Ripples

Denial

TW: Death (by public hanging)
~~~•~~~

When Athanasia woke up, she couldn't lift her arms up properly and there was something stuck in her mouth. However, she couldn't focus on any of that. No, the sensation of the noose gripping her neck tight, the deafening cheers of the audience for her death, and the frigid gaze of her father were all embedded into her mind. As soon as the object in her mouth fell, Athanasia let loose a shrill wail that sent the entire ruby palace into a frenzy.

As the days passed, and so did the years, Athanasia couldn't quite adjust to reality. Nightmares plagued her evenings, the scene of her death replaying over and over again in her sleep. And, whenever she sees Lily, feels the warmth of her nanny, she couldn't help but whimper slightly at the vivid image of her most loyal companion dead body.

However, the trauma wasn't what was most unsettling for the reborn princess... it was the

uncertainty

Was it all a dream? "But it felt so real." And how could a dream have been that long? So long in fact that she had already reached adulthood. Perhaps, she had seen her future.

In a way, maybe it was a sense of fearful denial that Athanasia ignored the dream. No, she didn't ignore it, she constantly compared it with her reality to see if it was real. She couldn't believe that life would have been so cruel, so she constantly used it as a reference to try and prove that everything would be okay.

Then, her ninth birthday came and so did the night that she met her father. As much as she was in awe, she was more shocked and fearful of him. No, it wasn't him... "it was his eyes."

Those eyes that stared at her coldly when she was begging to be loved. Those eyes that gleamed with no emotion when she pleaded for her innocence. Those damned, bejeweled eyes that watched with no remorse as she died. No, she had stopped being so desperate for his love. The once pitiful princess had become more pitiful, fearful of his presence as if he could squash her anytime.

And he could. She knew that. That's what made her so

Petrified.

~~~{•}~~~

The day of her debutante came with much anxiety. This was the day, absolutely, that she would find if her dream would be reality. Would Jennet be there? Presented before his majesty, only to be led to the bright future that rightfully belonged to her? Then again, who is

Her?

However, Athanasia shouldn't have worried. As the whispers around her grew, eyes filled with pity glancing at her figure, the girl in question couldn't be bothered to feel the same raw emotions. Shock, fear, and anger? No, there was only awe trembling within her.

Just as the dream had predicted, Jennet quickly tamed the cold-hearted emperor. Rather than the astonished sadness that Athanasia had felt last time, she could only watch with mild fascination. The images in her dreams, vivid and provoking, ran through her mind a mile a second.

Even as she interacted with Jennet, watching her mannerisms and helping her like last time. Even as she studied, simply by habit because she doesn't care about the emperor anymore... at least for now. Even as life sped past her still form, Athanasia could only look around her and watch as the scenes played out.

When she was finally accused again, just as her dream had predicted, Athanasia did not plead. She didn't feel the need to when her father wouldn't listen. The guards, her father, nor the citizens, she simply looked at them with fascination and stepped up to the stool with no complaint.

This time, she kept her eyes on the peaceful form of Lily, wondering if she can see her smiling face again.

"Perhaps in another reality."