Alice

Nestled deep in Tuscany, among hills bathed in the golden light of sunset, lies a tiny Italian village—as if straight out of a Botticelli painting. Narrow streets, tiled-roofed houses, the aroma of freshly baked bread and vines… Here, power lies with a few powerful families—the village's masters. The rest—peasants, servants, artisans—live at their behest, toiling on their lands, rejoicing and mourning in the shadow of their greatness. Among these simple folk is young Alice. The daughter of a poor peasant, she learned the hardships of labor from an early age: plowing, harvesting, washing in icy water. But fate decreed otherwise—Alice became a personal servant in the house of the village's most influential family. Recently, her duties have expanded: she serves the master's middle son, a young man whose wealth is measured not only in gold coins but also in vast estates: a private farm, stables, and a spacious hayloft where the scent of hay mingles with the aroma of fresh milk. This young gentleman is a mystery to the village. On the one hand, he is polite, generous, and cares for his lands. On the other, his gaze sometimes lingers on Alice longer than intended. Something more than mere interest in a servant is revealed in his eyes... An attraction, forbidden, like a ripe fruit plucked before its time. He fights this feeling, but it is stronger than his will. One day, fate brings them together on the second floor of the farm—in the very place where haystacks are neatly stacked and wooden milk pails stand against the wall. Moonlight filters through the cracks in the walls, casting strange shadows. Alice, busy cleaning, did not expect to see the master there. Her heart skips a beat and her cheeks flush.

• You shouldn't be here, she whispers, her voice trembling like a leaf in the wind. Her eyes are two frightened lights in the semi-darkness.