Chapter 6: Selene

Seashell was lying in a large bed in a luxurious room, her eyes closed. She could hear the soft murmur of voices around her, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. Her head was throbbing, and she couldn't remember anything about herself or how she had ended up here.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her forehead, and she opened her eyes to see a kindly old man dressed in a long white robe looking down at her.

"Ah, you're awake," he said, smiling kindly. "I'm Dr. Orville. How are you feeling?"

Seashell blinked a few times, trying to clear her head. "I don't know," she said, her voice hoarse. "Where am I?"

Dr. Orville's smile faded slightly, and he looked at her with concern. "You don't remember?"

Seashell shook her head, and Dr. Orville sighed. "Well, that's to be expected," he said. "You've had a bit of a shock. You're in the royal palace of Alderan. You were brought here after being found unconscious in the forest."

Seashell frowned, trying to make sense of what he was saying. Alderan? Forest? None of it made any sense to her. "I don't understand," she said.

Dr. Orville patted her hand reassuringly. "Don't worry, dear. You'll remember in time. For now, let's focus on your recovery."

He stood up and walked over to a table, where he poured a glass of water from a pitcher and brought it over to her. "Here, drink this," he said, holding the glass to her lips.

Seashell drank gratefully, feeling the cool water soothe her parched throat. She looked around the room, taking in her surroundings. It was a large, opulent chamber, with ornate furnishings and silk curtains. She felt a sense of unease, as if she didn't belong here.

As if sensing her thoughts, Dr. Orville spoke up again. "You're probably wondering why you're here," he said. "Well, when you were found, you were wearing a strange necklace. Your Father was relived that you were found and ordered that you be brought here to check your health and ensure that you are alright.

Seashell's hand went to her neck, feeling the weight of the necklace. It felt smooth and cool upon touch. She looked at Dr. Orville, trying to understand what he was saying. "Who is the king?" she asked.

Dr. Orville looked at her in surprise. "Why, King Aric, of course," he said. "Surely you know who your Father is?"

Seashell shook her head. She had never heard of King Aric or Alderan. It was as if she had been transported to a completely different world. A world of magic and royalty.

Dr. Orville seemed to sense her confusion. "Don't worry, dear. We'll take care of you," he said, patting her hand. "Rest now, and we'll talk more later."

He left the room, closing the door behind him, leaving Seashell alone with her thoughts. She lay back against the pillows, staring up at the ornate ceiling. She still couldn't remember anything about herself, but now she had a new mystery to solve. Who was she?

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As the physician finished his examination, Seashell sat up in her bed and looked around the room. It was lavishly decorated with gold accents and silk curtains, and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of familiarity.

Seashell frowned, trying to remember how she ended up in the forest in the first place. But her memories were hazy, and she couldn't recall anything.

"Is there anything else you can tell me about myself?" she asked the physician.

He hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Your name is Princess Selene, daughter of King Arin and Queen Seraphine of Elvandar."

Seashell's eyes widened in shock. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Princess?

"I don't remember anything," she said, feeling overwhelmed. "I don't even know how I got here."

The physician nodded sympathetically. "It's not uncommon for patients to experience memory loss after a traumatic event. You may regain your memories over time, but until then, it's important to take it easy and focus on your recovery."

Seashell nodded, feeling a sense of relief that she wasn't completely alone in this unfamiliar world. She wondered if her parents were worried about her and if they were looking for her.

As if on cue, the door to her room opened, and in walked two people who looked vaguely familiar to her. It was her parents, King Arin and Queen Seraphine.

"Selene!" her mother exclaimed, rushing to her bedside. "We've been so worried about you!"

Seashell felt a wave of emotion wash over her as her mother hugged her tightly. Despite not remembering anything, she could sense the love and concern her parents had for her.

"We'll take care of you," her father said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You're safe now."

Seashell nodded, feeling grateful for her parents' reassurance.

Seashell sat up in her bed and looked at her parents. "I don't remember anything," she said, feeling overwhelmed. "Who am I? How did I get here?"

Her parents exchanged a worried glance, their faces filled with shock and distress. "You are Princess Selene, our daughter," her father said, his voice trembling. "You disappeared from the palace several weeks ago, and we've been searching for you ever since."

Seashell's eyes widened in shock as she realized the severity of the situation. Her parents must have been beside themselves with worry. "Disappeared? What happened?" she asked.

Her mother took her hand, her eyes brimming with tears. "We don't know, dear. You were seen leaving the palace late at night, and then you were gone. We've been frantic with worry, and now with you losing your memory...it's too much to bear."

Seashell felt a deep sense of guilt and sadness wash over her. She couldn't believe that she had caused her parents so much pain and heartache. "I'm so sorry," she said, tears streaming down her face.

Her father held her tightly, his own eyes glistening with tears. "It's not your fault, Selene. We're just so relieved that you're safe now."

Seashell nodded, grateful for her parents' love and understanding. "But why can't I remember anything?" she asked, feeling lost and confused.

The physician spoke up, trying to offer an explanation. "As I mentioned earlier, it's not uncommon for patients to experience memory loss after a traumatic event. Your memories may return over time, but it's important not to rush the process."

Seashell nodded, trying to process everything that was happening. She looked at her parents again, and saw the pain and worry etched on their faces. Despite not remembering anything about herself, she knew that she was loved and cared for deeply.

"We'll help you remember," her mother said, a small smile on her face. "We'll be here for you every step of the way."

Seashell smiled back, feeling a glimmer of hope. She didn't know what the future held, but she knew that with her parents' unwavering support, she could face anything.

Seashell sat quietly for a moment, trying to process everything that had happened. She couldn't believe that she had been missing for weeks, and that her parents had been searching for her all that time. She felt a deep sense of shame and guilt for causing them so much worry and pain. But she also felt grateful that they were there for her now, supporting her through her amnesia and helping her to remember who she was.

As she looked around the room, Seashell noticed that there were several other people there besides her parents and the physician. There was a tall man in a dark suit who looked like he was in charge, and several others who seemed to be waiting for his instructions. Seashell wondered who they were and what they wanted.

Her father must have noticed her looking at them, because he said, "These are the members of your security team, Selene. They're here to keep you safe and to help us find out what happened to you."

Seashell nodded, feeling a little overwhelmed by all the attention. She wasn't used to being a princess, and she certainly wasn't used to having her own security team. But she supposed that it made sense, given what had happened.

The man in the dark suit stepped forward and introduced himself as Captain Harris. "Your Highness," he said, bowing slightly. "I'm glad to see that you're awake and alert. We've been searching for you for weeks, and it's been a difficult and stressful time for everyone involved."

Seashell looked at him curiously. "What do you mean, searching for me? Did something happen to me?"

Captain Harris hesitated for a moment, as if trying to decide how much to tell her. But then he said, "Your Highness, you disappeared from the palace several weeks ago. We don't know how or why, but we believe that you were kidnapped."

Seashell felt her heart skip a beat. Kidnapped? It seemed like something out of a movie. She couldn't imagine anyone wanting to kidnap her, let alone going to the trouble of actually doing it.

Her mother put a hand on her shoulder. "It's all right, dear. You're safe now. That's all that matters."

Seashell nodded, but she couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled over her. If she had been kidnapped, who had done it? And why? She had no memory of anything that had happened to her, and no clues as to who might be responsible.

Captain Harris seemed to sense her unease, because he said, "We're doing everything we can to find out what happened, Your Highness. We have teams of investigators working around the clock, and we've already gathered a lot of information. But we need your help too. If you remember anything, no matter how small, it could be crucial to our investigation."