CHAPTER 1
I never thought my death would come like this, and so soon for that matter.
Chained and kneeling on the dirty ground whilst dressed in rags, I stared at the heads being chopped off from my fellow nobles one by one. Besides me and looking absolutely terrified was my twin brother, Alan. He looked so small and pitiful that I felt like crying and holding him and maybe whisper that everything would be okay. Kneeling beside him was the disposed Emperor, who looked thoroughly beaten and defeated. His mother looked half crazed, not believing what was happening at the moment.
Why... just why did I even involve myself with this family? Why did my parents betroth me to the fool of an Alpha who didn't use his brain to prevent all this from happening?
If only I knew that I was walking into my death when I didn't contest the engagement with Luther, I'd have broken said engagement in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, it was too late. What was left of my Pack was being eradicated along with the royal family. The Empire was not left unscathed. From what I heard before the seigh of the Palace, various places had being plundered by the invading force, and nor even the capital had been spared. Even uncle was missing, no where to be seen. I wondered if he'd managed to escape the capital.
A shadow was casted over me and I looked up to see a Knight wearing the armour of the Oxion Empire. He grabbed me and started forcibly dragging me away – my brother screaming for me and pleading for mercy. I struggled but it was no use. The events of the last few days had drained my entire energy and the few nights in the cells of the dungeons had drained what little soul I had left.
I was exhausted and just wanted to rest, if I'm to be frank.
Before I knew it, my head was placed in the guillotine and I stared down at the bloody basket. My mind was blank but I still heard the announcer state my name and my former title. The executioner was already at the ready and when the go ahead was given, he dropped the blade. I heard it slicing through the air and I closed my eye. I felt a thing of pain which was gone in an instant.
Silence reigned after the dull thud I heard. It was dark. But then a light appeared. It was as tiny as a firefly and through the thick darkness, it made its way over to me. I raised but my hands – well, what felt like my hands – and the firefly dropped into the palm of my hands. In a second, the firefly flared up and its light devoured me.
I woke up with a gasp, jolting up from where I laid. My eyes were wide open, not focused and seeing. My hands jumped to my neck seconds later, grasping at my neck... which was intact. I looked around and found myself in my old room back in the Velcro Manor.
"What..." I muttered, looking around wildly. I got up and stumbled out from the sheets covering my body, thumbling to the floor with a hard thud when my legs got tangled in them. I groaned loudly, holding the side of my head in pain.
Wait... pain?
I untangled my legs and jumped up, running over to the full length mirror that was located in the corner. I was met with a familiar face that was free of blemishes and suffering.
"What... the..." I whispered, slowly placing my hands on my checks. I suddenly smacked them, the sound ringing in the room. My cheeks stung from the hit, but I wasn't fully convinced. I tugged my hair, wincing at the pain.
Finally, it dawns on me and the thought seemed to settled in my brain.
I am alive. I am... alive.
"Lisa?"
I twirled around to face the direction of that familiar voice and the face I saw had my breath stuttering in disbelief.
Laura. It was Laura. My dear friend and handmaiden, who had been with me since I could remember. Who became my second mother after the untimely demise of my parents. Who had tired to protect I and my brother and saw to it that we could escape, but died unable to accomplish that. She was here. She was alive.
"Lisa? Are you okay?" The strawberry blond haired woman, who was in her later 20s, called out in concern – walking into the room dressed in a simple yet sophisticated and elegant dress, her hair done up in a perfect braid.
My legs were moving before my brain could process and I was running to my friend to meet her halfway.
"Laura!" I called out, flying to her with arms spread wide and tears running down my cheeks.
"My Lady!" Laura exclaimed in shock as I pulled her into a tight hug, my arms wrapped around her waist and my face buried in her bosom as I cried. "What happened?! Are you okay?! Why are you crying?!"
I couldn't answer those questions and just kept on crying. Before I knew it, I was having a full blown panicked attack and the both of us sat on the floor – Laura comforting me and whispering words of comfort to me. It took some few minutes for me to calm down and when I did, I was at peace. The weight I had been carrying before my death seemed to wash away as I cried my heart out.
"My Lady, what happened?" Laura asked, using her handkerchief to wipe away my tears before wiping away my snot. She folded the used handkerchief gently into a small square so as not to get my snot on her hands. "Did you have a nightmare?"
"I... I wish it was..." I mumbled, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hands. Laura clicked her tongue, gently grabbing my hands so as not to agitate my eyes even more. "I wish it was all a dream... but I know its not..."
Deep down, no matter how hard my brain was trying to rationalise the events that led to me being here a dream, I knew it wasn't.
Laura had a confused look on her face and I gave her a small smile filled with the happiness I felt at seeing her alive.
Then, it hit me.
"Laura... what date is today?"
"Today's the 14th Day of Autumn, Age 789."
My eyes went wide in disbelief.
By the gods, I was five years into the past.