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AUTHOR NOTE:
I just want to say that chapters 1 to 6 are rewritten, so chapters beyond that are old, so don't get discouraged if you see a significant drop in quality, because I get better at writing as I go, so the newer chapters are way way better in quality than the ones past 6
Thank you!
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Birds chirped on the windowsill, hopping along the frame as sunlight spilled through the open window. Outside, oak leaves swayed gently in the morning breeze.
Luna's eyes fluttered open. She sighed softly.
The room felt unfamiliar. Different.
She jolted upright in bed.
"What…?" she muttered, glancing around in confusion.
Nothing looked familiar. Everything stood out as wrong.
Then , in the blink of an eye , a sharp pain shot through her head.
Clutching it, she let out a pained whine. "ARGH!"
"What… is this…?"
Someone else's memories surged into her mind , voices, faces, glimpses of a life she had never lived.
The pain intensified.
She gasped, grabbing her temple. Dizzy and unsteady, she lost her balance and tumbled off the bed, landing hard on the wooden floor , face first, beside a tall mirror.
Sunlight caught her face, momentarily blinding her.
But in that flash of light, something struck her , a flicker of clarity. A recognition.
The memories she'd just glimpsed… they were hers.
Luna Lockheart.
With trembling hands, she slowly pushed herself up. Still dazed, she murmured, "Where am I…?"
She rubbed her face, eyes scanning the room.
The floor was paneled with small wooden boards, the walls a soft pink adorned with a pattern of lilies. Curtains the color of aquamarine framed the windows.
To her right: a bed near wall cabinets.
To her left: a painting of a man , familiar, somehow.
It was her dad. Reed Lockheart.
"...Dad?" Luna muttered under her breath
His appearance could only be described as beautiful.
Black hair with soft curls framed his forehead, falling in elegant bangs. His eyes were a piercing blue beneath thick brows. His chin was sharp, his shoulders broad and sturdy.
He wore a deep midnight suit traced with silver embroidery, arcane patterns glinting along his cuffs and lapels.
A fine chain draped from his shoulder to a gemmed brooch over his heart , a sword engraved into it. His long coat split like raven wings behind him.
Mesmerized, Luna stared at the portrait.
Beneath it sat two armchairs with a small table between them. An unlit fireplace rested to their right.
On the far left stood the exit door, and beside it , an old clock hummed faintly, its hands ticking over a face lit by softly glowing magic stones.
She sat back on the bed, rubbing her forehead, glancing toward the cabinets. Just to their right, a door led into a wardrobe.
On the cabinet to the left of the door, a pair of soft pink earrings caught her attention. She stood and walked toward them, picking one up gently.
The pink gem shimmered, revealing an aquamarine sword engraved within it.
"…It looks beautiful," she murmured, still puzzled. She placed it back down carefully.
Turning toward the bed, something else caught her attention , a sharp tap on the window, near a pinkish vanity table.
A small stone struck the glass, falling onto the balcony , again, and again.
She approached the balcony, and a voice called up from below.
"Luna!"
"Luna!"
"Come outside! Let's play!"
She looked out. Five figures stood below, though from this height, she couldn't make out their faces.
Still… for some reason, the sound of their voices made her happy.
"Okay! I'm coming!" she answered with a smile.
Turning back, she noticed something odd , the pain from earlier… it was gone.
It had struck hard, but vanished just as suddenly. She brushed it off as a one-time thing.
Skipping across the room, she caught her reflection in the mirror , and froze.
She blinked, rubbed her face, and leaned in.
A petite girl stared back , waist-length pink hair in soft curls, a slim frame, slightly almond-shaped gray-blue eyes, and a heart-shaped face.
She looked around eight years old.
"What, I'm pretty! Like a White Lily!" she exclaimed, eyes sparkling with delight.
Touching her lips, she whispered,
"White Lily…?"
"…"
"I don't… look like a White Lily?"
The words escaped her without thought , strange and unfamiliar.
She didn't know why they came, but she let them go.
Anyway… where am I?
She pouted, scanning the room once more.
Maybe I'll remember later…
Luna walked to the exit door. Slowly, she pulled it open.
Outside, a knight in black armor stood by the door , a plume on his helmet, a sheathed sword at his side.
On his breastplate, a sword pointed downward. His cape bore a mirrored image , a sword pointed skyward, cradled by angelic wings.
Luna ran off down the corridor, the door left ajar behind her.
The knight turned and silently followed at a distance, Luna thought to herself:
To lose one's memory… just by falling out of bed?
Now that's something else…
…
Sprinting down the long corridor, Luna reached the open gate to the garden. Without slowing, she ran past the frame and down the path toward the voices that had called out to her.
As she passed beneath the old oaks, she finally saw them, and in that moment, a memory stirred.
They were her siblings.
Aria, Nyx, Lily, Keal, and Kane.
Aria at the age of fifteen stood with quiet poise, her soft strawberry-blonde hair cascading to her chest, catching the light in a warm, golden glow.
She wore a gentle, rose-colored dress that swayed lightly in the breeze.
Her hazel eyes, gently curved and almond-shaped, held a soft, steady warmth. Framed by loose waves, her heart-shaped face was both striking and kind, the very image of calm dependability.
There was a graceful balance to her presence, an effortless blend of elegance and quiet strength.
To her right stood Nyx.
At the age of sixteen he is a head taller than Aria. Dressed in the simple brown training garment worn by all trainees, complementing
His pitch-black hair, a stark contrast to his sharp, gray eyes, sharp jawline and His broad, V-shaped shoulders solid and reliable, yet had a feeling of untrustworthy at times..
"Took you long enough, Luna," Aria called out with a smile as she spotted her adorable younger sister.
"Sorry, I've… uhh… got lost on the way," Luna mumbled, trying to come up with an excuse.
Nyx exhaled, clearly seeing through her words. "Alright, alright. Come on, let's all play, since we've got the time."
"I'll be there first!!" shouted Keal, the first of the twins.
Dressed in a brown vest over a white shirt, with sharp green eyes and brown hair, the six-year-old charged ahead proudly, just like their grandmother once had.
"Ey! Stop it, I'll be first!" Kane jolted forward right after him, the second of the twins.
He looked exactly like Keal, from his clothes down to his features and age.
He was his twin.
Some common folk called it a curse, to bear identical twins. In some parts, they'd even be killed at birth. But the Lockheart family didn't care. To them, the boys were simply adorable.
Not far behind, six-year-old Lily ran after them, cradling a book against her chest.
"Wait for me!" she called softly.
Her neck-length pinkish hair swayed in the breeze, and her soft green eyes glimmered in the morning light. Her white dress fluttered around her, and in that moment, she resembled her grandfather uncannily.
Lily runs after them, trying, yet she falls back behind.
This is my family…
With a smile on her face, she rams after the trio in front. Slowly, behind them, Aria and Nyx walk shoulder to shoulder, chatting to themselves.
…
In the evening, Luna sits by the table on her sofa, with a fireplace lit.
She's holding a pencil, drawing a stickman on paper, while a maid dusts the cabinets with a duster.
Scribbling on the paper, Luna leans back into the comfortable sofa. If not for the situation, Luna would've fallen asleep instantly.
I don't remember anything… What is this softness?
This sofa is too comfortable! What is this?!
Luna sits straight, abstaining from leaning back.
She looks toward the maid working quietly in the corner of the room.
Who are all these people? They're servants, but… why don't I remember anything yet?
Wasn't it supposed to be a temporary thing?
A while ago I remembered everything in the blink of an eye… after I looked into the mirror.
But now, looking at her, I'm still in the dark.
As Luna thinks, something warm drips off her lip,
Blood droops down from her nose, unnoticed.
…
Finally, I get to work in Madam's room. It's a blessing.
A maid named Aisha diligently dusts off the accumulated dust on the cabinets.
Her straight brown hair fell down her back, complementing the depth of her blue eyes.
I've worked so hard since the day I saw her as a baby. Hard work pays off! With a smile and a blush blooming from her joy, Aisha turns toward Luna.
Oh Madam… You will never know the extent of my love I've held since that day…
She turns, pretending to walk elsewhere just for a chance to look at Luna.
But then she stops.
She notices something, something wrong.
Her brows furrow as she narrows her eyes.
Blood.
Blood dripping from Luna's nose.
"Madam! Are you all right?" Aisha hurries over, kneeling before her.
"You're bleeding, Young Lady!"
"Is everything alright? Does it hurt anywhere?"
"Please, let me call a doctor, and inform the Duke!"
Aisha hastily stands, already walking toward the door.
"W-wait! Stop!" Luna calls out, trying to stop her, uncertainty in her voice.
Aisha freezes, turning back with concern.
"Yes?"
I have a bad feeling. Something will go wrong if she tells Dad…
Luna, lost in thought for a moment, finally speaks:
"…Please call the doctor. But don't inform Father. I don't want to cause him unnecessary trouble."
Aisha's concern is clear on her face. She pauses to think it over, then bows deeply.
"All right, my lady. I'll do as you say."
What do I do?! My Madam is unwell… I want to report it to the Duke, but she says not to…!!!
Aghhh, what do I do?!
Aisha inwardly screams, only to be interrupted by Luna.
"Thank you so much. I'm happy that you listened to me."
Taken aback, Aisha's lips part slightly. Then, bowing again, she speaks with urgency,
"I'll go, Young Lady. Please wait a bit…!"
She steps through the door, closing it behind her.
Her hurried footsteps echo down the corridor, worry written across her face.
Back in the room, Luna wipes the blood from her nose with her finger.
Looking at it, she frowns.
Am I sick? It's not normal to bleed from your nose like this…
Anyway, that maid… I need to ask for her name. She…
Her thoughts were written all over her face.
Luna wipes all the blood off her nose and lips. Then, wiping her hand on her dress, she picks up her pencil again and continues drawing.
Let's wait for her for now… Maybe the doctor will tell me something about this place…
…
Aisha knocked three times on the door, calling out, "Young Lady, it's Aisha. I've brought the family doctor."
"Come in," came Luna's voice from behind the door.
Opening it, Aisha stepped aside as the family doctor entered.
"Then, Mr. Aux, I'll leave you with Young Lady Luna," Aisha said sincerely, a hint of concern in her voice.
Mr. Aux bowed. "Young Lady Luna, I am Aux Ver, the family doctor."
"Thank you" Luna said, and Mr. Aux straightened.
His work clothes were elegant, a brown vest over a crisp white shirt, paired with black trousers and a black tie.
His black, curly hair, disheveled from long nights of research, fell across his forehead. Tired blue eyes, heavy with sleeplessness, stood in stark contrast to the dark bags beneath them, each a quiet testament to his tireless dedication to the Lockhearts.
A trimmed beard framed his face, neatly groomed, with a refined moustache resting above it, dignified, yet worn. In his right hand, he held a cane, using it to steady his steps as he approached Luna.
With a warm voice, he asked, "What seems to be the problem, Young Lady Luna? Is something bothering you with your health?" he added, concern softening his tone.
"Mr. Aux, I need a health examination, like you said earlier. I had a really bad nosebleed, and… I don't think that's normal."
Chuckling, Aux sat down. "Oh, My Lady, it's completely normal to have a nosebleed. But if it truly concerns you, I'm more than happy to oblige."
Placing his cane on the ground, he leaned back. "Is there anything besides the nosebleed?"
Luna hesitated at his question. That feeling… it made her reluctant to mention her memory.
"Mr. Aux, can I ask that this remain secret, just between the two of us?" Luna asked, worry creeping into her voice.
"My Lady, there's no need for such honorifics for an old man like me. I'm happy to help," he said with a reassuring smile. "And I swear on the goddess Selitharia that I will keep this conversation between us and only us."
He made a sign across his chest, four taps forming the shape of a crescent moon.
"Uuuh… yes, that will do…" Luna said with hesitation in her voice, while internally screaming: What does that even mean!?
"I'm glad it makes you happy, My Lady," Aux said, his face lit with a radiant smile.
"Then…" Luna began, unsure if she should go on. "Besides the severe nosebleed, I… I fell down this morning, headfirst onto the panels. And… I only remember my family…"
She stopped herself before saying more.
Aux stroked his chin, tilting his head as he murmured, "Indeed… that's not good."
"I assure you, My Lady, things like this can happen. So please, don't worry about it being something severe," he said, clearly deep in thought.
"There might have been a concussion from the fall," he added, leaning forward and resting his arms on the table. "If I may, My Lady, you mentioned that you only remember your family?"
"Please allow me to explain everything I'm about to do…"
He extended his old, wrinkled hands toward her.
"Please place your hands in mine," he said in a gentle, soothing voice.
Luna slowly reached forward, trusting him, and placed her hands in his.
"Now I'll perform something called an Assessment. I will use magic to cast a spell that will reveal all existing faults your body contains. With it, I'll be able to see anything that has happened inside you."
"Is that all right with you, My Lady?"
There's magic…? Magic exists? Nothing can shock me now… Luna thought, her tone internally self-deprecating.
"Yes, Doctor…"
Aux chuckled softly. "Then, please stay still for a moment. This assessment will not hurt. It might tingle, but that's the extent of it."
Closing his eyes, Aux began murmuring a chant Luna couldn't understand. A second later, a pale green light started to glow from Luna's hands, crawling up her arms, spreading over her torso, limbs, and head. It pulsed gently, shining brightly.
Aux let go of her hands and leaned back, sweat pouring down his face in shock.
Luna looked up at him, seeing his expression, wide eyes, mouth slightly open, eyebrows raised high in stunned disbelief.
Oh… I shouldn't have thought that…
"Is everything all right, Doctor?" Luna asked, worry edging her voice.
Aux immediately stood, accidentally knocking his cane aside and startling her.
"Is everything all right, Doctor!?" This time, Luna wasn't worried about herself, but about him.
"Oh!... Forgive me, Miss," Aux said, quickly pulling out a white handkerchief and wiping the sweat from his face.
He sat back down in silence, unsure of what to say.
Perplexed, Luna stared at him and asked, "Is it bad, Doctor?" At that moment, she was fully convinced something was wrong with him, not herself.
"You can say it straightforwardly."
"No… I mean yes… I mean, I'm sorry, My Lady…" Aux leaned into the chair, defeated, still wiping his face and neck.
"I don't know how to say it, but it's…"
Inwardly, Luna sighed. Then, in the most straightforward voice she could muster, she said, "Please say it, Doctor."
"It's… White Death." Aux said