For a long time, I felt like I'd been floating in a sea of darkness. My sense of time was skewered and I couldn't tell how long I had been in this state. For a moment, I thought I had died and I was on my way to my next reincarnation. But I realized quickly that something was still holding onto me, keeping me grounded to this realm. A faint warmth was always by my side, melting away the coldness of the dark.
And after what felt like an eternity, I felt myself awakening from my deep slumber. I woke up to a familiar ceiling, which I had never been happier to see. It was the canopy of my bed back in our castle in Floria. As I had just awoken, the feeling in my body was still dull. However, I could feel a small warmth in my left hand. I look over, and I see Ren holding my hand gently as he laid next to me on top of the covers. He was sleeping soundly, but I could see the dark bags under his eyes. If God existed, He would surely be mad that I had made one of His prettiest creations so haggard like this.
Even after my deep sleep, I still felt a little tired. After giving Ren's hand a small squeeze with all the strength I could muster, I went back to sleep.
. . .
The next time I opened my eyes, Ren was no longer by my side. I felt a small panic in my heart, but my body was too weak to do anything. I wonder how long I had been asleep?
Just as I was about to try to call for someone, Ren walked through the door. He was holding a tray with a glass and a pitcher of what I assumed to be water. As soon as we make eye contact, the tray crashed onto the floor and he just stood at the door, frozen in place. I weakly lifted my left hand and waved.
"I'm not dreaming, am I? Because I've dreamed this many times before," he approached me slowly, as if I would run away if I were startled. Not that I could, anyway.
"And every time I woke up, you were still..." He teared up, stopping at an arm's length from the bed. He looked afraid and so vulnerable, different from the Ren I know. I wanted to tell him it was okay, and it wasn't his fault, but my voice was stuck in my throat.
I don't know if it was because of the expression Ren was carrying, or if my emotions from almost dying had caught up to me. My eyes stung and tears started flowing down my face. I struggled to breathe, sobbing uncontrollably. Ren hesitantly came closer, resting his hand on my cheek. His eyes searched mine, then finally wrapped me in his arms. I buried my head in to his chest, and I could feel his shoulders trembling. His tears stained my shoulder as he wept.
"I'm sorry. I'm so, so, sorry." he said in a whisper, between his sobs. He apologized over and over again, his voice desperate and sincere. I could only stay silent, as my voice hadn't returned to me. But even if my voice had returned, I had no idea what I could say.
I thought I could easily forgive and forget, and just blame it on how this world worked. I knew how that overpowering force compelled us to behave similarly to the game. But it appears human emotions are a complex thing. I can't seem to forget that searing anger I felt as I watched him leave, even right now. I know its not his fault. Its the fault of the damned world we live in. And despite that unknown force, he saved me. I know. But even still, I'm angry.
I feel my emotions clashing with each other, giving my a headache. My inability to stop crying made it worse, making my head hurt more and more with each hiccup.
I must've fallen asleep at some point, as I woke up once more with my parents sleeping by my bedside. It must be a little later in the day, as the room was bathed in a golden hue.
My mother woke up first, her long, delicate eyelashes fluttering open. Although she looked terribly worn out, she was still beautiful. The light from the setting sun made her hair glow in a honey color, making her look like an angel. Her gentle eyes made me want to cry again.
"..mother..." I barely managed to croak out, not even sure if it was audible enough for her to hear. But miraculously she did, and whipped her head in my direction.
"Liliane...is that really you? I'm not dreaming again, am I?" her eyes immediately welled up with tears, and pulled me into a soft embrace. Her familiar scent enveloped me and made me feel like I was truly home again. It seems I still had tears to spare, as they carelessly fell across my face.
Father woke up shortly after, giving a similar reaction as mother. My parents cried for a while, telling me 'thank you' for coming back to them, over and over again. For maybe the first time in this life, I felt truly grateful from the bottom of my heart to have been born into this world.
. . .
The next day, mother surprised me by entering my room while pushing a maid trolley with breakfast in tow. A delicious scent of soup filled the room, along with the smell of freshly baked bread.
"Good morning, Liliane." my mother greeted me, giving me a kiss on the cheek.
"Good morning, mother. I don't want to come off as sounding ungrateful, but why are you here?" I asked. I sat up in bed a bit more properly, trying to shuffle my way to the edge of the bed. My mother smiled.
"Well, can't a mother visit her sickly daughter?"
"I meant, don't you have your hands full with your queenly duties, your Majesty?" I laugh. Kings and queens have many matters to take care of, the workload can't be taken lightly at all.
"I've given the ones others can handle to my private secretary. She's more than capable of taking care of some of my tasks. The others, I'll finish them later. Your mother is very capable, just so you know."
"My apologies, I didn't know." I replied. My mother sent me a playful glare.
"I'll let you off the hook this time since you're still a patient. Look forward to the day you're all better again." Mother was smiling as she said so, but a shiver went down my spine. I may have awoken a beast.
"Alright. Now, lets get some food in you. Emma had already given you your bath, right?" Mother pushed the trolley by the table near the window in my room and sat down on the edge of the mattress.
"Yep. Since last night she's been more overbearing than usual. She has been very helpful, though. I can't seem to do anything by myself anymore." Losing two out of four limbs impacted my daily life greatly. I could no longer even go to the lavatory by myself.
"Well, I think the news I've brought for you will help with that." Mother said. She helped me into my wheelchair, and pushed me to the small table. Mother sat down next to me and started placing the dishes from the trolley onto the table. I was about to pick up my spoon, but a hand stopped me.
"Uh-uh. You're going to spill the soup everywhere. Plus, you're a patient. You should be resting." Mother picked up the spoon instead, and started feeding me the piping hot soup slowly, even blowing on it a little to cool it down. I obediently received her care. In between bites, I asked,
"What was it about good news?"
"Oh, right. While you were unconscious, your father asked a craftsman to make you a prosthetic arm and leg. The craftsman contacted us today that they're ready to test. It just requires some fine-tuning adjustments once we attach them. If you're not up for it today, we can arrange it for another day.."
"No! I want to get it done as soon as possible." I exclaimed, unable to hide my excitement. If I can get anything close to functioning right arm again, I would gladly take it.
"Alright, I'll send someone over to let him know. He should probably stop by in the next few hours. I'll give Emma the details once I receive them."
"Thank you, mother."
"Of course. Let me know if you need anything else." I nod in response.
We chatted for a little while eating breakfast. It was a nice change of pace after all that happened, and I felt relaxed. After finishing breakfast, mother left to prepare for the craftsman's visit.
I collected my thoughts as I stared outside my bedroom window. The palace grounds were covered in a blanket of white snow. I sighed as it sunk in that two months had passed while I was unconscious.
After I passed out and Ren saved me from the beast, Master Darius healed my injuries. Unfortunately, it was too late to restore my right arm and left leg. A few hours later, the academy guards and the mercenaries the headmaster hired were able to subjugate all the monsters. I heard from Emma that there were many heavily injured among the students, but the casualties were low. The safehouse the academy prepared helped a lot, and majority of the students were able to survive the attack unscathed.
The students were sent home as soon as possible, and an emergency international meeting was held in the Cornerius Empire. With the recent events, its understandable to speculate it might've been an orchestrated assassination attempt towards the future rulers of the kingdoms in Eithris. Representatives from each country were sent over, to discuss the ambush. My father wanted to go as Floria's representative, but the elders from our council fervently opposed. The council instead agreed to send over my mother instead, since she was more knowledgeable in international affairs regarding our kingdom. My father was, of course, very anxious about the entire matter, but everything went smoothly.
As for the other representatives, Ren's older brother went as Aquamerria's as the crown prince. As a future ruler himself it would've been dangerous for him to attend, but it appears that the King is ill. As for the Licht Kingdom, the pope was the representative sent my the King. Daetida, the demon Kingdom and Aeris, the fairy Kingdom, did not attend the meeting. The queen of Daetida sent a letter addressing her absence and sent her apologies.
The meeting went smoothly for the most part, but Reinsdor was under a lot of heat for allowing such an event to occur. As a result, the academy was closed until further notice. The assembly ended with each kingdom volunteering a person to participate in the investigation of the event. Aeris was exempted, but Daetida offered their military general for the investigation later on. As for Clara or any of the other students for that matter, I have no idea what happened to them.
Things in Floria showed no signs of change on the surface, but the internal affairs within the palace walls were chaotic. From strengthening our borders to cleansing the kingdom of dirty rats happened one after the other in the span of the two months I was not present.
On top of that, with the news of the King of Aquamerria in sickly health, the marriage ceremony between myself and Ren was pushed forward. With his young older brother already preparing to take over the crown, the alliance between the two kingdoms was needed more than ever. For that reason alone, out marriage was to take place a month after I woke up.
With everything happening so quickly, I couldn't process it fully. First with the academy being paused indefinitely, the King's sudden illness, my marriage, and of course, my missing two limbs.
I sighed.
Emma seemed to notice, as she started to prepare some tea. I spent the rest of that afternoon sitting by my window until the craftsman came by to fit my prosthetics.