Broken Marionette

Chapter 10

"M-Mother"

I could feel my own eyes  pop out of my skull at the sight of Diana , my mother, hovering above me. I quickly got myself up, scurrying to my feet. Diana lightly chuckled at my panicked state, which only caused for me to turn red from embarrassment. 

Me and Diana stood in front of one another, neither of us saying anything. Both us taking in what one another looks like. Diana looked an angel that has come down from the heavens, in her pink traditional dress of her homeland, Sidonna.  The unbearable silence suffocating me, Why is she so quiet all of a sudden. In the manhwa didn't it say something about how one of the reasons Claude for Diana was her boldness. Then how comes she isn't saying anything now. I Shifted slightly uncomfortable by the unbearable silence. 

Then Diana let out a loud excited squeal, startling me. "Your absolutely adorable!!! Look at how cute your are!" she exclaimed holding my face in her hands. Squeezing my two cheeks together, whilst also pulling my face closer to hers. I began to sweat drop by her sudden behaviour, remembering how she did the same thing with Athanasia when she used a the branch of the sacred world tree to save her dad. Such commitment and will power to save such a pathetic excuse of a father. 

Diana pecked light kisses all over my face, whilst I stood their awkwardly. I'm not used to this much affection, but I can't lie  saying it doesn't bring a warm comforting sense to my heart. Something I never really felt until I meet......Him. That thought began to remind me how this love and affection is not for me but rather for the actual Athelinda. The real Athelinda who died an unfortunate death whilst everyone else was off living their happily ever afters. Because of that I decided live a better life, A life full of bittersweet memories and revenge. Revenge on all of the people who hurt her. Revenge in all the people who hurt me. Revenge on Claude, make him choke on his own words. 

I was too lost in thought to have noticed Diana looking at me with a half serious and half empathetic look on her face. "Your mad at your father aren't you, sweetheart?" she asked loosening her grip on my face. I said nothing in response and just looked down at the heavenly white ground. Just now taking notice that I am wearing a pair of white high wasted trousers and a matching white blouse.

"...How can I not be?" I muttered finally speaking up. "Oh, Sweetheart." gasped Diana wrapping her arms now around my neck and bringing me closer. Her floral scent filling my nostrils. For some reason, I just began to crumble in the hold of the blonde. Her touch, her scent, her whole being made me somehow feel safe and comforting enough for me to just break down right then and there. Is this what a true mothers love feels like? Warm? If so, I don't want it to ever leave. 

"I'm sorry Athelinda. I'm sorry you had to suffer so much. It's all my fault. I'm so sorry sweetheart" apologised Diana into my ear, sounds of sniffling and tears of her own dripping down her face. I shook my head in denial and cried harder into her shoulder. "I-it's not your fault" I chocked out. Diana just held me tighter and the two of us stayed like this for a while. Crying in one another's embrace, sharing each other pain. Unaware of just how much time had passed this white abyss that we are both trapped inside of.

After some time the two of us calmed down, but we refused to let the other go.  More of me not wanting to go, a small nagging fear in the back of my head. Telling me that if I let go, I won't ever get to be able to feel this kind of warmth and security ever again.  "Sweetheart. I need you to look at me" said Diana cupping my cheeks in her palm. Slowly I looked up and met with magenta eyes. They were truly enticing. "I am so unbelievably proud of everything that you have done. You are so strong now. I can't express just how happy and proud I am of you. And I know I can not ask of you to forgive your father, but I am going to ask you to not seek for revenge. Instead of using revenge as your excuse to live. Find yourself another reason. One that will guarantee you happiness. I am not saying to forget what happened, no one would be able to forget the hell that you had go through. But instead, use it as your reason to make this world a better place." she said, not once breaking the eye contact.  

 I didn't now to respond to what she just said. It felt as though she just read me as if I am an Open book, something that no one has been able to do up until now. Before I could come up with a response, she beat me too it. "It looks like your time here is up." a hint of sadness in her tone. I looked at her kitting my eyebrow in confusion, until I noticed my hands beginning to slowly fade away. I looked at them alarmed. "You have people waiting for you on the other side. You're not alone in this life. I love you, Athelinda. You'll always be my daughter" is the final thing she said before I felt the last bit of my fade away. The last Things I saw was her beautiful motherly smile. 

Next thing I knew, a whole cinematic of unlocked memories began to play in mind. I clutched my hair in frustration, screaming at the top of my lungs as the memories continued to play themselves. 

"I-I'm sorry Master" ....Stop "STOP THIS DHANSEH! I'M BEGGING YOU! DON'T DO THIS!" Stop. "KILL ME THEN! YOU THINK I WANT TO LIVE THIS LIFE! I NEVER WANTED TO LIVE AS YOUR MISTRESS!  Please Dhanesh. I'm begging you. Just kill me now." Stop. " WHY ARE YOU HESITATING NOW HUH? KILL ME GOD DAMN IT! "  Stop! "A-azazel....*cough*... Thank you so much for being the light in my dull life....*cough*. I hope we will get to be together in the next life, In the countryside just like we always dreamed about." STOP!

Despite my pleas to stop, the painful memories continued to resurface themselves. I never knew I had such memories locked away. But everything slowly began to make sense. Why, I am here. The reason why this character was never mentioned. Why I felt such a strong will to continue on living in this life time. Meaning this is fourth lifetime. My first being the time line of 'The lovely princess'. Second the life time of 'who made me a princess'. My third life time being my latest one, my life in the modern day world. This was when I first came across 'Who made me a princess'. Now my fourth life time, the one I am currently living in. 

Before I could finish collecting the reminder of my thoughts, I felt my body begin sucked into this white void. Next thing I knew I was gasping and shooting the top half of my body upright. Holing onto the piece of clothes over my chest as I continued to breath heavily, sweat dripping down my face in buckets. In a panic I began to look around, calming down when I realised that I was in my room in the Helion Duchy. Hearing a gasp, I whipped my neck towards the direction of the noise, and saw that it was Llaria. She looked at me as if she had just saw a ghost, Her hands clasped over her gawking mouth. The bucket over water now discarded onto the ground in front of her. Tears welling up in her eyes. 

"MY LADY! YOU'RE FINALLY AWAKE!" she exclaimed running over towards me, somehow not tripping over the water spilled onto the floor. Running towards me, and clasping my hands in hers. "Are you okay? Do you have a fever? Do you have nay pain anywhere? Should I call the doctor? Everyone's been so worried about my lady. Dear God I must Inform the Two Dukes and the Duchess that you have woken up. The three of them have been so worried about yo-" Before she could go on any longer with her rambling I Quickly cut her off. "Llaria. How long have I exactly been unconscious for?" Finally asking the burning question. She looked at me fora bit, hints of sadness on her expression. Looking down  with a solemn expression on her face which only made the thought in my head race faster. 

"M-My lady, You've been asleep for 34 days."