'Good to see you awake brother'
Asha froze, his smile faltering, his eyes widening as he recognized that revolting voice. He slowly turned his head and to his horror. It was his sister, Princess Roseneath Kira Patagrale.
...........................…
'Hey I just asked you something, are you okay?' Roseneath asked visibly concerned.
His breathing hitched. Here in his paradise, his sister had somehow infiltrated it. He had no words all he had was rage. He raised his right arm intending to snap her neck not ready to allow her to take away the peace he finally had. He suddenly he stopped, hand slightly raised. Why does she look so... young. The thought passed through him. His heart rate began to spike. He stared at her in disbelief. Now that I think about it... this room... this was my room before the war... that should be impossible.
His head began to pound. His breathing becoming rapid. He sat up, fast enough to startle Roseneath and shake her composure. He jumped off his bed and ran towards the nearest mirror.
And much to his shock there was a young boy with vibrant red hair and bright golden pupils staring back at him, mirroring his expression of fear and confusion. He let his hand rummage through his face no longer feeling the unshaven beard he had grown in his years of war and imprisonment. Trembling he looked at his fingers, rough from holding a sword but not scared from war. Slowly he raised his shirt revealing a fit, scarless and clean body he once had in his youth.
A feeling slowly nestled in the pit of his stomach. Holding his neck, flashes of memories came back. Memories of him being on the guillotine. The blade separating his head from his neck. His body began to tremble, the room began to spin, his breathing now in shaky gasps. He felt sick. He was ready to throw up right there.
A knock on the door with a voice following through. 'Your highness. I have brought you your medicine.'
Asha froze in disbelief. Before he could say anything, the woman opened the door. The woman, a maid, who looked to be about in her late 40's with dark brown hair and bright green eyes. Her tan skin caused by the sun. The wrinkles on her face evidence of the years she had worked in the castle. A soft but stern expression he'd long since missed.
The woman seeing Asha smiled warmly. 'My prince I see you are awake now. But do tell me why are you out of bed'
Tears welled up in Asha's eyes. It had been so long sine he had seen her face and heard her voice. The voice of his nanny. He opened his mouth to say something but no words came out.
Roseneath or Rose looking back and forth between her brother and his maid got a slightly irritated. 'Emily, I see you have something of importance'
Emily eyes turned cold but still kept an eerie smile that never met her eyes. 'Yes, your highness. I have come with the medicine and some food for the young prince. But be as it may I'm sorry for the tardiness but due to the unsavoury conditions of the prince as well as lack of visitors, I focused on his highness's health'
Roseneath eye twitched which was a sign she was annoyed. 'of course, you would say that Emily'
Noticing Asha's disarray Emily suddenly bowed. 'Oh, one more thing your highness it seems like lady Zurin and lady Torren have been looking for you'
Roseneath immediately after hearing this stood up fast and made a flimsy excuse to leave. Without so much at a glance back at her sickly brother, she bolted out of the room.
Once Roseneath was gone, Emily's soft expression retuned as she turned towards Asha. 'Now that that's done, I would assume that you are disoriented my prince, so I have brought you your breakfast as well as the medicine the doctor prescribed.' She gestured to the trolly behind her. 'Please, I beg of you, you must rest your highness'
Emily wanted to scold him so badly but she knew he would never listen. No matter how many times she tried, the only thing that mattered to him was the love and attention of his parents and sister. This is the reason he continues to train even to the point of exhaustion. She steeled herself ready for him to ask her to fetch his sword and a change of clothes so that he could continue to train even in his terrible conditions.
Much to her shock and surprise, she felt two arms wrapped around. She saw Asha trembling against her, slowly feeling her clothes dampen.
'Asha?!'
No words came out from the prince only the sound of muffled sobs filled the air. She hugged him back not failing to notice how warm he was. She rubbed around his back and continued to let him stay and cry.
After a while, Asha had stopped. In the quiet room, only sniffles from the prince could be heard. Emily was much more concerned now than before.
'Asha are you alright? …Your skin is so pale and your face is flushed. Did the princess say anything to you?'
Asha's heart ached. With his eyes puffy from crying he gently smiled. 'No, I'm just really happy right now. But I -' he was caught off by a cough
'Let's get you back to bed' she stated, worriedly placing a hand on his forehead.
Asha smiled, happy to feel her warmth again. Without any protest, immediately got up and walked towards the bed. Asha, while leaning against his pillows, found his nanny's expression of shock and disbelief amusing.
'Has your highness's fever gotten so bad to not act like himself' she muttered out loud.
Asha ignored the comment. 'Emily could you please tell me what day it is?'
Emily looked even more worried. 'It's currently 34/1/1287 your highness'
'Thank-' he suddenly he started a coughing fit.
Emily worriedly rubbed his back. 'I should get the doctor but first you must eat'
Asha nodded. The adrenaline he had suddenly vanished from his body. Emily was relieved and happy that the prince was finally taking a break.
........................….
After eating and a brief checkup Asha was left alone to rest and recover. He started going through his thoughts. So somehow, I've returned 5 years into the past. He wanted to laugh at this. Was, all my years of suffering a lie? a joke? For Celestia's sake it must be a joke right. Tears welled up in his eyes. All those years on the battlefield wondering if I'll survive, all the days I spent in prison waiting for the end, was it for nothing? He thoughts were about to spiral when a splitting headache interrupted his thought. …ugh this headache.
Turning to the side of his bead he saw a stack of books on his bedside table that were left by his nanny. He smiled. He remembered how she died when he was imprisoned and as part of his torture his siter kidnapped Emily and killed her right in front of him after that the body was left there for days before it was finally taken away not without it rotting. He stopped the memory not wanting to fully remember what happened for fear of removing the contents of his stomach.
Instead, he remembered today as it was the day he'd woken up from a two-day fever induced coma caused by the intense training in the rain his instructor had tricked him into. After he woke up, he immediately went back to training to the point he got even worse.
With an otherworldly resolve he decides that he'll change his ways. With a yawn he nestles into the soft cushions of his bed. Slowly drifting to sleep, promising himself that this time he would live for himself do the things he'd always wanted to do.
........................…
'See I told you it would work'
'Did you really have to make him have that headache?'
'Well, I had to do something, if not he would've tried to end his life, then all our hard work would've been ruined'
'… do you think they'll meet each other?'
'I hope so, we had to pull some strings just so that we could change the past. But it's up to them whether or not they can do it'
'Do you really think we can guide them?'
'Of course, but it'll be up to them to prevent THAT from happening again'