Page 36 of Noble Charms

Aria’s heart warmed under her insistence. He smiled. “I really don’t mind waiting⁠—"

“Hush, you.” She pushed him out of line and shot another glare at the doorman. “Shame on you.”

“He’s just doing his job, Romy⁠—"

The doorman frowned, looked over Aria again, and opened his mouth to say something—but was interrupted by a gray-skinned horn-bearer that stepped up, bypassing the line. “Please pardon the interruption,” said the stranger. The doorman turned his attention to him, and they spoke too quietly for Aria to overhear. Never mind—he was ready to go. He began to turn away, but Romy’s hand held him steadfast.

“Oh, by Elys, it’s him.”

It’s him, said Aria’s soul. Look.

Romy continued, words overlaid with the voice in his mind, “Look, Aria. You needn’t be embarrassed. There’s someone here who’s more of a pariah than you.”

Aria followed her gaze across the shop, to a tall human man that now approached the doorman. His short, dark, curly hair obscured his face, and Aria said, “Who is it?”

Romy, almost giddy, gestured to the newspaper stand on the corner. “On the cover there, on the Gotham Gossiper. He's a noble in disgrace. Divorced by his wife. Lost his title. Some are saying he’s a real snob, but who knows.” Someone, in the line, shouted about royal brats cutting lines, and several others booed in agreement.

Aria sucked air through his teeth in sympathetic pain and said, “Poor fellow. I could see how that's just as bad as the fallout I had.”

“I'd say it's worse.”

“That depends,” Aria muttered, trying to get a glimpse of the noble in question, but his back was fully turned as he, the horn-bearer, and doorman continued to talk.

Romy asked, “Depends? On what?”

“On whether or not he loved her. If he did, then yes. That's worse than what happened with El.” Romy appraised him silently. For long enough that Aria said, “What is it?”

“You really think you're okay?”

Aria shrugged. “Truly. I feel—” Him. It’s him. His chest ached with some kind of…yearning. He placed a hand over his heart.

“What is it?” Romy asked.

“I know not.” Aria exhaled and forced his feet to turn around, away from the Arbor Bookshop. “Let’s go find a quiet place for me to soothe my embarrassment.”

They made it a few steps before the headline of the Gotham Gossiper caught Aria’s attention. The cover was divided into two major stories. The first came from the Northern Isles—some scandal regarding the orc dynasty. The piece featured a portrait of a handsome orc knight, kneeling before an orc princess. FRIEND OR FOE TO PRINCESS CESMINA?

The second story was titled simply IGNOBLE NOBLE.

And beneath it, an unmistakable portrait of a man Aria knew. His hair was different yet again—shorter but wild with curls, and instead of his quintessential grin, Noble wore a frown and a jester hat hanging from a crooked crown. The subheadline read: The Prince Yves—No Longer an Earl, but a Royal Disgrace.

Aria spun back to face the bookshop at the same moment Noble Yves St. Clair turned his way, and they met eyes from across the cobbled pavers and side-eyeing crowd. And then there was no crowd, no street, no Romy at his side.

There was Aria, and there was Noble, alone.

Together again, thanks to fate. Him, sighed Aria’s soul in relief. “Noble,” said Aria, breathing out the name in shock.

“Noble…? Is that—?” Romy’s voice at Aria’s side snapped him out of that temporary space. The noise and bustle of the street came back to Aria, and his face went hot.

Noble bowed his head as he approached. “Hello, Aria. How do you do?”

Romy’s big blue eyes went from Noble to Aria and back again. She glanced at the newsprint near Aria’s side—the one emblazoned with Noble’s portrait. She snatched the paper up, pulling it out of view, and said, “Pardon me!” before scampering away, to the other side of the newsstand.

Noble smiled, and he looked different. It wasn’t just his hair, or his face—though his beard was darker, and had been struck through with a few strands of white, making him look… Well, five years older. The smile, though, carried something new. A sadness. An exhaustion.

They'd stood there in silent tension for long enough that people on the street continually slowed down to observe them both before politely moving along.

Aria found his voice. “Noble. Hello.”