Whispers of the Fallen
Death
Inside a small hut located in the middle of the forest.
A young woman is lying weakly on the cold floor. Broken objects scattered around.
Her clothes are in tatters, her long hair turned dry and rough, with bruises all over her body. She started to cough up blood.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Coughs! Coughs! Ugh! (Coughing up blood)
She tried to cover her mouth with her hand, yet she couldn't deny the taste of the metallic blood lingering in her tongue, nor the crimson colored-liquid tainting her pale hands.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Ha! (Weakly scoffs)
A few seconds passed on, she started to vomit more blood. Slowly, starting to feel dizzy, she closed her eyes.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
I'm really dying, aren't I?
(Thought mentally)
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
H-how evil...(Inhales deeply)
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Am I really going to die like this? Ha! (Thought mentally)
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Oh, heavens forgive thy sins. (Tears streaming down her cheeks)
At the last moment, when she felt the call of death, she gave up and smiled sadly.
Rays of light hit the woman's face. When she opened her eyes again, a familiar figure appeared.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Y-you? (Confuse)
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
W...why? (Murmurs)
The stranger immediately kneeled beside her. Carefully lifted her up to his arms.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
T-thank you-u...(Smiles)
Mysterious
Aurelia (Calls out sadly)
The woman didn't respond. Her eyes fluttered. Her hands dropped to the side, yet her smile remained laced by the ray of lights filtering through.
Mysterious
(Holds her tightly as he quietly sobs)
Mysterious
A-aurelia...(His fingers tracing the curves of her face)
Mysterious
Wait for me, my _____ (whispers lovingly)
The broken man softly planted a kiss on the lifeless woman's forehead.
After some time, he gently laid her on the cold floor. As he lay beside her, ignoring the sulfur-like odor, he smiles genuinely as he hugs her tightly to his arms.
Using sulfur sticks, the man set a fire. Within minutes, the two were enveloped with flames.
The smoke attracted the attention of the soldiers. They sprint up towards the forest in a hurry only to see the small, desolate hut being engulfed by the fierce fire.
Their eyes went wide in terror.
The soldiers shouted inside, voices breaking from the possibility of loss, "General!"
Back
Sunlight streamed through stained-glass windows depicting fantastical creatures, casting patterns across the plush, cloud-soft carpet.
A majestic four-poster bed, carved with playful cherubs and topped with a shimmering canopy, dominated the room, while a miniature spiral staircase led to a hidden reading nook nestled amongst shelves overflowing with adventure stories.
In the very bed, lies a young child.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
(Gasp)
The young girl was greeted by the sight of a grand familiar ceiling.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
W-where? (Murmurs)
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Ugh! T-thirsty! (Throat parched)
Catarina forced herself to get up, looking at the familiar room, her brows knitted in confusion.
She wants to ask yet couldn't voice it out. She has to drink water first!
Upon seeing the pitcher of water in the bedside, she reached out to pour herself a glass. Yet, her eyes widen in shocked.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
My...my h-hands? (Confuse)
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Small? (Whispers)
Due to shock, she accidentally dropped the glass of water on the floor. Luckily, there was a rug beside the bed, the glass didn't shatter.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
C-clumsy! (Chastised)
She slowly shook her head and then her eyes landed on a faded floral calendar tacked to the wall.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
(Blinks a few times)
The date emblazoned on it was the 14th day of the sixth month of the Byzantine Calendar. Her tenth birthday.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
W-what? (Heart pounds loudly)
She scrambled out of the bed, her much smaller legs feeling strangely light beneath her.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Ha! (Flabbergasted)
She rushed to the full-length mirror on the back of her closet door, half-expecting to see her adult self, tired eyes and faint lines around her mouth.
Instead, a familiar face stared back – enchanting blue eyes, with a set of bright white teeth, contained smile and loose waist-long honey-blonde hair.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
I-I am back? (Stutters in surprise)
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Back? A-alive? Again? (Spoke frantically)
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Ahhhh---Ouch! (Throat aches)
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Water....(murmurs)
She immediately poured another glass of water and gulped it down until she felt refreshed.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Seriously? I'm back?
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
How could it be?
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
I died, didn't I?
She started to pace back and forth.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Maybe, I'm just dreaming?
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Yeah. Must be. (Pinched herself)
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Owh! That hurts huh! (Retorts)
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Confirm! I'm alive!
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
(Smiles cheerfully)
Suddenly, her smile dropped.
Her lips twitched as her eyes darkened, thinking about something.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
I'm gonna make him pay (Clenches her small fist)
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
But now, I have to celebrate about this! (Smiles again)
Parents
At the Beaumont's Dining Hall
Duchess Beaumont
Good morning, my lord. (Kisses her husband)
Duke Beaumont
Good morning too, my lady. (Kisses her back)
Duchess Beaumont
Let's have breakfast.
Duke Beaumont
Hmm... Sure, my lady.
Duchess Beaumont
By the way, where's Catarina?
Duke Beaumont
(Looks around) Probably in her room.
Duchess Beaumont
(Sighs) You should've called her.
Duke Beaumont
I thought she came down.
Duchess Beaumont
There you are again.
Duke Beaumont
What? (Blinking innocently)
Duchess Beaumont
(Shakes her head) You and your reasons!
Duke Beaumont
Oh, come on, my lady. I got it! My fault! Stop being angry now. (Kisses his wife's hand)
Duchess Beaumont
(Annoyed) Oh! Dear, I'd prefer if you called down your daughter here now!
Meanwhile, Catarina silently watches her parents cling to each other like there's no tomorrow.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
They look lovely (sighs)
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Both are so lucky in love (smiles)
Catarina waited for a few minutes before she entered the dining hall.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Ahem! Ahem!
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Bless thy day. I happily greet you, Mother, Father. (Curtsy)
She smiled cheerfully and approached both of them. She took the seat located on the left side if her father.
Duchess Beaumont
Good morning too, Catarina.
Duchess Beaumont
You look lovely with your dress, darling.
Duchess Beaumont
Don't you think so, my lord? (Looks at the Duke)
Duke Beaumont
Hmm? Yeah. Charming, indeed. You look gorgeous, my daughter.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
(Smiles) Thank you, Mother, Father.
When Catarina notices that her loving parents are about to be fighting again. She immediately interjected.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
Ahem! Mother, Father! I'm famished. (Smiles innocently)
Duchess Beaumont
(Chuckles) Oh! Alright! Let's eat!
Catarina silently watches the ducal couples interaction and couldn't help but smile to herself.
She was given a second chance in life. She won't let history repeat itself.
She'll do anything to save herself from the cruel hands of the man whom she trusted. She won't let the Dukedom fall into the wrong hands.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
I promise, Mother, Father. I won't let anyone destroy our family again. (Thought mentally)
(Mentally narrating)
Catarina: In my past life, when I was twenty-one, Mother died in the war that broke out between the empires. Father, pressured by the nobles and by the Emperor, remarried.
Yet, the woman he married is a vile snake. She secretly tried to assassinate me several times. My father, engulfed by the loneliness of my mother's death even though years passed by fell ill and died within a month.
But I knew, that vile woman poisoned my Father.
If I were to see that woman in the future, I swear, I'll keep her away from my family.
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
(Looks at her mother) I'll save you, Mom. (Whispers)
Duke Beaumont
What are you whispering about, Catarina?
Catarina Aurelia Beaumont
(Forced a smile) Nothing, Father. I was just thinking of something.
Duchess Beaumont
Stop talking! Let's all eat!
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