Chapter 2

When everything is peaceful again and Lelouch had recovered from the horror of his body being touched by someone else, he decides to roam around the palace and visits his sleeping family in their rooms.

He misses them so much. The king and the queen ruled a kind, approachable and humble kingdom which was admired not only by their people but also by the neighboring kingdoms. Because of this and the genuine cooperation of the public, their lands and businesses prosper. Harmony and peace also prevailed in the country.

But most of all, they were the best parents he could ever have. They taught him that among everything else, sincerity, kindness, and honesty should always be the prime foundations of leading a kingdom. And then there's his younger sister, Nunnally, who was nothing but the brightest and happiest star in his eyes. He adored her so much and she was too young to succumb into this deep sleep and not experience life more.

After giving his family kisses, the prince's attention is gotten by a strange purple light coming from the kitchen. Curious, he passes through the wall and is shocked when he finds the witch who should be gone and away from the palace, cooking something in a small pot.

What the…? He is about to call Milly when he remembers that she went out to take her regular walk in the withering forest. Of all the times…

A thick smoke suddenly erupts from the pot and he hears the witch cough.

"Hey, what are you doing? You should not be here!"

But of course, she doesn't hear him. She dips her hand into the pot only to re-emerge with a purple powder.

Feeling the texture, she announces, "This is good."

She leaves the kitchen with her pot and goes to the ball room. Following, the prince does not let her out of his sight and is mentally summoning Milly, hoping that she can have a hunch that something is wrong in the palace.

Throwing the powder in the air, she whispers, "Awaken."

And all of a sudden, the dull and lifeless atmosphere of the ball room bursts into vibrant yellow, blue and red as if a party is still being held. She goes to where the tables lay, sprinkles some of the mysterious powder and the flowers that had been dead long ago bloom tall and full with fresh droplets running on their petals.

"What is this?" the prince mutters in amazement as his eyes witness the miraculous change in his surroundings. Running to the window where the witch is currently throwing powder at the curtains, he asks again, "Why are you doing this? Is this one of your tricks? Leave the palace alone!"

Inspecting her work, Cecaniah puts down her pot and stands in the middle of the room. The prince waits for her next move and is surprised when she suddenly starts dancing waltz.

Eyes closed, face peaceful, the witch dances as if she is with a partner, her arms hanging infront of her. Her steps are precise as she listens to the music that only she can hear. She twirls and glides like she has been practicing it many times before.

"You look funny," the prince muses.

Cecaniah turns around and bends her body so low backward. Panicked, the prince quickly goes to her and places his hand behind her waist and holds her open hand.

"Hey, be careful!"

Straightening up, Cecaniah continues to dance but this time, unknowingly, with Lelouch. Their feet match the rhythm, and somehow impossibly, he can hear her music. They move gracefully across the room, her brown plain dress sways along with their movements like an elegant ball gown.

The witch opens her eyes and Lelouch is suddenly struck again by how she can seem to look straight at him. Her eyes are like dandelions.

"So this is how attending a ball feels like, huh," she mumbles.

Is she talking to him?

"Uhhh, yes but with more peo-"

"I've never been to a ball. Witches are not allowed to go to balls. We are never invited." She smiles bitterly.

Lelouch stops dancing upon hearing her revelation. Of course. Of course, witches are banned from partaking to public events especially if they involve the royal family. The root of his curse is actually because of a witch's grudge after being not invited in the celebration of his birth. He stares at the sad eyes of the girl infront of him who had also stopped dancing and stands there with her hands clasped behind her.

"Mother just wanted to change the beliefs of the people that all we do are create spells and potions that hurt others. I was not born yet that time but I heard that she was so happy when she got the invitation for the prince's introduction to the kingdom. For the first time, a witch was invited by none other than the king and the queen."

"I didn't know that."

"Yet, upon reaching the entrance, she was stopped by the soldiers and told that she was not invited anymore. A rumor was circulating that a witch plans to assassinate the prince and mother's presence was a big threat to everyone. They couldn't trust her, they said. She was after all a deceiving and conniving witch. She wasn't welcome anymore." Cecaniah rolls her eyes. "What they didn't know was mother had an ugly temper and the poor innocent baby unfortunately suffered from her wrath. She was so sorry for that. But the curse she had bestowed him was too strong there was no way to reverse it. Anyway..." A polite smile appears on her face. "I wish to attend a real ball someday with real people. I promise not to use magic and to be a good girl."

Lelouch is with her when she goes to the dining hall and sprinkles the purple powder that is magically not running out. He accompanies her in the rooms of his parents and sister and watches as they turn into their old ones giving the ambiance that his family are really just sleeping for a day.

He witnesses as the flowers, bushes, shrubs and trees in the garden bloom again – their refreshing scent permeates the air after years of cold breeze and dusty wind.

Milly returns to his room with a mix of awe, amazement and excitement upon seeing the transformation in the palace.

"What happened, Lelouch? Why everything seems the way it was before? Has the curse been broken?"

He shakes his head then nods at the sleeping form of a girl beside his body. "She happened."

The fairy follows his gaze and her expression immediately turns sour. "I told her to leave. Why is she still here?"

"Let her sleep for the night here, Milly. She is tired from everything she had done."

"But – "

"I assure you, she is harmless."

Huffing, Milly gives in because for the first time, she sees a peaceful resolve in the prince's eyes. She looks back at the sleeping witch who also has a peaceful expression on her face. Huh, what exactly happened when she was away?

"It's time for me to leave, too," Lelouch announces.

"Well then, I'll see you tomorrow, Your Highness."

"Until tomorrow."

"I wanted to save someone," says the voice. This voice is familiar.

"Who?" Lelouch asks.

"I don't really know him personally but he doesn't deserve what had happened to him especially since he had done nothing wrong to be punished like that."

"That sounds tragic."

A laugh.

"Everything in the world bounds to be tragic. Everyone dies."

This makes the prince frowns, "That's not true. There's always hope and a possibility of happiness as long as you're alive. You just have to find and believe in it."

"Ever the optimistic one, aren't we?"

"It's true."

"Easy for you to say." A tinge of sadness echoes in her voice. "It's always different for us. Everyone hates us."

"I don't hate you," Lelouch whispers. "I'll change it." He faces the eternally blurred form of the girl sitting beside him. Only her golden eyes are the things partially clear for him to see. "I promise you, you're the first one who I am going to find when I wake up. I'll show the people that you are not to be afraid of and deserve to live in peace and acceptance."

He can feel her smiling and blushing. "Thank you. But when are you going to wake up? We've been meeting in this dream for hundreds of years now."

Lelouch shrugs. "I don't know but I'm hoping soon. I want to feel the solid earth beneath me again."

"I hope so, too."

Reaching out, he holds her hand and places it on his lap. "Sing for me?"

And she does. With her angelic, soft voice, she sings to him the hymns of nature and stars until morning comes and it's finally time for him to return to the palace.