Chapter 1

Her eyelids shook a little as if struggling to open her eyes, but her eyes didn't open.

"Catori, my dear please wake up, If you continue like this, my poor heart wouldn't be able to take it, my child...."

A crispy old voice could be heard in the room. She opened her eyes slowly adjusting to the bright light.

"You are awake, Catori, Nana missed you a lot"

She was shocked by the voice she just heard, awake; how was she awake, was she still alive, this question poured in to her heart, she wanted to ask the woman by her side but she realized she couldn't speak because of her dried throat, she tried signaling her, her eyes is yet to adjust to the light so she couldn't see the person in front of her clearly.

"Yeah, water water, you definitely need water, my dear, am so happy that I totally forgot about that"

The woman exited voice sounded again, she frowned, why was she still unable to see her, why was it taking too long for her eyes to adjust to the light.

"You don't know how excited I am that you are finally awake dear, you really scared me, i could have taken you to the hospital if only I had the money, my poor heart was about to die of anxiety, thankfully our good neighbor got the nurse down the street to take a look at you, alyoo, what could i have done without you..."

She went on and on, she was feeling dizzy with her rambling, a cup of water landed on her hand, geez can't this woman even help fed the water to her, she obviously couldn't raise her hand. Just as she was about to open her mouth to say something, water entered her mouth, looks like she came back to her senses.

"Sign....poor child, drink drink drink up, you haven't been counsious since three weeks scaring this old lady to death, you must be very thirsty, drink up, you must definitely thank our neighbor when you are okay, without him, you might not have survived"

This old woman, looks like she loves talking a lot, didnt she realize that she talk too much for an old lady. Where was she, how did she end up here, these are the thought that flooded her mind and the questions she so badly wants to know the answer. She slowly fall uncounsious, just before her eyelids closed, she heard a very familiar voice that she so yearned for,

'What was he doing here'

Her eyes opened wide and she sat up immediately shocking the old lady by her side, she looked round the room, confused on how she got there.

"My dear, you shocked me, what is wrong with you, what happened, is it a bad dream, does anywhere hurt"

The old lady kept throwing questions at her that made her dizzy, now she could see clearly unlike the last time she regained consciousness, she frowned, why was this place like this, this place is very different from where she came from, but that could be figured out but now her focus was on the old lady who appeared tattered,unkempt and not well taken care of, like a beggar on the streets of her kingdom, how did she end up with her.

The old lady saw her daughter in a daze from the moment she woke up and was confused, what was wrong with her, she dosent seem to be listening to her, it was as if she was lost in her own world, she never behaved like this before.

"Catori, what is wrong with you, why are you behaving like this, are you still sick, do you feel pain anywhere...."

"Who are you, where am i, what is this place, and how did you know my name"

She bombarded the old lady with questions that made her stunned but she couldn't care less, this place was very strange, it looked shappy and dirty she couldn't imagine herself staying in this kind of place, it was different from the palace she grew up in, and how did this old woman know her name, in the palace, only few people know her name, her name was a secret in the kingdom, yet here she is calling her name so casually, and even staring at her without fear in her eyes but love, that is strange, nobody looks at her without fear in their eyes in her kingdom, she was like a poisonous swap that nobody should get close to even the old people, she is very confused.

The old lady on the other hand was speechless by her daughter's behavior.

"What are you saying dear, don't you remember me, did the sickness affect your brain, don't you remember Nana"

She broke into tears immediately, Catori just stared dumbfounded at her, what the hell was wrong with this old lady, dosent she understand English, just as she was about to repeat her question, a squeak sound resounded in the room, , she looked towards the direction of the sound and to her surprise, it was the sound of door opening, does doors in this place normally make such creepy sound. The door to the room opened and a young man just about her age stepped in, he looked disheveled and should I say unkempt, and wait.., the clothes he is wearing is totally different from the ones the men in her kingdom wore, she looked down at the dress she was wearing and was shocked, she was wearing a gown just slightly above her knees, she looked at the old lady, she recognized the clothes she wore even if it was tattered, that was the clothes married women wore in her kingdom.

Jack (the guy who just stepped In) looked at Catori confused at the way she was looking around with a surprise gaze, he couldn't help but ask Nana (the old lady) what was wrong with her.

"Nana, what is going on, Catori, she seems... confused"

At the sound of his voice, Catori got at of her trance and looked at jack carefully.

"Now you are here, can you tell me what is going on here, who are you, what am I doing here, how on earth did I end up here, can you please tell me what on earth is going on"

Jack stared at her surprised at her outburst, and he was shocked by the tune of her voice, the Catori he know will never scream or shout at anyone no matter what, what has come over her. He looked at nana with a questionable gaze, she shook her head indicating that she don't what is going on either.

"Catori it's me, Jack your best friend, don't you remember me"

Catori just stared at him wide eyed, what did he mean best friend, she had no best friend because her position did not allow her such,

"What do you mean best friend, you are..."

"Catori dear, don't you still remember him, he is your best friend, you two were so close that I would complain to you 'it is not good for a lady to be to close to a man that is not her husband' don't you still remember.."

Alas, the old lady couldn't take it anymore, she was really frustrated, what had gone wrong with her daughter.

"I think i know what's wrong"

Both Catori and Nana turned to him.