The morning sun spilled through the heavy velvet curtains, painting the room in soft gold. I was preparing to leave for the market when a sudden commotion from the courtyard caught my attention.
Voices shouted, horses neighed, and something — or someone — was in trouble.
Curiosity won over caution. I slipped out the side door and hurried toward the noise.
There, near the stables, I saw him: a young nobleman struggling as two masked men tried to drag him into a carriage. Panic rippled through the gathered servants, but no one dared intervene.
Without thinking, I stepped forward. "Stop!" I called out, voice firm.
The men froze, turning their eyes to me — surprise flickered in their expressions.
"Let him go," I said, stepping closer. "Or you'll answer to the Crown Prince himself."
The threat hung in the air. After a tense moment, the men released the nobleman and fled, disappearing into the maze of alleys.
The young man looked at me with wide eyes. "Thank you, my lady. You saved my life."
Before I could respond, footsteps echoed behind me.
"Impressive."
I turned to see the Crown Prince, his expression unreadable but a hint of approval in his eyes.
"You should be careful," he said softly. "Getting involved like that can be dangerous."
I met his gaze steadily. "So can doing nothing."
A slow smile curved his lips. "Perhaps you're not the same Livianna I once knew."
That night, word spread quickly through the court: Lady Livianna had saved Lord Merrick, a favored noble of the Crown Prince. Rumors began swirling, and I knew my quiet plan to stay under the radar was crumbling.
But for the first time, I felt a spark of something I hadn't expected: hope.
Maybe… just maybe… rewriting my fate wasn't impossible.