WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO HER?

The moment Zera stepped inside the castle, her head felt like it was splitting open, memories after memories flooded her mind in a stream of blurred faces and broken voices. And none of them belonged to her. They were more like the memories of a past life. Past her.

The people, the grand throne, the architecture, the sound of chatter, the scent of royals, everything felt so familiar yet so overwhelming. So familiar yet so new.

She felt her steps fluttering, her limbs unsteady. Her eyes started to blur up with what felt like tears. Why were there tears in her eyes? What was happening to her? She felt as if she was not herself anymore. 

The whispers around her started to get louder. "What is wrong with this human?" they said. "I never knew humans were this weak. Pathetic." They laughed. "She doesn't look much different than us, though," they mumbled.

"Lady! Are you alright?" She felt arms wrapping around her waist, holding her weight. Her knees were weak, she could barely carry herself up. The man who had his arms around her was the Fae she was with on the journey here. 

"Take her to the chamber, now!" A booming voice came and it made a shiver run through her spine. That voice, she had heard it before. She knew that voice. When she tried to recall where she heard it from, her head started spinning. Black dots started to bloom in her vision. Her eyes rolled back, her body turning cold. 

The last thing she felt before falling into an abyss of darkness was her name being whispered against her skin and her being lifted into calloused hands. Hands that felt so familiar yet incapable of remembering. 

***

When she fluttered open her eyes, the first thing that fell into her vision was a luminous, royal chamber bathed in moonlight and a man, sitting hunched on the foot of the bed. 

She sprung up from the bed, her head spinning. The motion alerted the man to turn around and meet her gaze. His striking silver eyes are what snatches her attention first. Then his pointy ears adorned in golden chains, his strong jaw and even stronger brows, his high cheekbones and pretty thin, yet plump lips. 

Her breath got sucked out from her lungs, her whole body tingling like it was reacting to this man's presence— her heart ready to burst out from her chest. 

Something was really wrong with her. She did not feel like herself, her own body felt as if it was betraying her. The man's face was so beautiful, so familiar even though it was the first time she laid her eyes on him or anyone with that kind of beauty. 

The man rushed to her side with a long exhale. "How are you feeling now?" he looked at her with those fear-filled orbs and she wondered what made him like that, what scared him like that. 

Was it her sudden fainting? But why would he care so much? Because, at the end of the day, she was just a mere human traded as a link between both realms. Faes are cruel and cunning, they do not harbour such sentiments like humans. But why was this man looking at her with such vigour and concern? The look in his eyes was so humane.

"Why are you not responding?" He asked, taking a step closer to her. 

"Who are you?" She mumbled, the intensity of his gaze making her squirm. Everything about this man was making her head spin. His voice, his eyes, everything felt so familiar yet so foreign. 

The man gave her a small smile, yet the pain in his eyes betrayed him, "I'm your betrothed." he said, "Our wedding will be enacted at midnight."

"Oh." She whispered. Maybe that would be why he was concerned about her. He would need to be looking for another human bride if she was to die. He would not be needing all the headaches.

The man let out a long breath that he seemed to be holding, "You can rest for a while here if you need to." He said. But she could barely hear anything. His beauty was distracting her, making her head all mushy. 

When she did not respond, he retreated from the chamber with a gentle nod. And even after he left, she felt as if he was still there, his scent brimming in the air, his voice and face cramming her head.

Why was he so gentle with her? Faes were never known for their gentleness but for their ruthlessness. They were never known as beings with care but cruelty. 

Before she could dwell on her thoughts, a few maids rushed inside the chamber with trays filled with juices and treats. Their eyes rolled around her, and she took it as their wonder toward seeing a human for the first time. 

"Her ears are rounded!" One of the maids mumbled to the other beside her with a wonder-filled voice. 

"Oh, I just saw it!" The other one said a little too loudly and her friend nudged her shoulder in warning. But she kept going, "Her eyes! They are purple." 

Now everyone's eyes are scrutinizing her orbs. A small gasp left their mouths. "Oh! You are beautiful." 

A blush bloomed on Zera's cheeks, a smile taking over her lips for the first time in weeks. "Thank you. But it's lilac." She spoke out shyly. 

"You look just as beautiful as you looked before." A voice caught her attention. It belonged to a maid standing in the back. Her face was hidden by all the maids standing before her. 

"What do you mean?" Zera found herself asking. 

She was a human after all, and from an entirely different realm. How would this maid ever encounter her before? Sure, humans are brought into the Fae realm every year. But there were a lot of kingdoms in this realm. And she was the first one to be brought into the Silver Flame Palace. 

Something about this woman's words unsettled her. All those memories that flashed in her mind right after she stepped foot in this palace had already made her uneasy. And now hearing this very weird statement from this maid was making her head spin. 

"Oh, I— I—" The maid looked scared, her face going as pale as a ghost. She wiped a sweat that collected in her temple and flashed her a forced smile. "I— I was hallucinating, my lady. Please pardon my words." 

With that, she rushed out of the chamber, leaving Zera dumbfounded.