Novels by Claret Vale

Scarlett started to pick up her rhythm after she left the antique shop. The snow had stopped a few minutes after it started. She continued to cry though. Tears blurred her vision and she had to slow her pace. She couldn't stop the sobs.People stared but she didn't care. Her heart was broken into a million pieces ever since she heard the story of how Hakeem died. Over the years she'd learned that it was possible to feel emotional pain physically, and that's what she was feeling now.Her heart was hurting.He died. What if history repeated itself? Scarlett jerked to stop, wiping her tears furiously and shaking her head, "I won't let that happen." When she looked up again to continue her run, she couldn't believe her eyes.If someone told Scarlett that she’d died and gone to heaven, she would believe it. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Or who.Hakeem.In the flesh. Was this a dream? She looked around her to make sure it wasn't a dream. Even going as far as pinching her c

Mateo walked in rhythm with Bri. She wanted to call for a taxi but he suggested they walk to the grocery store, it was just 20 minutes away and he wanted to clear his head and organize his thoughts.Something was bothering him but he didn't know what it was. He knew it was connected to the woman in his dreams. He felt like he was missing out on something important. The main part that completed the puzzle.His mind kept flashing to the dreams he'd been having that always felt too real to be a dream. For some reason, the woman in his dream felt familiar. Like she was someone he knew well and had been waiting for. But he never saw her face, and even when he did he never remembered it when he woke up.He knew this whole fiasco was connected to a dream he had a few years ago about a promise, for some reason every dream about this particular woman always stood out because they were dreams but didn't feel like one.Another clue he had was how he felt whenever it snowed. He didn't know anyt

At first, when she started getting the dreams, she’d been happy thinking it was normal. Even before the dreams, she was a loner and never had any friends. So whenever loneliness crept in, she looked forward to sleeping…. and dreaming. When she was 13, she met a monk. She was compelled to find answers to what was happening to her, so she consulted with him. He explained that what she was seeing was indeed, her past life. He explained that sometimes when people are reincarnated, they come with memories of their past life because they still have something to do. When she asked him if it was normal, he just looked at her like she had two heads. It only happened to one in millions of people. It wasn’t normal.Apparently, since she had regrets, or yearned for someone from her past, the past life intrudes on the current life, until something soothes it. The monk asked her if she remembered anything about a regret, an oath, a promise, an unfinished task, or just something important she h

Scarlett stood staring at the ring, her heart palpitating in her chest. This was the first time she'd seen any physical evidence of her past life. It was nerve-wracking, to say the least, because it meant everything was real. Scarlett's mind protested as she walked into the shop, and walked closer to where the ring was, but her heart persisted. She didn’t hear the bells that dinged as she walked through, nor did she see the shop assistant standing beside her. It was as though she was bewitched by the ring . It was disconcerting to people who knew Scarlett had connections to her past life, but she’s never really wanted or willed it to stop. It was a part of her she loved and hated. It kept her company when she felt lonely. She was happy to have received so much love, even if it was her past life. And If she was given the chance, she’d still meet Hakeem in this life. It was silly how in love she was with a man she’d never met.But at the same time, it tormented her, that's why she ha

“C’mon get up!” Brianna said in a loud singsong voice very close to Mateo’s ear, intending to wake him up, Mateo thought.“Ughh!” Mateo’s voice sounded muffled because he buried his head in his pillow groaning, Brianna was such a morning person and he was the complete opposite. If he was given the chance, he would sleep throughout the day and stay awake all night. He was nocturnal.“It’s snowing!” Brianna exclaimed.“So?” He said in a casual voice, but he knew she noticed the subtle stiffening of his shoulders, she was very observant.Brianna huffed not buying his nonchalant attitude, “You always mop around like a grieving widower on the day of the first snow, I just want to let you know you’re not doing that today,” she said, “it isn’t snowing yet though, but it will soon.”“Just leave me alone Bri.” He groaned, turning away from her, and folding into a fetal position.“C’mon get up,” she nudged him, and when he didn’t budge she said, “I’ll tell Richard about that time!” She said in

Scarlett made sure she locked her front door properly. After confirming it a few more times, she nodded in satisfaction. It was a habit she’d gained from traveling around.She was holding Brianna's bowl and contemplating if it was a wrong decision to return it at that time. She stared at the door opposite hers for a long time thinking and she almost jumped out of her skin when it opened to reveal a disheveled Brianna. “Hi,” she squeaked.“Oh hi Scar,” Brianna said letting out a yawn. From her mannerisms, Scarlett could tell she’d just woken up. Her thick curls were covered in large black silk bonnets, and she was wearing pajamas. Scarlett noted that she was also holding a black bag of what Scarlett guessed would be trash. “I wanted to return the bowl, but I was still contemplating because of how early it is,” she rambled on, “And I didn’t want to disturb you.” “Ohh,” Brianna smiled sheepishly, stretching her hands out for the bowl. “Thanks,” she turned inside, keeping the bowl on

Everything was still a bit surreal to Thalia.She was in another dimension, a dimension where kings, queens, princesses and real royal families still existed. She just had dinner with a real Prince who gave her butterflies, and the said Prince insisted on walking her to her room after their dinner. Wow! The whole situation was crazy. And it just popped up in Thalia's mind. How truly batshit crazy and lunatic she'd sound if she tried to explain this situation to someone from her time? ‘So, I travelled back in time to Rivenland, and the moment I stepped foot there, I was immediately imprisoned for unlawfully entering the prince's room. After spending a few nights in prison, they upgraded me to a room that resembled a princess's quarters and assigned me a maid. I lived in the palace, wore century-old dresses and had meals with the crown prince and he even walked me to my room after one of our meals. Oh, and we played the truth game too.’ Thalia chuckled at the silly dialogue she was c

"How about we play a game instead?" Thalia suggested after a few seconds of suddenly forgetting everything about herself. Now that she was asked to talk about herself, nothing seemed to come up. "A game?" Prince Aldric asked. "Yes, I think a game would make it easier for me and you too, to talk about ourselves," she explained."Okay that's a great idea," The prince said, wearing that boyish smile that never failed to make her tummy dance."It's called the truth or dare game," she started. "Interesting…" he raised a deliciously thick, perfect eyebrow at the name."But we'll focus only on the truth because you want to know more about me and frankly I also want to know more about you." Thalia wondered where she got all the courage from. This was a prince she was talking to, a prince who would be crowned King soon. They were from two separate worlds both literally and by their status. "If it's a game, shouldn't there be a winner? And prizes too?" He asked and plopped a grape into his

They both sat at the table for a while without saying anything, they just stared. This time though she was sitting opposite him on a smaller table in the dining room, which she hadn't spotted before. This smaller table made them sit closer to each other. Prince Aldric had sent out all the servants a few seconds before. As excited as Thalia was to spend time alone with him in the huge dining room, she was also very nervous and it manifested in her tapping her legs, and wringing her palms together. Earlier after she arrived, the workers started to set out the food. There were so many different types of dishes and she wouldn't lie, Prince Aldric wasn't the only reason she was almost salivating. There were even dishes she had never seen before. 'Wow, is this how royals eat?' she thought.The prince had arrived first. That fact had horrified Ann and in turn she rushed to get Thalia ready, muttering something nervously. Thalia was sure she heard something about how you never made a prince

"Have dinner with me tonight?'It was strange how sound could send shivers running up and down her spine. How just a simple touch could make all her senses rejoice. Her senses vibrated and pulsed happily at his touch and her toes were wiggling inside her boots from glee at that little touch.Maybe she was touch starved.Thalia was struggling to regulate her breathing, all she could focus on was his hands on her bare skin and how she wanted him to go lower. Or bring his face closer…As soon as he'd caught her from falling, and placed his big hands on her bare back, everything else around them melted away. Everyone else too. She could only focus on his intense gaze and warm palm. His eyes had darkened at that moment and beautifully matched the greenery around them, and she was lost in them. "Have dinner with me," he'd murmured and she so desperately wanted to say yes immediately but her voice was stuck in her throat. She was busy admiring his flawless face which looked even more surrea

The next morning, Thalia was up early and ready to finally go outside. Ann had kindly informed her that she was free to request the things she needed as per the Prince's order. Whenever she met the prince again, she planned to ask him why she got such special treatment. He must have a reason. So she had conveniently asked Ann to bring some comfortable clothes for her since hers weren't too appropriate over here. So now she was staring at herself in the mirror noticing how well she fit the image of an 18th century woman because of the dress.According to Ann, it was the simplest she could find in the shops. It was a normal dress she'd probably see in a museum in the 21st century. It was an open robe with a petticoat. It had a fitted bodice, narrow sleeves, and double-layered cuffs. The thing Thalia found uncomfortable about the dress wasn't even the bodice. It was the fact that her boobs were almost touching her chin. With how high the dress pushed her boobs up, she could lick the to

Thalia looked at the shiny gold entrance plaque with wonder in her eyes. It gleamed in the sunlight seeping through her curtains. She admired the smooth surface and intricate designs while also not knowing how to feel. She suspected now that Prince Aldric also felt the spark and constant sexual tension between them, and now with him giving her something like that, she was sure he cared about her in some way.Maybe she was getting ahead of herself.Maybe he didn't care about her and this entrance plaque was fake. Maybe it was a test to see what she would use it for. Then she would never use it, she decided. Waiting till he summoned her wasn't a bad idea. She also needed time to kill all the butterflies in her tummy. They were too many and too active around the man.A knock interrupted Thalia's crazy thoughts. She knew immediately that it was Ann. Only she did it in such a slow, spaced, and quiet way. Thalia still confirmed through the peephole before unlocking the door, she wasn't ta