Prologue

"All troops! Assemble!"



The troops of the British Army gathered in the main city of London, wearing their well-equipped uniforms and carrying rifles on their right shoulders. Led by Lieutenant Colonel Calliax Andres and other higher-ups in the front line, they began to march in a parade.

Citizens cheered for the soldiers, showing their appreciation and gratitude for keeping the country safe. Some even threw roses and flowers at them. The soldiers responded with salutes as they passed by.



"Look! It's Lieutenant Colonel Calliax Andres! He's famous for his handsome face!" Some ladies whispered to each other upon seeing the infamous Lieutenant Colonel walking in the front of the line with his eyes fixed straight ahead. Despite his stern expression, the ladies still complimented him.



Zayden was enthusiastic about the parade and wanted to join the army. "Look, Avie. Wasn't the army cool?!" he said. Averyn, on the other hand, was unimpressed. "What's so cool about a soldier? They're just defending the country," she replied nonchalantly.



Zayden was upset upon hearing Averyn's indifference towards the army. "Aww, come on, Avie. Show some respect. The army risks their lives to keep us safe," he defended. Averyn shrugged her shoulders, clearly disagreeing with him. "Yeah, whatever," she said, rolling her eyes in annoyance. Zayden looked at her, confused. "Avie, why do you hate the army so much?" he asked, wondering why she seemed so indifferent about them when they were popular among citizens.



Averyn let out a soft sigh and took a glance at the army on parade. "I don't hate them, I'm just not interested. They're terrifying," she said, and Zayden became even more confused. "Terrifying? Why? Aren't they cool?" he exclaimed.



Averyn brushed off his questions and walked away from the crowd back to her workplace, not wanting to stay there any longer.



After the parade, Averyn returned to the cafe where she worked part-time and Zayden followed her. She put on her apron and cap and started heating the coffee machine, while Zayden watched the crowd outside from his seat by the window. Later, some of the soldiers stopped by the cafe for a break before returning to their posts. The parade had gone off without a hitch, celebrating the British Monarchy.



As the soldiers entered the cafe, one of them exclaimed, "Phew! What a day!" The other soldier tapped his colleague's shoulder and remarked, "Wow, I didn't realize so many people were watching us." He seemed pleased with the warm welcome they received from the citizens during the parade.



One of the four soldiers went to the counter to order drinks. Averyn, who was already standing there with a soft smile on her face, saluted the soldier. "What can I get for you, sir? Since it's the celebration of the British Monarchy, our cafe is offering a free drink for the army," she said warmly and friendly. It was a different tone from when she saw them during the parade when she had to fake her enthusiasm for her job.



The soldier blushed as he saw her. "Ah, yes, I would like to have a hot black coffee, please." He placed his order and then turned back to his colleagues to ask them about their drinks. "I want a hot cream latte," said one. "A hot Americano for me," said another.



However, one soldier had yet to place an order, looking expressionless. Averyn noticed and asked him politely, "What about you, sir? The soldier with the red line uniform? What would you like to have?" The soldier in the red line uniform just stared at her blankly, looking cold and stern. There was not even a twitch of movement on his face. "The usual," he said, which left Averyn clueless. 'What does that mean?' she thought. "Umm, sir? Would you mind telling me in specific detail? I didn't quite catch that," she tried to ask him nicely. But he just grunted silently, looking annoyed with her. His shining blue eyes pierced through her.



"Do I have to repeat myself?" he said coldly. One of the other soldiers saw this and frustratedly explained to Averyn what he wanted. "Ah, miss, he meant a Long Espresso. That's it," he awkwardly smiled at her. She almost cursed at his arrogant behaviour, but luckily his comrade came in before the situation escalated.



The soldier who had made his order turned away and headed to a seat in the cafe, followed by his colleagues. The other soldier who had helped Averyn stayed there for a while. "I'm sorry for his behaviour, miss. He's always been like that." He smiled at her while apologizing. Averyn just nodded in response while glancing over at the arrogant soldier she had just met.



'What an arrogant soldier he is. What makes him act so high and mighty?' she cursed at him silently in her mind before starting to make the drinks ordered by her fellow soldiers.



Zayden, who was sitting at a distance, noticed something and got up to approach his best friend, Averyn, who was busy preparing drinks. "Hey, Avie. What happened?" he asked. Averyn remained focused on her work and did not look at him. "It's nothing. Just another rude customer, as always," she replied nonchalantly. Zayden seemed intrigued by her response. "Rude? Who?" he asked, wondering which soldier dared to be rude to her.



She pouted and pointed at a soldier in a red line uniform, sitting by the window, coldly staring outside while his colleagues chatted. When Zayden followed her gaze, he was surprised to see Lieutenant Colonel Calliax Andres, the infamous soldier with amazing skills that the army called the "black dragon of the British army."



"Avie! That's Lieutenant Colonel Calliax Andres! The black dragon of the British army!" he exclaimed excitedly, unlike Averyn, who seemed annoyed."So what? He's arrogant because of his title," she replied, still focused on her work.



Zayden had to agree with her. Calliax stared blankly outside the window, watching people walk by the cafe. He instinctively looked at Averyn through the window's reflection as she worked, and his lips curled up slightly.



As daylight fled, nightfall came, A tale began of a soldier's cold, Who met a lady nonchalant, Their souls with different views to unfold. Their story starts, two hearts apart, May spring bloom when time does allow, And though their paths may seem unclear, Their journey shall be poetic somehow.

Chapter end