Love with a Loss of Innocence

8.

Author's pov

Fifteen minutes ago

"Yes, Your Highness," Gilda responded. The king of Ellesmere glowered upon her with his cold gray eyes, as she tried to retain eye contact. A second before, he personally asked if he could view (y/n) memories through her, as he took his afternoon nap. He explained that he's been getting repetitive dreams of his daughter's childhood, and he wanted to exactly know what it meant. 

Before I could interpret it, the memory always vanishes out my head, he summarized. Gilda nodded, cautiously listing it down in the things she should know.

"Krone was my teacher," she mumbled as she sat next to him. Gilda felt nervous as she never observed recollections before unsupervised. Many things could go wrong like she could be trapped in the reminiscence, or the host would become soulless. "Surely you must have asked her instead?"

"The imperial sorceress is still on business with the Lower Seas," King Minerva answered. "Has been for the past six months, I believe."

"Of course," she replied. (y/n) was still busy with her lesson, and she could see her and members of the Court of Paladin from a tower window. 

Gilda watched as the king carefully laid down on his loveseat, as she sat next to him on an intricately carved rosewood chair. The room was eerily quiet, with only the sound of wind rustling through the curtains.

"You may enter the Desert of Slumber," she spoke, remembering the incantation. Putting people to sleep was a spell she currently mastered, and it was the easier part of the situation. "Close your eyelids, and rest your mind."

She inhaled as she waved a hand over the king, the scent of her glamour in the air. All mages had a different aroma when casting spells; Gilda's was citrus orange and lemongrass. After a minute, she could sense he was sound asleep. 

She then proceeded to carefully take his left hand in hers, slipping a moonstone cord between hers and his wrist. Gilda took a deep breath before finishing the process. She herself shut her eyes, and after counting to thirty, she opened them. 

Alright, the operation was successful, she thought as she looked around. Since the king was related to (y/n), obviously they would be intertwined somehow. In his case, King Minerva's dreams were of (y/n)'s memories. 

Gilda found herself in a garden packed with hundreds of flower species. She almost sneezed because of the heavy smell of pollen, filling the air. Because of the shape, she deduced the flowers were part of a maze, and in the middle, she was trying to find. Whatever that was, of course.

She winded through many tunnels of delicious reds and pinks, bright yellows and vermillion, and deep cerulean and purple blossoms. It was like a fever dream, and Gilda started feeling lightheaded because of the vibrant sights and the fact that she felt like she was going in circles.

Gilda was about to go back and look for another opening when she heard the voice of children. She crept up behind a hedge and noticed a young girl and a boy, sitting together on a linoleum bench. This must be the center of the maze, she thought. 

The girl was wearing a simple light gray lace dress, with a pin showing three camellia flowers on a sterling silver border. She was definitely the daughter of a noble, because of the way she dressed, and Gilda observed the polite manner of the child as well.

The boy next to her wore forest green velvet with gold threads on the sides. He was holding a small compact in his left palm, and Gilda saw that it was the Asterian imperial crest: three black roses with a crescent moon. She almost fell to her knees in shock when she realized who they were.

(y/n), and the Crown Prince. 

"Ray, must you be so bothersome?" (y/n) asked, concern etched on her face. "If a servant finds you stole that mirror from the metalsmith, who knows what will happen?"

"I'm the heir to the throne, they can't harm me," he answered, showing her the mirror. "Besides, when you become my queen, no one will ever try to hurt us." 

"Uh-huh," (y/n) responded. "You know, my mother told me a while ago that once we're married, the both of us will finally be safe. I heard her talk to your parents, that I won't be in danger anymore. I wonder what she means."

"Maybe you'll find out soon," the boy said. He gave her a small white clover flower, small enough to fit in a newborn's hand. "But here, for now. Because whatever happens, I'll always protect you." 

.

.

.

Gilda immediately woke up in a start, surprise written all over her. She couldn't believe this. (y/n), and the Crown Prince. Ray. They were childhood friends. 

But the definition of power separated them.

It was tragic really, the idea that (y/n) forgot about him, presumably over the trauma of her mother's disappearance. The fact that she was so young and had to go through all that. 

She must have never realized that her mother's been dead after all this time. 

The sheer sliver of hope, because none of her servants really told her about the melancholic event. She has always been a little gullible, but living a lie like that was truly something else.

Your mother is just on a trip somewhere, they always said when she asked where she was. But as she grew older, she knew better not to question, and that some things were better not said. When she informed Gilda about her mom, Gilda could not find the courage to tell her the truth. 

An idiot could figure it out. Murderers kidnapping someone, then that person vanishing forever? It was child's play. What one would label, elementary.

Gilda almost forgot about the king as she thought about what she witnessed. She didn't feel his steely eyes on hers before she glanced at him.

"So?" he questioned. "What did you see?"

Nothing, she wanted to answer. She did not know how exactly to answer this, how his daughter was involved with the rival of another kingdom. But for the sake of her head and ability to live, she recited what she saw. The king nodded, his expression not changing. 

"So (y/n) was betrothed the young royal at that young of an age," he muttered. "Her mother negotiated for her wellbeing, to keep her from distress."

"Yes," Gilda said in reply. It was all she could think of at the moment.

"To think that Asterian assassins captured and killed her in the end," King Minerva added. "And (y/n) never knew about it at the time. Did this end the agreement?"

"I don't, I don't know, your Majesty," she answered honestly. "But, he did ask her a year ago to be his wife, to which she agreed to. She had forgotten about their past, too. The thing is, (y/n) said he was no longer kindhearted."

"I see," was all the king said. "Go, you are dismissed."

Before walking out, Gilda found the king breaking down in tears, whispering the words.

"My Adeline, I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry I couldn't save her."