Forget and Remember

"We can't let you stay here for free… You'll become an apprentice butler that will serve this mansion. Are you up for the task?"

"Butler...Mansion… Yes Miss Moon! I mean.. Master!.."

"I hope your enthusiasm will last. Well then, get well fast."

I gently closed the door behind me, and headed to the second floor, where my bedroom resides. I don't know, but the next thing I knew, I was plopped on the mattress and fell into darkness.

===

« Kill the witch! » People from the surroundings kept chanting similar words. Everything was about killing...me?

Something was putting weight on my neck. Someone was holding down my head. My hands were tied, my legs were senseless. My world was spinning. Why was I here? What is happening? Why was the crowd holding wands of flames?

"F..Father?" I cried for help, after seeing 'his' figure. Even though I said I had lost hope of wanting a father, I still had a spark left. The word I had blurted out seemed unfamiliar, and bitter. Maybe for the first time, at least for the last time, 'he' would finally act like one-

« The moment she stepped in, I had always thought she would be a kind and sweet daughter. I never knew I had taken in a monster! »

I should have known. Never ever sprinkle that word on 'him'. My 'father' isn't mine. He simply didn't exist. At all.

« Alas, I hereby disown this child, Moonlight Coeur! »

I never wanted to be your child anyway! The only thing you did was ignore and hate! And...Told me to die..

« As of today, the witch's daughter shall be beheaded. The cause of destruction, and all fruitless hope shall be gone with the flames! »

Ah. I remember now. He told me to sacrifice myself. That 'that' would be my fate-

A rough knife came crashing down, as flames built a circle around the guillotine. Before it hit my neck-

===

"Huff..huff, huff." My rough breathing filled the silence of my room. My neck, my neck..Only putting both of my hands on it, did it calm me.

"B-Blossom..Water.." I called out with my sore throat. She wasn't there. I remember. She took care of the patient. Or was it Lucy? No.. Both.

It's been awhile. I've forgotten what it was.. This feeling.. Yes, loneliness..my dear friend..

"Sacrifice.." All this time, I was spending happy times, and exploring my new… home… I've forgotten about how I was here. What led me here...

Sure, mother's gone.. That was my excuse but.. It still wasn't enough. Why was I here spending happy times? Why aren't I sad that mother passed away?

'Moon, what do you mean by mother is dead? She isn't! She's just..just.. Somewhere. She would never leave you..'

I made ridiculous lies, knowing they weren't true. Mother always left me.. She always selfishly decided on her own, she thought I would be okay alone. She thought I loved cooking and waking up late. She thought it was fine to leave me alone at home. She thought I was responsible… She thought I was perfect..Well, she wanted me to...

Maybe my feelings for her faded as we grew more and more apart. Maybe not.

'I don't know anymore.' Am I still hanging on from the far past? Am I still confusing the past and the present? Do I still love Mother? Do I still hope she's out there or gone?

'I'm weak. Coward.' My confused emotions shall never be solved, as I'm way too afraid to face them. This has always been in my blood. Trapping all the unsolved in an imaginative box and 'forgetting' them. Sometimes, it would get too packed, and burst all out..

===

"Good morning master!" As soon as I walked out, a young boy with bandages all over greeted me.

"En. You too." I smiled as brightly as I could, and quickly walked away from Dylan. "By the way, you should stop calling me master. I know you hate that word."

I felt his figure stiffen for a second, before regaining his composure. "What do you mean? Your highness saved me, so I regard you as my new master!"

"Do as you like." I pushed the dining room's door, browsed through the kitchen and brought my plate over. Munching on the bread, ignoring the presence of the dog-like person, I ate as fast as I could. Though, it was quite hard to gulp down my food because of the presence and unconditional stare behind my back. It was so uncomfortable, so I finally popped: "Are you going to stare at me like that? Don't you want to take your food?"

"I already did, master."

"Then stop staring and get out. Don't follow me." My appetite was long lost and I stood up from my seat. I exited the room as fast as I entered. My next location was my room.

"Are you really going to follow me?"

Dylan dodged the question and asked while we were walking down the hall : "When is Master's birthday? I don't remember mine, but at least I can celebrate yours."

"My birthday?" When was my birthday again? It was.. Um.. "27th of April."

"The 27th? That is in two weeks!"

"Indeed." As they say, time really does fly fast. It was like yesterday that I celebrated my 12th birthday. I remember baking an extra-small cake for myself. Lighting up a candle and making my wish. What did I hope for again? Oh, it was to spend more time with Mother. I remember being all alone that day, that was why I felt lonely and made that desire. I guess that wish really didn't get granted after all. Far from it.

"Will Master host a grand ball?"

I've noticed that our budget we were getting from the palace suddenly decreased little by little. It was a good thing we saved quite a sum and didn't spend a lot. "No." Anyways, if I even tried to host one, no one would come.

"Dylan, before asking a question, try to answer it first. If you cannot, then ask away. Boneless questions are useless, as the answer is quite obvious. Use your reasoning and logic first."

"I understand.. I won't make that same mistake.."

I turned around and faced him. "Remember this, your master is a pitiful cowardly princess, with no power whatsoever, and has no interest in that power." I turned again, and opened my bedroom door. "Go back to your room and get some rest." I closed the door behind me.