His eyes couldn't believe it, as Lucius's lifeless body was laying within the coffin and being mourned by the Ex-king's assistant, the very guy who killed him in cold blood back in the other world?
Why would Aroon tar be mourning Lucius Satcliffe's death?
But Then, As he watched Aroon crying his eyes out, Ned remembered something at that moment...
A conversation that he had long ago, That made him question things even more.
...[Tiny flashback]....
A curious Ned wanted to ask Jihi something, it's has only been few days since he signed his contract but he had so much to ask, especially about the rebirth that Jihi has spoke about before.
"What do you exactly want to know?" Jihi said while sipping on some tea, "Why the Normal world? why wouldn't the resurrection happen in our world?" Ned eagerly asked.
Jihi quietly poured him a cup of tea, "There's many reasons why, but I'll tell you the main reason for this...the Reincarnation isn't happening for the first time, but actually the second time."
Ned blinked twice in surprised, " Second? you mean this has happened before?" he asked again.
" Yes darling, someone of your friends was already resurrected once, that friend had already died is a similar manner before.
So the Reincarnation will be taking a place elsewhere, the Normal world that is...rebirth can only happen once in each world, a new beginning if you'd consider it that way." Jihi replied sipping on more tea.
The new attitude of the cloaked mage towards the matter bothered Ned, "Why are you helping me so much Jihi?... it's almost as if you're trying to wash away a past guilt."
"Sharp as ever, it's not you that I'm helping exactly Ned, it's an old friend...and by helping you, I hope you'll get to help my friend in return since I can't personally Interfere with that person." Jihi spoke with a hint of sadness in their voice, it was rare for the mystery boss to show any negative emotions especially to employees like Ned.
"Who's your friend? is it the same person who got resurrected twice?"
"No, but that person is someone you know."
"Someone I know? so both of them, The person who got resurrected and your friend, are my friends?"
"Yes darling, well until the very end...I can't tell you more than that Ned... but whatever happens, I hope That you make a better choice, even if it's not what you originally wanted to make."
"Why do I have a feeling that I'm going to regret signing that contract with you, the moment I get to see who's the friend you're talking about Jihi?" Ned questioned.
"Oh darling regret is certain to come in your case, but I'm not afraid of how you will behave, if anything...I Know your heart is pure even if your mouth isn't hehe." Jihi said snickering a little.
"Hey! I'm not the only one with a dirty mouth here! speak for yourself!"
"Haha! sure thing darling, just remember what I told you, and try listening to your heart more in the future." Jihi Replied while pouring another drink for the both of them.
...[End of Tiny flashback]....
" Aroon...so it was you, the friend Jihi asked me to look after.
Jihi must've been crazy asking me to help you, but why do I pity you in this moment?" Ned whispered to himself, he was still not spotted by the pink haired man.
The sounds of Aroon's honest crying, woke a deep feeling of sorrow within Ned, although he couldn't remember his mate very well, he felt like he has lost him every single day, The ex-doctor Wondered if what pushed Aroon to do what he did back in their world, was that feeling of loss.
Despite everything that happened, Ned was still unable to hate Aroon entirely, the month that he spent with Aroon pretending to be his friend if he was pretending and not actually being his friend, was one of the best months of his life.
Slowly but calmly, Ned approached Aroon until he managed to place a hand on the pink haired man's shoulder, the sudden touch startled Aroon a little so he lifted his head up to see who was now patting him gently.
"Who are you?!" Aroon spoke softly, his voice was still hoarse and mostly gone from all the crying, " An old friend, you might not remember me now, but I hope that when you do...those memories will be nothing but a bad dream." Ned replied sitting next to him.
Aroon's tears were still falling down his cheeks but his eyes were obviously puzzled, he didn't recognize this dark purple haired stranger in the black suit, although Aroon could sense a strong aura of magic coming out of this stranger man.
"Don't look at me like that, I can't answer everything for you, though you'll get your answers someday, Aroon."
"How do you know my name? who are you?!"
"It's a long story, but let's keep it for another day...you can call me Ned." Ned spoke in calm manner, The Lord of Time was kind of surprised at himself for holding back so much, while he sat down next to the guy who supposedly took away everything from him.
"Ned...what a funny name, *sniffing* I would have remembered such a name if I heard it before." Aroon replied, somehow sitting next to Ned calmed him as well, he felt his tears finally drying a bit.
"You're an Omega like myself." Ned simply spoke while staring at the casket.
" *sniffing* I never expected to be exposed in such a way but yes, I am."
"So Lucius, was he someone you cared about...you can tell me Aroon, anything that comes into your mind, I'll listen."
"You know him too?...Well, My Lucius He...was everything worth living for to me.
He was like a brother I was raised besides, The friend that walked with me through the hardships of life, and a lover that I rejoiced in waking up every morning in his embrace...Lucius was my world and I just lost my world." Aroon's voice cracked at the end, threatening for another burst of tears, but he gripped tightly on his clothes to hold back.
Ned's eyes widenedna little, when he used to question Aroon about His interest in Lucius, the assistant would simply say something like 'i like something about his eyes' or anything of that sort, it made the doctor really sure that Aroon liked the inky eyes servant.
In fact, Aroon was incredibly annoyed without explaining why, when Muriel brought Lucius into the party to babysit the children, almost as if Aroon didn't want Lucius to get caught into the trap.
And although he couldn't remember his mate physically, Ned remembered that his mate and Aroon had history together and it seemed like the motive behind the 'trap party', yet the reason why Ned never suspected anything going on between the two before that party, was mainly because Aroon talked so much about Lucius, Ned believed Aroon was crushing on Lucius.
Was he in love with two people at the same time?
"Why did you disguise yourself as Lucius's mother? did 'Luciel' mean something to you as well, or was he just your lover's mother?"
Gasping "You have seen that as well?!" Aroon asked surprised.
"Yeah I Know you can shape-shift Aroon, now answer my question."
Looking down at his hands, "I am a runaway slave, no one knows I exist but Lucius and his mother.
Ever since I came into their lives, I've been Living with Lucius's mother in the same house, and since my mother in law is sick most of the time, I have no choice but to use Luciel's image to hide my real identity whenever I leave the house, and good enough...people believe what their eyes see, they don't suspect me." Aroon replied lifting his head again, his eyes ended-up landing on Lucius's forever sleeping body while he battled the urge to cry again.
"Mother in law? you refer to Lucius's mother as your mother in law?" Ned asked.
"Is it strange? Lucius promised me that We will get married soon, yet this tragedy had to happen... before I could even have a ring around my finger." Aroon replied.
"But marriage for people like us at a time like this? isn't it impossible?!" Ned said.
"Traditionally yes...but if we marked each others, then we would be married by our ancestors rules, Mates are considered married." Aroon spoke smiling sadly as he glanced at his ringless finger.
Ned was baffled by those words, "You mean there is a way to mark someone, without it happening on its own?!"
"Why yes! by magic anything can be done! although that comes at a hefty cost, for the mage casting such spell that is.
Since the two people wanting to be tied cannot cast it themselves, a third person will have to do it for them. " Aroon explained.
"I'm guessing at this point, but I assume that the cost of doing such amazing magic, is one's own health?" Ned asked.
"Yes, unfortunately...that is why my mother in law is constantly bedridden and sick, Luciel's magic has gathered so many unfortunate souls together, souls that could have waited a century for a love that will never come or last."
"But why casting such a spell is harmful? isn't helping people find true love something worth rewarding over? Why is it killing Luciel?"
"It is harmful since it requires both light and dark magic, for example Lucius's magic represent the light, and I represent the dark magic...but mother in law who is far more skilled than the both of us, represents both types of magic, and mastering both types can be a deal with death itself.
It is certainly a field for the few whom can handle it." Aroon replied.
"Isn't dark magic like...the bad type of Magic?" Ned asked, his curiosity got the better of him.
"Not necessarily Ned, while dark magic is certainly not the safest nor the most pure form of magic, Mastering dark magic is even harder than mastering light magic and it can be for a better cause.
Learning Dark magic can help break curses, and even heal hopeless cases of sicknesses and injuries." Aroon said smiling again, "I helped far more people with dark magic than you could have imagined, after all... in order to defeat evil, you must know evil." he added, his smile faded as easy as it came.
Whispering, "What the hell happened that you became the Aroon I know?!" Ned said.
"Huh? did you say anything Ned?"
"No, Aroon...hey? can you leave England or at least this area for a while?" Ned asked.
Ned's sudden question took Aroon by surprise, "Leave? Why would I leave? I cannot do such a thing! not at a time like this! my Mother in law is taking his Final breaths, I must remain by his side until the end.
He has already lost a son...a second would be too much!" Aroon replied.
"And what about the contract? I saw everything, the portal and the witch.
From what I heard, you're going to be loosing your memories of someone."
"Yes unfortunately, Lucius for some reason has signed a contract with a witch to protect me, that woman said the payment is to be my memories of Lucius...that idiot had to make me pay with literally the only and most valuable thing left for me to own.
I would rather lose my Memories of old age and sickness, than to have them taken away from me, but Because of the contract, I have no choice but to give up my memories of Lucius once the day ends." Aroon replied.
"If I told you that I am in the same pair of shoes as you Aroon, would you believe it?"