What If?

24

"nasia!"

"thanasia!"

"sia!"

"Athanasia!"

Who's is being so loud? My eyes felt so heavy I don't want to open them. They then began to shake me and soon enough I finally did managed to open my eyes. Everything was a little blurry at first as my vision became clearer. Claude was holding me up in his arms. He almost actually seemed worried. Hah, who am I kidding?

"Athanasia, can you hear me?" Claude asks, shaking me slightly. "Yes, Your Majesty." I nodded slightly. I looked around to see where I was, it was quite cold. I'm outside? When I went for a walk today I must've passed out.

Claude then picked me up. "Are you okay?" He asks me. "Yeah but can you put me down. Please?" I ask. Why does he keep picking me up? I'm not a little child anymore.

Claude hesitated before putting me back down on my feet again. "Athanasia, what happened?" Claude questions me. "I think I passed out when I went on a walk, Your Majesty." I looked around and saw Felix standing behind Claude, looking scared.

I feel bad making people worry. "I'm fine, I really am." I smile at them before patting my dress for any dirt.

I was still suspicious whether Claude was actually worried for me, I can't tell. All I remember about Claude is bad things with how he treated me and how he adorned Jennette. It's not that I mind he treated her like that it's just why couldn't he do the same for me? Everyone tells me we were becoming quite close and I was getting what I dreamed of my whole life since I first met him and what I worked so hard for but I don't remember that. I remember working hard but I don't remember what for. I thought it was because I just enjoyed learning new things and such. Also I don't remember dreaming my whole life to get close with Claude. The only true dream I remember was wanting a family but I realized that I did have one with everyone at the Ruby Palace. I never remember wishing for anything more than that. Even though my memories show that I always seemed to be trying to get close to Claude for some reason, they were merely just images in my head. I don't know what I was feeling or thinking besides fear and sadness that I feel now by seeing such images. But I just don't understand why things are so different now. What changed that we were suddenly close and I was happy to be close with Claude now like everyone says because I don't remember any good memories. It's just all too much, I don't know what to think or do.

Claude stared at me before offering a hand to me. "Let's go have some tea." Claude says. I hesitate whether to take his hand or not but in the end I grabbed onto his hand too. It's better to not make him upset.

As we walked I realized we weren't going to the Ruby Palace rather towards the Garnet Palace. I don't think I have ever been inside the Garent Palace before.

Soon enough we did go inside the Garent Palace. It was absolutely stunning to say the least. Truly was fit for an Emperor but why is there no guards? Do we just not have guards in our palaces? I thought it was just the Ruby Palace that didn't have any. We sat in a room with two couches facing each other with a coffee table between them. Felix stood outside.

As we sat down maids finally came in to deliver to tea. Ah, it's Lippie tea. I've only had this a few times thanks too Lucas. This is nice.

"You still think the tea makes you feel like flowers are blooming in your mouth?" Claude asks me, looking at me. Did I tell him that before? So did we use to drink this tea together? This is making my head hurt. He is just making me frustrated. I just want to tell him. Tell him what I remember and ask why. Maybe I should. How would he react?

"Yes." I nod placing the teacup back onto the coffee table. "Did I tell you that before?" I ask, looking at up Claude. Is this is a good idea? But I just want to know. "Yes, you did." Claude says. "May I ask you just a few questions, Your Majesty?" I ask Claude looking down at the tea in my cup.

"I won't answer anything about the damned girl and the wench." Claude says immediately and you could feel the air around us become cold instantly. The damned lady or wench? One must be Jennette. But who could the other be?
"It's not." I answer. "Then you can proceed." Claude tells me.

"I have been remembering you." I tell him looking up at him. Claude drank the rest of his tea before also putting it down. Yet he kept his gaze on the table. "Everyone keeps telling me we were becoming close but that's the one thing I can't remember. I don't remember us ever being close or anything. I only remember-" Claude cut me off.

"Yes, I think I am aware of what you remember. What is your point?" Claude narrowed his eyes. "Then why? What changed? Why did you treat me like that for so many years? Then what changed?" I ask.

Claude remained silent as he just stared at me. Was this a wrong move? Maybe I shouldn't have asked this. Is he mad? He is just sitting here, with a emotionless expression.

"You will be staying here in the Garnet Palace for awhile." Claude says standing up and walking away.

"Wait! You didn't answer my question." I stood up also. "Am I obligated to answer you?" Claude stops but doesn't turn to face me. "No, but I don't want to stay here. I want to stay at the Ruby Palace." I say. "No." Claude says before finally leaving me by myself.

He made it seem like he would answer my questions as long as it didn't involve the two people. I can never tell what he is thinking! I don't wish to live in the Garnet Palace, I love the people in the Ruby Palace and I want to live with them. But I shouldn't throw a tantrum.

The door than opened revealing a maid. "Princess Athanasia, if you will come with me I'll show you your room." The maid tells me. "Okay, I'll follow you." I nod as I follow after the maid.

We were led into a bedroom that was similar to my room in the Ruby Palace just a lot more grand really. It even had a balcony. "If you don't like it we can show you to another room." The maid offers but I shake my head. "No this room is quite fine." I smile at her. She seemed a little taken aback but quickly smiled back at me. "Is there anything I can do for you before I take my leave." The maid asks me. "No, I am alright." I tell her. She then bowed before taking her leave, closing the door behind her.

What should I do? I can't possibly stay here for long. I walk outside onto the balcony. My balcony faced over the Garnet Palaces garden. You can even smell all of the flowers from here as if I was the garden. Looking down I realized the Lucas was walking through the garden picking flowers. A small laugh escaped my lips at the peaceful Lucas. He then stopped picking flowers as he seemed to be making something with the ones he picked. Oh, I think it's a flower crown!

"Lucas!" I call his name. He flinched as he looked around before turning and looking up at me. I smiled and waved at him. Then he disappeared. I quickly turn around to see Lucas right behind me. "You can't just keep teleporting like that!" I scold Lucas. "Why are you here? Especially in a bedroom." Lucas asks me. "His Majesty ordered that I stay in the Garnet Palace and I don't know why." I explain as I turned back towards the balcony leaning on the rail. Lucas went ahead and joined me by my side.

"Lucas let's leave." I tell him.

"What?" Lucas turns to look at me.

I then turn to Lucas smiling, hopeful. "Well you have already gone through all the information about magic that is withheld in Obelia and are waiting for more stuff that is coming for you to study through but you know Arlanta is known for it's knowledge in everything! We go there together and probably find something that may tell us how to heal me. Then with me going with you will make it so you can keep an eye on me to make sure nothing drastic happens and we can also search a lot faster together than you alone." I try to convince Lucas.

"Okay. Let's go." Lucas says with a shrug.

"I thought that would take more convincing." I shook my head at him. "It's not like there is anything wrong with your logic." Lucas says.

"We will have to disguise me it will cause problems if a Princess of Obelia is suddenly mosing around another kingdom." I tell Lucas who just seemed indifferent. "It'll be easy to disguise us with magic and even make us invisible." Lucas says looking back at the garden.

"Well, we can leave tommorrow. I want to see everyone one more time before we leave." I tell Lucas. I couldn't tell them I was leaving, they would do their best to stop me. I wonder how Claude will react to me disappearing? Why would I care how he reacted? But I wonder if he would be sad or miss me? For some reason I wanted him too.

How ridiculous of me.