Accepting The Truth
Fortunately, the headache he felt before wasn't as bad.
He woke up once the maid drew the thick curtains and let the warm rays of sunshine illuminated the bedroom, making the room glowed with warm orange hues. Ailen still felt nauseous and weak on the soft covers, helplessly staring at the two maids in the room.
They're Meredith and Irma, two young maids who took care of him.
When he woke up again, it was dawn. Meredith was the one who kept waiting loyally beside him. Offering him a refreshing glass of water, feeding him porridge, and cleaned his body when he had no energy to do so.
Irma cleaned around the building, cooking and changed his clothes together with Meredith, and fed him medicine. Ailen let them took care of him with no questions— yet. He's too scared to know the truth. The truth that he's indeed, woke up in someone else's body.
Though, it's crystal clear that he's stuck in this frail body that kept getting a headache every second.
Three days had passed, and Ailen's health improved acutely.
The dark circles under his eyes vanished, now his beautiful gray irises were more prominent— along with his long eyelashes. His plump, pale chapped lips were starting to have more color with a shade of coral— fluffy silver hair more beautiful than the snow under the pristine sun. His nose and cheeks were pink naturally from the warm temperature.
Ailen saw himself for the first time since he woke up through a mirror Meredith brought for him.
As he basked under the sunshine, his beauty enhanced, and Ailen was speechless for a long time. How could a sickly twelve-year-old boy who looked like death transformed into the most adorable fairy-like creature in the universe?
He's ethereal.
Meredith and Irma often stole glances at Ailen's way, equally shocked by the transformation. Meredith got caught cooed at him when Ailen kept touching his face— admiring his looks blatantly.
It's been three days. Ailen finally decided to spoke for the first time after accepting his fate. Barely.
"Meredith,"
"Huh?" Meredith blinked; she stopped sweeping the floor and whipped her head toward Ailen with wide eyes. "I-I mean, yes, Your Highness!" she added quickly.
"Just, call me uh— Ailen," the boy said quietly. "Um, could I ask you some questions?"
"Oh? Yes— yes, absolutely! Ask me anything," Meredith hurriedly walked to the bed beside Ailen, bowing her head low enough until her brown fringe covered her eyes.
"Raise your head, Meredith," There's no authority in his voice. He asked politely. Meredith's shoulders stiffened briefly before she relaxed, looking at Ailen nervously. "So— um, could you tell me where I am right now?"
Meredith blinked. She nodded her head. "Yes, Your Highness. You're currently in the emerald palace. Built for the Emperor's—um," she sputtered, her cheeks flared up. "Harem. But it's empty since you're born, Your Highness,"
The boy's head spun once more, frowning as he took in the information. He heard bits and pieces of information for the past couple of days from Meredith's and Irma's talk when they thought he's asleep. He's a Crown Prince who's been sick and bedridden for years. He's Ailen Stiria Niveus, the only son of the Emperor whose name he never heard of.
A neglected Crown Prince whom everybody expected to die so another person could take the throne instead of him.
"How long have I been asleep for?" Ailen whispered.
Meredith frowned, lowering her gaze. "… Three years,"
Ailen widened his eyes. "H-How?"
"It happened when you turned nine when Her Majesty the Empress passed away. Then the Emperor moved you to the emerald palace. Everyone thought you were going to die, Your Highness. Your health worsened every year, so the Emperor decided to select another heir if you— if you pass away. According to applicable regulations, if there is no heir, the Emperor can choose a suitable candidate from a Duke's house. The Emperor already selected an heir, "
"But I didn't die," Ailen frowned. Meredith nodded her head.
"Exactly. We haven't told anyone that you're awake yet, Your Highness. We were waiting for your decision," Meredith nervously gripped the hem of the white apron she wore. "We're not sure what will happen if everyone knows that you're awake,"
Ailen couldn't imagine what would happen either.
Everyone thought he's going to die. His own father already picked his replacement once he died. The thought ticked Ailen off.
"What happened before I fell asleep?"
"Y-You don't remember?" Meredith asked carefully.
"No," Ailen muttered.
"Your Highness, you're born prematurely. You're sick since you're still an infant. You spent your whole life in the sapphire palace with the Empress, her personal fief. When Her Majesty passed away, you fell asleep and never wake up since. The Emperor ordered me and Irma to take care of you. But His Majesty stopped giving us orders or checking up on your progress a month after we were assigned on tending you, Your Highness,"
Ailen sighed, pinching his nose bridge with his index finger and thumb.
Great. Everything's just great. He refrained from complaining and whining mentally to the universe for the new miserable life they gave him.