Chapter 42: Reflection

It is now morning and the buildings of the city is still lit. The sun's light begins to show itself from the horizon as its orange light engulfs the sapphire sky. Though still in the early hours, the streets are starting to get busy; the sound of ships have long since engulfed the reign of silence.

Within the Empress' palace, inside the one lit room, Alecia lay on a single bed with a blanket covering her.

Slightly turning her head, eyes still closed, her brows squints. Turning on her side, her hand closes, and grips the white sheet. Moving on her back once more, her eyes open, only for her to sit up with a gasp.

Taking quick breaths, wide-eyed, now staring blankly ahead. Looking down at her lap. Moving her hands over her face, she tries to recall anything that happened the night before, only for there to be blurry images without any meaning to her.

Alecia moves her hands from her face, and lets out a sigh. Turning her gaze to the bedside table, she spots a glass of water. Picking up the glass, she takes a sip from it before downing it.

Letting out a sigh of relief, she places the glass back. Sweeping her legs off the bed, she rests her feet on the floor, and continues to look at her lap in silence.

Within her own silence, she hears a soft a soft chuckle ahead, urging her to look up at the mirror on the desk, her eyes to widen with a gasp. The reflection of herself is altered, the expression on her face is the opposite of what she is seeing; with only a slight smile on her face, with her eye-pupils glowing turquoise.

"What's the matter, Alecia?" She said, her tone sounding as if there's two voices at once.

"Do you find yourself to be disturbing?" Her smile turns into a grin.

"I...I can't..." Alecia stuttered, only for her to lean back.

"Can't what, hmm?" Her reflection said, tilting her head slightly as strands of hair dangle on the side.

"Why so startled? It is yourself you're looking at, aren't you?"

Shaking her head with her gaze still locked on the mirror.

"N-no," she said looking down.

"I'm not you, you're not me." She looks up the reflection.

Straighting her head, the reflection chuckles.

"Like it or not, you are me." She said, leaning her head on her own shoulder.

"We're one, and the same. I am what you are inside. All your hate, all your anger. I am what you use to be, decades ago, and what you were hours ago. You use to be so strong and determent, and now all you are now is but soft, scared wom-"

"Shut up, you're not real," Alecia said, now glaring at her.

"Always feeling sorry for yourself," the reflection continued, only for her to straighten her neck with a growing grin.

"You're a failure to yourself, to Aven, and everyone else you've ever loved."

"I said, shut up!" Alecia said through her teeth.

"Mother died, and now like the annoying little sister, you're Ruth's responsibility, it would be wonderful for her to be out of the picture one day, wouldn't it," the reflection said once more, and starts chuckling.

"It wouldn't matter, because she's always hated us, and after we came back, she hates us even more."

"No..." Alecia said, her eyes beginning to glisten.

"It's not true." Her hands clamps down on the side of the bed.

"I am you, and you're the one lying to yourself," her reflection moves strands of hair behind her own ear, only for her to keep her hand near it. Her eyes dart at her own arm, and back at Alecia.

"See?"

Training her eyes to the side, she sees her hand near her own head. Letting out a gasp, she backs away with her legs now on the bed once more, urging her reflection to chuckle.

"Do you like that? Soon enough we'll be back to our old self," her reflection said lowering her arm, and continues to chuckle.

"You should see the look on your face." She starts laughing out with her eyes closed.

Grabbing the pillow, Alecia throws it at the mirror, causing the items on the shelf to fall off with it, only to see the normal reflection of herself. Still with a wide-eyed look, and mouth slightly open.

Lowering her gaze, she raises her hand to see them shivering. Closing her mouth, she blinks slowly.

"W-what's happening to me?" she whispered to herself. Closing her hands, she crosses her arms around her body, and closes her eyes.

Her body jerks in fright when hearing a few knocks at the bedroom door.

"Alecia, are you okay in there?" a familiar woman's voice said from behind the door.

"Oh, Ruth. I'm alright," she said, looking down once more.

"May I come in?" Ruth asked.

Turning her gaze to the door, Alecia looks at the mirror, and makes a few adjustments to her hair. After a moment, she picks a few strands from behind her to see residue of blood along it. Narrowing her eyes, she brings the bloodied strands around her neck to her view, only to stare at it with a puzzling look in her eyes.

In her mind's eye, she remembers something familiar. Images of Raine on the floor before her, as well as images of Aven staring down at her with a slight smile on his face; still, it all doesn't make sense to her when trying to recall anything.

Ruth calls for her again, urging her to gasp slightly with her gaze drawn to the door once more.

"Yes?" she said.

"I asked you if I can come in," Ruth said.

Looking at the desk, and the items on the floor.

"Wait a minute, I'll open!" she called out. Moving off the bed, Alecia steps to the desk, and picks up the small bottles and places them neatly on the desk. Stepping back, she stares at them for a moment, making sure the desk looks neat, and tidy. Turning her gaze next to the desk, she spots the pillow she threw; picking it up, she slaps the dust off, and places back on the bed.

Neatening her hair, she walks to the door, and opens for her sister, only to see her face brighten with a smile.

"Alecia," she said, joining her hands together at her abdomen.

"I'm thankful that you're looking well."

"Oh, yes," Alecia said, moving strands of hair behind her ear.

"I barely remember what happened, to be honest."

Smiling, Ruth steps forward, and looks around the room for a moment.

"I heard a disturbance on my way here," she said, her gaze drawn to the mirror for a moment.

"Umm," Alecia said, fiddling with her hands, her gaze turns to the bed, and the glass on the table.

"The glass." She chuckles, urging Ruth to turn to her.

"What about it?" Ruth said, looking at the glass on the table.

"Did it fall?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at the undamaged glass, still wet from the water it had.

"Yes," Alecia said, holding onto her own arm, gaze averted.

"You know me, clumsy as always." She smiles at Ruth; hoping her excuse would satisfy her curiosity.

Chuckling, Ruth turns her gaze to the glass, and back at her once more.

"Well, at least it didn't get damaged," she said, tilting her head slightly.

"I remember how mother scolded you, for all the things you broke of hers."

Alecia chuckles as well, her gaze now drawn to the floor.

"Good times, wasn't it?" she said, looking up at her.

"We were so young, no worries nor responsibilities."

Ruth chuckles with her for a moment.

"It was nice," she said, gazing down only to train her eyes up at her.

"Except, mother brought responsibility, and stress onto me eventually." Her smile fades, urging Alecia's smile to face as well.

"Anyway," Ruth said, tilting her head slightly, only to bring her hand to Alecia's head. Picking up a few strands of her bloodstained hair with her two fingers.

"You need to go wash up now, alright?" She moves her hand away as the strands of hair streams off her fingers.

"Oh, of course," Alecia said, taking the strands of hair, and looks at it herself, only for her to look at her.

"I was planning on that when I woke up." She lets go of the strands.

"Alright then," Ruth said, turning away.

"I've already started running your bath." She walks out the room, with Alecia following her from behind.

Slow and steady, through the passageway, the two of them walk. While walking behind her sister, Alecia constantly stares ahead at her; her gaze burning at the back of Ruth's head.

Turning her head slightly, Ruth looks over her shoulder at Alecia.

"Are you okay?" Ruth asked, her eyes narrow, only for her to look ahead once more.

"I'm okay," Alecia said, averting her eyes for a moment, watching the wall pass by as she continues to walk.

"Just feel a bit exhausted, that's all." Her words urge Ruth to look ahead of herself once more.

"What exactly happened, last night?" Ruth asked with a calm tone in her voice.

Turning her gaze ahead, she looks down for a moment.

"I can't seem to remember," she said.

"It's all vague."

"Aven carried you into the room," Ruth said.

"I thought the worst had happened, when I saw you in his arms."

"Oh..." Alecia averts her eyes once more, only to look ahead at her once again.

"Doesn't Aven know?" she asked.

"He does," Ruth said simply. Both her and Alecia takes a corner within the passage.

"He told me everything that had happened."

Alecia tilts her head, eyebrow slightly raised.

"Then why ask me?" she said, raising her hands.

"I wanted to hear it from you, that's all," Ruth said, looking over her shoulder at her for a moment, and looks ahead.

Looking at the palm of her hand, Alecia scratches the base of her wrist, and looks ahead at Ruth.

"Where is Aven, by the way?"

"He's with Lumina outside," Ruth said, opening bathroom door, letting the steam seep out, as well as the sound of gushing water. Stepping inside, she turns the faucets, ceasing the water flow.

"Here you are."

Stepping inside the bathroom, Alecia's gaze trains to the clothing on the toilet seat.

"Did you have to escort me here?" she asked with a frown and turns to her.

"I already knew where the bathroom was."

"My apology, sis," Ruth said with a calm tone in her voice.

"After what happened to you, and considering what Aven told me, I had to make sure you get here safely."

Her words urges Alecia to have a downcast look for a moment.

"I wouldn't want you to faint again," Ruth continued, urging Alecia to look at her with a worrisome gaze.

"We're still waiting on the cure to your virus from Clay." Ruth placed her hand on her shoulder, and smiles gently.

Chuckling, Alecia takes her sister's hand off her shoulder.

"I almost forgot about that," she said.

"I hope he makes one soon."

"You and me both, Alecia." Ruth said, her smile fades.

"Now, get yourself washed, especially that blood in your hair. There's your new set of clothing as you see." She points her hand at the toilet where the clothes are.

Alecia turns to look at the set of clothing once more.

"Thank you, Ruth," she said, turning to her with a smile.

"The least I can do," Ruth said, stepping a side.

"After you're fresh clean, we all need to discuss an important issue, alright?"

Nodding slightly, Alecia smiles at her.

"Okay."

"I'll get going now," Ruth steps out of the bathroom, and turns to Alecia once more.

"Once you are done, come and meet us outside on the balcony."

Alecia gives her another nod.

"Alright," said she. Placing the her hand on the frame of the door, she closes it once Ruth is out of view.

Turning around, Alecia looks at the bath of hot water, and takes a seat on the edge. Slowly, she places her hand into the water. The temperature is hot, but doable; she knows now that it will be a relaxing bath.

Standing up, she shakes the water off her hand, and stares down at the clothing on the toilet, and notices the colors of them being, grey, and black. She recognizes the one fabric to be a turtleneck sweater, which is to her liking, enough to put a smile on her face.

--

Dropping her dark blue top near her feet, she places her first foot into the steaming water, followed by the other, only for her to slowly sink into it with a sigh of relief. Resting her head on edge of the bathtub, she closes her eyes. Her bloodstained hair starts soaking as it sinks into the water. After everything that has happened, this is the most relaxed she feels in a long time.