When Fate Finally Smile

I felt the cold rushing water graces my skin wet as I fell deeper into the odyssey. My breathing getting shorter and tighter every moment passes.

Dark...darkness, lighter and lighter, I saw a blinding orb in front of me. Light, white, pure, and crystal clear, it was tinted golden.

"Lucille", I know what it is. Lucille, the light of hope and rebirth, a new beginning. A blessing and an event that happened once in a while.

"Odella!"

I felt cold and dizzy. My skin and hair are wet and my vision is blurry. My chest felt looser, I can finally breathe normally.

"Lucille-", I started coughing violently giving out water and air.

"Go get the physician!"

My nose stink and my eyes sore, body felt heavier after a heavy sleep alike. The dress I wore

weighted me down flat onto the ground, my legs are freezing cold and my hands were numb.

Smells of familiarity tingling on my nose. I recognize the smell of burnt cedar and lavender, ones ‟s that fused together so well and sense so nice that every guest randomly compliments on. The scent of our bathhouse.

"What happened?", I grabbed the arm of the person near me.

"You got drowned", I dodged my gaze to Jeanette in confusion.

"How?", "I‟m still clothed so there‟s no possible way for me to drown by myself"

"Get up first, we‟ll figure this out at home"

Walking around in the bathhouse, what‟s making my headache worse was how did I ended up here, and how come I‟m not dead.

A reflection on the mirror, I was surprised to see that I‟m not me.

She had long thick chestnut hair and a pair of green eyes, I was a different person.

"Odella! Are you okay?" Mother asked voice full of concern but I felt confused.

"Odella?", a grin appeared on her face when she looked at me.

"Silly, it‟s your name. Aren‟t you so proud of it? How come you forget your own name?"

I nudged Jeanette in the elbow, "Mom, Odella was probably numbed after that incident. Maybe let her to her room"

I dismissed myself and a maid led me there. The hallway was filled with paintings of our family portrait, but every time I count them, there was always one missing.

Mom, Dad, Jonathan, Jeanette but where‟s me? The eldest daughter, where is my appearance.

My room, the chamber was still the same smells as it used to be. It still has the smell of gardenias of mom‟s flower shop, that the maid will change every day with the fresh white one.

"Odella Homielle Cath", the strange name flew out of my lips like water slipping through cracks.

That name was so strange but so nostalgic like I‟ve heard it before.

"Cath...wasn't it the surname of dad‟s friend", "Sir Cleland, of Naomh Kingdom"

"But he was childless", a diary popped up in my sight and I know too well it‟s what I needed.

-

Today's the day I'll be going to study in Lune Dalxi, the kingdom with the best education system.

Dad had a friend there, Marquess Junvee, a wealthy native noble of Lune Dalxi.

The house of Junvee has two children, Jonathan and Jeanette. And both are from the well-known florist of the kingdom.

I will be staying there until I graduate with the Mage- degree and I'm going to do my best!

This is, Odella.

-

"Did things changed?", it was bizarre.

"Were I non-existent in this age?" It was confusing and perhaps, weird.

"So that means, it‟s like I got reincarnated to the same world that I existed before but in a different dimension?"

An image popped back in my head suddenly, I saw Lucille, the light of rebirth and new hope. An ancient occurrence that was mistaken to be a legend.

"But how come it happened so...unexpectedly?"

A wave of mystery hit me again. During my time in the magic academy, those that we're able to experience such things are usually ones ‟s that have done mount of good deeds.

Those people are called Srey. When they passed away out of old age or other events, the positive energy they hold around them and those personally involved with them will collide together and formed a miracle that will grand them the chance to live a second life fulfilling all the wishes they wanted to do.

Personally, I‟m nowhere near Srey, I‟m not a bad person but I‟ve has never done anything so good that it will offer me such a treat.

"Does it have something to do with my before lives? What deeds did I commit for me to receive this gift?", a silence filled the air.

"Is it worth it to research about it?"

"Della, where are you going?"

"I‟ ll be going to the central-garden of our kingdom?" I replied to mom‟s request.

"Are you going to study there?", "Yes, Mrs. Junvee"

"Oh, you‟re not calling mom any longer?" Mom‟s face was surprised and mine‟s was baffled.

"A-ah yes m-mom!" I avoided her gaze, "It‟s just I don‟t want to get too comfortable once I left. Bad habits stay long"

She snickered and her eyes turned crescent-like it used to be, "That‟s a pity. I‟d love to hear you call me so" My heart melted at her words. The same maternal warmth that I always craved came. After being here, I thought that I no longer can call her mom but realizing how close Odella is with mom, I can now still enjoy this moment with her.

Odella, grew close probably because she grew up with no mother by her side.

"Well, I guess we do share some similar traits"