Venecia
The world around her spun into a blur of colors before settling into a striking scene. The scent of damp earth and gunpowder filled the air, mingling with the distant roar of cannons and the desperate cries of men. Venecia found herself dressed in an ivory gown, the hem torn and muddied, her breath hitching as she ran through the dense woods.
A hand clutched at her chest—a golden locket rested against her skin, its engraving faint but familiar. "Forever yours..." the words seemed to whisper, echoing in her mind.
"Aurelia!" A voice called out from behind her.
She spun, her heart leaping. A man emerged from the shadows, dressed in the torn uniform of a Continental soldier. His face was partially hidden by the low brim of his tricorne hat, but his eyes burned with intensity, locking onto hers as though she were the only beacon in the chaos around them.
"Kael..." she whispered, his name falling from her lips like an incantation she hadn't known she remembered.
"You can't be here," Kael rasped, his voice a mix of anger and desperation. He stepped closer, shaking his head as though he could will her away. "Do you have any idea what they'll do to us if they find you?"
"I couldn't stay," Aurelia insisted, her hands trembling. "They expect me to marry him tomorrow. To stand before those loyal to the Crown and bind myself to their chains forever. I refuse to live a lie while you..." her voice broke, "...while you fight alone."
Kael's jaw clenched; his anguish clear in the flicker of his expression. He reached for her, his calloused hands cradling her face. "Aurelia, this isn't about me. It's bigger than us. If they think you've betrayed your family, they'll brand you a traitor. Do you understand what that means?"
"I don't care," she said firmly, tears glistening in her eyes. "I only care about you. About freedom."
Their world seemed to collapse inward as he pulled her into his arms, crushing her against him as if she might disappear. The thunder of approaching hooves broke the moment, Kael's body tensing.
"They've found us." His voice was barely above a whisper, heavy with despair.
Before she could respond, the trees parted, and armed Redcoats on horseback encircled them. Aurelia instinctively pressed closer to Kael, his body shielding her as the soldiers dismounted.
One man stepped forward, sneering. "Kael Morrow, the infamous revolutionary. Surrender now, and we'll ensure the lady's safety."
Kael smirked grimly, his arms tightening around Aurelia. "We both know that's a lie."
The soldier's expression darkened. "So be it." He raised his musket, leveling it at them.
The sharp crack of the musket echoed through the clearing.
"No!" Aurelia screamed, stepping forward, but Kael caught her wrist and pushed her behind him.
The dream's perspective blurred and shifted, disjointed and haunting. Aurelia's screams turned silent as the shot rang out, the sound reverberating in her chest like a death knell.
Kael collapsed, blood blooming across his chest like a crimson rose. The sharp, acrid smell of gunpowder filled the air, mingling with the metallic scent of blood. His fingers weakly sought hers, finding them in a final act of devotion before his body went still.
Aurelia dropped to her knees, the cold, damp earth seeping into her gown. She clutched his hand, its warmth fading rapidly, as the Redcoats dragged her away. Her sobs echoed through the forest, a heart-wrenching symphony of grief, the golden locket dangling from her neck and catching the fading sunlight, its promise left unfulfilled.
As Venecia gasped awake, her hand flew to her shoulder, where the mark burned like fire. Tears slid down her cheeks unbidden as the fragments of the dream faded, but Kael's final words rang clear in her mind:
"Our time isn't over, Aurelia. Not yet..."
The dream clung to me even as I blinked away sleep, the golden light of dawn seeping through my curtains. My chest felt heavy, as though Kael's final words in that forest weren't a figment of my imagination but a message meant for me.
I shook my head, willing myself to focus. It was just a dream—nothing more. But even as I prepared for the day, the emotions from the vision lingered like a shadow, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't shake the feeling that Romeo had been there too.
By the time I arrived at school, I was back to wearing the mask of indifference my family had taught me. No one could see the cracks, especially not him.
But avoiding Romeo was impossible.
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Romeo
Something about the dream wouldn't leave me. The name "Kael" rang in my ears like an echo from a past life, and the image of her—Venecia—draped in that ivory gown haunted me.
Was it just coincidence? A cruel joke from my subconscious? No. The pull between us felt too strong, too purposeful like what happened during the event.
At school, it became harder to stay away. My shoulder still burned faintly, like her presence only half-healed the ache yet intensified the yearning at the same time.
I spotted her in the hallway. Venecia. Even when she was just walking to class, she carried herself like the perfect porcelain doll her family wanted her to be, but her eyes told a different story. They flickered, unsure, haunted.
Did she feel it too?
Third POV
By the time lunch rolled around, fate—or something greater—decided that proximity wasn't optional.
Romeo's friends gathered at their usual table, but Romeo's attention flicked to the far side of the cafeteria. There she was, sitting with her own crowd, each person dressed in tailored perfection, their voices smooth with effortless confidence.
Venecia could feel his gaze like a magnetic force pulling her toward him. Her mark prickled slightly as the seconds stretched on. It was impossible to ignore.
"I need air," she muttered, pushing back her chair before anyone could question her sudden departure.
Romeo followed, his footsteps light and quick. He didn't understand why he was doing it, but the idea of letting her go felt unbearable.
She stopped by the fountain, her hands gripping the marble edge as if to steady herself. The faint spray of water cooled her skin, but it didn't silence the storm raging inside.
"What are you running from?"
His voice made her spin around, wide-eyed. Her heartbeat quickened, and not just from surprise.
"I'm not running," she said, lifting her chin in defiance, even though her trembling fingers gave her away.
"Really?" Romeo crossed his arms, leaning casually against the pillar but watching her like a hawk. "Because every time I try to approach, you leave. You avoid looking at me in class, and when I walk in the room, it's like you're ready to bolt. Why?"
Venecia narrowed her eyes, trying to summon anger to mask the truth. "Why do you care?"
"I don't know," he admitted, his honesty cutting through her defenses. "But I can't stop caring either."
Venecia opened her mouth to retort, but the words died in her throat. The air around them thickened, and her shoulder burned—no longer a prickling sensation, but an undeniable heat. She gasped softly, instinctively raising her hand to touch the mark through her blazer.
Romeo noticed the gesture, his eyes narrowing. "You feel it, don't you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," she lied.
He stepped closer, close enough that she could see the turmoil in his expression. "You do." His voice softened, almost pleading. "Don't you?"
Venecia hesitated, torn between denying it and admitting the truth. But then his hand brushed against her wrist—only a graze, yet it sent a shock through her system.
Her mark flared with heat, and she saw the faint glow in his eyes as he felt it too.
They stood frozen, the tension crackling between them like a storm waiting to break. Neither noticed the curious onlookers peering from the cafeteria windows, nor did they care about the consequences this moment might bring. All they knew was the pull—inevitable, undeniable, and far stronger than the feud trying to keep them apart...
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Finally, they've spoken to each other. What will happen next? Please like and comment. Have a good day lovelies.