[Aria's POV]
I looked at my brother and saw him take off his shirt. He was about to change his t-shirt when he looked at me.
"I'm going to eat when I get back," he told me.
"Huh? Why? Where are you going?" I asked, then followed him until he got into the bathroom. I was standing in front of the door waiting for his reply.
"I'm going to go to Sam's house. I'll be back by late night," he answered, probably changing his pants inside the bathroom.
My smile faded slowly. "So you're not going to eat here for dinner?" I asked him.
"Probably not," he answered. I lowered my face and looked at the floor. I thought we could eat together again this time before I leave, but no. I couldn't complain either. It's been like this ever since. Nothing new. Minutes after that, I heard a loud shut of the front door, and that's when I realised he had already left. I took a deep sigh and walked towards the kitchen to eat my lunch. Then, once again, I'm alone. Honestly, it's been three days since my birthday and I've been wondering if he will come again today.
I looked out the window, and from my direction, I could see Grandma's garden. Skylar told me last time that he would wait for me there until I decided to go with him to the world of elves. I don't believe him either. But there is a part of me that wants to see if it's true.
After eating, I went back to my room and took a nap.
Ring~ Ring~
I woke up when I heard a loud alarm from my phone. I lazily stretched my hands across my bed to reach the phone.
Oh God, it's already 9 p.m.?
I slowly sat on my bed while stretching my arms.
I looked outside the window and slowly pulled the curtain to the other side to see the garden.
"Eh? I thought he would be here by now, "I told myself, and was about to close the curtain when I saw a shadow near the pond in the middle part of the garden. My eyes widened when the shadow immediately vanished into the grassy part of the garden.
What was that?
I opened the curtain even more, then I saw a guy looking in my direction. At first glance, I already knew he was here. I immediately closed the curtain and turned off the lights and ran downstairs. I looked once more at the living room. It took me seconds, and then I immediately looked at the door and ran towards it. I walked to the garden while my eyes kept wandering.
Where is he? I saw him. I can't be imagining things, right?
I walked towards the pond and looked at it when I suddenly heard a voice behind me.
"Have you decided already, Lady Aria? "he asked. I looked at him and saw he was standing behind me, wearing a tunic with trousers at the bottom. There was also a cloak which made him look like a person from the medieval era. He smiled at me as he noticed me examining his clothes.
"Oh, I'm sorry," I apologized for being rude while staring at him, but he just nodded as if it was nothing.
"Shall we go now, Lady Aria?" he asked me.
It took me seconds before I finally realized what he meant, and I asked him, "Lady Aria?"
Why would he even call me like that? It sounds so formal.
"Because you're the daughter of our Queen Aleessia and Freyr Dorwynn," he answered me.
"Huh?" I asked him. It looks like he wasn't surprised at my reaction at all. Oh well, I bet he expected me to react like that. That's why he explained it to me little by little. I even asked him so many questions all at once, and until now, I can't even process everything inside my head.
Me? Their saviour? I was the daughter of the late Queen and King of the kingdom in the world of elves. But because of a disaster that happened decades ago, I died with my parents and was reincarnated as a mortal woman. Skylar was a very loyal guy and he kept watching me ever since to fulfil his duty and promise to my mother to guide and keep me safe.
He gave me an hour to think about it again, until I finally calmed down and looked at him again. No matter how many times I looked at him, he looked really old-fashioned. From how he dresses to how he addresses me. It looks so unreal. I can't even imagine if someone would talk to me like this aside from him.
"Are you ready, Lady Aria?" he asked me. I slowly looked back at the house. I thought about this a hundred times in the last two days, and I know I would like to be in their world! My curiosity can't handle it anymore. But I wonder, will it be alright? My brother Kenma has no idea about this. I tried to tell him about this last time, but I just couldn't find the right time.
"Lady Aria?" I heard Skylar ask me again. I looked at him, purely confident, and nodded. He smiled at me and I could tell from his eyes how happy he was when he heard my answer. He turned his back on me and walked towards the pond.
"Follow me, Lady Aria," he asked me as we walked together. I looked around the garden. I didn't know my grandma's garden had some kind of portal here. I heard Skylar utter some random words that seemed like chanting words until a blinding light covered the water on the pond. I looked at it. I still can't believe it. It's real. It's chanting magic. My eyes can't be lying. After a minute, a magic door opened in front of us as he turned to me.
"Shall we go now, Lady Aria?" he asked me. I looked at him, but just like earlier, I couldn't see anything on his face aside from joy. I replied, "Sure," and we walked towards the door. As I stepped inside the door, I thought my feet would get wet because of the pond underneath us, but to my surprise, I didn't feel any water below me. I saw a blinding light inside, and an unfamiliar dimension welcomed me.
I slowly closed my eyes and another scene appeared in my sight. Through the dark doorway concealed by a waterfall, we walk forward. We were welcomed right away with an intriguing scene. I'm delighted by a peaceful environment. Calm, cozy, and delicate. The stronger gravity makes the lush earth even more alluring. This world is remarkably different from Earth. It feels familiar despite the differences. For some reason, it evokes my past memories. There is a part of me that feels so at home here. I looked at the surroundings.
No doubt. I ain't dreaming. This is a fairytale-like setting that I usually hear about in fantasy stories. I looked at Skylar when he suddenly looked at me, shocked. My face turned blank when his serious face looked at me directly.
"Lady Aria, look out!" he shouted. My blood rushed through my veins and my adrenaline took control of me as I looked behind me. My eyes went round when I saw a hooded guy approaching me. I couldn't see his whole face, but I flinched when I saw his deep and cold eyes looking directly at me. He was holding a sharp dagger in his hands that made my body freeze for a moment.
What are you trying to do?
I was about to dodge his attack, but I already felt a strange thing strike my chest as I heard him shout.
"Die!!!"
The attack was swift and sudden. I felt the blade from the dagger, but I couldn't recognize the pain from it. It feels like my brain has stopped working.
Huh? It took me a second before I could think straight. I slowly looked at my hands, and I saw a red stain on them. I can't move. W-wait... D-did he just stab me? Am I dead?
I can't see anything aside from the fading light. Am I going to die here? Shit, I didn't expect this sudden turn of events. I even saw Skylar running towards me until I felt the cold floor beneath me. The last thing I saw before the darkness consumed me was his wide-eyed, worrying eyes.
***********
I slowly opened my eyes when I felt a warm yet calming rays of sunshine below my feet. What a feeling! This sounds like a good definition for a good morning. As I sat up on my bed I put my hands on my face as I felt sunshine touching my skin. Just how much brightness will touch my face? Only the light appeared in my sight. Am I in heaven? The last time I was in my right consciousness, I knew, someone stabbed me.
Is this the afterlife? I rubbed my eyes when I suddenly heard someone call my name.
"Aria…" I heard.
I immediately turned on my back and saw a gorgeous guy standing behind me. He's wearing a very gothic style dress that matches his beautiful smile. Fuck! Is he my guardian angel?
"I'm glad you're awake," I heard him say again as he walked towards me. As my sight adjusted to the bright light, I immediately saw his face. Skylar? What is he doing here?
He stopped walking in front of me.
"Where am I?" I asked him. That is the only moment I considered looking around myself. There is nothing much in this room. It's pretty a simple room, probably around 140 square feet, definitely larger for an average woman like me. There are some paintings that are hung around but it can be counted by my little finger. Maybe around 3? Oh no, there's only 2, my bad.
I slowly lowered my feet on the ground as my eyes kept wandering around. It's obvious. I ain't dead. Well, at least not yet though. Skylar just kept standing there, looking at me while standing. While my eyes keep wandering around, I can't help myself to be amazed by the other decorations in this room. It's very clean-looking, oh well, kinda old-fashioned. I don't know.
"It's already past evening, would you like to have dinner first?" I heard Skylar, asked.
I looked at him when I suddenly heard my stomach growling. I smiled at him, shyly.
The next thing I saw was an extravagant dining room. Oh well, it looked like I'm in a vacation. Is this some kind of prank? I tried to look around even more and glance if there's something going on around. Maybe Kenma was doing something out of his character right now. But no, as I looked outside the window, I saw nothing but a beautiful scenery. It can't be!
This scene is majestic. There are some kids out there, playing with the other kids while running and laughing around. You could also hear some folks shouting, probably selling their goods? But what amazed me even more is the guy nearby. He was just standing beside his stall while his hands were busy signaling in the air as the bubbles were dancing in the air. It seems like he's controlling it!
Just like what I saw from Skylar last time, This can't be a prank or some kind of dream. I'm really here in the world of magic! So many things keep amaze me, even their food. It's authentic! I can really taste how fresh the ingredients are!
I looked at Skylar, trying to invite him to eat with me, but he just kept smiling at me. Eh? Does it mean he doesn't want to eat with me? Or maybe he just doesn't like eating foods like this? Oh well, either way, it doesn't matter. I just continued eating until I'm full.
"Skylar, I-"
"Yes, Lady Aria?" he politely answered me.
"Ah- Can you refrain yourself from calling me Lady Aria? It sounds too formal, Aria is enough for me,"
"Why don't you like to be called like that, Lady Aria?" he asked.
"Huh? Ahh, well it's pretty formal,"
"It ain't formal at all, Lady Aria. It's only to show some respect to you, Lady Aria," he answered, obviously highlighting the title "Lady Aria" Arghh! Can't he see it's embarrassing to be addressed like that? What do you expect from someone like me? Bruh, it's already in the 20th century!
I got myself, facepalm as I heard the door connecting from the dining room to somewhere opened.
"Master Sylvar, I heard you're back!" A girl suddenly went inside this room, bowing her head while looking in our direction. She's wearing an old-fashioned corset dress, enough to show her nice curve.
"Elvene, I see. You must have heard it from the Aeverie. By the way, this is Elvene, she is one of my comrades. Eleven, this is Lady Aria, the late Freyr and Queen Aleessia's daughter," he introduced me.
I looked at her and the shock was evident on her face. Her eyes suddenly widened as if her eyeballs were trying to get away from her sclera. I gasped when she got scared for a bit as she bowed down while her body was facing me.
"Sorry for being rude, Lady Aria. I didn't know it was you, I'm really sorry," she said while facing the ground. I immediately raised my hands in the air and waved them while saying no. I wasn't bothered by it at all. Besides, I was still in the process of acceptance. I heard it from Skylar earlier, while walking. He said that I'm some kind of important person in their kingdom. That I'm the child of the late ruler of Spiwarion.
Not that I could get over it easily, but you know. Who knows what will happen to me in this world anyway. No one ever wondered that I would be some kind of princess in this wonderful land. Not even myself. I looked at her again as I saw her step back as she raised her head.
"Elvene, have you talked to that guy?" Sylvar suddenly asked her, seriously.
"Yes, master Sylvar. But he refuses to answer why he tried to stab Lady Aria," she answered and bowed again.
Stab me? Oh right! I remember! What happened to that guy, by the way? Ever since I woke up, I didn;t asked him why I'm still alive. I looked at my chest and saw nothing there. Oh well, aside from the cupcake-like breast of mine, I saw no traces of scar. As if I wasn't stabbed earlier, any chances. Is it just my imagination?
"I used my magic healing for you to heal much faster, Lady Aria," Sylvar answered my questions in my mind. I looked at him and to my surprise, I saw his hands full of bright light on his hands. I could guess that is what he's talking about, healing magic. That's so cool!
"But how about that guy, where is he right now?" I asked him.
"Don't worry about her, Lady Aria, he was caught immediately by my comrades and now imprisoned. Though I wasn't sure what his motives are, don't worry about it anymore. I'll protect you while staying here in the kingdom. Even if it costs my own life," he said, sincerely.