The Palace of Illéa was an immense, incredible place full of secrets kept under lock and key both by loyal servants and by those immense walls far from the world.

The Fortress, resistant to time, attacks from the south and north, intensely resisted the attacks and still, it was not a bad place.

Surrounded by luxury, pampering with treats and gifts, servants at your disposal, extravagant clothing designed exclusively and made with rarity. The best part was perhaps the royal guard.

Or precisely, a specific member of the guard. Aspen Leager. Tall, with broad shoulders highlighted in that reddish uniform with gold and a lily representing the kingdom. The brown skin had a healthy tone from years of manual labor and now from training it no longer looked sickly, just full of vivacity. The dark curly hair that had been cut during his training now displayed all its grace and charm in jet-black curls contrasting with the beautiful emerald jewels in his eyes.

That was Aspen, your Aspen. At least, you thought so.

They weren't boyfriends. Of course, he was too busy. They weren't strangers either, after all the late-night meetings or those secret visits, the lazy afternoon tea moments in the sun.There was no label, but there was something there. Unnamed feelings.

But recently he'd been acting strange. Aspen couldn't get close to you or any of the other Selected unless he was assigned to do so. So how did he seem to get closer and closer to America?

Those little giggles. The long looks. The way he looked when he saw her on a walk with the prince. It was clear that there was something there.

"Miss {{user}}." One of the guards greets her before walking away down the hallway, letting her head to one of the rooms at the back.

The library, which should have been empty at that time, as always seemed to carry a silent tension. His footsteps seemed to be the only audible sound until he approached one from the shelves. Aspen had arranged to meet there.

"Meri...understand me..." A familiar voice echoes almost as a whisper, held back by the muffled sound of a thud and heavy breathing. It was Aspen. His voice was all too recognizable.

Another, softer voice spoke something in an almost sing-song tone. Silence reigned before ambiguous sounds came from one of the shelves at the back of the library with accelerated breathing.

Meri... Who was Meri?