III | Lost in the Palace

They keep saying, Princess Avyanna. Who is she? Is she me? But the name does not sound right, but it is indeed familiar. And why are these men gratifyingly handsome?

Voluptuous silvery hair flowed from the bed reaching her waist, her morganite-like pink eyes searched the room, trying to familiarise a strange room with ceilings so high and unique patterns engraved on it. 'Am I as pretty as those men?' She finally found a huge mirror, and like every piece of object in her chambers, it was gold-plated. 'I don't look like them at all! But,' she traces her soft skin, reassuring herself that this is her, 'I am way prettier!'

'Nothing makes sense, even my clothes are strange.' She looked at her nightgown. And turn over and over. The clothes were made with high-quality silk that is comfortable to wear and lets a lady move freely.

"Avyanna-" Cahill spun around when he saw her sister still in her nightgown, "Uhm, Brother?" But what's more surprising is when his sister wakes up. 'She is different.'

...

"Who are you?" Those were her first words, official ones, declaring her state.

When the Royal Physician inspected the Princess' condition, she stayed still, following each of his instructions, while Cahill and Killian were bystanders waiting there for the results. And they will always be caught off guard when she turns her head towards their direction.

"Now, can you guys tell me.... Who are you? Where- where am I?" Killian grunts and leaves her chambers, thinking he should not fuss any further since she is alive when in truth, he is relieved as if he was tasting air for awhile, he could breathe now, and that only idiots attempted to do whatever they have done to her. 'They will pay for this.'

"Princess Avyanna-" she could not help but flinch, it's as if chillness reached her whenever she was addressed by that name. "I- do you not remember me?" She looked around, trying to remember anything, even closed her eyes and racked her brain, but nothing appeared in her head. Then tears started to fall that rolled down her cheeks, because of the frustration she had been feeling since she woke up, "Avyanna-" he took his fingers out wanting to reach and comfort her but hesitancy forbade him to. 

'No, I can not take advantage of her. What if her memories return? And she gets more indifferent than she already is?'

She wiped her tears, and looked at him, innocently. "There, there." But she could not stop herself, she felt torn, desperate, lost. She does not have any idea what is going on, and who is this man comforting her. But she also does not feel any ill intent from him. So she leaned on him. He soothes her and she lets herself cry helplessly.

"So..sorry." Then they both noticed that the clothes on his chest were already drenched with her tears, 'She is different from Avyanna.'

"It's fine," they lock their eyes for a split moment and let out a silly laugh that lightens the atmosphere that surrounds the room. He reaches his hand to her, 'Maybe I could make memories with her while she is in this state. Just for a while, let me be your brother.'

"I am Cahill, the Crown Prince." She startles with the title, then realizes that she has hers, "And I am called a princess, right?" When she finally understands his kindness towards him, he pulls him towards her, hugging him under him. "Princess Avyanna-" she looked up to him, "We're siblings, can't you just call me sister? Or Avyanna, at least?"

He can't believe this is happening, and his lips can't be controlled by his enormous fleeting emotions, even the five-year-old Avyanna never lets her guard down. Not letting anyone in. Countless walls surround her, like how the roses in the garden did in this palace. But calling her sister is too much, so he settles his heart for something less, "Avyanna."

…

"What if the Princess' memories don't return before her coming-of-age ceremony?" An alarming question Malachi had thrown at Cahill was, "That's a year from now, Sir Malachi. Surely, there will be something that can help her to recover and..." But the Head Priest had declared it, the Princess' was unstable, a certain enchantment was tapping her memories.

"The usage of that power can only be held by the Saintess and well, per se, Witches." The Head Priest almost whispered, "What do you mean, the Saintess-" He gravely disagreed using his hands and head, "No, the Saintess is out on an expedition. It's impossible for her- and is the Crown Prince perhaps suspecting her?" He shook his head off, "Then, Witches?" Both of them stray away from getting any deeper into the unspeakable conversation, "But, the magic that has been used to keep the memories from flowing in is not from our Saintess." The two had bid their farewells, with lingering sentiment to the dropped topic - Witches.

'Avyanna, did you do this to yourself?'

Cahill has prepared anything he can for the next few hours after his theory has been concluded, 'I have to protect Avyanna, I have to. Even if there is a chance that she did this to herself.' There have been times when she tried killing herself, some say it is because she wanted attention, but Cahill knows it's more than that, deep down, Avyanna did all those before intentionally, wanting to end everything. He has braced himself for what is yet to come. He called out his entrusted Head Court Lady, Madam Lilith.

"I greet the Son of Heavens, Crown Prince Cahill." Lilith expresses her gratitude for receiving a personal audience from nothing more than Cahill himself, whom she owes her life with. "Seat down, Madam Lilith, and have some tea with me."

"Have you noticed that the seasons are changing at a fast pace?" Lilith wasn't sure what Cahill meant, so she continued listening as he hinted what the sudden audience was about, because spring was nowhere to be found, not now, probably not soon. "Monarch butterflies are starting to migrate all over the land, have you noticed?"

Cahill showed his sentiment more as he slid the curtain letting the sun shine through the tinted windows. He let heat hit his hand, and his gaze and smile landed on the struck face of Madam, just now, she thought winter was all around them, but still, even with this, she was not sure that this meeting was only him carrying out that he knew spring is around the corner before anyone could even wonder.

"I need to pull some strings before the snow melts." Without haste, she put down her tea, preparing for an order, whatever it may be, dirty, unfair, or even her hand got tainted with blood, she could just not simply forget the kindness she had received from him. "Please grant this lowly servant of yours to serve his Royal Highness." Even though she was still part of the royal court, even as a noble, she could even kneel to show her pledge of loyalty, but Cahill had always prevented her from doing it, as he respects her and trusts her enough.

A simple order, to turn the Crystal Palace upside down. To cleanse every corner, to whoever had planted mold on to, ears and eyes were cut, and workers that weren't trustworthy enough were stripped out. Servants from all over the palace started to hear the sudden movements of those who work under the Haunted Palace, but no one was in haste to perfect their works, because they hadn't caught the strong wind of news that before even reaching them were killed. The reason for this is because of how Madam Lilith personally took part in cleansing it and doing what needed to be done, with her single statement to Cahill, "I shall heed your order."

…

"Why are you still in your gown?" Avyanna inspected herself and looked at him, formal, stiff, and prince-like. "This is comfortable." She innocently answered, wondering what was wrong. "Fine, I will just call for servants to bring you your dinner."

"Huh? No- I am ready to eat." Avyanna's stomach growl, "Pfft." Cahill's eyes curve as he oppresses from letting out a laugh, "Ha. Ha. Ha." She mockingly laughed, "I see, you're ready to eat, I will see to it that they'll be serving the best." Then she grabbed the shawl from the chair and covered it to herself, "Brother, can't we eat together?"

A long table, with various foods in it, Cahill and Avyanna seated across from one another. "Why are you not eating yet?" His sister is constantly gazing at the door, waiting for someone to come in and eat with them, at the head's seat. "Father." She muttered.

"Then who is the man who left my room earlier, Brother?" Avyanna unknowingly laughs after they share a hug and a tear or two. "Oh, that is... the Emperor." She looked at him then at the door, 'First, a super handsome brother, if I am not his sister I would've totally simp for him! Now, a father that holds the power and beauty that's just too much, he is a freaking DILF!' 

"Wow."

'What is this feeling?' Sure she has been living her life with them now, in a palace, she has a family. 'I have a family.' Avyanna traces her silk clothes, this enormous place, a brother beside him and a father, this much feels a luxury, how lucky can she be? 'Then why do I feel strange and excited? As if for the first time, I have a... home.'

"Where is Father?" She has been meaning to ask this, she was looking forward to eating with her family ever since she had one. She expected her father to be busy, and she was fine with it, because up until before she woke up, her father was there, who cared for her. "Uhm, I think. The Emperor is busy."

The entire time, Cahill was on guard, cautious, observing. In every bite, his glances were only in hers. He had asked for all the servants to leave them alone, he could not risk having eyes and ears to spread the word about the Princess' situation. Her strange behavior will surely be noticed and before she even regains her memories, rumors will be spread all over the city or even the empire, that the Princess is not only powerless but now, is handicapped.

The dinner was cold and empty, the words they had shared were barely hanging on. Avyanna was relentless, dejected and drunk, dazed in her thoughts. "Goodnight, Brother." She closes her door and leaves Cahill, wanting more.

The curtain was whipped by a strong chilly wind, shutting the fire from the fireplace. Avyanna's teeth teetered as she shivered when the heat went cold, she held on at both edges of the doors with her palm absorbing the icy feeling that had been living at it, when the moon shone brighter, clearing up the stars, being the star himself. She was feeling a bit dispirited, a little bit, no, she'd be lying to herself if she claimed it's just a small amount of disappointment is what she felt at the dinner.

"Well, my father is an Emperor." She told a bird that had landed on the stoned balcony, she soothed her finger in the back of it. He responded well, wanting more of her warmth. When she closes the door of the balcony behind. Welcomed by the fireplace that magically lit up, her skin gets comfortable with the temperature. "Oh," The bird did not leave even when she had hinted to him she would be closing her room, where he'd probably be trapped.

"Goodnight, Mr. Bird." Avyanna closed her eyes, calm and with a hint of a smile on her face, maybe it was the moon that showed her light during darkness, or the chilly air that killed the fire but not her, making her feel more alive, or being with a bird shares sentiments like her wanting companion. Whatever makes her feel lighter, she would never know.

"Goodnight, I could not wait to meet you any longer, my Caller." As deep and dark as the vast sky and blood lust eyes, the appearances of the bird that had called, but when he walked slower and nearer to Avyanna, he showed his true appearance, as his lips formed and landed on her forehead.