"The deepest tragedy has struck our land. The Queen of Acravia has passed away due to her poor health."
The headlines of the newspaper read as the tons started to murmur among themselves, causing an uproar.
***
Xavier looked at the pale corpse that lay on the bed. As the regrets from the past resurfaced, he could think of only one thing. If only he spent less time outside and spent a few moments with his wife.
"Your majesty…" The king's man who stood a few feet away from him, called out. "It's time." He continued.
"She is never waking up, is she?" Xavier asked, his face rooted with sorrow and regret.
"No, your majesty," Reginald responded.
Xavier gave a nod, walking away. Wishing to run away as far as he could from the truth. The truth was that she was no longer there.
If only he had stopped hiding from her, if only… the word 'if' was all that was left. He was nothing more than a coward and always has been.
Xavier couldn't even tell her the fact he fell for her the moment his eyes landed on her for the first time.
The seventeen-year-old Agatha sat in the parlour of her house in a sage gown. Her hair was tied up neatly, and her porcelain face soaked the sunlight coming from the window opposite her. With emerald eyes glittering like a real jewel and lips that remind him of the best of the best pink roses he ever saw. He even remembers how she was lost in the world of the book she was reading, the way her face changed with each page was something unforgettable.
"Your majesty, the ceremony is about to start. You should come out of your room." Reginald knocked on the door, hoping to get a reply.
"I said leave me alone!" Xavier yelled, curled up into a ball by his bed with tears rolling down his cheeks. If only he had another chance to amend his ways. Xavier broke down just thinking about the past. If he knew she would pass away, he would have never left her all alone after the birth.
As memories of the past flooded in, Xavier couldn't help but be further angry with himself. Time seemed to have struck for him. He heard infinite knocks on his door from people and his body refused to move or speak. It seemed to die with his heart. As he lay on the floor for an unknown amount of time his eyes looked at the ceiling, only thinking in his head was to go get a second chance to be with her. This time he didn't want to be a coward, but bold about his feelings. As his eyelids got heavier with passing seconds, he prayed, with all his might. A second chance…
The next time Xavier opened his eyes he found himself in an unfamiliar place. It was not his bed-chamber, he was in the comfort of a bed in his nightgown.
Perplexed by the whole situation, he looked around him. The unfamiliar place was not something he imagined waking up to. What was going on?
"Reginald!" He called out, getting out of bed.
Within a moment, young Reginald entered the room, with dressers. Xavier was further shocked by how young Reginald looked.
"Leave us alone." Xavier looked at his dressers and instructed, and stared back at Reginald.
Once the dressers were out of the room with only him and Reginald left alone. Xavier went up close to him, squinting his eyes to inspect Reginald's face to see if he was not seeing wrong.
"Your majesty… ?" Reginald blinked, surprised by the way he was acting.
"Where are we?" Xavier asked, his eyes studying the surroundings.
"We are inside the castle of the Duke of Chrishenburgh. You are getting married to his daughter today." Reginald was skeptical with the way Xavier was behaving yet he still answered his absurd question.
Xavier gasped hearing Reginald. It can't be for real. He was back in time! Right on the day of his marriage to Agatha! His face lightened up in delight.
Xavier holds onto Reginald's shoulder, his face beaming in joy, "Tell me, it's not a dream!" He squealed.
"It's not. Are you alright, your majesty? Should I call the royal physician?" Reginald was further dubious by his eccentric behavior.
"No! It's my wedding day. We should get ready. Fast!" Xavier commanded, not being able to hold his ecstasy and even taking off his clothes by himself.
Xavier excitedly ran off once he changed his clothes with Reginald trying to catch up to him. "Where are the future queen's quarters?" Xavier inquired.
" Just across the hall…" Reginald answered.
Xavier stepped hurriedly and opened the door without even knocking. There she was sitting by her vanity table with her dressers, dressing her up.
Her emerald eyes only lifted at the noise of the door opening. Agatha immediately got up from her seat, and bowed, "Your majesty…" Agatha greeted, in her soft sweet voice.
"Everyone out. I wish to talk to my wife alone for a moment." Xavier commanded, trying to keep a straight face and holding himself from jumping onto her in ecstasy in front of others.
He knows how much Agatha hates getting affection in front of others. In her words: they will think of her as his wife, not their queen.
Once everyone was out of the room, Xavier stepped forward, and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly.
"Thank god… it's not a dream… " Xavier sighed in relief once he felt the warmth of her skin. She was alive.
Meanwhile, Agatha turned emotionless, as she hugged him back. Her lips tightened up, with looks sharper than the dagger.
"Yes, thank god... it's not a dream…" She muttered to herself.