Next day came as yet another regular day, filling in as if it was part of a routine. As with most routines beginning a day, breakfast was quick to come, and similarly quick to finish.
Yhse was finding herself bored of late, the nearly half lunar cycle of same-old same-old wearing her down. Sitting in a room was boring, reading books or otherwise. She had been going on walks, but with halls that looked identical, it wasn't like there was anywhere interesting to go. She was running out of ideas for fun things to do, and it wasn't like everyone else was giving her much in turn. It was like doing nothing every single day was expected to be fun. At first, she had thought it would have been fun, no expectations, no real responsibilities, just endless relaxation. Instead, it was really boring.
Lord Khaexyn came to visit her unexpectedly, though she suspected one of her maids might have been the cause of it. "Hello, young Yhse. I hope everything is going well enough for you. Have your flowers been doing well for you?" Obviously Khaexyn didn't understand 'boring'. The flowers were nice, even though they only reminded her of her friends. They were also, like her, getting tired of being stuck in this place, and had started to wilt.
"Good day, Lord Khaexyn. I have been doing well enough, I thank you so much for your concerns. Thank you for ensuring that I was given these beautiful flowers, they have done wonders for brightening my room." Yhse had years of experience with faking her own happiness. What she wasn't used to was being pampered so much every single day. She still didn't understand Khaexyn's motivation, was this really just to have her as an icon for his own vision?
"I'm glad to hear things have gone so well, if there is anything I could do to brighten your life further, please let me know." "If I can think of any way I could possibly have any more fun than this, I will be certain to let you know. The fun and games here couldn't possibly get any better than this." Khaexyn looked at her awkwardly, as Yhse realized she might have laced a bit of sarcasm in her voice there. Considering the fun and games here were.. non-existent.. it was really hard to bluff about it.
Khaexyn excused himself and rushed off, returning later with some documentation. "Would this work? I found plans for an... entertainment system, I believe that was what it was called. I'm sure something like this would provide considerably more fun than anything you would find anywhere in Celese." Khaexyn handed her documentations, almost a blueprint in nature, for what was honestly a video game console. It was actually one she had memories of using all too well. Flipping through other documents, she found games she was also familiar with, ones she either never liked or had already beaten in another life. He was going to create these things for her?
Being crushed upon by the memory, she realized there also wouldn't be any point. Even if he could somehow use his gift to produce those things faster than it would normally take to create on earth, she knew those games all too well. The utter lack of originality, it was like the worst kind of Celesi remake, no originality at all. Why bother to simply make a game she's already done, already learned about, knew inside out, and already lived through?
Then, it dawned on her, that's exactly what his goals were, not just for the plans in her hands, but for the world as a whole. He was going to bring all of Earth, and make Celese as much like Earth as possible. It would be like a remake of a life she's already lived. Did he honestly think it would be better? It then dawned on her how wrong he actually was. Earth had no hatred? She went through all the problems with that claim in her memories. Earth had people hating other people everywhere, people of other nations, other cultures, other.. anything different, really. There weren't elves, but there certainly was racism. There might not be wars anymore like people here knew, but it's not like there weren't fights, battles, death, suffering... To think Earth was any more perfect was a naivety beyond compare.
Earth wasn't any better, not in the least. Trying to force Celese to become like Earth wouldn't fix any of the problems Khaexyn aimed to fix, it would only run from the problem and create new ones. How would running fix anything, how could he think he could just escape by turning to something else and hoping that would change everything for him?
Then she realized, she wasn't one to talk, that's been her all her life. Even now, she had run away from one lifestyle, only to suffer another that honestly wasn't much better. All that happened was that she had lost friends in the process, friends who had probably moved on without her and found their own way. She was honestly as much an idiot as the company she kept, it was surprising this similarity.
Yhse handed the documents back to Khaexyn. "I've changed my mind. While this idea looks very interesting, it seems a bit too.. ordinary somehow. Much like reading a book that comes to life in your hands, it's still just a book. It is a very good idea at least, but I'll give it some thought on the kinds of things I would truly rather do instead. I'll get back to you if I come up with any ideas. Maybe I can find an idea within the library, there is a whole collection of information there." Yhse knew that complaining about books right before saying she would find a solution in the library might not make sense, but she felt that fit with most of her other choices of late.
Khaexyn took the documents back with a frown. "So be it. Please let me or any of the staff know if there is anything further we can do for you." Khaexyn had a few passing words with the maids before leaving, not something she was able to hear. Yhse did ponder that, for all his intent on using her as an icon for change, this was probably the first time he's offered her anything from Earth itself. Considering she was supposed to represent change for him, it would have been assumed that she would have been given a multitude of trinkets and gadgets she has passing familiarity with, not just that one. It gave her the idea that there was more to this whole thing than Khaexyn was letting her know.
This triggered her curiosity, she wanted to know what else he might be hiding. What other motivation would he have for everything, and why her? Yhse had to know. Fortunately, she had made plans to go search for information, it was by far the best place to begin. Yhse set off at once for the library, her maids acting as her guide as always. Once they arrived, Yhse started her search for anything that might meet her fancy.
Yhse's initial impression was more boredom. She hadn't bothered with informative books before, having generally focused on stories instead, and so this obviously wasn't exactly a thrilling experience. Her eyes started to glaze over, it was getting that boring. However, she wasn't doing this for fun, she needed answers. Answers had to be somewhere, she just had to look for them. She just wasn't exactly used to looking for answers, having spent a long time running from them instead.
Eventually, her eyes settled on a history book. It was a record of the development and civilization of the lakeside and the bandits. The author was Khaexyn Duxaeyhlit, meaning Khaexyn himself wrote this as records of his own accomplishments. She started glancing over it until she realized something was bothering her. She flipped back to the cover and confirmed the author's name. That last name was far too familiar, leaving her to drop the book in surprise.
Yhse's human maid came to pick it up. "Are you alright, mi'lady? Is something amiss?" "Just wondering, are either of you even aware of my real name?" "Of course, you are Lady Yhse." "I mean my full name." "That would be Lady Yhseliahysse Duxaeyhlit. Why do you ask?" "My last name, is it spelled like this then?" The maid saw Yhse indicating the author of the dropped book, and nodded her head. Then she started to see what reason Yhse would have for concern at this point. Of course, both maids were told to not get Lady Yhse too heavily involved in her father's work, or even put any additional strain on her by letting her know of her own heritage so soon. That would be for Lord Khaexyn to do, when he felt the time was right.
The elf maid approached, not being herself aware of the situation that had just arisen. She hadn't even heard the conversation, just that Lady Yhse's voice had gone very serious. "Is there anything the matter?" "Depends, what else has my father kept from me?" "Lord Khaexyn hasn't kept anything.." The elf realized her mistake moments after she began. Yhse had specifically called out Khaexyn as her father, and it wasn't even denied.
Yhse couldn't believe this, and yet everything was starting to make so much more sense. She was told her father had died ages ago, but that had been a lie. Instead, it seems her father was some great mastermind set on ruining the world for some ill-conceived dream of his. Instead of even telling her something so simple, he had kept it from her, making her feel alone in the world. Sure, in the rush of emotions at just hearing about her own heritage, she had an idea why he might not have told her. But it was a stupid idea, much like all of his other stupid ideas.
Yhse was done here, she put all the books away and made her way to return to her room, still being guided by her two maids. She felt absolutely helpless and misunderstood. Was there no one who understood her own struggles? Her maids, for all their physical guidance, were otherwise useless in the subject. Her father, only recently known as such, was the symbol of ignorance to her. None of the staff understood, leaving her very much alone. But in matters of understanding, and symbols, she started to understand her purpose here. She was set a place here because somehow her father knew she would return. But as his daughter, she was being trained into his own legacy.
Yhse's mind screamed inside. This is not training for a legacy, he was still giving her nothing. She was being kept away from actually understanding what was going on, left ignorant to everything, all because of a feeling that the responsibility was too much for her. Well, maybe it might be, but that didn't make it just go away, or make it any easier. Learning to accept responsibility, that made it easier. Instead, he just drowned her in a sea of books, left with expectations of a legacy she knew nothing about, and didn't even let her know she had a place important within this.. family. Who in the world does that?
Then she realized what else sounded familiar. Who drowns in a sea of books, Mhyl had done that her whole life. Who had to suffer expectations of a legacy she never knew about, that would be Qheria's life. Who else was the princess of a kingdom that didn't even give her the feeling her being alive actually mattered for shit.. she was really sounding like Thanrie there. The only people in the entire world who had even a glimmer of a chance in understanding her situation, were the same three friends she had told to get lost. It was probably the worst mistake of her entire life.
Yhse sent both maids away silently, desperate for some time alone. Once they were gone, Yhse finally resigned herself to the tears she had been holding back. She flopped onto her bed, burying her head in her pillow, as it soaked up her tears. Her father might be an idiot, but clearly such stupidity ran in her blood too. She had even left them, believing herself to be so different, only to find out how similar they actually were. She was just that blind, she didn't see it before.
She turned her head, glancing at one of the nearby potted flowers. It had already started to die, much like she herself felt. She picked up a few of the fallen blossoms, remembering the friends she had lost, and clutched the blossoms tightly. Tears were replaced with general despair, and a sense of hopelessness. Her own foolishness had left her with a dying fate, her own meaning to be lost, everything she cared about.. to fade away from her reach.
Meanwhile, her father would ruin everything for them, and she would have no choice but to remain at his side. He would continue his goal of replacing Celese with his vision of Earth, only to eventually find that nothing has improved and instead a lot has been lost. It would then lead to only more hatred and despair, only more loss.
In fact, to get there, he would have to go through countless lives. Far too many people would stand up to him, that's why he had this army. Before people would adopt a life of Khaexyn's choosing, he would have to shatter their wills. That would involve the death of countless people. There were already a large number of people standing up against his beliefs, and all of them would have to be crushed. Both of the main nations would be still raising their armies to counter all of Khaexyn's ambitions, in an attempt to crush them. Khaexyn would then have to crush them instead. The elves wouldn't stand for it either, they were fighting back too. Even the Arch-Magus was against this. All of that determination would have to be crushed, and in the process, lives would be lost. Even out here, there were those who opposed it, and they would have to be brought under control too.
Then she realized what kind of lives were at stake. The three friends she had sent away, she had sent to die, or at least to have their resolve crushed completely. Khaexyn would have to crush them all in order for his goals to be achieved. Those three, all of their friends and family at both the rebellion and back across the great mountain... The people in danger here were those closest to her. She was going to be placed in a position against everything she could have ever held dear, to destroy anything she could have ever cared about. Sure, she might not ever be expected to raise a hand in the process, but she would still be then helping in this senseless destruction as a result.
It was impossible to do nothing. Doing nothing was still doing something, she had responsibilities for things, even if she pretended otherwise. There were things she could not ignore, no matter how much it hurt. Doing nothing was in fact possibly the most painful solution of all. It was like waiting to die, in slow and terrible agony, with no idea how long it would be before death finally took over.
So instead, she finally noticed the bars in her cage. The things she wanted most to do, she could not. Instead she was left with only doing the things she wanted least, to let despair crush the friends she cared about. She couldn't, she wouldn't. She would rather die herself.
Bearing the guilt of responsibility for everything so suddenly, a wash of dizziness rose over her, all too familiar. She laid upon her pillow as the air above her became blurry, her head spinning enough to make her dizzy. Soon after, she lost consciousness, having fainted once again.
The maids returned to check on her, and found her fast asleep. They let her rest for a while, and returned later, only to find her still sleeping. When they tried to wake her, she did not stir at all. Khaexyn himself eventually showed up, and tried to figure out what had gone wrong, but even his own abilities did not wake her. He immediately feared illness, and set about checking over her, but could find nothing wrong. She was still fully healthy, wasn't injured, wasn't sick, nothing. Using his gift or even a few things from Earth, nothing came up for why she wouldn't awaken. His staff uselessly couldn't figure out anything either.
In truth, her mental state had caused her to faint, the problem entirely psychological. However, this wasn't something someone like him, with his own psychological state ignored, would have any chance at recognizing. The stress of her situation had caused her to black out, her mind itself going entirely unresponsive to the world outside. The intense depression caused a lot of her to simply shut down.
At a loss, he made sure arrangements were made to attend to her health, as he continued to search for a cure to whatever had happened. It seems, until he could finally bring peace to this world, everything he loved would be at an eternal risk. He would have to speed up his own research, to work towards a proper solution. But first, he had to save his daughter. He had learned she had discovered the truth already, about her being his daughter, just before this had happened. Clearly, he was right in wanting to protect her, he would need to ensure she received even more protection than normal in the future.
Khaexyn then set about working to discover a way to save his daughter, working hard though the rest of the day on a cure. Meanwhile, Yhse continued to sleep, in a slumber as deep as death itself, still clutching tightly the blossoms she had recovered earlier.