Page 86 of Royal Lies

Faintly in the distance, I spotted a small glowing light. There she was, my conscious self, the petite ray of hope in the vast empty void that was my mind. She was so small, so fragile, her blond locks glowing, her piercing eagle-like eyes glowing preternaturally in the dark.

Hmm, how should I approach her, I mean she was me in a sense so should I just jump-scare her? Itwouldcertainly catch her attention.

Then again I would probably kill the fae who tried to jump scare me. Probably best not to startle the magic out of the girl then.

Tapping lightly on the little girl's shoulder—on my other side's shoulder- I watched as her golden hair and just as golden eyes gazed back at me. Smiling as I waved a little, like how I did to one of the orphans I played with back when I was still a saintess, way back in my first life, I knelt down to her eye level. My smile nearly slipped as a flicker of blue seeped into her gaze.

I guess this side of me still has a ways to go in terms of controlling her emotions and magic.

"Hi, there. My name's Everetta, what's yours?" I asked plastering the gentlest smile I could plaster so as not to startle the girl.

"I- My name's also Everetta. Miss, what are you doing here?" She questioned back as I smiled back at her, my face showing none of my true intentions for finding her.

"As sharp as always I see. I'm here to guide you silly, to show you all your memories, to bring them back to you." I gently soothed, needing to let her see them herself so that I could go back. I needed both my conscious side and, me, my subconscious side, to be on the same page for this spell to work. Hopefully when she finally remembers, maybe our mindsets will return to the same page.

"You're the being who was in my mind." She stared looking back at me, weariness in her eyes. Her hands gripped onto the black sand as if not willing to take my offered one. I sighed looking back at her but nodded.

"Yes, in a sense Iamlike your memories. I was trying to get you here so that you would remember again. I'm sorry if I scaredyou. But you need to remember. Don't you want to remember?” I was careful not to show the urgency in my voice as I spoke. It’ll make me appear even more shady than I already was. I offered my hand toward her praying she grabbed it. I waited with all the patience of a saint I had left in my black heart for her small hands to grip on.

I waited and waited watching as she bit down on her lower lip. She seemed to stare at my outstretched palm like it was a weapon and not the saving grace it was.

Finally, with some hesitancy, her tiny little child hands took mine nodding, trusting me. Beaming I guided us towards the swirling vortex of golden blue light. And off we went.

There stood a girl, a teddy bear in her hands, its slightly worn blue striped tie and brown fabric wrinkled in age. Her glowing strands blew in the wind as her golden eyes looked out towards the castle gates. Tilting back and forth on her heels she pondered when her father would return. It's been five sun cycles, and her mother, though not by blood, said he would return today. Yet, the sun set and rose, and there she stood waiting. But he never showed, he never would.

"Sweetheart, wouldn't you like to come in? I heard you didn't go to bed last night.” A woman with golden curls as bright as the little girl's, almost a mirror contrast, smiled warmly; the knowing look in the woman's eyes never deterred the girl though.

The little girl always waited.

Eternally, the little girl stayed there on the same stairs waiting for a man shehopedwould come back. Back then the little girl didn't understand how the realm worked.

Shaking her head, the girl smiled more brightly than ever, "Nope! He'll come today, I just know it!"

With a thin smile and small sigh, the woman nodded, turning to head back into the big golden warmth of the castle. Itsblinding glow was visible even in the darkest of nights. The little girl wouldn’t know of the castle’s shine; she'd fallen asleep numerous times on the steps of the castle.

Wanting to be the first to greet her father back the girl weathered the harsh howling winds, the crippling heats of the Summer Court, and even the constant sneers and belittlements she's gotten for being ahopeless fooljust like her father.

During that time the only concrete thing that managed to always show up was the plates of warm meals, cookies, and tea that arrived from the queen’s personal maids.

Her hair grew longer, her clothes got bigger, seasons changed, and there she waited, she sat, she frowned, but she waited clutching that small rag that was supposed to be a stuffed bear. Its eyes fell loosely off its sockets, its sides popping out with stuffing in some places.

The woman, the queen, smiled softly as if knowing she could never deter the little girl, away from the smallhopeshe clung to. Despite the wet pillows and sheets, the damaged gold wallpapers, and the white furniture each year, the woman never once told the girl to stop.

"Why won't he come?" The little girl thought but she never dared to voice those thoughts aloud for fear of the answer. An answer she already knows.

She's heard the rumors, the gossip, yet, she was a child, a hopeless, foolish,ignorantchild. Too deep in her own delusions that she fell for herfutileyearnings.

One year, there was a boy, his hair as golden as hers, but his eyes were as cold as frost, it sent shivers down the girl’s spine. She was supposed to entertain him for the day; show him around the castle but she couldn't, not if she wanted topossiblygreet her father.

She left the boy alone, too excited by the possibilities of her fruitlesshope. But he never came, the sunset and the cool air chilled her to the bone, but she still waited, like always.

Her hope never dimmed, even if she began to question.

Why hasn't he come yet?

Were the rumors true?

What if he never comes?

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