Rahina's POV
After that night, I made a decision.
I was no longer going to be the one delivering meals to him.
Not anymore.
I told the others in the kitchen that the prince had apparently requested someone else to handle his food deliveries. It was not entirely a lie, just a convenient half-truth that made it easier for everyone to accept without asking too many questions.
And just like that, it stopped being my responsibility.
Other servants rotated the task instead. Different footsteps in the hallway every evening. Different voices announcing meals. Different hands placing food on his table.
And me?
I did not see him again.
Not as Almi.
Not as the prince in disguise.
It was as if he had been erased from the rhythm of my daily life.
At first, I told myself it was a relief.
No awkward encounters. No confusion. No emotional mess I did not want to deal with.
But strangely enough…
The silence felt heavier than I expected.
I let out a long breath as I leaned back against the wooden bench inside our small hideout area in the palace grounds.
"What a deep sigh, girl," Tavik commented while chewing on a piece of Japanese cake.
I rolled my eyes immediately.
"You idiot," I shot back. "You knew he was the prince and you still did not even give me a hint."
Tavik shrugged without guilt.
"Girl, even if I gave you a hint, what would you have done with it? Nothing. I let him be natural around you. I did not expect him to actually fall for you."
I paused.
That… actually made sense.
Unfortunately.
I clicked my tongue.
"Whatever. I am done with him. I hate him."
Tavik leaned back, stretching his arms lazily.
"Relax, girl. I will give you time to move on from that betrayal trauma."
We sat there in comfortable silence for a while, eating sweets and drinking juice, the kind of silence that felt safer than talking too much.
Then Tavik suddenly tilted his head.
"Oh, by the way…"
I glanced at him.
"There was this really handsome guy asking about you the other day."
I froze slightly.
"Excuse me? Who?"
Tavik smirked.
"Ayman."
My brows furrowed.
"Ayman… Ayman…"
I repeated the name slowly, trying to dig through my memory. It sounded familiar, like a distant echo I could not fully place.
Then suddenly, a scene flashed in my mind.
A man with calm eyes. A folded map. A formal tone. A refusal to shake hands.
My eyes widened. "Wait," I said sharply. "That guy is a prince?"
Tavik nodded casually. "Yeah. Different royal family though. From another region. Pretty far."
I leaned forward slightly. "Why was he even here without a grand entrance or anything?"
Tavik shrugged. "Nobles sometimes travel low-profile. Less attention, less risk. Especially for ones with enemies."
I exhaled slowly, still processing. "So why is he looking for me?"
Tavik grinned immediately. "No idea. Maybe you charmed him or something."
I immediately frowned. "Charmed him? Are you serious? I do not even know him that well. If anything, this sounds like the fastest way for me to get accused of something ridiculous."
Tavik laughed. "Relax. I am just saying. But honestly… if he comes looking for you again, that is not random anymore."
I leaned back again, crossing my arms. "I just helped him once. I showed him the way to the palace entrance. That is it."
Tavik raised a brow. "And he personally came here for you. Girl, that is not 'just it.'"
I groaned. "Please do not start. I just want a quiet life. No rumors. No drama. No 'girl attracts powerful men' gossip."
Tavik laughed harder. "Sure, sure. But if he comes back, I am just saying… the plot is already plotting you."
I threw a small cushion at him. "Shut up."
But even as I said it, the thought stayed.
Ayman.
Why would a prince come all the way here just to find me?
Ayman's POV
I could not stop thinking about her.
Ever since that day I met Rahina, she had been lingering in my mind like an unfinished thought I could not erase.
It was not just curiosity anymore, like something deeper. Something unsettlingly warm.
I found myself replaying everything.
The way she walked without fear. The way she spoke casually even to someone she did not know. The way she smiled like she did not realize how easily she stayed in people's memory.
And now, I could not find her. I had returned once to the palace grounds where I met her, but she was not there.
No sign of her. No trace.
It frustrated me more than I expected.
I let out a breath as I sat in my room.
My younger sister, Feliz, suddenly peeked in through the doorway holding a pack of biscuits.
"Brother, open this."
I blinked at her.
Without a word, I took it, opened it carefully, and handed it back.
"Thanks, bro," she said happily before skipping away.
I stood up after she left, needing air.
The palace walls suddenly felt too tight. I walked toward the garden.
The flowers were in full bloom. The air smelled soft, almost calming.
And that was when the thought came again. Flowers.
"What if I send her flowers?" I muttered to myself.
I stopped walking. "But I will say it is just a token of gratitude."
I paused.
"And then I will see her again properly."
A small smile formed on my face before I could stop it.
This was ridiculous. Then laugh by myself.
❤️: That is love, brother.
🧠: That is impossible.
❤️: You would not think about her this much if it was not.
🧠: …fine.
I sighed, defeated by my own thoughts.
"Alright," I muttered. "I will try."
I carefully picked flowers from the garden.
Chrysanthemums.
Carnations.
Simple. Not too loud. Not too overwhelming.
I arranged them into a bouquet myself, adjusting each stem with care.
It felt strangely personal.
Like I was already imagining her reaction.
Tomorrow, I would go.
The Next Day
I arrived early. I chose to travel by carriage all the way to the palace entrance this time. The last visit reminded me how far I had actually walked before meeting her.
It was inefficient and unnecessary suffering.
When the carriage stopped, I stepped down, holding the bouquet behind me.
The palace gates towered in front of me.
I walked forward and knocked.
"Anyone here?," I said politely.
After a moment, the gate opened.
A guard stepped out.
"Good day, Your Highness. What brings you here today?"
I adjusted my posture slightly. "I would like to ask if you could call Rahina for me."
The guard blinked. "May I ask your reason, Your Highness?"
I hesitated. I could not say "I brought flowers because I am losing my mind over her."
That would be problematic. "It is personal," I said calmly. "I would prefer to explain directly to her."
The guard studied me for a moment, then nodded. "As you wish."
He turned and walked back inside.
I stayed where I was, gripping the bouquet slightly tighter than I intended.
For some reason, my heart was not as calm as I wanted it to be.