Kamarani strolls through the palace halls just as he has done for most of his life since his parents passed away five years ago. He walks with a blank and cold expression. Those who see him often look at him with judgment, but none have the bravery to voice their concerns directly to him.
Once, he was the Crown Prince, the son of the previous emperor and empress, and he himself should have been the Emperor. Sadly, he is reduced to being a prisoner in his own home under the control of his uncle, Shekel, who rebelled against and killed the emperor, empress, his father's young concubines, and all those from the previous emperor's bloodline.
He was all alone now, the only reason he was spared was only for his remarkable strategies.
From the young age of six he has been a great weapon for the realm of his father, he was the reason the Galilia kingdom was ruled as an Empire a year later when he was only seven years old.
While passing a certain room in the the palace he felt an inhuman presence and he slowly withdrew his sword ready for anything that may attack him.
This palace has seen so many deaths then even the people living there could count. Who knows if it was a revengeful spirit that was here to claim something.
Kamarani opened the door and immediately noticed that the usually empty room he often passed by was now decorated in a simple, minimal style that felt both inviting and elegant.
Feeling confused and still holding his sword in a defensive position, he stepped further into the room. In a cozy sitting area, he spotted a lovely girl with bright purple eyes and silver hair writing a letter while crying. She tried hard to hold back her sobs, but whatever she was writing seemed to deeply upset her, as tears stained the paper and blurred her words.
My dear Kamarani,
From the first moment I saw you at the market years ago, I have never regretted loving you. You opened my eyes to so much more than I knew back then. I hope you continue to chase your dreams, my love. I don't blame you for what has happened to me. Since our first meeting, I could feel your pain and desire for revenge within you. It was foolish of me to think I could mend the wounds you've carried all these years. Please don't blame yourself when I'm gone. My life belongs to you, and everything that has happened is due to my own choices; loving you was never one of my mistakes.
Even in another life, if we meet again, I will love only you.
Love, Alana
As Kamarani read the girl's letter, he was stunned to find that it was addressed to him. How did he know that the Kamarani mentioned in the letter referred to him?
In the Galilia Empire when a prince or a princess is born they names are recorded in stone plate so that all people will know of the royal family and all the inhabitants within the family. No one else can be named after a royal even they own children can not be named with a name of their parents.
Kamarani watched the crying girl with a softened glare and gently placed his sword back to his blade belt. He moved towards her.
" Who are you", he ask the silver haired girl that he now knows that her name is Alana .
After asking and not getting a reply from the girl that was still sobbing worryingly, he asks again "This Prince asked you a question, who are you?"
He still hadn't gotten a response from the girl, and in his frustration, he walked right up to her and tried to shake her by gripping her shoulders. It was already strange enough to see a girl he didn't know writing a letter declaring her love for him, but now this was even more concerning. The moment he touched her, his hands went right through her as if she were just air. The girl remained seated, crying loudly.
What was going on? Was she a ghost? Kamarani had heard many ghost stories about the palace. He remembered that once, after his parents died, the maids claimed they saw their spirits wandering around.
Kamarani believed there were no such things as ghosts because if his parents could return as spirits, then why would they only be seen by the maidservant's and not the one that wished every day to meet them and spent even if it was a single day with them.
He would cry in his room ask no one in particular to bring his parents back to him. Kamarani had given up crying and fought hard to survive the demands of his uncle and the court officials.
But if ghosts did not exist then what was happening? Is it one of his cousins jokes that they usually played to show that he was crazy and has weird ideas? While thinking of this, the girl stands up with tears still pouring down her cheeks. She walks to the corner where a goblin of wine could be seen and she pulls out a finger sized bottle that contains a dark black substance. She opens the bottle and pours the content from the bottle to the wine goblet.
While all of this is happening, Kamarani is trying to process all that is happening. Is this the work of some powerful sorcerer?
The girls soon drinks all the content in the glass in an unhurried manner and soon goes back to the couch and hugged her letter. The sobs that had decreased while she was drinking the wine soon continue, she start to growl in pain like she was burning. Maidservant's come rushing inside the room and noticing the girl curled up on the couch screaming from pain they all were shocked and anxious.
One clever looking, old servant shouted that someone should call an imperial doctor, as the girl still had a pulse. Kamarani is expressionlessly watching all of this , he does not know whether to panic or just remain there confused.
Who is this Alana girl?
As if answering his inner question the scene changed and he found himself standing in a sunlit garden, the air fragrant with blooming flowers. The scene before him was a vivid recollection of a day he had never lived but somehow knew intimately. He was dressed in regal attire, and beside him stood Alana , his bride. She was radiant in a gown of intricate lace and silk, her eyes filled with a mixture of joy and nervousness.
The memory unfolded like a dream. He saw himself and the girl standing before a grand archway adorned with flowers, surrounded by friends and family. The atmosphere was one of celebration and love, but as Kamarani observed, he saw his own demeanor, marked by a subtle detachment and focus. Despite the grandness of the occasion, his focus was elsewhere, his attention divided.
As the memory progressed, Kamarani saw glimpses of their life together, as the girl's attempts to engage him in conversation and was met with polite but distant responses. He saw her efforts to make their home a warm and inviting place, but his responses were often curt and inattentive. The contrast between her kindness and his indifference was stark, and it cut through him with a deep sense of regret.
Then the vision faded, and Kamarani found himself back in the dusty, forgotten room, the letter still in his hand. The weight of the memories was overwhelming, and he sank into a nearby chair, struggling to process the flood of emotions and realizations that had overtaken him.
The experience was not merely a glimpse into the past but a profound revelation of his own shortcomings and the depth of Alana's love. The pain and regret were palpable, and Kamarani was left with a renewed sense of purpose and decisiveness.
He knew that he had been given a second chance to correct the mistakes of his past life, to honor Alana's memory, and to seek redemption for his previous actions.
The path ahead was filled with challenges, but the memories of Alana's love and the heartfelt letter she had left behind would guide him.
As he rose from the chair, Kamarani took a deep breath and steadied himself. The road to restoring his home and finding Alana was now intertwined with a personal pursuit for atonement and understanding. With a sense of clarity and determination, he left the room, ready to face the trials ahead with newfound will and a heart forever changed by the reflections of a past life.
Kamarani's footsteps echoed softly as he left the dusty room, his mind still reeling from the vivid memories he had just experienced. The once familiar corridors of the palace now seemed to close in on him, the weight of his newfound understanding pressing heavily on his shoulders.
The palace was quieter now, the hustle and bustle of court life having decreased as the day went on. Kamarani moved with purpose but also with a sense of hesitancy, knowing that the path he was about to walk was filled with the emotional burden of his past and the daunting tasks that lay ahead.
As he navigated the winding corridors, he found himself drawn to the royal gardens. The serene environment, with its neatly trimmed hedges and vibrant floral displays, offered a stark contrast to the turmoil within him. The gardens had once been a place of joy, a haven of peace amidst the political machinations of the palace. Now, it seemed like a fitting place for him to gather his thoughts and reflect on what he had learned.
Kamarani walked along the cobblestone alleys, his gaze fixed on the meticulously maintained flower beds. The scents of roses and jasmine filled the air, but his mind was preoccupied with the image of the girl, Alana, so vividly portrayed in the memories he had seen. Her grace, her sorrow, and her enduring love were now etched into his consciousness.
He paused by a marble bench, sitting down with a deep sigh. The vision of Alana writing her final letter had struck him profoundly. He could see her clearly, her delicate fingers trembling as she penned her heartfelt words. The contrast between her tenderness and his own detached demeanor was a sharp reminder of his failures.
Kamarani is clouded by the memories that he experienced when he went to that room . He gazes at the water flowing and thinks about the beautiful silver locks in that Alana girls hair. For once after his family's execution he feels clueless , like he can not fathom what step to take next.
" How can I be so stupid" Kamarani asks himself.