

CAELIA (smiles):

“You’re welcome, Ms. Poppy.”

───── ⋆⋅⊹⋅⋆ ─────

[That afternoon, Caelia and Cassian are slowly putting books on the new shelves. Their backs facing each other, they were loading books onto the shelves one by one. Having almost finished with an entire side of the bookshelf, Caelia is struggling to reach the top shelf and is on her tippy toes trying to put books in.]

CAELIA - INNER MONOLOGUE:

I almost got it…!

[Cassian hears her struggle and looks behind him. Looking down, he notices she's on her tippy toes. Smiling to himself, he turns around planning to help her reach the top shelf. He gets closer to her behind her, reaching his arm out to help her put the book in. But then she jumps a small amount and she barely slides the book on the top shelf, successfully placing it.]

Yes! I got it! 

[She then turned to pick up another book from the box but got startled when she saw Cassian directly behind her. She slightly jumps back and he also gets startled.]

CAELIA (spooked):

“Sorry, Cassian. Is there something you need?”

[He looks at her and blushes out of embarrassment.]

CASSIAN (shy):

“N-No… It’s nothing.”

───── ⋆⋅⊹⋅⋆ ─────

[Later that night, Cassian is outside the library putting away all of the scrap wood. Caelia and Ms. Poppy are inside, cleaning the area.]

MS. POPPY (thankful to Caelia):

“Caelia... Thank you again. I can’t say it enough. This place looks beautiful.”

[Hearing Ms. Poppy complimenting her work makes Caelia happy.]

CAELIA (brightly):

“Of course! If there’s anything else you need, don’t hesitate to call us, okay?”

MS. POPPY:

“You’re too kind. Mr. Welsh 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.”

MS. POPPY (surprised):

“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, her chest feeling tingly as she thinks about Cassian.]

CAELIA (gentle):

“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 stands out in a room with his intellect. He shines brightly.”

[Caelia unconsciously smiles to herself. Ms. Poppy slightly chuckles.]

MS. POPPY:

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

CAELIA (confused):

“What do you mean?”

MS. POPPY (smiling):

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

[All of a sudden before Caelia could ask further, Cassian comes back into the library.]

CASSIAN:

“Caelia, are you guys ready?”

CAELIA (to Cassian):

“Yeah!

[Caelia then looks at Ms. Poppy.]

It’s getting late, Ms. Poppy. We can bring you home. Cassian and I can come back and clean the place.”

[Ms. Poppy nods her head and they start leaving the library. She looks up to Caelia with admiration.]

MS. 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.

[Throughout the entire week, Ms. Poppy always noticed Cassian looking at Caelia when Caelia wasn’t looking. If the brightest person in the room always looks at someone else, what does that make the other person?]

︶⊹︶︶✧︶︶⊹︶

[From outside the library, Jack sees Caelia, Cassian, and his mother walk out of the library. He got visibly angry seeing this sight.]

JACK - INNER MONOLOGUE:

I need to see this for myself. There’s no way that a noblelady did anything to help.

[After the three of them left, Jack snuck his way into the library to see what it looked like. Still lit with candles, there were rows upon rows of new bookshelves, a new kids area, and multiple ladders and stepstools. He caught himself in awe of how new everything looked but somehow still kept its old charm.]

What is this??? What kind of trick is this??? 

[He then remembers the townspeople’s opinions starting to sway about Caelia during the week. Almost agreeing with them, he immediately snapped out of it.]

No. No. No. She’s still royal blood. There’s probably an ulterior motive for her doing this. There always is with people with high political standing. I just can’t believe that my mother fell for these tricks and everyone else in the town is falling for it too!!!

[Out of anger, Jack kicks one of the bookshelves. The room shakes a bit and some books fall to the ground but most of the bookshelves stay upright. Frustrated that the bookshelves stayed upright, he kicks another one which shakes and falls against the wall, knocking a lit lantern on a table close by. Jack clicks his tongue and rolls his eyes and leaves the library, not noticing the knocked over lantern.]

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

[End of Chapter 4 Part 3]