In Time And Memories

Chapter Twenty-One

Everything is white, not even a shadow can be seen. It feels warm and yet cold at the same time.

Am I dead?

That's the first thing that comes in my mind. However, this does not looks like heaven nor hell. It's more like an empty space.

"Azelaine."

My hand went to my head after hearing that voice inside my head. My face contorted, that feels weird.

"Who are you? Am I dead?" But no one answered me. I tried walking towards god know where, I don't even know where am I going or where this path leads to. I just kept on walking until I saw a figure.

And to my surprise, it was the same statue in the Imperial garden.

My mouth gaped, feeling the constriction in my neck. It feels like I'm suffocating and choking. There are some tears trying to escape my eyes as it became harder to breathe.

I tried to calm myself but it was all in vain.

Again, my vision turned black.

--

"Your grace!" A servant called with a panic expression. She bowed her head at the pressence of the Duke Laurenze.

His eyebrow creased. "Lady Azelaine has not yet regained her consciousness. It's been a week since she fell in comatose," the servant reported.

"The doctor made it clear that based on the amount of blood she lost, it might even take a month before she opens her eyes. So what is the fuss all about?" The duke continues to read the papers on his table.

"It seems like she was having a hard time to breathe, Your grace. We were afraid that we might lose the lady," the servant looked down. She was aware that the duke has been treating Azelaine coldly for the past months, and even the other servants are mistreating her.

Fiona, the servant, was confused by the sudden change of their attitude towards the lady. She was worried about Azelaine but the servants kept on keeping her away from the lady. And as she monitors them, she concluded that there was something wrong.

How can they suddenly mistreat the lady whom they adored and loved so much?

Now, she was assigned to take care Azelaine ever since she fell into coma. This is her chance to take care ofn the lady and might even discuss what she has observed with Azelaine, by the time she finally regained her consciousness.

Fiona can clearly remember Azelaine's state when she found her lying on the floor; full of blood and barely breathing. The doctor said that Azelaine might lose her life if they were minutes late from saving her.

It was hard to believe that the dignified lady of house Laurenze tried to take her life.

"You should have called the doctor," the duke said and after that, Fiona excused herself out. She told the butler to call for the doctor before going back to Azelaine's room.

But when she got there, Azelaine was already standing in front of the window.

--

I'm alive.

That's what I thought to myself. I can't feel any pain and even my wounds are gone. How long has it been?

A sigh went through my lips and I heard my door opened. My head slightly turned to look back and saw that it's just one of our servants.

I'm surprised that they sent one. I even thought that they leave me to death.

"M-My Lady, are you alright? How are you feeling?" My forehead creased, clearly confused towards the servant. She is the first one to ask me how I'm feeling ever since they started to mistreat me.

I raised my eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"Uhm... Cleaning your bed, My Lady?"

"Hah!" I scoffed. "That's not what I meant. What are you doing here? Why are you cleaning my bed? Why are you suddenly asking me if I'm alright? Have you lost your mind?" I took one step towards the servant per question, making her cornered around my bed and she looks so terrified.

The way she looks at me made me taken aback. I fell silent as a I retreated and sat down on my bed.

It looks like I came out as a monster. The things going on around me made me feel frustrated and I just came back after attempting to kill myself. It is obvious that I'm not sane enough.

"Forgive me," I muttered.

That made the servant loosen up and she handed me the glass filled with water. "You don't have to ask for forgiveness, My Lady," she paused and took the glass away from me after drinking the water.

"I should be the one asking for forgiveness since I couldn't done anything to help you." Azelaine didn't exactly know what she's talking about.

"How long has it been?"

"It's been a week, My Lady. I was tasked to bring you food but when I arrived here at your room, you were lying helplessly. It was a terrible scene, My Lady." She explained. I didn't utter any word after that.

I glanced at her and saw her hands fidgeting. "My Lady..." My eyes went up to meet hers. "I think there is something wrong."

Her words stired up my thoughts and it just made me more confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I have been observing the behavior and attitude of the servants for the past several months. It made me think on why they suddenly treated you coldly and I thought that maybe... Someone has been controlling them."

Someone is controlling the servants? Considering how their behavior towards me suddenly changed, made the theory possible. However, if someone is really controlling them, why now? Or why they started controlling the servants after I became the crown prince's fiancee?

What are their motives?

I looked at her. "What about Celestia? Did you observed her?" Celestia is the first person that came into my mind. Not only that she's suspricious, everything went down because of her.

But the servant tilted her head. "I did, My Lady. But... There was no strange movement nor changes on her. She still acts the same way."

I don't want to believe it.

Aside from her, I can't think of someone who can pull ths off. But as far as I know, she's an hollow too. And if it's real, then maybe...

"What is your magic?"

"Repel, My Lady." Is that why she's not affected? I remembered Rina, her power was also connected with repelling.

"Do you know what happened to Rina?"

She nodded. "I heard that she was kicked out." That's it.

They must have kicked Rina out on purpose because it is known that she can repel magics and it might be hard to control her.

This only indicates that the person controlling them is within the manor. If it's not Celestia, then it is someone I don't know yet.

----

i'm sorry if there's a lot of typos and grammatical error.