Part 1 There is a belief that pictures speak. That they told stories to those who wanted to listen. But listening comes at a price. One that consumes you entirely; until someone has the courage to speak up. *** Part 2 What is love? In the Malaysian rain, a waitress strikes up a conversation with a lady and talks about love. Maybe there was more to it than she thought. *** Part 3 The woman could have been anyone. She was a detective, a princess and a no-one all at once; fitting each story you could think of. She was a shapeshifter, the face behind hundreds of tales. And her greatest power may have been simply existing. *** A collection of stories from my writing slump days. [Written 2021]

Heather Carlton believes she is a remarkable lady. She had been trained in etiquette since she turned twelve, managed to convince her parents to let her live as she wanted to and she always has a trick up her sleeve. Despite being one of Keydon's two heirs, she was invisible. Always careful to stay out of the public's eye. Astor Hemingway knows what it is to be a gentleman. He knows what is or isn't proper. And he knows his life's work isn't deemed decent enough as one of the first in line to the throne. But he had worked too hard to throw it all away for the sake of a title. The Carltons and The Hemingways have spent decades at each other's throats, building a relationship on distrust, paranoia and conspiracy. For generations they had fought and lied, but always with a thin line of respect. A line that was crossed at the sight of a mutilated corpse. In the chaos of feuds, heirs and the king's sudden death, the kingdom is faced with the news of a dignitary who simply disappeared. Seeking help from her rival, Heather takes it as a chance to escape and search for her missing cousin. A choice she would regret to make. First draft completed: March 10 2021

In a world where people are followed by animals that reflect their personality, Taylor is devastated when she starts being followed by companions of the creepy crawly variety. As her passionate science teacher's annual companion showcase rapidly approaches, Taylor's mind is abuzz with anxiety about what her newfound companions mean about who she is.