Princess Ackermann

XII: Red Rose

A small figure got up excitingly from the bed. They started running down the stairs with no footwear on. They were headed towards the garden, and the guards stared at them with confusion written all over their faces.

The figure finally stopped and smelled the fragrant and colorful sight before them. It was a garden with pillars surrounded by a small amount of vines. Though it hung gracefully like a curtain draped nicely.

The figure broke a joyful laugh as they ran around, touching all the roses with their tiny hands. Their eyes caught sight of a lonely red rose and the figure stopped their movements as they stared at the flower in awe.

Suddenly, a voice bellowed out from behind and the figure gasped, coming face to face with the King. "Why are you out here?" He was clearly irritated and the small figure answered, "I wanted to look at the roses, papa... oh! Did you see a red rose there? It looked pre-"

A slap was heard.

The figure held their cheek in pain as tears fell down their face. "I have told you last night to rest! You disobeyed me by running down the stairs just to look at- flowers!" The figure sobbed.

"I'm sorry...!"

The King scoffed and turned to a guard. "You. I want you to take away those roses. Don't even bother showing it to this kid." The figure gasped. "No! Father, please!" The figure tugged at his sleeve, yet he pulled it away in disgust. "Filth." He muttered before going elsewhere into the palace.

Serhilda rested her forehead on her palm. At the moment she paid more attention to the images flashing inside her head, yet still, questions were unanswered. She sighed.

Who was that man? He looked like a king...

She felt another image flash inside her head.

A young girl stood by the field, plucking a beautiful red rose. Her black eyes stared through the flower, touching the petal slowly, then smelling its fragrance.

"The roses sure are pretty, Your Majesty." A voice said behind her. "It sure is, Dr. Jäger." The young girl replied, "I don't seem to understand how the King and Queen fail to recognize your beauty. It isn't any different from a rose." He said with a smile.

However, her face fell down from the mention of her parents. "They don't like me, Doctor. I don't know why." She mumbled, "What did I do wrong?" She asks and he held her shoulder. "You've done nothing wrong."

She frowned.

"He must be killed!"

The young girl peered through the door, eavesdropping. "That man should be killed for fulfilling our daughter's wishes, and for disobeying my orders!" The King said.

"Then we will hang him in front of the people. Let them see how his crimes can't grant impunity. We are no fool!" The Queen added. Who was the man they were talking about?

For 12 years, Serhilda lost her memory, only to replicate images in her head? How could her condition last for that long? She wondered. It must've been the severity of the wound on her head, now a scar.

She still couldn't find out who was the man the King and Queen were trying to kill. The main question is, Are any of what she's seeing important?