With the passing days Ara was starting to work alongside Claude as she wasn't allowed to do anything else. She had insisted that she should be allowed to at least train the knights but, His Majesty had refused. The things had gotten even worse after Ara had used magic at the lake, Lucas had chewed her ear off and she had to promise to not use magic again until everything was fine.
Yet, Ara could see why Lucas was so agitated, she could feel it too. Her condition wasn't getting any better, it was just like adding a few more minutes to a rotting corpse's life.
She knew the black magic was growing within her despite everything and she was going to die eventually but she didn't want to give up without putting everything on track. She wouldn't die before she kicked Athernitas' ass.
For the present, she was having an outdoor tea time with Athanasia and Jeanette, it was a rare time when she wasn't under over surveillance. But, that didn't mean that she wasn't having a cool head, Ara sighed as she started feeling hot and she looked at Athy. She was wearing a dress, wouldn't she feel hot?
She considered discreetly using magic to cool up but then recalled how she was scolded by everyone for using magic because it was killing her.
"Ara, are you feeling hot?" Athanasia asked and Ara nodded.
"Shall we head inside?" Athy asked Jeannette who was with them drinking tea in the afternoon.
"The sunlight is too strong."
"Move everything to the inside." Athy told the maids.
Ara stood up and started walking behind Athy and Jeanette, she was pretty much relaxed on the outside but her growing headache was making her body numb with passing time.
Ara suddenly noticed as the teapot tumbled and started falling, her eyes widened as it was going to fall over Athy's leg. She quickly reached out and grabbed it before the hot water could splash on Athy's leg.
Athy and Jeanette turned to see Ara holding the teapot with the steaming hot water trickling down her palm.
"Ara!"
"Your Highness, your hand!"
The two ran to Ara and she calmly just put the pot down while Athy held her hand gently in both of hers.
"Bring the Magician Lucas!" Athy shouted.
"Y-Yes, Princess!"
"Why did you grab that?" Athy demanded.
"It was falling so I caught it."
"So, you grabbed it with your bare hands?! Your body isn't even in a good condition!"
"I'll just use healing magic."
"No! No! Don't use magic. Wait here until Lucas comes!" Athy shouted as she held Ara's hand gingerly.
"Um... Is Her Highness not feeling well?" Jeanette asked.
"Lady Magrita! Please return home for today. I'm sorry." Athy said looking at Jeanette and Ara noticed the expression on her face.
"See Lady Magrita off." Athanasia ordered the maid.
"Yes, Princess."
Jeanette stood there as Lucas appeared and walked towards Ara and Athy.
"Princess, were you looking for me?"
"Yes, Ara has injured herself." Athy said as Lucas came and stood beside Ara.
"She burned her hand on hot water. She should be fine, right?" Athy was too concerned to notice the expression on Jeanette's face.
"Why don't you be a little bit more careful?" Lucas chided.
"It would have hurt her leg if I hadn't caught it." Ara spoke calmly as if her hand wasn't burned at all.
"So, you grabbed it with your bare hand?!"
"You've forbidden me to use magic." Ara said and Lucas sighed running his hand through his short hair as he noticed Jeanette reluctantly leaving, if it weren't for Ara then he would have killed Jeanette and Anastacius ages ago.
Jeanette was escorted out by a maid while Lucas healed Ara's hand.
Jeanette sat in the garden on a bench with Viscount Patterson telling him about the incident. She'd started speaking to him more often and sharing her feelings with him. She found him gentle and kind and approachable which was why she easily trusted him.
"You must have been disappointed." He said.
"You were sent away like that. Even though you were just as worried about Her Highness."
Jeanette looked at him, "It's... fine..."
"But, I was wondering where Her Highness felt discomfort. I was worried... They don't know that I'm family so, it can't be helped, but..."
They couldn't just let anyone know about Ara's condition and that's what hurt Jeanette because she came into that 'just anyone' category.
"Why don't you tell them the truth?" Patterson spoke up, "Try telling them that you're the family."
"Uh..."
"What's wrong?"
"The truth is... Not that long ago I had asked Her Highness Amara how she would feel if I were her sister..."
"And, what did she say?"
Jeanette smiled, "She must've thought I looked sad while asking that, so she patted my head saying that she'll... rip the head of whoever that made my smile disappear."
Jeanette touched her head as she recalled that while Patterson observed her with a cold expression.
"Wouldn't she have said that thinking that it'll make you feel good?" Patterson spoke making her look at him.
"Even if she did, I believe her, she really cherishes those whom she loves and she even saved my life when I fell into the lake."
"Y-You fell into the lake?"
"Yes, I forgot to tell you but while catching Princess Athanasia's parasol I ended up falling in the lake and Princess Amara used magic to pull me out, she even dried my clothes and warmed me up." Jeanette smiled again.
Patterson could feel something dark inside speaking coldly. The Princess must be trying to get on her good side to use her in the future for her own advantage. She was going to be the Emperor after all. The girl was too greedy and dangerous, just like her father.
"That doesn't mean that she treats only you special."
Jeanette looked at the man who's expression had suddenly became blank.
"I told you about the Imperial family before. I heard the Princesses are intelligent for their age, especially Crown Princess Amara, she's a talented Mage and a swordsmaster already. So..."
"Stupid fool- Why do you always treat them so earnestly? Just humor them and make them follow you." A cold voice spoke from within Patterson making him flinch.
"I... don't need something like the Imperial throne... I just like the Princesses... I know you said I have the qualities to be the heiress, Mister but... I think Princess Amara is the one who rightfully deserves it."
"I don't think I can be as outstanding as the Princesses. I can't perform magic either..." Jeanette spoke.
"The throne..." A cold voice left Patterson's lips, "... only those who suit it may sit on it. Magic is not important."
"Regardless of whether you wish to ascend the throne or not... I believe the lady has qualifications for the throne."
"Me-Me?"
"You are kind and delicate so, I believe you will love the people and the people will love you."
"Y-You praise me too much."
Ijekiel looked down from the window watching as Jeanette was talking with the guest again. He couldn't help but feel suspicious of this man. But he couldn't do anything without any proof so, he just focused on the work at hand.
He was still wondering who that person might be whom Princess Amara had mentioned was responsible for the attack on them. He had done what Princess Amara had told him, he had spread the news secretly that Princess Amara had found out who was responsible for the attack and to say that it had created a chaos among the nobles would be an understatement.
They all were waiting holding their breaths and Ijekiel wondered who amongst these would be the one to make a move again.
***
Ara woke up finding Lucas sitting at the edge of her bed. She had a dream, a dream where she would be attacked again with the same technique as the last time. But she still couldn't remember the details. But what she did remember was that her father might be a target too.
"Lucas?" She sat up making him look at her.
"How are you feeling now?" He asked.
She didn't answer that, both of them knew she was dying and nothing was stopping it.
"Lucas, I just had a dream." She spoke.
"What dream?"
"I'll probably be attacked soon, the same technique might be used."
"You mean like the ribbon?"
"Yes."
"So, the Chimera is bringing another thing for you?"
"Maybe, or maybe not. I can't be sure but... I saw it, I was just having tea with Athy and Jeanette and suddenly I coughed blood and everything went black... Then, when I woke up I saw Dad dying too, and I couldn't see Athy anywhere, there was only Jeanette beside him."
"I'll ask them to not call for that Chimera today." Lucas said and Ara reached out and held his hand stopping him.
"You and I we both know I'm not making any progress, Lucas." The words were a cold reminder to Lucas' helpless state.
"So, you're telling me that you'll just go out there and die even after that warning from the dream?"
"I-It might just be a dream..."
"Hear yourself," Lucas hissed, "You and I we both know that the strong Magicians often get the premonitions in their dreams and with your power it's even possible that you might even see the definite future!"
Ara sighed and leaned ahead resting her head on his shoulder.
"Do this one thing for me, Lucas." She spoke in a tone which rendered him even more helpless.
She had accepted her fate and that's what irked Lucas the most, he didn't want her to just die like that. He didn't want her to die, if she did then he might just go crazy and end up destroying the whole empire in rage.
"Put a spell on me, I have a feeling I'll survive but I don't want it to completely put me out."
"What do you mean, you have a feeling that you'll survive? You have to survive damnit!" He grabbed her shoulders making her face him.
He couldn't help the gasp that escaped his lips as he saw the expression on her face. It was a smile... a very melancholic smile that made him even more angry.
"I'll kill that Chimera and Athernitas. I'll kill everyone."
He slightly flinched as he felt her hand on his face, it was cold and bony. Within a few days without him noticing she had lost a lot of weight and had grown weaker.
He placed his hand over hers gently, fearing that if he applied even a little pressure he'd end up hurting her even more than she already was.
"She's innocent, as for Athernitas... Let him be for now. He'll show up eventually and I need to recover till that time so, do this one thing for me, okay?"
Lucas in his entire lifetime hadn't felt so helpless. Just why was he getting so much agitated over a human who was hanging by the thread?
"Ara," he spoke, "make sure you survive."
Ara hummed.
"If you didn't, I won't care about anything else, I'll destroy every single thing in this Empire." He spoke in a voice which would have made any person shit their pants but Ara simply chuckled softly.
"Watch your words, pretty boy. I might feel that you've fallen in love with me."
Lucas' eyes went wide as she said that.
Love? Was that what it was?
The feeling that was making his helplessness even more stark, the feeling that was hurting him so much while watching her in this state, was it love even in past life that brought him so much despair after learning of her death?
He didn't say anything as he simply held her hand and sighed.
"I'll put a spell on you to repel any harmful spell that would come your way." He said and Ara smiled.
He casted a spell and after a few seconds he looked at Ara who sat silently watching as he had her hand in his.
"I'm so glad I found you again, in this time, Lucas. You have no idea how happy I was to see you again... Last time, I didn't even get to say anything to you and I died and this time, I don't know when I might-"
"Don't say that!" He hissed and she chuckled.
"I'm a mere human, Lucas. My body is bound by the law of nature, my soul will be eternal and I might just meet you in another life if I died now."
"I'll really hit you if you don't stop talking like this, Ara." Lucas said and Ara sighed before wrapping her arm around his neck pulling him close.
Lucas placed his face into her neck inhaling the sweet scent of her hair as she brushed his back gently. He knew she was just trying to calm him down but he couldn't help it. For once, he wanted to just hold her back and keep her for himself. Was it too selfish of him?
"Ara..." He spoke.
"Listen to me for once, please..." He wrapped his arms around her pressing her close to himself.
"Don't do this... Don't die... for me, please..." He could sense his voice breaking and he hated it but he couldn't help it.
He felt her brushing his back gently but she didn't reply, she didn't say anything and it made him even more angry.
He pulled back after a while and stepped away from her staring at her.
"If it makes any difference then I'll admit something before I leave Ara."
Ara tilted her head to one side.
"I really have fallen for you..." Ara's eyes widened.
"since your past life." He spoke before he disappeared leaving Ara staring at the spot where he stood.
***
"The hell did he say?!"
Ara who was sitting in the space between frozen time shouted making her mother laugh.
"Oh, there's a confession."
"What confession?! He- wait... What other meaning could it be? Like friends?" Her face becoming redder than it already was.
"Stop it. Don't overthink it, the poor boy has been in love for so long."
The younger girl stared at her mother who suddenly seemed like an ambassador of love.
"Mom! Don't say it like that, it's cringey!"
"Eh? My daughter is so cute when she's embarrassed." Diana threw her arms around her daughter.
"Ack!" She gasped as she felt the impact of the mama-bear hug.
"Ugh... It's so embarassing."
Her mother laughed as she realised just how similar her child was to her father. Claude wasn't quite open in receiving love as well and she had to be aggressive in expressing herself. She was sure the boy would also be aggressive enough to make her child realise what love is.
She just hoped that after everything her child would be happy.
Ara sighed again, she had managed to give a warning to Athelinda now she only had to wait for the plan to move ahead. She had been starting to feel a strange sense of kinship with Athelinda who was also a part of her, which was why she had used a little bit of her magic to give out a premonition. She just hoped Lucas would take the hint on time and move as she wanted him to. But did he really mean it? Was he really... in love with her?
***
Hello everyone!
Ahem... A little melancholic chapter today... I could sense tomorrow a lot of you guys would need boxes of tissues.
Anyways... if you guys are confused about how Ara and Athelinda are staying in two different realms despite being the same soul then, the logic is taken from how Diana had stayed back because of lingering attachments despite being dead.
Tell me how you find this chapter and it's okay to bombard the comments I love it!
Hm... Should I call Ara's lovers as Kitties?
Author: (shouts backstage) Ara, how do you like the name Kitties for your fans?
Ara: Kitties? Cute. (smiles and hollers back) Sounds good!
Tell me what you guys think of it?
Have a great day everyone!