The moment Nicholas's carriage disappeared through the estate gates, Lilly could barely contain herself.
She followed Katherine all the way back to her room, practically vibrating with excitement.
"Mlady."
Katherine glanced over her shoulder.
"Mlady," Lilly repeated. "Can we open it now?"
Ker immediately snorted.
"At least someone's excited."
By the time they entered the room, Lilly had already cleared a space on the table.
The flowers were carefully arranged in a vase while the velvet jewellery box sat untouched beside the letter.
Lilly stared at it for several seconds before looking back at Katherine.
Her eyes were practically sparkling.
"Please?"
Katherine nearly rolled her eyes.
"Go ahead."
Lilly gasped as though she had just been granted a royal decree.
Carefully, she lifted the lid.
The room fell silent.
Nestled against dark velvet rested a delicate silver necklace.
A single teardrop-shaped gemstone hung from its centre.
Its pale silver glow seemed almost unreal beneath the afternoon light.
Matching earrings rested beside it.
For a brief moment, even Lilly forgot to breathe.
"My lady..."
Her voice came out as little more than a whisper.
"Is that..."
Katherine reached toward the necklace.
The moment her fingers brushed against the gemstone, she froze.
A strange feeling washed over her.
Not warmth.
Not magic.
Sadness.
Deep.
Quiet.
Ancient.
The feeling lasted only a heartbeat before disappearing.
Yet somehow, it lingered.
Like the fading echo of a grief so old it should have vanished centuries ago.
Katherine frowned slightly.
"...That's strange."
Ker had gone unusually quiet.
"You felt that too?"
Katherine gave the slightest nod.
Neither of them understood why.
Meanwhile, Lilly was still staring at the necklace in shock.
"My lady..." she breathed again. "That's a Tear of the Moon."
Katherine looked up.
"A what?"
Lilly's eyes widened.
"You've never heard the story?"
Katherine shook her head.
Lilly looked genuinely shocked.
Then again, Katherine had spent most of her life obsessing over the Crown Prince rather than romantic folklore. Especially one so tragic.
Quickly pulling a chair closer, Lilly sat down as though preparing to share the kingdom's greatest secret.
"According to legend, long before the first kingdom was founded, the Moon fell in love with a mortal."
Ker immediately groaned.
"Oh no. It's one of those stories."
Lilly continued.
"Every night, the mortal would look up at the sky, and every night the Moon would watch over him."
Lily took a dramatic pause.
"No one can explain how their love worked, but it did."
Katherine remained silent, gently turning the gemstone between her fingers.
"The Moon loved him for many years, but gods and mortals could never be together."
Lilly's voice softened.
"So, all she could do was watch."
The room fell quiet.
"Eventually, the mortal grew old."
Something flickered inside the stone.
That same strange sadness brushed against Katherine's senses.
Soft.
Ancient.
Lonely.
"And then he died."
The feeling deepened for the briefest moment.
Just enough for Katherine to notice.
Lilly smiled sadly.
"The legend says the Moon watched his final breath from the heavens."
"For the first and only time, she cried."
Katherine lowered her gaze to the gemstone.
The sadness was gone.
Yet somehow it still lingered.
Like an echo.
"A single tear fell from the sky," Lilly continued.
"And where it landed, a Tear of the Moon was born."
Lilly carefully touched the necklace.
"A single stone, only as big as a lady's fist. It was later split into seven pieces."
She carefully placed it in the box.
"Most are locked away in royal vaults, museums, or private collections."
"Some nobles spend their entire lives hoping to see one. To think I'm looking at jewellery made from it..."
Ker stared at the gemstone.
Then stared at it some more.
Then stared at Katherine.
Then stared at the gemstone again.
"...I don't like this story."
Katherine blinked.
"Why not?"
Ker sounded deeply suspicious.
"The Moon's lover died."
"Yes?"
"And our new fiancé is sick."
The room fell silent.
Katherine nearly choked.
Ker pointed accusingly at the necklace.
"So, what exactly is he trying to tell us here?"
"That he'll die and leave us crying like the moon?"
Lilly obviously couldn't hear Ker.
Which was probably for the best.
Katherine pinched the bridge of her nose.
"You are overthinking this."
"No."
Ker crossed her paws stubbornly.
"I am thinking exactly the right amount."
Then she glanced at the necklace again.
"...Still."
She paused.
"He's got excellent taste."
Katherine nearly rolled her eyes.
---
Meanwhile, several miles away, the First Prince's residence remained as quiet as ever.
Soft afternoon sunlight filtered through the tall windows of Liam's sitting room.
A book rested open in his hands as he sat comfortably upon a daybed positioned beside the window.
Most people assumed the First Prince spent his days confined to bed due to his poor health.
The rumour wasn't entirely false.
It simply failed to mention that Liam greatly enjoyed spending entire afternoons reading.
The peaceful silence lasted until a knock sounded at the door.
"Enter."
The door opened.
Nicholas stepped inside.
Liam turned a page without looking up.
"Back already?"
Nicholas closed the door behind him.
"I've delivered the gifts."
"Mm."
Liam's attention remained on his book.
Nicholas stared at him for several seconds.
"Are you not going to ask how Lady Katherine reacted?"
That finally earned him a glance.
Liam calmly marked his page before closing the book.
"Well?"
Nicholas hesitated.
"Honestly..."
He thought back to the young woman standing calmly in the Mooncrest estate.
The same woman whose reports described her as emotionally fragile and hopelessly attached to the Crown Prince.
"The reports were wrong."
Liam looked entirely unsurprised.
"I know."
Nicholas resisted the urge to sigh.
Of course he did.
After all, he had been the one who told Nicholas to demand a refund from the information broker.
"I mean, I know you told me the information was wrong, but how could she not react at all." He sighed, "She just stood there calmly like it's something you were supposed to do."
"Well, I am her fiancée, isn't asking to be her escort something I should do?" Liam asked Lazily.
"Yeah, but at the very least she should have looked pleased. Seeing as how she didn't return the gifts I take it she at least likes them, right?"
Nicholas' frustration grew by the second.
"I mean, you even gave her the 'Tear of the moon,' and she just stood there looking like she couldn't wait to leave. Why did you even give her such an elaborate gift?"
"Well, she is to be my wife is she not?" He opened his book again, "Besides, I bought that stone years ago. It's about time I made use of it."
Nicholas stared at him.
"Made use of it?"
Liam nodded.
"It had been sitting in storage for years."
Nicholas looked genuinely offended.
"You gave away one of the seven Tears of the Moon because it was taking up space?"
"It wasn't taking up space."
Liam turned another page.
"It was collecting dust."
Nicholas pinched the bridge of his nose.
Many nobles would have sold entire estates for the opportunity to own a fragment of the Tear of the Moon.
His master had apparently treated it like an old decorative vase.
"Do you have any idea what people are going to say when they see her wearing that? You literally had a master craftsman turn a sacred stone into jewellery."
"Probably."
Liam sounded entirely unconcerned.
"They'll assume I'm hopelessly in love."
Nicholas nearly choked.
"And you find that amusing?"
"A little."
Nicholas stared at him in disbelief.
For someone who spent most of his time reading quietly in corners, the First Prince occasionally possessed a deeply troublesome sense of humour.
Liam closed his book.
"Besides."
Nicholas immediately disliked that word.
"Besides what?"
Liam's gaze drifted toward the window.
"The story suited the stone."
"The story?"
"The Moon spent centuries loving someone she could never reach... Then he died."
Nicholas frowned.
"Your point?"
Liam shrugged.
"I thought it was interesting."
For several moments, neither man spoke.
Then Nicholas sighed heavily.
"One day, Your Highness, your actions will turn into something you didn't anticipate."
Liam looked genuinely confused.
"I sent my fiancée jewellery."
"Exactly."
"That is literally the purpose of jewellery."
Nicholas suddenly understood why explaining certain things to Liam was impossible.