The night after the banquet was quiet.
The laughter, the music, the gleaming chandeliers all of it had faded into memory, leaving only the pale light of the moon spilling through Clara's window.
Her chamber was still, the faint rustle of curtains the only sound as she sat cross-legged upon her bed, a single candle flickering beside her.
The silver tiara lay forgotten on the vanity.
Her hair, now loose and tousled, framed her face as she turned the fragile pages of Clara's—no, her journal.
The entries had become an anchor to her thoughts, a whisper of the past guiding her through the haze of what she was beginning to remember.
Her eyes traced the familiar handwriting until they stopped at a new heading.
'The Cat with Blue Eyes.'
***
"I Clara, the daughter of King Matthias and Queen Isabella, have always loved the outside world beyond the palace. Where did I get the idea? Well, my brother loves sending me postcards. He's traveling around the world to gain more knowledge because, after a year, he will take over the throne and follow in the footsteps of my father. I'm not jealous though, for I never wanted to be a ruler. I'd rather travel around the world, get to know different cultures, cuisines, people, and many more..."
Clara took a huge sigh as she stared at the stagnant lake.
If only it were that easy to say.
"Brother... Why haven't you come back...? It's been two years since you left... I'm turning 16 soon..."
"Happy birthday to you, princess~"
A deep, gentle voice greeted Clara from nowhere.
She quickly stood up to fix herself, looking for the person who spoke.
"Where are you?!"
Clara demanded, keeping my focus and alertness.
"Geez... you need to calm down, princess. It's not like it's my first time seeing you here."
The boy replied.
"What do you mean?!"
"Hey, it's not like you own this spot~"
He teased.
"Why don't you show yourself then?"
Clara kept looking for where the voice was coming from.
"Hehe~ Even if you look everywhere, princess, you won't see me."
The boy chuckled.
"Are you making fun of me?!"
Clara retorted while starting to get annoyed.
"Why don't you try looking up at this huge tree you love taking a nap on?"
The boy replied, and her cheeks turned red.
He knew where Clara's sleeping spot was.
Clara slowly looked up and saw a boy reading a book.
Although she couldn't see his face because the whole book was covering him, she could see his dark hair and slim figure, which seemed to be relaxed while reading.
"You'll make me blush if you stare at me like that, princess."
The boy chuckled while turning the page of his book.
"Who are you?"
Clara abruptly asked once more.
"Can't tell you."
He answered.
"Where are you from?"
She followed up with another question.
"Not saying anything."
He replied in a monotone voice.
"We can do this all day, princess, but I won't tell you anything."
The boy sighed while still fixated on his book.
"Are you a bad guy then?"
She asked once more.
"A bad guy won't reveal he's a villain now, would he?"
The boy replied.
Clara finally admitted defeat.
"Why don't you just go take a nap like you always used to?"
The boy suggested.
"E-excuse me? Are you watching me sleep?!"
Clara's face turned redder.
"You're quite cute when you're quiet."
He teased.
"S-stop making fun of me! Ugh-!"
She angrily lifted my gown, touching the grass, and walked away.
"See you tomorrow, princess~"
The boy waved his hand without looking at me.
Although, as she took a glance, Clara managed to see his eyes.
They were as blue as the ocean.
She has never met someone with eyes as blue as his.
"You're going back to the palace early today, Your Majesty?"
Randolf, the royal family's head butler, greeted as he opened the carriage door.
"There was a cat stuck in a tree and it won't stop meowing; I can't take a good nap."
Clara replied and sat down.
"Oh, I see... let's go home then..."
He scratched his head and then signaled the coachman to leave.
-----
Upon arriving home, Clara was greeted by my mother with a hug and a huge smile on her face.
"Wow, you look so happy today~ Something good happened?"
She asked while hugging my mother back.
"Your big brother is finally coming home soon~"
Isabella giggled while showing Clara the letter her brother sent.
Clara's face lit up as she took the letter and began to read.
"My dear father and mother,
I apologize for being gone too long. I did not realize there were many things I needed to learn to become a great king. However, worry no more, for by the time you receive this letter, I will be on my way back; I'll be arriving within three days.
Another thing, before I end this message, I want to tell both of you that I will be discussing something with you. Until then, please wait for me.
Sincerely,
Gabriel"
Clara's eyes couldn't believe it.
Her big brother is finally going home.
She was so happy that she ran up to her room and locked the door.
"Finally~ once my brother accepts the throne, I'll be able to tell mother and father, I want to explore the world when I turn 21! Then I get to see the world~"
Clara was smiling widely while looking at the postcards her big brother sent, pasted from the album dedicated just for these pictures.
"Soon... I'll be seeing all of these soon..."
Clara laid her head down on the bed and instantly fell asleep.
"It's the cat's fault that I'm sleepy..."
Clara muttered.
------
The next day, Clara's classes with her private tutor finished late, so she went by the lake, already past 2 in the afternoon.
"You're late today, princess."
A familiar voice was heard.
Clara slowly looked up and saw a familiar figure; his face was still covered with his book, but she could see his blue ocean eyes focused on the book he was reading.
"My class finished late today, and I had to do extra dance lessons."
Clara replied while she sat down at her usual spot, leaning against the huge tree.
"I saw you waltz before... I thought it was beautiful. Do you still need extra lessons?"
He chuckled while flipping the page.
"Well, you know... they want everything to be perfect before my birthday party. After all, it is expected for a princess to dance gracefully and perfectly."
Clara took a deep breath.
"Wow, you must really love being a princess~"
The boy replied sarcastically.
"I'd rather be a normal girl, exploring the world and traveling to different countries. That's my kind of thing."
Clara smiled, looking at the quiet lake.
"This lake is like this kingdom... so enclosed, it's suffocating, and the things to do are limited... Imagine what it would be like out there... a vast ocean with many things to discover and learn..."
She took a deep breath, realizing how much she loves the idea of exploring.
"You're suddenly quiet."
Clara looked up at him as he was still reading.
"I'm just wondering, is there any particular place you would like to go, princess?"
He asked.
"Well... I haven't thought about that since I want to go everywhere."
Clara looked up in the clouds, forming somewhat like a map figure.
"Don't forget about me then one day, when your journey begins~"
The boy replied.
"I don't even know your name or what you look like; how would you expect me to find you?"
Clara frowned while looking at him.
"You won't need that."
He answered shortly.
"What?"
Clara asked in confusion.
"You'll understand soon enough, princess. Also, it's getting pretty late; I can see your guards are already anxious."
The boy looked towards the area where my guards were waiting for her.
"Oh right! It's getting late. Well, see you again, kitty~"
Clara stood up, fixing her gown.
"Kitty?"
He asked.
"Because only a cat could stay that long sitting in a tree."
She smiled and walked towards her carriage.
Upon arriving home, it was already time for dinner, and as they ate, Clara couldn't stop smiling
"Your smile is quite different today, my dear~ you seem to be in a good mood."
Mother noticed.
"O-oh, because the cat I saw the other day by the lake turned out to be a nice kitty. He's my first friend."
***
After reading, Clara froze.
Something about the words stirred something deep inside her chest, like a chord struck too hard.
Her breath trembled as she read on, though she scarcely absorbed the words themselves.
Each line blurred into the next, and with every sentence, realization dawned soft at first, then sharp as lightning.
Her hand flew to her lips.
"The way he acts…" she whispered, her voice breaking. "It can't be…"
The candlelight flickered, as though the very air held its breath.
------
The grand hall of Vandenberg shimmered with opulence.
Golden banners draped from the high arched ceiling, swaying gently as sunlight poured through stained-glass windows, scattering ribbons of crimson and blue across the marble floor.
The scent of polished steel and incense lingered in the air, a mixture of reverence and ceremony.
Trumpets blared.
Soldiers in silver-plated armor lined the path to the throne, their blades gleaming as though the very light of heaven touched them.
Nobles whispered among themselves, the hum of curiosity rising with every second of anticipation.
Clara stood just behind her parents, her hands clasped tightly before her.
Her head bowed slightly, but her thoughts...
Her thoughts were elsewhere.
The journal she'd read the night before haunted her still.
Each word, each sentence about 'the cat with blue eyes' refused to fade.
That hidden figure in the tree, that boy who vanished into memory.
Her heart refused to stay calm.
That voice of the man who danced with her the night before the banquet...
Lastly...
That man she cherished from a different timeline...
'Could it be…?' she thought.
'No, that's impossible... Yet... They all indeed have a similarity...'
But the deeper she tried to dismiss it, the louder the truth knocked at the doors of her mind.
Her father's voice thundered through the hall, breaking her daze.
"Today, we honor the man who has long protected our borders!" King Matthias proclaimed. "The blade and shield of Vandenberg itself, our Head General."
The massive doors creaked open with solemn grandeur.
Clara's gaze lifted instinctively.
Boots echoed, a measured rhythm that filled the space like a heartbeat.
A tall man entered, clad in dark armor trimmed with silver, the royal crest etched upon his shoulder.
His stride was precise, confident, unwavering yet graceful in its discipline.
Every movement of his felt familiar.
Every step tugged at a forgotten corner of her soul.
Her breath caught.
Her father's voice carried on proud, regal, commanding.
But Clara no longer heard him.
The hall, the murmuring courtiers, even her mother's composed figure, all of it faded into a distant blur.
All she could see was the man walking toward them, his head still slightly bowed, his gloved hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
The candlelight from the chandeliers above caught his hair, a shimmer of silver among dark strands.
Her pulse quickened.
His posture was straight, precise, his movements disciplined, graceful even in stillness as he knelt down.
When he finally raised his head, Clara's breath caught.
Beneath the soft glow of morning, she saw them...
Those eyes...
Those blue eyes written in the journal...
Those blue eyes who lovingly gaze at her in her previous life...
Her heart stuttered violently, and before she could stop herself, a tear slid down her cheek.
The man paused, his gaze meeting hers across the hall.
For a heartbeat, the world fell utterly silent.
And though neither spoke another word, Clara knew the past she thought had just returned to her.
Her lips trembled as she whispered, so faintly it was almost a prayer...
"Aiden…"
Her father continued. "From the borders of the northern hills to the sea of Valmere, his courage has brought peace and glory to this land!"
Her lips parted slightly.
Pieces fell into place.
One by one.
Memory overlaid with reality.
The lake...
The tree...
Those impossibly blue eyes that once looked down at her and said, 'Don't forget me, princess.'
Her throat tightened.
The realization hit her all at once...
Sharp...
Luminous...
Undeniable.
Her fingers trembled against her gown.
King Matthias' final announcement echoed through the vaulted ceiling, triumphant and unaware of the silent storm beside him.
"Behold!" he declared. "Even at such a young age, he has led our armies with brilliance unmatched, the Duke of Vandenberg himself, Caelum Ren Sinclair!"