You're a witch?!

He reappeared in front of the frightened Reina who still couldn't believe what she had just seen. He startled her by popping up like that, making her step back in fear.

The man stood staring at her, his eyes calm unlike earlier. He moved away from her and returned with a plate in his hands, which has mixed herbs in it and dropped it by her leg.

"If you are afraid of me, apply it yourself," He said and sat on the floor waiting for her to speak up.

Reina looked back and forth between him and the plate "You... you're a witch?" she stuttered.

Tilting his head to the side "I'm a man my dear" He said

"That is what they call all of your kind" Reina's confused voice was parched "I... I thought you were all killed or... or disappeared from existence?"

"Yes"

"Then how... how are you here? And in human form?!"

The old man chuckled, fascinated "I blended in so well, didn't I?" He tried to get up but paused when he saw her take more steps back. "I'm not going to hurt you," He said trying to assure her.

Reina calmed down a little before she also sat on the floor staring at his fingers, they were pitch black earlier. She saw him notice her stare, so she looked away, still wary of him.

Picking up the plate, she tried to apply the paste on her wound "How long have you been living here?" She asked him.

Stroking his chin in thought, "For as long as I can remember"

Nodding her head, she continued, the past was hot on her skin, it burned, but she ignored the burn and applied it on other parts where she had scratches.

"My turn to ask questions," He said, making her look up at him. Of course, he doesn't even know her name, or who she was, she now knows what he is. But not his name, so she waited for his questions to come.

"First, what is your name?"

"Reina"

He furrowed his brows, isn't that the Princess's name? She probably has a namesake.

Noticing his look, Reina added "Princess Reina, daughter of King Zeus" He looked even more confused.

"How did you end up here?" He asked, before jumping to conclusions, he was trying to get his head around why the princess was here and looking tattered

Putting the plate aside, she had covered the wound entirely

"I was kidnapped from the castle last night," She said.

Confusion etched his face again. Castle? Kidnap? Is this girl trying to play mind games with him?

"The Valerian castle is no more, stop talking nonsense and tell me who you are!" His voice filled with anger already.

It was Reina's turn to be confused, the fear in her grew again, why is he suddenly upset? "What are you talking about?" She asked calmly, not to anger him more, it will be her death if he gets angry at her.

"The King and Queen died months ago and their daughter was said to be dead by now, so tell me who you really are"

Reina froze. Months ago? Are the King and Queen dead?

"you... you are lying!!" She exclaimed "They can't be dead! I was taking from them last night so I'm not dead! I am alive! Their daughter is alive!" She freaked out, stepping away from him, with limping movements, till she couldn't move back anymore. Reina felt her body stiffen.

"I am not going to hurt you" his voice echoed inside the room "If you are really telling me the truth nod your head"

Reina couldn't refuse him, as her body had a mind of its own. She nodded twice, her eyes teary with streams of tears falling down her cheek.

The man approached her and she felt her bone tighten, what is he doing to her? He reached for her face, seeing her memories. And she really was the princess of Narva. Reina felt like screaming but her mouth was closed shut.

Releasing her from the spell he cast on her, he stepped back, and Reina could finally breathe. Gripping her chest, she drew in air multiple times before relief filled her "What did you do to me?" She asked

"Just cleared my doubts," He said and offered her water in a bowl to drink, Realizing her throat was parched, she accepted it and gulped it down in one go.

"Now I want to know, how did you end up here? And why do you think you were taken yesterday?"

Because I was and I already told you how I ended up here"

"But you clearly were not taken yesterday. Here, come with me" He offered his hand for her to hold, she looked at him with doubt but took it anyway. He mumbled words and then vanished.

Reappearing in a different place, the sun was hot on her skin, she looked around and was in a room that looked very familiar.

"This... This is my father's room" She pointed out.

"It used to be," The man beside her said "Now it belongs to the former Duke of Everton"

"Donald?" She asked her eyes widening "Where is my father and his sword?" She walked to a wall and stood "It used to be here. Turning to the door as Donald walked in looking frustrated. Waylen followed him and closed the door.

"They can't see you," He said to Reina when she tried to hide away from them.

She looked at him "What is your name?" She asked him

"Erebus," He said without looking at her.

What kind of name is Erebus? She didn't ask him that.

Reina watched Donald and his son frantically looking for lord knows what "Let's go" Erebus said and he gripped her hand again and appeared back into the hut.

She didn't say anything to him and just stood there staring into nothing, her mind going back to the room they had just left, what were they doing in there, was this man right? Are her parents really dead? What happened, did she lose her memory, how can she not remember being out here for so long that they think she died? Did Silas really take her away to kill her, or kill her parents?

What is going on? Tears threatened to fall out of her eye. Did they even look for her? She wondered how her mum felt when she didn't find her in her room the next morning. Who would kill her parents and why? Did Donald have a hand in this?

A series of questions ran through her mind. Her head clouded with thoughts as she stood there, In pain, the pain of never seeing her parents again. They didn't even part on good terms.