Sliced in Time

Forgotten booked tickets

Otto barely awakens when he notices Raya is not in the bed with him. I must change or she will kill me, I just know it, he thinks.

Otto has always been a bit frightened of Raya, her emotions were stronger than anyone he's ever known and her love was no less than. He admired her, worshipped her, but in the last few lives his ability to relate to her had diminished. He left every encounter with her feeling unworthy, and useless.

He never shared this with her because even despite his feelings, she was his world and he didn't want her to see him as helpless, and weak. He was her king, and even if he had to put on a show he would do just that.

So behind her back he had been seeing advisors, receiving council from his closest confidants. Most of them knew of his infidelities and their loyalty to Raya was much stronger depending on their connections in other lives so most of them deserted him, telling him that they no longer wished to help someone who wasn't being honest with the Queen.

He wanted to understand why he was feeling this way about himself and why that meant cheating on Raya.

After bathing, and changing into new clothes, Otto exited his room, making his way for Rayas chambers on the other side of the courtyard.

"King Otto," Jameson, the kings head of army interrupts his one track mind, says

"Hello Jameson, what can I do for you?" Otto asks emptily, wanting nothing more than to see Raya.

Which he began to realize was odd because it was a growing itch. What made last nights threat so different from the others? he thought and why was he impulsively walking to Rayas room like this?

"There are reports that a flash of amnesia hit the East side of the village around the wee hours of the morning, I have sent some soldiers out to gather some information," he says sternly.

"Amnesia?" Otto is brought back from his thoughts "I shall come along, but first allow me to talk with the queen,"

"The queen isn't in her chambers," Jameson reports, "she told my daughter that she was going to her cabin for a while" Otto could see in Jameson's face that he knew why Raya was staying at the cabin.... Again.

Ashamed, Otto turned back toward his chambers and prepared for the day.

The East side of the village are where the water people live. Stories tell of mermaids but Otto is a skeptic. The water people are sweet, quiet people. Wearing little to no clothes, they always have sand sticking to their skin and hair, sunspots too.

As he noticed the small army spread around the village, some of them mingling with family others conversating about what they last remember, his eyes locked on a dark skin thick woman with almond eyes and tall hair standing with a basket on top of her hair. Wow he thought.

He walks closer to her, bridging the gap between them, "do I know you?" He asks her

She stares at him, widened eyes, "no, but I have always dreamt of the day I get to have a reason to speak with the king." She smiles, holding onto her basket and bowing slightly.

"Well, the pleasure is mine," he slightly bows as well. "I am here because we heard about a village wide phenomenon that we are learning about, do you know what I am speaking of?" Otto asks

She nods her head, Otto swears he even saw a smirk.