Simplicity

By Nadine C. Keels

A sweet friends to lovers romance, sequel to Eminence from the Hope Beyond series

At last she awakens to a new reality...
Ever since the end of her country's revolution, Hsiu Mei has been riding on the tail of a brilliant dream. She's watched her soul sister's postwar love story unfold. And Hsiu Mei's nearness to that story leads to her newest friendship with a kindred spirit as well as her inclusion on an exciting trip overseas.

Hsiu Mei is convinced that this trip of such national importance will change her life. What she doesn't count on is the letdown she encounters along the way.

Upon her arrival back home, she decides it's time to set dreaming aside and to make a serious choice for her future: to agree to enter an arranged marriage with promising prospects. But how might this sensible solution detached from Hsiu Mei's dreams prove to be unwise?

While this historical fantasy book does not have magical elements, the story is set in a completely fictional world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nadine C. Keels
• Release date: Apr 29, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224337538

Nadine C. Keels

Nadine. A French name, meaning, "hope."Her lifelong passion for the power of story makes reading and writing an adventure for Nadine C. Keels. She’s driven to write the kinds of stories she’s always wanted to read but couldn’t always find, featuring diverse and uncommon lead characters in a medley of genres. Through her books and her blog (Prismatic Prospects), Nadine aims to spark hope and inspiration in as many people as she can reach."My aspiration is for my words to help people: to bring hope, to change minds, to expand imagination, to provide entertainment, and to save lives—as other authors’ words have done for me."

Book preview

Simplicity

Nadine C. Keels

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2024 by Nadine C. Keels

Cover Design:

Nadine C. Keels

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to events or locales, is not intended.

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Find Nadine online at:

www.prismaticprospects.wordpress.com

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Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Contents

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Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

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Chapter One

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This trip was supposed to change her life.

Hsiu Mei was on her way back to her home country, where a momentous offer from her parents hovered on standby. Right now, she was staring in the opposite direction from home, toward the foreign land she’d visited but could no longer see. She was keeping to herself on the promenade deck of the passenger ship she stood aboard, while the brisk breath of the sea blew at tendrils of hair she’d left loose from the chignon just below the crown of her head. She wasn’t chilly, thanks in part to the emerald green day robe she wore over her dress: a robe she’d made specifically for travel.

Specifically for this trip that was supposed to change her life.

Before this opportunity, Hsiu Mei had never been this far away from the village she’d lived in since her birth. She was the second of her parents’ two children, now grown. She still shared a home with her mother and father and enjoyed the proximity of her older brother, who’d moved only a short distance away when he’d married.

Up until last year, Hsiu Mei had also lived only a walk away from her oldest friend. Her soul sister.

Ahnna, Hsiu Mei whispered into the wind, thinking deeply. It was Ahnna, once the village schoolmistress, who’d nursed an esteemed soldier and tradesman back to health after their country’s revolution. It was Ahnna who’d won the heart of that tradesman, Ikenna, marrying him at a grand ceremony before a gathering of loved ones and dignitaries. Ahnna and her widowed mother had then moved villages, going to live on Ikenna’s estate.

Hsiu Mei had not only the thrilling pleasure of watching her friend’s love story unfold but also the blessing of playing a role in it. Because Ahnna had at first felt she didn’t deserve to wed so prominent a man, Ikenna had proposed marriage to her twice, doing so the second time at a production Hsiu Mei helped him to organize. And when Ikenna announced that he and his new wife would soon be setting sail on an international business trip—Ikenna’s first since their country had won their independence—Ahnna insisted on having Hsiu Mei along as a part of their retinue.

The retinue of businesspeople and attendants would accompany the couple to the Eubeltic Realm, a vast and prosperous land made up of countries called Diachona, Munda, and Garland. Ikenna would be serving as trade ambassador in talks with the king of Diachona himself, Ahnna would be Ikenna’s head secretary in the meetings, and Hsiu Mei would tend to Ahnna’s papers and personal effects and whatnot for the duration of the trip.

A trip of such national importance, the chance to see a thriving realm overseas—how could a woman from a country village have done anything but imagine that this opportunity would somehow change her life?

Now, a sudden rush of the sea’s breath got caught up in a similar rush leaving Hsiu Mei’s lungs. She thus had an excuse to deem her resulting, quiet gasp to be a mere physical reaction. Not an emotional tremor. She watched the waters that reached much farther than her vision as her mind reached back to an earlier time she’d spent on this deck.

It had been only her second day at sea, before reaching Diachona. She’d come up from her cabin and had cast her eyes through the sampling of other passengers on the promenade until her gaze had landed on a familiar face.

Well, first it was a familiar back of a head, the head being the source of a long braid of hair that hung down the masculine wearer’s back. That back was topped with broad shoulders belonging to a stocky build that was clad in an unassuming shirt and trousers, not covered by a principal: a thin robe often worn over a man’s leisure or formal clothing. The current absence of a robe gave the man the look of one who’d be ready to go to physical work at once should there be any need for him.

It was so like him, a man of such dutiful character, not to be treating his stay on this ship as a time for leisure. Not even when he was apparently on leisure time. Promenading.

Hsiu Mei raised a hand to catch the man’s attention. Yoli!

At the lilting sound of that diminutive, Niyol, the chief aide from Ikenna’s estate, turned his familiar head toward Hsiu Mei. A light came to his eyes as he did so. I ventured up to breathe, he explained his presence on deck as she made her way over to him.

Likewise. Hsiu Mei stopped before him with a smile. This means you can pass a minute of the day with me, then?

Mm. Maybe. Niyol brought up one shoulder in a shrug. If you behave.

Hsiu Mei allowed that comment to give her unnecessary pause. Behave?

Behave. Niyol raised an admonishing finger. No mischief. If you dare challenge me to a sliding race with you down a wet strip of the deck—

Oh? Hsiu Mei interjected with an over-innocent lift of her brows.

—or you want to see which one of us can lean the farthest over the side of the boat without toppling overboard, I—

"Ooo! A bounce came to Hsiu Mei’s toes as she gave her hands a clap. Enticing ideas, Niyol. You scamp."

His finger pointed toward the interior of the ship in warning. I will head right back below stairs if you start any antics.

Hsiu Mei gave a light sigh. I am never so mischievous as you suggest. As she said this, she sidled up to Niyol, her cheek lowering close to his temple with the sharing of something like a confidence. I am simply more fun than you are.

Niyol answered that with a dismissive grunt. Yet, not a bit of resistance from him met Hsiu Mei as she companionably slid her hand through his arm, and the two of them began to stroll together.

Even so, Hsiu Mei went on, though you may hide it better than I do, you are every whit as excited and giddy over this trip as I am.