A Soul For Tomorrow

Chapter 13: In The Night

Lorien sat on her bed after a long day. She felt empty. She felt that she’d forgotten so much and she didn’t know what she was missing out on. She wept as she sat on the edge of her bed.

“Your Highness, I’ll be off now. I’ll see you in the morning,” Mrs. Coldwell said as she opened the door slightly, poking her head in quietly. Princess Lorien quickly wiped away the tears. She looked up and smiled at the little old lady. Mrs. Coldwell stepped into the room and sighed. She went to sit next to Lorien on the edge of her bed and held the troubled girl in her arms. Lorien started sobbing again, burying her face in her hands.

“My dear, my sweet little Princess, you burden yourself too much,” Mrs. Coldwell said kindly. Lorien looked up.

“I feel like I’ve forgotten everything. I went into the Crystal Garden and I knew it was special to me somehow but I don’t remember how. Then I saw the Captain and I felt such a strong force towards him but I didn’t know why,” Lorien got up off the bed and walked to her wardrobe. She pulled out the red dress and showed Mrs. Coldwell. “And this dress, it feels so important to me but I don’t know why,” Lorien dropped the dress and started sobbing again. Mrs. Coldwell sighed and picked up the dress off the floor and put it back in the wardrobe. She held the weeping princess in her arms and pulled her back to the edge of the bed and they sat together.

“I thought there was something strange with you,” Mrs. Coldwell said, looking into Lorien’s eyes. “Listen, the Captain, he’s…” Mrs. Coldwell was going to explain everything to Lorien but she was interrupted by a knock at the door. The old lady sighed and Lorien quickly wiped away the tears rolling down her face. Mrs. Coldwell went to open the door.

“Oh, Your Highness,” Mrs. Coldwell said and bowed. Prince Samuel stood in the doorway with a smile. He nodded his head once in greeting to the old woman and let himself in.

Lorien jumped up off her bed when she saw Samuel and held him in her arms. He hugged her back tightly and he nodded to the old lady at the door. Mrs. Coldwell understood and she left, closing the door behind her.

“Come my dear, tell me what’s wrong,” Samuel said and they sat at the edge of Lorien’s bed. She sobbed as she explained everything and Samuel looked at the ground, glaring. He thought that Dmitri had completely erased Lorien’s memory but he was wrong.

When Lorien had finally finished explaining, Samuel looked up at her and smiled. He put his hand on her cheek and wiped away the tears. He stared intently into her eyes and chuckled quietly.

“You’re probably just tired my dear. Don’t make such a big deal over this Lorien, I’m sure it’s nothing,” Samuel said and he smiled at her. She frowned and was going to push him away. Instead, smiled back at him slightly and in a moment, Samuel held her face in both his hands and kissed her gently.

Lorien kissed him back but suddenly, the face of another flashed in her mind. It was a handsome face with green eyes and brown hair. She opened her eyes wide in shock and pushed Samuel away. He looked at her in bewilderment and confusion, acting as though he didn’t know what was happening. 

“What’s the matter my dear?” Samuel asked, reaching out to her but Lorien backed away, standing and moving away from the bed. It felt wrong. It felt so wrong. But why? She loved him, didn’t she?

The princess stared at Samuel’s face as he looked at her anxiously. Was she really acting that strange? Maybe he’s right, maybe I’m just tired. Lorien thought to herself before she shook her head and smiled weakly at him. She was about to walk back over to him but he stood from the bed and made his way over to her instead.

Samuel placed his hands on her shoulders gently. “Don’t worry my love. Whatever it is that you’ve forgotten, it doesn’t matter now. All of that is in the past. What matter now is now, this very moment. You and I,” he said with his deep smooth voice and Lorien’s couldn’t help but nod and smile. But she felt nothing in her heart.

Before she could say anything, Samuel kissed her again. This time however, he was much more forceful. She winced but she couldn’t pull away. Lorien had no choice but to let him have her. She felt she would have enjoyed it more, but the same face with the green eyes and brown hair kept flashing in her head. Everytime she saw him, her heart would skip a beat, but she couldn’t understand why.

Captain, who are you?