you promised to come back

Kaelos.

"I thought I had lost you." He said again, hugging me. I was standing looking lost, unable to comprehend what was happening.

He eventually let go of me; I was unable to bring myself to say a word, and my heart was beating so fast when he said, "Your mother has been unable to eat for days, thinking that you were dead."

"What are you saying?" I finally let out, looking very confused.

He slowly felt my forehead. "You have lost your memory?" 

I tried to recall what happened to me, how I found myself in this pack, and how I met Lyraea. Suddenly I felt a splitting headache, which made me groan in pain.

"Arg.." I clutched my head; the pain was unbearable.

"Please, move away from him." Lyraea came closer to me and held me closer to her embrace; the way she stared at me made my heart start beating so fast.

"Can't you see that by trying to force him to remember, you are making him experience more pain?" She yelled. I stared at her, and then she slowly felt my pulse like a nurse would.

"Please, can you let him have some rest, please?" she requested.           I had a smile on my face; I couldn't stop admiring her features and the way she was delicate in her actions, which managed to make me want her even more.

I noticed the king's hands were balled into a tight fist; then suddenly, he turned to leave. He had a groan on his face, but I refused to budge to his demands.

"I'm requesting you one more time; he needs some rest," Lyraea said again.

I took a deep breath when he left. I could see the emotions evident in her eyes as she slowly wrapped her hand around mine, giving me a gentle squeeze.

"Knowing that now you are a prince, I know you will be going, and I might never be opportune to see you again, but I want you to be rest assured that I'll never forget all the sacrifices that you have made; it does mean a lot to me."

"But..."

"I know it'll be hard on me, but I suggest you leave. I always hate the way you are treated in this pack," she said with glistening tears in her eyes. For the first time in a long time, I saw real tears; I could feel the pain in her voice; it made me feel the need to always be there for her regardless of everything.

I slowly wrapped my hand around her, bringing her lips close to mine as I slowly kissed her, savoring every part of her lips. I painstakingly let go of her when I heard the door creak open. It was the man who had claimed he was my father; he was standing just inches away from me; his gaze was so intense when he noticed the closeness of Lyraea. I noticed her hesitance, and then she stood up and left.

I am now alone with the man who called himself the king of Austria; his dominating appearance made him look a bit more intimidating.

Then suddenly he stopped what he was doing, which was talking to one of the maids; he sat close to me and said.

"I know this must be sudden for you, but I'd like you to follow me back to the palace."

"I can't, please."

"Why?" he asked, leaning closer.

"Because there are more truths that need to be uncovered here, I just can't leave and leave everything behind."

He smiled and nodded his head in understanding, "Are you sure you don't want to leave everything behind, or you don't want to leave that lady that you were ready to receive pain just for her?"

"I__" words were stuck in my throat; I couldn't continue what I was saying because what he was saying was true. Thinking of what Martha is capable of, I know for sure that she can do anything to hurt her.

"Yes, I don't want to leave her behind."

He lets out a deep breath before he says something that made me reconsider my decision: "I know you can't recall your past life; that's the reason why I want to use this opportunity and tell you that your wife is waiting for you at home; don't leave her for someone you recently met."

"I have a wife?"

"Yes, my son and her name is Aurora; she's beautiful and caring. I always recalled the way you doted on her. Not until you went on a battle and things took a different turn, I thought you were dead. After we searched for you for weeks, there was no trace of you."

I tried recalling if I had a wife, and suddenly, splitting flash memory of the dead, a sword, blood was smeared, and people were killed. I gritted my teeth in pain; it was unbearable. Right now, I'm trying not to look vulnerable, but the pain intensifies the more I think.

"Please... please," I begged, wishing for the pain to stop. Suddenly, I felt soft hands around me. I looked up to see who it was, and I was surprised to see Martha. I calmed down a bit, looking at her a bit baffled.

"What are you doing here?" I scolded.

"I came here to take care of you, knowing your headache might act up again."

"Having this lady here is a better decision than that cursed woman." King Davis said.

I closed my eyes, and suddenly the urge to sleep was intense. "Please, I need some rest. Can you give me some time to rest?" I requested.

I closed my eyes. I felt my heart race from the thought of what he had said about me having a wife. When they eventually left, I dozed off.

"Kal... Kal," a melodious voice called out my name. I found myself in a different environment; it was like a forest, but at the river bank, the place was so green and beautiful, and the atmosphere felt so refreshed.

"It's me, Aurora."

"How did I arrive here?"

"It's in your head; I am here because I want to tell you that I'm waiting for you at home."

"But I don't know you."

"Yes, you do; you have forgotten, but when you come back home, I'll help you remember; please come back."

Something doesn't just seem right; I can't help but wonder how she was able to get into my head in the first place; "something about this place feels strange."

She was wearing a red floral dress. She came to me, sat beside me, and cupped her soft hands around my cheeks. "I have waited for you for so long; you don't know the heights I have to go just to get a glimpse of you again, my love. Please come to me; what you feel for that lady is just infatuation; it's not real; what we shared is what is real."

"But_"

"No buts, but make me feel loved again by coming back to my life, please." She begged. I felt my heart ache at her emotional voice.

"Kal, always remember the promise we once made when you said that you would come back after the battle; remember your promise."

I woke up from the bed. I was panting, my head ached, and I had to clutch my hair, trying to calm my nerves.

I felt my body feel a bit weak, and then the thought of what I just saw came sipping in.

'Could it be that I have a wife, as Adavis had said?' I thought inwardly.

Then the thought of Lyraea came sipping in: I can't let her all alone in the pack, or maybe I can go back to the palace and look for a trusted savant and bring him here so he can look after her because I need answers.

I closed my eyes. I was trying not to look vulnerable, but deep within me, I was scared, I was confused, yet I was determined to protect Lyraea at all costs, regardless of what people said.

I then heard a knock on the door. I turned to see who it was; it was the king's guard. "Sorry for the intrusion, but I was told that you should get ready because we would be leaving this morning."