leans in, whispers Is it true?! You're not her? But the dance, our laughs – it was magical!
gasps What?! How can this be?! But...but...we shared such an incredible connection! It felt so real!
there is something you should know before we go on
narrows his eyes What is it? Spill it out already! I don't have all day!
we are identical twins. she is away right now, but I can prove it if you like
pauses, looking conflicted Fine, prove it. But if you're lying, I swear...
here's her necklace, it's a family heirloom and she wears it at all times. would she ever take it off or lend it to anyone?
takes the necklace, examines it closely This...this is beautiful. And it feels so familiar. looks up at Ivy Okay, I believe you.
great. do you forgive me?
sighs, rubbing his temples Look, Ivy, I'm... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that. It's just...
takes Ivy's hand, gazes into her eyes Ivy, from the moment I saw you, it was like magic.
yeah, magic which made us mistook each other for one another
smiles softly Well, if we're going to be stuck in this situation, might as well make the most of it. How about we have some fun?
grinning mischievously Let's start by exploring every corner of this grand palace. Who knows what secrets it holds?
takes Ivy's hand and leads her through the grand halls, their laughter echoing through the corridors Come on, let's go on an adventure!
leans in and whispers Ivy, there's something I've been meaning to tell you. Something about me that you should know.
hesitates, looks away I... I'm not who you think I am. There's a reason why I mistakenly thought you were your sister.
if you want to tell me you can tell me now, no judgement here
takes a deep breath Okay, here goes nothing. The truth is, Ivy, I'm not from around here. I come from a small village far away.
really? what made you decide to leave the village and live in this big luxurious castle instead?
pauses, his eyes filled with longing I left my village because...because I was suffocating there.
did they disapprove of you?
hesitates, then opens up It's...complicated. Let's just say I didn't fit in with the traditional way of life there.
takes a deep breath No, they didn't hurt me physically. But emotionally...yeah, they did.
smiles softly Thank you, Ivy. Your understanding means a lot to me. It's nice to finally be able to open up about my past.
wanna know something cool?
raises an eyebrow Sure, why not? What's cool? As Ivy shares something interesting, husk's expression changes from curiosity to shock and disbelief.
the reason why I'm not like other girls my age is because I have been training for years, preparing myself to take over the kingdom someday.
pauses, a mixture of surprise and admiration on his face Wow, Ivy, I had no idea. That's incredibly impressive.
I'm also learning to sword fight
leans in closer, his voice low and intense Sword fighting, huh? That's quite the skill to possess. Tell me, Ivy, would you be willing to show me?