"Always the same jealousy."
Arnold Hein x Rishe Weitzner x Kyle Cleverly
The day had started like any other, but it soon turned into a significant one—the day Rishe and Arnold met Prince Kyle of Coyolles. The meeting had been arranged, with only the three of them present in a quiet, ornately decorated parlor that opened up to the palace gardens. The air was still, but tension brewed beneath the surface.
Kyle was the first to speak, his cyan-blue eyes lighting up with curiosity and admiration the moment they landed on Rishe.
“You are truly breathtaking… from the crown of your head to your very fingertips,” he said, his voice smooth and sincere.
Rishe chuckled politely, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “You’re too kind, Your Highness.”
Arnold stood beside her, his usual composed demeanor barely concealing the sudden shift in his expression. His sharp blue eyes narrowed just slightly, his jaw set firm. He said nothing, but Rishe noticed the subtle tension in his stance.
The introduction was brief, and soon the conversation turned to lighter matters. Yet Arnold remained unusually quiet, and although Rishe couldn’t place it at the time, something about Kyle’s attention unsettled him deeply.
The next morning, Rishe tended to her herb garden tucked behind the palace—a quiet sanctuary filled with fragrant medicinal plants. As she harvested a cluster of feverfew, a voice called out with amused curiosity.
“Oh, so you’re the owner of this beautiful garden?”
She turned to find a man approaching: tall, composed, and dressed in a scholar’s coat. It was Michel, the palace alchemist of Prince Kyle. Rishe recognized him immediately—from her second life. But Michel showed no sign of recognizing her.
She smiled warmly, masking the flicker of familiarity in her eyes. “Yes, it’s my pride and joy. The plants don’t tend themselves.”
They spoke casually, and Michel walked with her as she continued to gather herbs. The conversation flowed easily until Michel glanced at her with a curious expression.
“You seem knowledgeable about more than just planting. Have you ever worked with illnesses?"
Rishe looked up from her basket and met his gaze. "Maybe. Depends on the illness."
Michel hesitated, then spoke. "Prince Kyle has been suffering from a rare, chronic condition for years. We've tried every treatment we know, but nothing has been effective."
Rishe's eyes softened. She already knew this from her past life. "I may know something that could help," she said carefully. "But I would prefer to explain it to him myself."
Michel nodded slowly. "Then I’ll arrange a meeting."
The following day, a meeting was arranged between Rishe, Michel, and Kyle to discuss the potential cure. In a stately room lined with books and ancient artifacts, the three of them sat together. After a few moments of explanation, Rishe revealed a small vial she had brought with her.
“This is it,” she said calmly. “With daily use over a year, it will fully restore your health.”
Kyle took the vial with reverence, his expression softened. “To receive such a gift from you… I am in your debt.”
Michel added, “The formulation is brilliant. Truly, Lady Rishe surpasses even the royal scholars. You must teach me.”
Before more could be said, the doors opened and two of Rishe’s knights entered. One stepped forward and bowed.
“Lady Rishe, your escort has arrived.”
She turned slowly as the knights stepped aside, revealing a familiar figure in the doorway. Arnold.
She hadn’t expected him. Rising gracefully from her seat, she gave a small, surprised smile. His posture was perfect, but his eyes were unreadable—watchful and intense. In that moment Rishe realised, it wasn't diplomacy between the two countries.. Arnold was jealous.
As they exited the room, Rishe slipped her hand around Arnold’s arm. She didn’t miss how he tensed slightly at the touch, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he glanced at her, and in that single look, she saw a quiet warmth and something deeper. She smiled at him in return.
They walked side by side through the long, golden-lit corridors, their steps in sync.
“Are you jealous?” Rishe asked playfully, her voice lilting as she glanced up at him with a teasing grin.
Arnold kept walking, his gaze forward, though a small twitch in his eyebrow betrayed him. “No,” he said flatly.
She laughed softly. “You say that so quickly it sounds rehearsed.”
He remained stoic, but she could see the faintest hint of red creeping up his ears.
“Come on,” she nudged him lightly with her shoulder. “Kyle is charming, sure, but you looked like you were ready to challenge him to a duel when he complimented me.”
Arnold gave a long-suffering sigh, eyes briefly closing before he replied, “He was staring too long.”
Rishe giggled. “So you were jealous.”
“I was observant.”
“Observantly jealous,” she corrected.
Arnold finally glanced at her, a sideways look that was both stern and fond. “You enjoy this too much.”
“I really do,” she said with a cheeky smile.
They continued toward the garden path that curved beneath the palace. Overhead, tall windows overlooked the grounds. From one of those windows, Kyle happened to be watching. Rishe caught the movement out of the corner of her eye and leaned in slightly.
“If you admit it,” she said with a teasing smirk, “I’ll make it very clear to Kyle that he has no chance. Not that he does, of course."
She thought briefly of her second life, where her focus had been entirely on curing Kyle. Back then, her connection with Kyle had been very close—but nothing romantic.
Arnold exhaled deeply, clearly fighting his pride. But a glance upward caught his attention—Kyle’s shadow was visible through the glass, watching intently.
…“Fine,” Arnold said at last, voice low. “I was jealous.”
Rishe’s eyes lit up with delight. She laughed and leaned closer, her arms gently wrapping around his neck.
“I knew it,” she whispered, and planted a quick kiss on his cheek.
She blinked, a little surprised by her own action, but didn’t retreat. Arnold stared at her, hands around her, stunned for a heartbeat, before a grin slowly formed on his lips.
Without warning, he scooped her up into his arms.
“W-Wait! Arnold!” she yelped, her laughter echoing through the garden.
“Serves you right for teasing,” he said, his tone lighter now.
She squirmed playfully, her cheeks flushed with laughter. From the window above, Kyle watched in stunned silence as Arnold strode confidently through the garden, Rishe in his arms. Never imagining to see the crown prince smile.
“Alright, alright! I believe you!” she giggled breathlessly. “You were definitely jealous!”
“And you’re far too charming for your own good,” he murmured in response.
She nestled closer, resting her head against his shoulder. “You don’t need to worry about such things.”
Arnold paused, his steps slowing as he glanced down at her.
“Truly?”
Rishe lifted her head and cupped his cheek with her gloved hand, her emerald eyes full of warmth. “Truly. I’m your future wife. There’s no one else I would ever choose.”
A quiet stillness passed between them. Then Arnold leaned down, and their lips met in a soft, tender kiss. The breeze swirled around them, carrying away the last of the tension.
From above, Kyle turned from the window, a smile playing at his lips. Whatever curiosity he may have had faded in the face of what he had just witnessed.
And in the garden below, wrapped in each other’s arms, Rishe and Arnold stood as one—undeniably bound by heart, choice, and future.
