Cold Hearts In Love.

Stephen glanced at Trent.

"Introduce yourself." 

Trent glared back at him. "Do not speak to me; I am still cross with you."

He cleared his throat, though his irritation lingered.

"I—I am Trent, your long-lost acquaintance." He paused, then muttered, "Though I must admit, it feels strange introducing myself to someone I once called friend." 

Aurora furrowed her brow in confusion.

"What is this about?" She turned her questioning gaze to Stephen, who offered a slight shrug. 

"They have come to check on you," he explained. 

"Why would they do that?" she asked, suspicion creeping into her tone. 

"You do not remember, and so it must feel odd to you now," Stephen replied gently. "But we were your childhood friends." He gestured to each of them. "This is Trent, Zayd you already know, and I... well, you once called me Eggroll." 

Aurora blinked, her lips twitching as though to stifle a laugh. "Eggroll? What manner of name is that?" 

Both Trent and Zayd smiled awkwardly, clearly trying to restrain their laughter. 

"You gave him that name," Zayd said, a trace of mirth in his voice. "Egg rolls were your favorite treat, and you said he was your favorite person, so you called him that." 

"I still recall how jealous Zayd and I were," Trent added, chuckling softly. 

Stephen frowned at them but said nothing. 

Aurora stared at him, her mind stirring with a flicker of something forgotten. Then, like a bolt of lightning, a memory flashed before her eyes. 

"Eggroll! Wait for me!" 

Her hands flew to her head as she winced, the memory sharp and sudden. 

The three men rushed to her side. 

"What is it?" Trent asked urgently. "Are your memories returning?" 

"I think so," she murmured, looking up at Stephen. "The pendant... Did you find it?" 

Stephen's expression turned apologetic.

"I searched high and low, but it slipped my mind after a while. I never found it." 

"I see," she whispered, her voice distant. 

Her gaze flickered between the three of them, her earlier amusement fading as her thoughts deepened. "This feels so strange," she said softly, almost to herself. 

"What does?" Stephen inquired, his brow furrowing. 

"Everything I thought I knew... it all feels uncertain now." 

Stephen stepped closer, his voice low and steady. "I do not know what transpired in the past, but you need not face this uncertainty alone. You are not alone anymore. Whatever lies ahead, you may count on us." 

Zayd inclined his head. "If it is your wish, we shall help you uncover the truth about your Family's killer. The choice is yours to make." 

Aurora's eyes narrowed, suspicion sharpening her features. "How do you even know about that? Did you pry into my affairs?" 

Stephen hesitated. "I could not ask you directly—you were so wary of me." 

"And I still do not trust you now," she retorted. 

Trent interjected, smirking. "On that point, I am with you. They found you and decided to leave me out of necessity." 

Aurora glanced between them, her heart stirring with an emotion she could not quite name. Before she could speak, Zayd turned to Trent with a sigh.

"You are quick with your tongue, yet careless with it. Can you truly blame us?" 

"True enough," Stephen admitted making Trent scoff, his face filled with disbelief. 

Aurora cast a sympathetic look toward Trent. "Why do you all turn on him so? I can tell already that he is a kind soul." 

Trent's expression softened into a grin as he threw a pointed look at the other two. "See? She understands. They simply do not." 

"Oh, so now the two of you are inseparable companions?" Zayd quipped, raising a brow. 

Aurora smiled softly, her lighthearted mirth easing the weight she had carried, if only for a moment. "We can't be?" She remarked, but before the conversation could continue, a knock came at the door. 

A young maid entered, her head bowed in deference. "The Queen requests your presence, milady," she announced, her tone even. But as her gaze flitting briefly toward the men, a faint shadow of disapproval in her eyes, as her eyes widened.

"Your Majesty!" She quickly bowed her head.

Aurora hesitated, glancing at Stephen. Stephen nodded, his expression unreadable. "We shall take our leave now," he said, locking eyes with her for a lingering moment. 

Zayd and Trent offered her small winks as they departed. Aurora turned to the maid, smoothing her gown and nodding for her to lead the way.

As she followed, her thoughts churned. If she had so many friends in her youth, why had they been absent when she needed them most? Surely, something was amiss. 

Was the death of her mother and brother so traumatic that she had forgotten an entire portion of her life? Yet she still remembered the horror of their deaths. How ironic.

Aurora followed the maid in silence, her steps light as they turned down a corridor leading to an unknown destination. When the maid stopped before a familiar hallway, Aurora's eyes widened in recognition. This was the Hall of Harmony—so she was being taken to the Queen's chambers. 

She drew in a deep breath, steadying herself as she prepared for what awaited her. 

The chamber was breathtaking, adorned in opulence. Gold and diamond glimmered in every corner, the brilliance so dazzling that Aurora found herself squinting slightly. At the center of the room stood a grand chair and a couch, their ornate designs befitting the regal surroundings. 

Her gaze drifted to the couch, where two women sat in animated conversation. Their voices, lively and refined, carried the cadence of those well-versed in courtly life. 

Aurora scanned the room, but Genevieve was nowhere to be seen. One of the women on the couch caught sight of her. 

"Are you perhaps Lady Aurora?" the woman called, her face brightening as their eyes met, Aurora nods slightly.

"And you are..." Aurora's voice trailed off, inquiring for her name. 

The woman offered a warm smile. "I am Marianna, and this is Charlotte, my dearest friend, the king's cousin." Aurora nods her head slightly, unsure what to do with that information.

The maid, having completed her task, departed, leaving Aurora alone with the two ladies. She returned their smiles awkwardly before settling on the edge of the couch. Her back was straight, her hands resting gently in her lap, every movement deliberate as she worked to maintain composure in this unfamiliar setting. 

A moment later, Sapphire entered. Aurora noticed at once how Sapphire greeted only Marianna, giving Charlotte no more than a passing glance. Without hesitation, she took a seat beside Aurora. 

Sapphire offered her a genuine smile. "Lady Aurora," she greeted warmly. 

Aurora returned the smile, though a question lingered in her mind. Why had Sapphire never visited her, despite their acquaintance? She decided against bringing it up and simply replied, "Good evening, Lady Sapphire." 

Before any further exchange could take place, the door opened again, and Genevieve entered. She wore a smug smile, her posture radiating self-assurance. Aurora tensed slightly, sensing mischief behind that polished exterior. 

"My Queen," They all stood up, bowing slightly. 

"You must be wondering why I have summoned you all here today," Genevieve began, her voice sweet but edged with something sharper. "What joy it is to have the family gathered." 

She took a seat in the grand chair.

"My dear Charlotte," she turned her gaze to her niece, "I heard from your mother how you had just returned from Vienna. How fascinating it must have been to spend the summer at the Mozarteum! One imagines the lessons must have been both demanding and entirely worthwhile." Charlotte inclined her head modestly, though her smile betrayed a flicker of pride. "Indeed, I encountered many kind and generous souls, though, naturally, there were those who were less so. But the experience was, without doubt, most enriching." Genevieve's smile deepened as she turned her gaze toward Sapphire.

"And, of course, dear Sapphire has always excelled in her violin performances. Such dedication clearly runs in the family, does it not?" Sapphire gave a curt nod, her attention fixed elsewhere, which earned her a fleeting, disapproving glance from her mother. 

Aurora and Marianna simply looked on waiting for their turn, knowing this woman wouldn't spare any of them from uncomfortable questions.

"We were just speaking, only the other day, about the virtues of modesty and restraint in a lady's character," Genevieve continued smoothly, her voice now taking on a pointed edge. "It is, after all, what sets apart the truly virtuous from those who lack discipline." 

Aurora caught the Queen's glance shifting toward her, and though her face betrayed nothing, inwardly she braced herself. The Queen's words were deliberate, calculated. 

"Wouldn't you agree, my dear?" Genevieve asked, tilting her head with the faintest smile.

"Surely, in your travels, you've seen how such values elevate one's standing in society." 

"Mother," Sapphire's voice was soft, breaking through the carefully composed atmosphere like the snap of a string. 

"Manners, Sapphire," Genevieve chided with a hiss, her tone deceptively calm, though her gaze was steely.

Composing herself, she returned her attention to Aurora, her lips curling into a smile that did not reach her eyes. "A woman's role, after all, is to inspire virtue and to elevate those around her. It is why noble blood carries such a weighty responsibility. That said, I have always admired those who manage to rise above their circumstances." Her tone was honeyed, though her words were anything but. 

"Tell me, how have you found adjusting to life… here?" Aurora met the Queen's gaze evenly, a composed smile gracing her lips. 

"I find it rather refreshing. Life here is simpler in some ways. People's expectations are, shall we say, predictable. Nobility, it seems, leans heavily on the illusion of virtue, rather than the practice of it. But then, I have always been adept at navigating delicate situations." she replied, her voice smooth yet deliberate.

A brief, stunned silence followed. Charlotte and Marianna both exchanged wide-eyed glances, and even Sapphire appeared taken aback, though a flicker of admiration crossed her face. 

Genevieve's expression remained composed, though her narrowed eyes betrayed her surprise. "How… intriguing," she said at last, her voice slower, measured. "You do possess a way with words, my dear. Perhaps it is that very boldness that enables you to thrive in circumstances that others might find… insurmountable. A rare quality indeed." 

Aurora's smile deepened slightly, a glint of resolve in her eyes. "Your Majesty is too gracious," she replied with a hint of amusement. "Boldness is, indeed, a necessity for those who must carve their own paths rather than inherit one. I have found, however, that the most insurmountable situations are often created by others. Yet, thankfully, I have learned to rise above even the sharpest of obstacles." She paused, her gaze never wavering from the Queen's.

"Perhaps it is that very resilience which even your son admires in me." Her smile turned razor-sharp.

"I was not merely a courtesan, Your Majesty. I was an educated one." 

Gasps rippled down the table. Marianna's hand flew to her mouth, while Sapphire's eyes widened, her composure momentarily faltering. The air seemed to crackle as the Queen's expression tightened ever so slightly.