Destined Across Time | LadaEarn

Chapter 10

Earn slowly opened her eyes, blinking against the soft light filtering throughout the clinic. She recognized the familiar herbal scent and the gentle hum of the healer’s room—memories flooding back from her first days in the palace. Sitting beside her was a nurse she’d seen before, the same woman who had first tended to her wounds and calmed her confusion when she’d initially arrived in this era. 

“Ah, you’re awake,” the nurse greeted her casually, her tone light as though she and Earn had known each other for ages. Her smile was kind, her movements graceful as she checked Earn’s pulse.

Earn frowned, still disoriented. “You’re the nurse… from when I first woke up here,” she murmured, her voice hoarse. She didn’t even know her name, yet the woman spoke to her with familiarity.

“Yes,” the nurse replied with a chuckle. “It’s good to see you again, though I didn’t expect it so soon.” She tilted her head thoughtfully, watching Earn’s expression shift from confusion to something deeper. “I suppose I should have warned you about taking better care of yourself.”

Earn’s mind whirled, every part of her trying to grasp what the nurse was saying. “What… what do you mean?” she stammered. 

The nurse leaned back, her gaze steady and knowing. “Your journey isn’t something many would understand. My name is Dew,” she said with a gentle smile. “And yes, I know what happened to you, why you left and why you returned.” She paused, studying Earn’s stunned expression. “But it’s a dangerous choice, what you’ve done. You had an opportunity to stay in your time, yet you chose to return.”

Earn’s mouth opened, but no words came. Finally, she managed, “Why… how do you know all of this? Why did this happen to me?”

Dew’s expression softened. “There are things in this world beyond our understanding,” she said carefully. “But one thing is certain; if you die in this timeline, Earn, you will be sent back to your own. And if that happens, you will not have another chance to return.” She gave Earn a steady look. “You were lucky this time—a fisherman saw you.”

A chill ran through Earn as she absorbed Dew’s warning. A thousand questions rose in her mind, a flood of curiosity and fear. She opened her mouth to speak, to ask Dew how she knew all this, to understand the strange pull between her and Fahlada. But before she could voice her thoughts, the door creaked open.

A royal guard stepped inside, bowing respectfully.

"Your Royal Highness," As Dew looked up and saw who had entered, she immediately bowed and excused herself, quietly saying, “I’ll attend to the other patients.” She slipped out as the guard, Tan, did the same, leaving Princess Fahlada alone with Earn.

The moment the door closed, Fahlada's composure shattered like fragile glass. Tears welled in her eyes, shimmering like morning dew as they threatened to spill over. She took a hesitant step forward, her breath catching in her throat as she took in the sight of Earn—lying fragile yet alive on the cot, a stark contrast to the vibrant spirit Fahlada remembered. Earn's skin, usually radiant, was pale and dotted with bruises that told a silent story of pain and struggle. 

Without another thought, Fahlada rushed to her side, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. She wrapped her arms around Earn, the warmth of their bodies mingling in the cool, herbal-scented air of the clinic. Pressing her face against Earn’s shoulder, she let out a choked sob, her tears soaking into the fabric of Earn's shirt. “I was so afraid… I thought I’d lost you,” she whispered, her voice trembling with the weight of her fear.

Earn’s eyes misted over, the overwhelming rush of emotions threatening to pull her under. With all the strength she could gather, she raised a trembling hand, gently running her fingers through Fahlada’s hair—soft and fragrant, still carrying the scent of jasmine. “I missed you, too,” she whispered, her voice shaky with emotion, each word a thread weaving them back together. Earn managed a small, reassuring smile, though pain flickered in her eyes as she took in Fahlada’s exhausted face. “I’m here now,” she murmured softly, her thumb gently brushing over Fahlada’s hand in a gesture of comfort.