14 PAINFUL TRUTH

The sun light hitting her eyes, Ashleah slowly rubbed her eyelids as she stretched her arms and sat on her bed.

Looking at her right, her phone was still there but the call ended. She sighed and started massaging her forehead.

"Now that I found out I was the Princess Izel, was I reincarnated?" a loud frustrated groan escaped her lips as she stood up and huffed, trying to refrain herself from stomping like a child.

Her mind was in chaos! While taking a bath, she was trying to connect everything, her dreams, that one time where Nash called her Princess, the man that she met and cried her eyes out.

Instead she sighed loudly and wore her uniform, but as soon as she wore it, her eyes widened as she looked at her reflection in front of the mirror.

It was just for a second but it felt like wind rushed to her and she saw herself wearing a gown and a tiara. She was.. very pretty.

Click, the door clicked when she closed it. A small smile escaped her lips when she saw Nash in front of their gate. 'I'm going to find a perfect time to tell him.'

Ashleah was scared and confused, she just realized that she was the 'Princess Izel' but still doesn't know what happened.

"You had a good sleep?" she asked while looking down at the ground, a small chuckled was made from Nash's lips.

"I did, thank you for listening to me last night." Ashleah looked up and saw how Nash was smiling, she did the same thing, both not noticing that they were now in front of their school.

"Nash!" She called him out, making him turn around before going inside their room. "Uhh.. later at the rooftop.. I have something to say."

"Eh? What? Are you going to confess?" he grinned making Ashleah growl and lightly throw her backpack at him, Nash bursted out laughing and waving his hands.

"Stop teasing me you jerk!" She stomped her feet on the way to her seat and saw how Nash continued to giggle.

Heart was beating loudly, the wind is strongly blowing against her hair. Ashleah was waiting for Nash, he told her that he's going to buy food for them.

Swoosh. The wind created noises as it hits her hair and the leaves down below, a small smile appeared on her face.

"You look like you're having fun." Quickly turning around, Ashleah chuckled. Nash quietly walked beside her and gave Ashleah her food and leaned against the railings.

"Yeah, oh thanks." she said, and just continued looking at the food, her heart was now racing and thumping loudly. Is this really the right time to tell him the truth?

"Something bothering you?" He said and took a sip from his water bottle. His hair was perfectly swaying against the wind.

"Nash, I was Princess Izel wasn't I?" she said, his eyes widened he choked while drinking causing him to cough loudly, Ashleah panicked and started patting his back.

"W-What are you talking about?" He said while coughing, Ashleah sighed and waited him to be okay before she continues.

"I.. am Princess Izel, wasn't I? I know that I'm right Nash." She said, Nash tried avoiding eye contact but completely failed.

"How did you know Ashleah?" He asked, sitting down on the ground and leaning his bsck on the railings Ashleah did the same. "And when? When did you—"

"Yesterday, while you were asleep. I found out that I was the Princess. However, I am still trying to connect the puzzles here." Giggling softly Ashleah took a sip from her own water bottle.

"I guess, he's gaving me the signals that this is the right time to tell you everything." Nash said and gave Ashleah a cute yet painful smile.

"150 years ago.. you were the first princess of the Empire called 'Genry' and you.. were the daughter of the man you met, Emperor Adler Zay Reece." Nash continued to talk, Ashleah was just looking up at the bright blue sky.

"And I was the son of Duke Deoncan, my mother was a maid that's why the Duchess hated me ever since I was born. Being the only son and the heir to his seat, the Duchess hated me more. As for my father who was the right hand of the emperor, he always bring me in his duties." He looked at Ashleah taking a deep breath and continued to tell her the whole story.

"Your mother died while giving birth to you, the Empress.. ever since that day, the day that you were born the Emperor never had a concubine or what." A small giggle escaped Ashleah's lips. So her Father was that kind?

"Not until you were 2 and I was 3, the high priest came running inside the Imperial Palace, God sent them a message that a child of God would be born from the Marquess Luela's family." Ashleah didn't know why but her smile instantly faded when she heard the family's name.

"Every single one of them were filled with joy and undying excitement, the old Marquess was confused and happy at the same time. And there he was, the child of God the son of Marquess Luela.. Axis Gien Luela." he shook his head and took a quick sip before continuing.

"The empire was so happy, and your father was too. Who knows what goodluck or charms this child of God would bring inside the Empire, right?" Ashleah nodded but Nash scoffed. "Wrong, black magic users gone mad because Axis was recognized by God but they weren't."

"When he turned 16 and you were 17, and I was 18, no one knew that he was under a black magic spell, God couldn't do anything because they couldn't mingle with the affairs on earth, and that exact situation made it worse." A tear escaped his eyes and Ashleah quickly wiped it.

"On your 18th birthday, Axis tried to kill you. But I killed him first, and that made God mad. The Empire was almost shut down into pieces, but your Father asked for forgiveness, every one did. As for my punishment for killing Axis and not even trying to help him with the magic around him.."

"I got cursed." Ashleah didn't know why but her heart felt like it was cracking up into pieces. "The curse where I should fill this necklace up" The necklace suddenly appeared making Ashleah gasp. "And when I fill this up I can break my curse and yours too."

A small laugh escaped his lips and tears were forming inside his eyes. "You got cursed because you fought back for me. The undying cycle of our reincarnations, you would always die the way you died in your first life, Ashleah. You were going to kill yourself."

Gulping slowly, breathing was heavy. Ashleah's tears finally escaped her eyes. "Getting banned from your own empire, you couldn't take it like I do, I just woke up inside the cave where we were staying, you were holding my sword with blood on it. You killed yourself."

They were both crying. "My curse was too see every one dying, with the most purest souls, I need to collect them inside my necklace. I can't die not until I finish my mission, and I can't help you.. It was all because of me."

Hugging Nash tightly, Ashleah bit her lower lips and whispered. "Life is so unfair." she then cried out, now it makes sense. She's been getting reincarnated again and again all this time.

"Life is unfair.. it's so unfair, I only did it to save you." He said while hugging her tightly, it was like any moment now Ashleah would disappear right in front of him again.

"I'm sorry for leaving you like that Nash. I'm sorry." tears continued to stream down her face. Now that she found out about her painful past, she's going to fix it. She'll try to fix it.