Cecilia POV
"What did you call us here for... father?" I spoke, a bit awkwardly.
Duke Ashington turned towards Loki and I. He walked back to his desk and grabbed a couple of papers.
"I know it's a bit much to ask of you but you should learn about all the guests..." He said as he walked over to me. "Mostly the ones who you're already acquainted with."
He handed me the papers and I gazed through the long list of names of people. I felt my face go dark. The ball was just a few days away! How could I possibly learn all this.
I looked up to Duke Ashington, trying to see if he was joking. But he wasn't. I almost sighed.
"Don't worry Cecilia, Loki and I will help you learn them all seamlessly." Shahira said with kindness. She took the papers from Cecilia's hands and began to look over them.
Ever since the memory loss incident, Shahira had been trying her hardest to get to know and be close to me. She was so kind and loving yet I couldn't find it in myself to accept her. Right now, at most, I could see her as a kind step mother but nothing more.
My heart clenched slightly. I nodded to her request. Then I looked at my father.
"Who will be my escort?" I asked simply.
"Your brother. I've made the arrangements." Duke Ashington said.
Hearing this, I had no reply. The only problem was that my brother and I had never gotten along so would he even save me face and actually escort me?
I realized I wasn't the only one who had that thought when my mother said,
"Dear, is Kyril really the right choice to escort Cecilia? What do we do if he doesn't show up?"
Duke Ashington: "Don't worry Shahira, I've made arrangements if that happens also."
I had gained or maybe, regained a fair bit of my memory as Cecilia and so, I understood a lot about the family dynamics.
We were a family of four. And I only had one younger brother who was close with me until he turned 10. At that time, he was sent to the imperial academy in the capital of Kenelm. He came to visit only once since then and he acted as if I was trash.
Maybe he had realize he would rule the Ashington family one day. But even so, Neither the Cecilia from then not the me from now cared about those kinds of things.
What made it worse was that I myself didn't have siblings in the other world, so I couldn't say I missed out on anything.
"Oh, Baron Von Strident and his daughter will be coming, that's shocking. I didn't realize they were back." Shahira said with intrigue.
Duke Ashington's face changed slightly. And I felt as if I had heard that name before, so I paused, perking my ears.
"Baron Von Strident's brother has passed so now, he can't run from his responsibilities anymore and he has to run his fiefdom. As for his daughter... she has to attend. She's around a year older than Cecilia and she has yet to enter society. This is the perfect opportunity to introduce her." Duke Ashington said as if he was giving a news report.
Shahira nodded. "Poor thing really... I heard her mother has been sickly since she gave birth so her education has been neglected."
"Yes..." Duke Ashington said, his face dark as he gazed towards me. I noticed him, but I didn't pay much attention. For now, I was focusing on rummaging my mind for the name Baron Von Strident. It was so familiar but I still couldn't pinpoint it. There, something came to mind.
"Impossible..." I said as I bit my lip. "Uh...Mother... can you give me the papers. I'm going to go study with Loki now."
"Of course." Shahira said handing the papers back to me. She was then going to speak again but I spoke first.
"I'll come see you if I need your help."
With those words Shahira smiled and I smiled back at her for her sake, more than mine. Then when Loki and I were out the door I began looking at the names of the guests and frowned.
Ellie Von Strident.
In the matter of seconds two memories came to mind. Like flashes.
The first was of a young Cecilia in her father's study.
"Cecilia... do me a favour..." it started. "Protect your sister..."
As he said the second part, another bunch of memories came to mind.
I was in my other world.
I was sitting on the floor playing a game. The cover had a beautiful girl with blonde hair and green eyes. She sparkled and she was surrounded by good looking men. The title read "Lucky Princess"
I was playing yet I was frowned. I was at a point where Ellie was under attack by shadow figures.
As the Ellie character I dogged and dogged the attacks but I could keep doing it forever, and then, when Ellie was about to get attacked.
"No...." the old me had groaned but then a figure came out of nowhere and protected Ellie. Getting a full blast of wind magic. Blood spewed out of her mouth.
Now, the rest of the party came and then the attackers were gone.
The party members went to check up on Ellie, but she was crouched down holding a body.
Ellie began to cry. "Why... why Cecilia!"
Then the big reveal came. Cecilia Ashington laid dying in Ellie's arms.
She was only 18 years old. I was going to die... at 18.
At present, my face went pale.
"What's wrong my lady?" Loki said with concern.
But I completely ignored him...
I felt my insides burn.
I knew where I was now. And I knew who I was.
But all of that didn't matter... because I got reborn as a minor character and in less that three years, I was going to die.