The Emperor's Concubine

B.2 Chapter Twenty

(Trigger warning: Read at your own discretion.)
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My limbs numbed and heavy, I open my eyes to see darkness.
A view of distant stars appear as I look around.
"I'm here again?" I mutter to myself.
I stare again at the stars I've seen before.
I take a deep breath, my body feeling euphoric as I stare at the scene around me.

"You... You again?"
An echoing voice calls out.
The voice is familiar, the same voice that spoke to me the last time.
"Am I not meant to be here?" I ask.
"Who's to say. How interesting. A child like you should never be able to come here, yet you've come here twice now."
Their voice is airy and gentle, causing me to grow tired as I listen to them speak.
"Where is here?" I ask.
"A place you should not concern yourself with. How do you keep coming here child?"
"If I knew, I wouldn't be coming here, now would I?" I sigh, closing my eyes.
Gentle hands reach out to touch my cheeks.
I open my eyes but see no one. The warmth and sensation of their hands on my cheeks exists, yet no one is around.
"Do you need something from me?" I ask.
"I want to know the answer of who you are."
"Like my name?"
"Pfft. No child. A name of a mortal is irrelevant. Moving along, how long have I been asleep for?"
"How would I know that?"
"It was worth a shot. Child, do you come back here because you're one of-"
Their voice is soon drowned out.

The stars fade away from view.
I look around, confused.
"Hello?" I call out.
My feet suddenly touch the ground of the black empty space.
"Where did you go?"
My voice echoes through the silence.

"You'll always be my bride, Celeste."
A chilling voice calls out.

I turn to see the black void disappear.
The image of the Avris castle interior coming into view.
"What?" I whisper, looking around as the interior becomes more clear.
"Celeste."
A voice whispers behind me.
I turn to see Micheal, his shirtless body before me. A scar running from his waist up to his head.
"Y-You're dead..." I mutter, backing up.
"Of course I am. That doesn't mean I can't marry you. Even the afterlife won't separate us, sister." He creepily grins, opening his arms.
I take a step back, horrified.
"H-How? This is just a dream. You can't hurt me..." I whimper, my body trembling.
My eyes water as I back up from Micheal.
He takes slow limping steps, approaching me with his arms open as if trying to embrace me.
"Sister, we'll never be separated. Even in death, I'll come find you." He smiles, tilting his head quickly.
His neck cracks as his movements grow choppy, becoming more erratic.
"S-Stop... Stop!" I scream, my steps quickening as I back up from his contorting body.
"Won't you love me when we spend the afterlife together? Come join me, Celeste. You'll have so much more fun!" His voice shrieks, his body moving swiftly towards me.
I turn, sprinting away as fast as I can.

Instantly cold quick hit, whips against my back.
I fall to the ground, my hands scraped as I feel more cold hits, whipping against my arms and back.

"If that worthless piece of shit can still stand after this, you'll be beheaded!"
The once kind and loving voice, filled with hatred; Mother.
Through the pain of the hits, a clear authoritative voice calls out, reaching my ears.
I look up to see Queen Leveanne and King Weslium as they sit on their thrones.
I lie on the ground, staring at my hands, until realizing I'm reliving a memory of my childhood.
The pain of the guards sheathed swords whipping against my back, just as vivid as it was from when I was younger.

"Please! Spare her!"
A kind, nurturing voice screams.

The guards stop beating me, turning to look in the direction of the king and queen.
I weakly glance to see head maid Sylvan, on her knees in front of the king and queen.
She was the one maid who cared for me.
I've forgotten this memory ever existed. A memory that broke my heart to watch, that I ignored until I forgot about it.
"A mere maid is interrupting the king and queen's leisure?" King Weslium calls out, his eyes glaring down at Sylvan as she cries, pushing her forehead against the ground.
"Please! She's a child! Please spare her!" Sylvan screams, her cries unlocking more details of the painful memory.
"Silence! We do this because we love her! You dare tell us how to raise our daughter?" Queen Leveanne screams, standing.
She steps down the platform of the thrones, walking up to Sylvan.