Déjà vu

Chapter 1

"The King is dead!"

These four words were the first thing that Rachel heard that rainy morning. The sun was hidden behind grey and black clouds, the trees of the royal garden were shaking because of the storm and it was raining cats and dogs. She was standing next to her bedroom's window and was looking at the terrible weather. It seemed to her that her head was heavier than the old oak of the garden. Nothing in this morning was pleasant, and the fatal sentence made it even worse.

Horrified, Rachel slowly turned her head from her window and intensively looked at the valet who said the four words. Her hands started to shake, but tears were blocked in her eyes and didn't fall. She stood up and without telling or answering anything to the valet, she walked out of her room. She hoped that she could find serenity but she immediately ran into another person who was standing in front of her door.

"Rachel! Did you hear the news?"

Rachel did not even look at the person who spoked to her and continued her run in the royal palace. It was full of people unknown by the woman. She didn't knew where to go or what to do; the only thing running in her mind was the first sentence that she has heard this morning.

The brunette didn't know how much time she spent walking alone and silently in the palace, but it wasn't enough to calm all the feelings running in her head. She was scared of death since her youngest age and even if she knew that the King was old and sick, hearing the affirmation of his end was too brutal for her. Her head was filmy, she was feeling sick and tired – even though she woke up only a few hours ago. She didn't wanted to cry, her only wish was to fall asleep far away from the place where she were. She finally found a silent place, with not much light because of the closed curtains, far away from noises and cries of the royal family.

She didn't remember how much time she has stayed in her hideout when she heard her name. "Rachel Murith!" screamed someone. "We are searching you everywhere since forever, and you are hiding yourself like a child."

Rachel finally dared to look at the girl who spoked to her. It was the same one that she ran into when she walked out of her room: it was Lily Krowen, her cousin.

Lily was the same age as Rachel, but it was the only common thing between the two girls. Lily had long blonde hair with golden reflects while Rachel's had a dark brown colour. The brunette was the taller one even if she was born many months after her cousin. The youngest one was an introvert while the oldest one always tried to cheer everyone around her.

Rachel noticed Lily's red eyes, proving that the blonde girl cried before finding her.

"What are we going to do?" asked Rachel.

"Don't think about this now, bunny." answered Lily. "Funerals need to be organized at first. His body is not even cold yet."

"You cried."

"You didn't."

Rachel knew that Lily said this sentence only to fill in the silence but somehow it hurt her. Maybe because it reminded her how difficult it is for her to show her emotions to others.

The girls weren't close to the King, even if they were from the same family: the King was a really distant uncle. Yet Lily's and Rachel's parents found that it will be good for their image to come visit him during his last moments of life. Many distant members of the family decided to do this. Behind this was a major reason – and it wasn't only kindness – which forced everyone to visit the old sick King: the King hasn't any direct descent, nobody to automatically replace him on the throne of the kingdom of Agmen.

Lily held out her hand to help Rachel to stand up from the ground made of cold stone on which she was sitting. The brunette knew that it was time to face the reality and her obligations as a member of the royal family, and for this reason she accepted Lily's help and followed her.