The End Of My Previous Life

"The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?" Edgar Allen Poe

~~~

I look up at him. He hated me, and I know it. I spent twenty years with him. I made him King and gave birth to his eldest son and daughter. He is now throwing me aside for someone else, someone he loved before I came into the picture. Asmodeus, son of Seth, King of Europe and Frostine, daughter of Duke Vale of France, the new Queen of Europe. Ever since I was offered to him at the tender age of fifteen by my father, he had been cruel to me, as his name suggests. Wrath Demon. He is exactly like his namesake, the Hebrew devil of luxury and sensuality.

Apart from me, he has another ten wives. Still, his little childhood sweetheart Frostine never entered the court just because he wanted the position of Queen just for her. He felt that giving her a position in his court as his concubine lowered her status; a blemish. Twenty years of my life was wasted on this good-for-nothing crown prince, and all I get is the death sentence so he could place his beloved on top after I do all the hard work. How stupid of me.

After the fights of succession in Australia, my sixth brother, Brutus, was the only one alive, and boy, is he stupid. He doesn't know how to run a kingdom, let alone be a good king. He was the only one to live because he is a real musclehead, tall, bulky, and seems to have such an excellent immune system, he cannot be poisoned. I hate him, though. He killed the only brother who loved me. My ninth brother Alexander was one year older than me and was the only one who loved me like no other. After my mother died, I was left with no one but Xander. He stayed by me through my most challenging times, protecting me.

It's May 23rd today in the year 2039. Here I am on my knees on a platform in front of everyone, not even bothering to listen to the list of 'crimes' I've supposedly committed. My hands are tied behind my back, and my hair is loose, moving with the wind. I'm in my nightgown, a light, flowy thing that is barely covering my figure. I was caught unaware. You see, the only way a Queen can be taken off the throne is if they have committed a crime, so a list of crimes was prepared beforehand. Those bastards really put some thought into the list; since the crimes they listed were all so evil, I'd have to be executed.

"...Queen Adira is to be sentenced to death by poison." And that's my sentence. Wow! They really must have wanted me to suffer. Poison's not precisely fast, you know... well, it depends on the poison, but I know they'll choose a toxin that's slow acting. Maybe Aconite or Hemlock. I wonder how long they want me to suffer... If Aconite is chosen, I'll suffocate to death... If Hemlock is chosen, I'll be paralysed until my body begins to fail. Both are horrible ways to die, but they want me to die horrifically. I know one thing, though. If I ever get the chance, I'll make sure they pay for what they did to me.

The executioner held the bottle of poison in one hand and grabbed my jaw with the other. He poured the whole bottle down my throat, making me choke. Once the bottle emptied, he released my jaw, pulling back. I coughed. Because I could not breathe through that whole experience, I somehow breathed in some of the poison which entered my lungs. Grimacing from the pain of nearly drowning, I soon begin to suffocate. So it was Aconite then. My eyes slowly close, but I made sure to keep my one vow in my heart. If given a chance, I will get my revenge.

~~~

My death was peaceful. I felt like I was floating in a world of pitch-black when a jarring noise sounded in my ear. It was a really loud beeping. Why did I hear a noise? I'm supposed to be dead. I'm not supposed to hear anything...or feel anything for that matter.

I wake up with a jolt. Suddenly, there are voices all around me, calling out my name, asking me if I was alright. What happened? Aren't I dead? Why am I still alive? All I can remember is being forced to drink the Aconite and dying. Why wasn't I dead? Did someone save me? It's effortless to save me if healing magic is used, though it would have to be a relatively high-level healing spell. Or is this heaven? I seem to hear my mother. But she's also dead.

I close my eyes, trying to focus my thoughts. All of the information was too much of a rush for my brain to process. What was happening?  Okay, Adira. You're going to be fine. Just take a deep breath and relax. You can do this.  I slowly open my eyes once again. Where am I? I don't focus on the people. Just the room. The walls are white. A hospital? I notice the machinery around me. I lift my hands up to my face, looking at my palms, then the backs of my hands. They're smaller than before. Why are my hands so tiny? They look like a child's. I slowly shift myself to sit up. Hands gently help me. I look at the rest of my body and notice my feet don't reach the end of the bed. Am I in a child's body? I look at the people surrounding me. Nurses and doctors.

"Hello there, little one," one of the nurses says, beaming. "It's so nice to see you awake. How are you feeling?"

"...Alright..." I say in a hoarse voice. "...Water, please..."

"Of course, love. I brought some with me." She pours me a cup of water, and I drain it instantly. "Now that you've woken up, we'll need to tell your parents. You need to stay here and get plenty of rest, Princess Adira."

So I'm still me... That means I've returned to my younger self.

"...What's today's date?" I ask after clearing my throat. I sound much better after drinking water.

"It's May 23rd, love," she says in a kind voice.

"And the year?" I ask, frowning slightly.

"We're still in 2014, dear."

"Thank you, Ma'am. I'd love to rest a bit now." I lay back down. I didn't want the other doctors and nurses to continue prodding me and checking up on me.

"Of course, dearie. The doctor and I will come back in a few hours. You rest now." My mind runs wild as the doctor and nurse leave.

I'm ten again! May 23rd... that's exactly five years before I was married off to Asmodeus. I remember May 23rd 2019, very well. It was the day I died. Not my body, but my spirit. Now, I'm reborn once more. I can finally get my revenge. I can change my fate. Now that I'm back in Australia, I will be Queen.

I remember I fell ill and nearly died, which is why I woke up in the hospital, so I will rest for now. Once I get better, though, I will make my plans a reality. I slowly drift off in the middle of my planning.

~~~

Two weeks later...

It's Friday, June 6th, and it's finally time for me to leave the hospital. I have enough energy to go bouncing off the walls. I can't wait to get out. Both the doctor and healer said I'm well enough to leave. My mother and ninth brother Xander are picking me up. The first time I saw them after waking up, I cried. It made me so happy being able to see them again.

I'm dressed in a light pink dress today. Females tend to wear the colours pink and purple, while males wore orange and grey. Other colours, such as red and blue, were royal colours. Those colours were only used by the royal family or on special occasions. I wait at the hospital entrance, trying to spot my mother's long black hair, much like my own. It falls to her waist, straight at the top but curly at the ends. Her eyes are a beautiful vibrant green that stands out because of her pale skin tone and dark hair. My eyes are of the typical Australian royal family, a midnight blue so dark they look black at times.

I spot my mother and older brother, making their way over and rush towards them. "Mother! Ninth brother!" I call out in greeting. "You're late."

"Sorry, Adira. Your father caught us as we were leaving," my mother explains. "How are you feeling today? Much better?"

"Really? What did he want? And I'm fine, mother." The whole time I was in the hospital, I never saw my father. It was as if he never even existed...but then females of the royal lineage were only good for alliances.

"He's in the limousine," my ninth brother adds.

"Why?"

"He wanted to see you, hon."

"He never wants to see me..."

Although I've been through this before, I still react in the same way. I can't do anything differently, or they will be suspicious. My hands clench unconsciously, but I slowly open them up once more. This is it. This meeting with my father will determine whether I'm a good actress or not; whether I have the determination and ability to become Queen.

I walk with them to the car, talking about fashion ideas I'd thought up during my stay at the hospital. Before becoming Asmodeus' Queen, I used to be a chatterbox that loved fashion and design. I wanted to be a fashion designer, but I wasn't allowed to become one because I was a part of the royal family. I pause at the limousine, feeling slightly uncomfortable. I still held a rather large grudge against my father because he sent me to become Asmodeus' wife. Still, I knew the first step to becoming successful is staying in my father's good books and getting him to like me and spend more time with me.

We wait for the guards to open the door. Father steps out and looks down at me. "You're looking better, Adira," he says coldly. I've never heard father say anything in a warm tone. Maybe he doesn't know how to, but I want to try and teach him to use a warmer tone. Or at least look at me without that slightly disgusted glint in his eyes.

"I'm much better, thank you, father," I say in a sweet tone as I curtsey. I pretend to try not to cringe, as I used to be terrified of him. He nods once before entering the limousine once more. Mother, ninth brother, and I follow.

Everyone is silent as we travel back to the castle. No one dares to talk when father is around. He's terrifying when he's angry, and he can get upset quickly for the slightest of things. The trip back to the castle is quick. The driver is excellent and knows all the shortcuts.

When we arrive, all my brothers are waiting at the entrance to welcome father back. Father steps out of the limousine first, mother, ninth brother, then I follow. My brothers bow before saying, "Welcome home, father."