Be Loved

Agatha awoke with a light feeling. The bed was so soft that it made her want to snuggle under the comfortable blanket even more. The temperature was perfect, neither too cold nor too warm. Her nose filled with the heavenly scent of fresh air, a mix of rosemary, tulip, and sunshine.

She wished it could always be this way. Aiden would surely love a room like this.

Agatha jumped out of bed as she remembered Aiden. "Aiden!" she called, standing up quickly despite her dizziness.

"Aiden!" She frantically searched the area until she saw Aiden in the other bed, peacefully sleeping, unscathed, and well-clothed.

Agatha approached him and checked his pulse. The last time she had held him, Aiden was cold, weak, and almost lifeless. She needed to know if he was really okay or if this was just another dream.

Once she felt his strong heartbeat, Agatha breathed a sigh of relief. His skin was back to its fair color, and he wore a shirt and shorts that complemented his physique. He was no longer pale or wounded.

She fixed his blanket and kissed his forehead. She was grateful they were both alive.

After ensuring Aiden was alright, Agatha took in her surroundings. They were no longer in the dark, foul-smelling cave, nor were they in the Slumber Shack.

The room was lavish and spacious, as big as the entire Slumber Shack. The elegant curtains, numerous flowers in each corner, and large, comfortable beds made the place feel opulent. The soft carpet felt wonderful against her feet, and there was a large golden table on the left side of the room.

Agatha couldn't believe her eyes as she studied the ornate cabinets, which seemed like works of art. Even the vases looked artistic. A huge tapestry mounted on the wall depicted majestic landscapes. But what really caught her attention was the mirror with its sparkling diamond edges.

Seeing herself in the mirror, Agatha was surprised by what she was wearing.

She wore a lovely sky-blue dress that fit her perfectly, reaching down to her feet. The dress had intricate embroidery along the hem and shimmering jewels on the torso. The small diamonds glinted brightly, and the long sleeves were outlined with gold dust. She didn't even know gold could be pulverized like that.

Agatha's lips parted in awe. The dress was beautiful but seemed too expensive for her taste. She thought if she sold it to the wealthy Metamorphs in Upper Town, she could earn enough Galleons to buy identification signs for her and Aiden, purchase a small lot, and build a house on the outskirts of town.

Then Aiden murmured something, snapping Agatha out of her thoughts. She went to his side and saw him cover his eyes with his arm before going back to sleep.

The harsh light disturbing Aiden came from the huge open window to her left. Agatha approached it, intending to close it so Aiden could sleep well, but she almost fell over when she saw the view outside.

What greeted her was a lush garden. The flowers were so colorful that their petals alone were enough decoration. The expansive lands stretched out as far as her eyes could see.

Agatha got chills when she saw knights in metallic armor. The chest part of their suits bore a logo she recognized as the Water Fae Kingdom's symbol.

Wherever she looked, the knights patrolling below wore the same emblem. Yes, Liam was a Water Fae and had knights, but she had never seen them wearing such uniforms until now.

"It can't be," Agatha whispered in disbelief. "This is impossible!"

She looked around again, seeing only flowers and guards outside. She looked up instead, hoping to find something different.

She stepped back when she realized they were at the top of a grand establishment. Towers and flags bearing the Water Fae Kingdom's emblem surrounded them.

"I am in Etherealis," she thought. "I'm at the Orient Palace."

Panic surged through her veins, making it hard to breathe. It couldn't be possible. She must not be here. They would surely capture her. She feared being sent to the dungeon or, worse, being hanged.

"H"How am I supposed to care for Aiden?" she wondered. "What if Philippe is still here? What will I do if I see Ksaver again?"

Suddenly, Agatha felt a pang of sadness knowing she was here because of Liam. She had really thought he wouldn't just send her here, even if he lived here. She had hoped he would ask her first instead of dragging her without her knowing.

She wished he would understand why she didn't want to be here. Every time she got her hopes up, every time she wanted to believe there was more to life than sadness and betrayal, her hopes came crashing down.

"Aggie..."

Agatha's panic subsided when she heard Aiden, who had just woken up. He stumbled and almost fell, but she quickly caught him with a laugh.

"Aiden, are you okay? Do you feel something bad? Why are you awake already? It's still too early. You should be in bed resting to recover your strength. What really happened to you? How did Nysander take you? Why were you buried when we found you? Did he hurt you? Are you okay now? Does something hurt? Tell me, Aiden..."

Agatha couldn't help but ramble as she checked Aiden from head to toe, ensuring he had no injuries. For a long time, she had wanted to check on him but stopped herself because she knew he needed rest and didn't want to distract him. Now that he was awake, she could finally examine him closely.

Aiden laughed at Agatha's fussing but immediately embraced her. "I'm all right, Aggie," he said softly. "What happened? How did you find me?"

Agatha hugged him tightly as they sat on the floor. Hugging Aiden always made her feel less alone, as if they could endure anything together. So far, it seemed they had overcome everything with each other's support.

"Tell me first how Nysander got you," Agatha whispered. "But only if you're willing to share it, Aiden. I won't force you."

Aiden shook his head, then moved to sit on a couch near the golden table.

He spoke in a hesitant voice, "I'm not really sure, Aggie. I was sleeping when I heard something, like leaves rustling or soft footsteps. Then, when I woke up, there was this purple sphere in front of me. I couldn't scream because everything happened so fast. When I opened my eyes again, I was no longer in my room."

Agatha sat beside Aiden and hugged him again as fear filled his eyes.

"A woman in a black cloak came to me," Aiden continued, trembling against Agatha. "Her hair was orange, and she looked nice, but she hurt my palm. It hurt. I tried to escape, but... I wasn't familiar with the town. The last thing I remember was hiding in the forest. But she still found me. She beat me up before forcing me into another purple sphere. I was transported to..."

Agatha felt immense anger. She wanted to find this witch and fight her. How dare she hurt Aiden?

"...to a cave, and there he was. Nysander."

Aiden tightened his embrace, and Agatha did the same. Although she had many questions, she held back and let Aiden speak.

"The woman was gone, and it was just Nysander and me. He hurt my hand and took my blood. I fought him at first but..." Aiden paused, wiping his tears.

"Stop, Aiden, it's okay," Agatha said.

But Aiden shook his head. "It's fine. He hurt me, and I could do nothing. He took my blood until I could no longer stand..."

Anger consumed Agatha's heart. She knew it was hard to harbor hatred, but Nysander made her want to hurt him and slice him into pieces. She wanted to weaken him until he could no longer move, then snatch his heart from his body. She badly wanted to hurt him.

What kind of creature was he? How could he beat his own son, his own blood, just to selfishly save himself? It was unforgivable. Agatha was sure he would rot in the Underworld.

"Then, once he took my blood, he threw me to the side of the cave. I thought he would finally stop. I thought he would free me. But I was suddenly swallowed by the ground. I tried to scream for help, but he didn't even glance at me. Then, I woke up here."

Agatha was now crying too as she massaged Aiden's back.

Aiden looked up. "How did you find me, Aggie?"

Agatha knew Aiden was trying to change the subject, but she answered him anyway. She knew he wasn't comfortable talking about his good-for-nothing father. Still...

"Liam helped me," she said. "Then the Werebeasts aided us."

"Werebeasts?" Aiden's face lit up with curiosity. "Did you see them transform?" He sounded thrilled.

Agatha was glad that despite everything that had happened, Aiden didn't seem too traumatized. "Yes, of course," she said with a sweet smile. "I even saw their wolf form. And they are so big, Aiden. They're bigger than a horse. And they have sharp teeth. Actually, a Werebeast dug up your body."

"Really?"

Agatha nodded. "His name is Luke."

As honestly and sincerely as possible, Agatha told Aiden everything. From her search for him to the Werebeasts who had taken her to Liam. She also told him about Nysander's sins against the Werebeasts, how they asked for help, and how many helped them rescue Aiden. She even shared their plans to defeat Nysander, his father.

"What happened then?" Aiden asked, his sadness giving way to excitement. "Did you defeat him?"

Agatha paused. She shook her head. "I don't know, Aiden," she said. "I lost consciousness when we were swallowed by the quicksand. The sand absorbed my energy, and when I woke up, I was already here."

That was when Aiden looked around and noticed the room they were in. His lips parted in awe, admiring the elegance.

"Where are we, Aggie?"

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, we're at Etherealis," she said. "At the Orient Palace of the Water Fae Kingdom."

Aiden quickly stared at her, his eyes wide. He knew enough to understand that of all places, they shouldn't be here. She could be imprisoned or worse, killed.

In the past few months, she had heard rumors that King Philippe was dead, but she wasn't sure if she should trust them or if it was another trap.

"So why are we here?"

"I don't know myself, Aiden." Agatha shrugged, pouting a bit, just as confused as he was.

"Will they take you, Aggie?" Agatha could see the fear in Aiden's eyes, so she immediately shook her head, even though she didn't know the truth.

"Don't worry," she said. "I won't let them take me away from you."

"Should we escape?"

Agatha nodded decisively. "That's the only way I know."

She was analyzing the place to find a route they could take when Aiden suddenly neared her.

"Aggie…" he called. "I… I saw something."

Agatha glanced at him and gasped when she saw the cabinet had moved. It was now to the side, revealing a hidden tunnel.

"How did you find it?"

Aiden said, "I was just looking for things inside when I nudged one of the drawers, and then it just moved on its own."

"Aiden…" Agatha said, delighted. "We can escape now!"

Agatha didn't know what lay ahead, but she knew they couldn't just walk out the door. Someone would easily see them and report their escape plan to Liam.

Agatha took a lamp hidden on the side and lit it. They walked hand in hand toward the narrow passage. Once inside, Agatha stepped on a stone that wasn't level with the others, and the passage closed behind them.

The place was swallowed by darkness, but the lamp's light allowed them to see where they were headed.

Agatha's heart ached when she thought of Liam, but she needed to do this for Aiden.

It was strange, and she wasn't sure how to express it, but even though she wasn't leaving yet, it felt like she missed him already. Memories of their happy moments, misunderstandings, and silly antics kept flashing in her mind.

As they walked silently, everything reminded Agatha of Liam. It was like a dream cycle out of control. She didn't know how to end it, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to.

It was a bittersweet memory, and even though it pained her to remember everything, she would still choose to.

Despite the joy these memories brought, she was determined to escape. Because she wanted to live and be alive more than she wanted to love and be loved.