Ashes of the Past

Past Memories

───── ❝ Chapter Eight ❞ ─────

As she lay in Henry's arms, Adieya drifted into a dream, but this was no ordinary dream. It was a haunting amalgamation of memories from her past life as Anne Boleyn and her tragic ordeal—the night of her kidnapping.

In the dream, a young boy appeared. Alexei, Adieya's little brother. As he struggled to speak he witnessed the horrifying abduction. His eyes caught a flash of white, and he tried to call out to his sister, but his voice failed him. With his last ounce of strength, he saw Adieya being snatched away by sinister figures into the darkness.

Adieya found herself dragged through countless halls and corridors until they reached a cloaked man, a figure of ominous stature. The man's eyes locked onto her with a chilling intensity. "So this is the beautiful Grand Duchess," he remarked to his accomplices. "You were right; we are going to make good money with this one. Maybe when she's a bit older, he'll let us have a go with her. Maybe even keep her after they're done with her."

Adieya struggled against her captors, but their grip was unyielding. Desperately, she pleaded for her freedom, but they ignored her pleas, intent on fulfilling their sinister motives. With a heart filled with terror, she was forced forward, out of the castle, shrouded by the darkness of night.

Finally, they halted near a concealed path where a black carriage awaited them. The unnamed man demanded the agreed payment, and with a bony hand extending from within the carriage, a small pouch of coins was tossed onto the ground. But it was far less than what had been promised.

"That's less than half of our deal!" the unnamed man protested, but all he received in response was a burst of cruel laughter from the hidden figure within the carriage. The carriage departed, leaving Adieya to her uncertain fate.

The dream shifted again, and now Adieya found herself confronted by a man emanating rage. He berated her, blaming her for failing to seduce someone, accusing her of being a worthless whore. In distress, the older Adieya cried and pleaded, but his anger only escalated, hurling cruel insults at her.

Amidst this torment, a voice from the present cut through her nightmares, calling her "Empress." Adieya awoke to find Henry looking down at her with concern etched across his face. Her body trembled, and tears streamed down her cheeks. The trauma of her experience and the vivid memories of her dreams merged, overwhelming her.

With fear in her eyes, she recoiled from Henry's touch, pleading, "No! Please don't touch me!" But Henry understood the gravity of her trauma and approached her gently. He reassured her that no harm would come to her in his presence or his palace.

But the voices in Adieya's head persisted, the echoes of her tormentors haunting her. She felt nowhere was safe as if they had found her even in the sanctuary of Henry's palace. Struggling to control her panic, she paced around the room, trying to find solace. Henry followed her, taking her hands in his and rubbing them soothingly, encouraging her to breathe deeply. Gradually, Adieya's breaths steadied, and Henry held her in his arms, providing a sense of comfort amidst her distress. The tears flowed freely, and Henry tenderly stroked her back, rocking them gently as he whispered soothing words.

Eventually, the exhaustion overtook Adieya, and she fell asleep once more in Henry's embrace. Observing her delicate frame, he carefully laid her back on the bed and covered her with blankets, just as she had done for him earlier that night.