Ink: Living Life as Serena Gleis

XXII: Becoming One

"I am not from this world." I said, as I looked directly to his eyes.

"What do you mean?" he seemed confused. He let me go and helped me stood up and we sat on the edge of the fountain.

"This world, you and everyone else are my creation. This is all a fictional book that I wrote in my world." I explained, I don't think that he believes on the words that I am saying now but he is attentively listening.

I explained the situation that we are in right now, I told him every single detail, hoping that he'll believe me.

"Are you sick?" He asked.

"You don't believe me, don't you?" I stared directly at him.

"It's-that's not it, I mean, How can I? Everything you had said just.. don't make any sense." I let out a deep sigh, if I am in his shoes, I won't believe in me either.

"Didn't you notice something different about me in the past? When I agreed to marry you?" I asked, having a pea-sized hope.

"You've become more affectionate and I found it weird that you changed your mind about that but I just thought you think it through."

Yes. there's no hope.

"Forget it." I said and stood up. There's no one that will believe my absurd story anyway. I should just let it be. I heard Serena laughed in my head.

"Surrender, No one will believe you." She said. I sighed and walked away.

"Are you sure, you're okay?" He asked just before I went out of the garden. I went back to the hall, I made quite a scene. All eyes on me.

Who dared to run away after getting proposed by the prince of the empire. I ignored the piercing gazes of the crowd and sat on the vacant seat just on the corner of the hall.

The banquet continued, no one even dared to approach me nor to say congratulations since I -I mean, Serena just got engaged with the Crown Prince.

"You." A voice of a female said. I looked up and saw the princess, Annaliese standing infront of me. "Let's talk." She said and walked towards the veranda of the hall, I followed. As we reached the veranda, she faced me, her expression is much different from the little girl I once had a conversation with.

"I thought you were different." She said. I kept silence as I am not entirely sure of the reason why she's talking to me right now.

"Y-you're aware how much- How much Caspian adores you right? How-How can you do that to him?" She exclaimed, she's on the verge of crying. I looked down, unable to say anything as I know she won't believe me even if I told her the reason.

"Why? Tell me why? Eversince then, Caspian's never the same. Please- just tell me why." She is now full on crying, I can sense that she's hurt. She really cares about Caspian and it made me somehow content that even without me, Caspian has someone who cares for him.

"Tell me!" She shouted. I can't look up as I am so ashamed of myself.

"Annie?" Caspian suddenly said. I was surprised to hear his voice out of a sudden.

"What are you doing?" He asked, his voice slightly raised. "Are you hurt, Annie? Did she hurt you?" He asked. Hearing such things from Caspian made my heart break.

I looked up, our eyes met. The light that once illuminated Caspian's eyes was gone. His gaze is full of hatred, resentment and anger towards me.

"I'm sorry." I said, not breaking our eye contact. I smiled weakly. I did not even noticed how tears were falling from my eyes. I don't know if it's just my imagination but I will believe it that I saw his eyes soften for a split second.