Destined Across Time | LadaEarn

Chapter 2

Earn found herself sitting on a small wooden bench in what seemed to be the palace's service quarters. The room was modest compared to the grand halls she’d passed on the way, with a faint smell of herbal incense in the air and soft light filtering through wooden lattice windows. A large figure sat across from her, a woman whose presence commanded respect. Her hair was pinned neatly atop her head, her features sharp and accentuated by high cheekbones, and her dress was simple but elegant, indicating her station. Despite her stern expression, there was a kindness in her eyes, something that made Earn feel like maybe she wasn't entirely out of place here.

“You may call me Eclair,” she introduced herself, her voice smooth and rich, like someone used to being listened to. “I’m the head of the palace maids.” She spoke with such dignified composure that it made Earn sit up a little straighter, unconsciously trying to match the woman’s level of grace—though she suspected she fell well short.

“Eclair?” Earn tilted her head, an amused grin playing at her lips. “Like... the pastry?”

Eclair’s brow arched, her expression an intriguing mixture of amusement and disapproval. “I see the rumors are true,” she said, folding her hands in her lap. “You must've hit your head hard enough to forget how to properly address your elders. I am P’Eclair to you. Or would you prefer I remind you with a swat?” She made the last remark with a faint twitch of her lips, as if restraining a smile.

“Swat? Oh, no need, P’Eclair!” Earn laughed, a bit too loudly. She felt the stares from other maids glancing their way, the sound of their gossip murmuring softly in the background. “No head trauma here, just a classic case of... uh, lake amnesia,” she said, making exaggerated air quotes with her fingers. “Apparently, it’s very trendy right now.”

The corner of Eclair’s mouth twitched, and Earn could've sworn she saw a glint of humor in the older woman’s eyes. “That is indeed the story circulating,” Eclair replied, ignoring Earn’s playful tone. “The palace has been buzzing about the girl who lost her memory after drowning in the lake. It’s the reason Her Royal Highness took pity on you. It’s... uncommon for the royals to involve themselves with such matters.” 

The words made Earn’s smile falter. “So... the princess helped me just because I lost my memory?” Her tone was more serious now, her earlier joking mood evaporating as the weight of Eclair’s words sank in.

Eclair nodded, her gaze softening ever so slightly, as though offering Earn a sliver of sympathy. “Yes, Princess Fahlada herself requested that you be brought into the palace,” she explained. “You are indeed fortunate. If it were up to others, you would have been sent back to the village to... fend for yourself.”

“Princess Fahlada,” Earn murmured, rolling the name around on her tongue as though testing its taste. “She’s the one who... saved me?” 

Eclair’s expression grew more serious, as if discussing matters of gravity. “Yes. She is the niece of His Majesty, King Rama III.”

Earn felt her breath hitch in her throat. Her eyes widened, and a nervous laugh slipped out before she could stop herself. “King Rama III?” she repeated, her voice nearly a squeak. “As in... the actual King Rama III? The one from a really, really long time ago?” She felt her stomach do a somersault as everything began to click together with startling clarity. “Holy—” She cut herself off, swallowing hard as if that would help her keep it together. “I'm not in the twenty-first century anymore, am I?” she whispered, more to herself than anyone else.

Eclair’s brow furrowed, and her lips pressed into a thin line as she peered at Earn with growing suspicion. “The twenty-first what?” she repeated, clearly bewildered. “Are you... feeling unwell?”