The Encounter

Mother and father led me to the grand banquet specially made for me.

Indeed, it is an important event because of my birthday, but it is also the day that I met Lorelei in my past life.

"Are you nervous, Aaron?" My mother asked me, deeply concerned. "You look like you are in deep thought."

"No, mother. Those people came to greet me. So, it doesn't bother me." I answered. My father reeled in excitement.

"Spoken like my son!" my father exclaimed with tears falling from his eyes as we stood behind the huge curtain. "I'm glad you aren't nervous." he said, touching my head, and we heard the trumpets ring as an announcer informed everyone that we had arrived.

As the curtains unveiled us, everyone looked at us with awe. The three of us waved at them, and the sheer size of the venue overwhelmed me.

Adorned with gold, the walls were glistening. The golden chandelier was so big, and everyone wore their most beautiful gowns just for this very event.

My mission for today is to find three people.

The first is my love, Lorelei, second, my father's brother, Sir Helsin Huurman, and third, the person who gave me the green gem that allowed me to go back in time.

My family sat in our respective seats, and everyone lined up to give me their gifts.

In the end, they gave me so much that it piled and grew even taller than two people combined.

However, one of the men I was waiting for is not present yet.

"Your Majesties the King and Queen, and Prince Aaron. I offer you this rare flower from the flower island. It is known to be the yang in the yinyang, which is the pure one. The counterpart of this, the black one, is poisonous, but this white flower can heal even the deepest of the wounds." It was Sir Helsin Huurman, the person who would kill my mother months from now. He spoke as he intrigued everyone in the room.

Except for me.

He was handing the flower to my mother, which is already suspicious when it is my birthday. I remember this exact same thing happening. The thing he was holding is not the yang flower, but a look-alike that is toxic and it caused my mother to lose my sister in her womb.

I breathed in, careful not to inhale any pollen, stood up and slapped the flower away from my mother's approaching hands, covering her mouth and nose.

People gasped at my sudden impolite action.

"Y-your majesty-"

Before Sir Helsin could even finish, the flower slipped from his hands, and pollen scattered in the banquet hall, revealing the black flower underneath it.

The yin flower camouflages itself as white using its pollen so people would take it.

That flower, when inhaled, will affect not only the person who inhaled it, but also the child inside them.

"T-this must be a mistake! I would never harm your majesties!" Sir Helsin cried.

"You are wearing a mask, though," the king said, as his attendants each gave us masks to prevent us from breathing the pollen in.

Sir Helsin paled.

"Father," I called. He looked at me and tried to smile to not make me worry. "I wish to be the one who imposes a judgement and a penalty upon him."

The people went silent as they heard me speak. No one dared to make any single sound.

" I allow you to do so, " my father replied.

I stood in front of the kneeling Sir Helsin and looked down at him.

"By virtue of my royal verdict, I sentence you to imprisonment for the attempted assassination of the queen and her child."

Sir Helsin's blonde head covered his face in shame. He knew that the queen was pregnant because he had already installed a spy to watch over her and he wanted to kill the child in her belly.

"Please. It was a mistake!" he cried, begging me to take back my words, but I stood firm, turning my back against him, showing him that i am done talking.

The guards entered the room and took him away despite his pleas.

"Such a wise child," the crowd cheered.

The king and queen looked so proud of their son.

A certain figure caught Aaron's eye. Her strawberry red hair was the most beautiful among the noble ladies gathered together on the left side of the room. She was laughing so beautifully, talking to the other girls, and her green eyes glistened merrily against the golden shimmer of the room.

I could only look at her from a distance. I fought hard not to cry, but she was so beautiful my heart ached. She was as beautiful as I remember her to be. I remember that in a few minutes, she would go to the garden to watch fireflies, where she would find me, playing with Rigel.

But that will never happen anymore. I cannot risk endangering her again just to take her by my side.

That girl took the abuse and cruelty happily just to make sure I was safe. I promised myself not to let that happen this time.

As I looked at her, she started to notice my gaze. Our eyes met.

It was so painful, so ethereal, so bad.

It was as if I stared at the person who is meant for me. I felt butterflies churn in my stomach. I felt my cheeks flush because it was hot.

And then there came her smile. Her smile is the best view in this world and I will never get tired of seeing it.

Her smile was directed at me. Out of all the people in this room who were decorated in gemstones and pearls, she was the most exquisite, not even the most expensive gemstone can compare to her.

My father was ending his speech when shee stood up, still looking at me, and walked as fast as she could to me at my seat.

"Hello there, beautiful girl," my mother greeted her.

The little girl, who was two, smiled at her and looked at me. A cold sweat enveloped my face and I tried to evade her.

I cannot face her again. I cannot face her again. I cannot f-

"How are you, love?"

Her question made my heart sink to the ground.