Chapter 20

Chapter 20: “Into The Darkness, Again”

Eleanora’s pov ~

A few moments ago, Marquise Roselia came and called my father for an imperial urgent meeting.

It seems like there was a sudden problem with the temple as i also saw some priest on my way.

I was walking on this familiar paths as i still couldn’t distinguish if am dreaming now or my memory is only a dream?

I tried to calm myself down as every path, only reminded me of horrible memories. I kept walking and then suddenly stopped in the middle of the imperial garden.

I stood where my past memories from the dream was bought back again. Yeah, i stood here and cried as i stroked my belly which had a tiny life inside of it.

The life, which i choose to accompanying me in the darkness. If i had revealed that i was pregnant, maybe our life would be saved.

.....

But we would have to live a worse life then dead.

With a mother who escaped her sentence because she was pregnant with him and a father who didn’t care about him and his mother.

Maybe he would also be neglected like me once Jena gave birth to another child again. I just hope for the truth to be revealed and see my face when they meet their end and regret.

Then i looked at the tree where i had an hallucination of seeing a man which i found empty after approaching.

This memories are just to vivid to be a dream, Am i really dreaming now or am back to the past?

I really needed someone to help me with all this, but i just didn’t knew whom to share it with. Will i not be considered as a madman for this?

I sighed then turned around to leave the place but i bumped into something, which i knew that it was a boy.

I fall on the ground and rubbed my nose as i felt hurt and i saw a hand with long slender finger come into my vision.

I looked up and i was horrified to death...

‘What is he doing here?’

Black hair that shined like silver under the bright sunlight and his bloody red eyes which looked more darker as the shadow fall over his face.

I looked at him with my widened eye and wore a horrible expression of fear.

No...

No... no... no... no...

He couldn’t be here. He isn’t supposed to be here.

It’s my dream! At least let me be happy here!

‘You are nothing, Eleanora. She is the only one who can bear my child and become the heir of mine.’

No, please, no... I’m not ready...

‘You have been found guilty of the charges against you.’

Cold, familiar red eyes stared down at me.

Piercing gaze, Like a tiger watching its prey with curiosity.

‘Therefore, with the power held within me, I, Cathain De Valerian Valentino, Emperor of the Valentino empire...’

I took two steps back with the help of my hands slowly, unable to take my eyes off the teenage boy, in whom am seeing a adult man, in front of me.

‘...sentence you, Eleanora Dalton, former empress of the Valentino empire...’

“Crown Princess?”

A familiar friendly voice called out to me, who was standing beside him. However, I couldn’t register their words.

‘...to death.’

I tried to get up to run but i fell backwards to the ground in front of the man who had been my death.

Who will be my death again.

‘Your sentence is to be carried out immediately.’

No, please, make it stop!!

I covered my ears feebly as the rational side of my brain tried to convince me this wasn’t real, that the voice was just a memory inside my head and nothing more.

Stop... stop... stop... STOP... STOP...STOP... STOP...

My body began to rock, trying to force the memories to leave me alone.

“Princess Eleanora...”

‘Empress Eleanora...’

That was his voice.

Even if it sounds less hostile and cold, i can still recognise it. It broke through my mental turmoil enough to make me freeze.

It was exactly the same. Nothing was different. Nothing had changed.

“... Why are you here?”

I managed to whisper. However, I wasn’t sure if I was asking the question to him or asking myself.

“You realise that am the crown prince of this empire and it’s normal for me to be here, right?”

When I didn’t reply he frowned.

“Crown Princess, it’s rude to present yourself in this manner to your future emperor, The crown prince.”

Another voice beside him said and i saw how his eyes glowed with hatred, the moment he heard him calling me crown princess.

“Princess, please get up. You’re embarrassing me in front of another Prince of our alliance.”

I could hear what he was saying but all I could see was the swing of my sword before it hit my neck.

Over... and over... and over... and over again...

“Are you honestly just going to completely ignore what I’m saying to you? Don’t you have any manners?”

He spoke, increasingly becoming angrier.

I couldn’t get my body to respond. Nothing I did would let me take control.

I was helpless to him, just as I had been in the past.

I wasn’t different even in my own dream. I hadn’t changed. He was fated to control my life no matter how many times i died or dreamt or lived.

“Stop it! Get up right now!”

I could feel the tone of his superior authority trying to command me, but even that wasn’t able to get through to me.

When he saw me still refusing to move, he eventually lost patience and reached his hand out towards me.

At last, my body finally did react.

I flinched, turning my face away as I held my hands up in defence against the slap I anticipated was about to land.

But it never came.

I dared to peek up at him and saw he held a look of shock at my response, the hand he had stretched out having stopped midway before making contact.

I looked at his arm and, to my surprise, I saw how it was positioned as if he had been planning to pull me to my feet rather than slap me.

I’d acted on impulse when there had been no real danger of physical pain.

“I think it might be best not to touch her and leave her be for a moment to calm down.”

A boy with shiny dark blue hair with bright golden eyes said, stepping in.

Who seem to come from the opposite direction, mostly from the imperial meeting hall.

Wait...He is...

“I greet the princess of the Dalton Duchy, Lady Eleanora Dalton. I am Dominic Caisson Arendell, The second prince of the Arendell Kingdom.”

He bow down a little to greet me and I just stared at him. He wasn’t supposed to be alive.

What’s happening?

Then i meet his fierce red gaze which was burning up more and more as time passes by...

...And this was how i once again fall into the deep darkness, all alone.

.....