The stillness that filled the room resembled the calm before the storm. Only a few moments had passed, but they felt eternal. Arwa froze in place for a moment, as if the air had been trapped in her chest, and the sound of her heartbeat was louder than any other sound.
In a failed attempt to escape the tension of the moment, she turned her face away from Kyle, trying to ignore his closeness, which seemed to devour the space between them.
"Yes, I'm hungry…" she said in a soft voice. Kyle smiled, that quiet smile that hid within it a mixture of tenderness and cunning. He reached out his hand and very gently moved a strand of hair that had fallen onto her cheek, then tucked it behind her ear delicately.
He said in a hoarse, low voice, as if whispering a secret that should never be said aloud:
"There are some refreshments on the table… eat and sleep."
Arwa didn't respond. She tried to pretend that it didn't matter, but she hurried to the table and grabbed the sweets as if they were a lifeline. One piece after another, she began tasting those candies that melted in her mouth like a cloud, with the flavor of strawberry milk — a sweetness more suited to her forgotten childhood than her tense present.
While the sweetness was dissolving the roughness of the previous day, she caught sight of Kyle from the corner of her eye as he quietly left the room without uttering a word — silent as he entered, calm as the sea before the storm.
When she finished her plate, she crawled toward the bed and pulled the blanket over her head, as if making a pact with the night not to wake it. She surrendered to sleep without resistance, not knowing when the dreams had kidnapped her, but the warmth around her was strange… familiar.
What Arwa didn't know… was that Kyle hadn't gone far.
He sat near the bed, holding a book from which he'd only read a few lines, as he kept stealing glances at her between one page and another. He sighed silently, then whispered to himself as he watched the childish features of her face:
"Finally… she fell asleep. This girl… even while sleeping, she tempts patience with her intense innocence."
He took a deep breath and a long exhale, then returned his gaze to the book, but his thoughts remained tethered to the bed… to her.
**
In another wing of the palace, Princess Diana stood before her mirror. With her slim figure and gaze filled with spite, she passed her hand over her neck, then grabbed a strand of her silky golden hair, smiling with a mischief that resembled the grin of a lurking cat.
"Summon the maid."
The maid entered quickly, bowing her head, and said:
"Yes, Your Highness?"
Diana spoke without turning around:
"Do you know of any type of perfume… that causes skin irritation?"
Signs of shock appeared on the maid's face, but her voice remained steady:
"No, Your Highness… and why are you asking about something like that?"
Diana finally turned to her, and her smile widened:
"I just want… to play a little prank on my dear brother."
"I'm sorry, Your Highness… there is no such perfume in the palace's store."
Diana rose from her chair and replied as she ran her hand over her luxurious velvet jacket:
"No matter… I've found another solution."
**
Morning had crept in with its golden threads through the lavish windows, filling the palace with the chirping of birds. In that room, Arwa was still deeply asleep. Her silvery silky hair was scattered over the pillow, and her white face looked like a page from a book upon which only innocence was written.
But something caused her to toss in her sleep. She moved, then tried to turn her back… but she suddenly stopped. Her eyes opened wide, and she found herself completely wrapped in the warm body behind her. It was a light embrace… but a real one.
In shock, she lifted her eyes to find Kyle holding her as if guarding her sleep. He was wearing a white satin shirt and black satin pajama pants. His blond hair was tousled, and his eyes half-closed, as if still caught between dream and wakefulness.
His face was so close, and his features mesmerized her: thick eyebrows, long lashes, a perfectly sculpted nose, and calm lips. A living portrait… a handsome man without pretense.
Suddenly, he spoke in a low voice with a hint of irritation:
"I know I'm handsome… stop staring. It bothers me. I'm trying to sleep."
Arwa stuttered and muttered:
"Ha… sorry, but… what are you doing? Why are you… glued to me?"
Kyle opened one eye and looked at her with a mix of drowsiness and amusement:
"I couldn't sleep… so I pulled you to my side. I don't know, your presence on the same bed makes me… tense in a strange way."
Arwa gasped and looked at herself, only to find her nightgown had ridden up slightly, revealing her leg. She panicked, and her cheeks flushed. She grabbed the pillow immediately, threw it at his face with force, then ran to the bathroom to change her clothes.
Kyle laughed as he caught the pillow and ran his fingers through his hair, then said to himself in a quiet voice as he stared out the window:
"Arwa… I never expected to be hit with a pillow because of a nightgown… By God, I think I've started to understand the madness of my heart… because you're in it."
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