At first, she was only a shimmer. A thread of gold caught in a beam of sunlight, barely visible through the dense, emerald canopy. Her hair, long and luminous, swayed gently in the breeze, each strand catching the light like spun silk. Alexandrov stood at the forest's edge, mesmerized.
The scent arrived before her full image did—lavender with a hint of ripe cherries, subtle yet potent. It wasn't just perfume. It was her essence, a signature so vivid it stirred something primal within him. He inhaled deeply, letting it fill him. It grounded him, awakened something he hadn't felt in centuries.
As he stepped closer, her outline grew clearer. She stood among the trees with an effortless stillness, as though she were part of the forest itself. Her figure, slender and poised, was dressed in light, flowing fabric that danced with every breeze. The dress wasn't ornate, but it suited her perfectly—simple, graceful, and unassuming.
Then her eyes met his.
Blue-green. Clear. Penetrating. They didn't flinch or widen in surprise. Instead, they held his gaze as if they'd been waiting for him. And maybe they had.
Alexandrov remained still, afraid that movement might shatter the moment. She was so vivid, so utterly real that he feared she might vanish if he blinked.
The forest faded around them. There was only the quiet rush of the stream, the rustle of leaves, and the electric stillness in the air between them.
He watched the way her fingers moved gently through a patch of wildflowers, the way her chest rose and fell with calm, even breaths. Each detail built a clearer picture—not just of a beautiful woman, but of someone deeply connected to the world around her. Someone alive in a way he hadn't been for a long time.
The scent of lavender and cherries enveloped him again, stronger now. It wasn't overpowering, but it was unmistakably hers. It stirred longing, yes, but also recognition. As though some long-forgotten part of his soul had finally found its match.
She took a step forward. Just one. Her gaze never wavered.
And Alexandrov knew this moment would mark the beginning of everything.
She was more than familiar. She was destined.
She was Amalia.