Seth met with Paige in the hotel lobby. The elevator ride filled with silence as he attempted to work out how to start the conversation, how was he going to tell the raven-haired beauty they'd met before in another life? Not only that but she had been a princess, the heir to the throne. How was he to tell her, most of those they worked with had been a part of that life? Those they felt familiar with were once friends, where as those they felt fear when around were once enemies. With him were some pages from his journals, each of them with memories scribbled down. Memories of Paige and the kingdom of Erised.
Yet somehow the moment he met with her; all the worries were erased. Just seeing her there with Bayley, the pair holding a strong friendship, yet it was clear the brunette remembered something as she often referred to Paige as Princess, doing a similar thing with AJ when the crazy woman was around. When he'd joined them, Bayley had instantly gifted him with a bone crushing hug, calling him a name almost fitting for his former life. The Wondering Warrior. Almost as soon as he arrived, Bayley left them, as if she had read his mind and knew why he was there, or at least the importance of it. After his normal friendly greeting with Paige, the duo walked over to the bar area, finding a booth in a quiet corner, almost hidden in the shadows. Almost as if that two was symbolizing the way Paige herself was in the dark about a past few knew of.
"This is going to be difficult" spoke the Iowan to himself, yet instantly curiosity sparkled in Paige's dark eyes, suggesting she was all ears for whatever he was about to tell her. Their friendship was strong, having bounded quickly over their love of wrestling and music taste, yet he wondered if it was also their past together that had made their bound so much stronger. "I've wanted to ask you about something for a while, but didn't know how to word it. Well not until Renee and Dean gave me a few tips and the advice of just go with it" explained the older brunette, speaking with honesty, especially when he held her in high regards. After all they'd been married once, in their previous life. They'd lived peacefully in the River Country of Erised.
"Is this about Renee's dreams?" asked Paige, almost instantly connecting the two. She knew several co-workers and friends had these vivid dreams of another time. Neither being able to explain how real they felt. Nor could she herself explain how people acted around her, how Stephanie and Hunter acted as her parents, how Punk took it upon himself to act as her brother, going as far as to call himself her Wrestling Brother. She and AJ had always been close, they were on the same wave length. Yet it was comments from others around the arenas or performance center that had gotten her. How some whispered, while others outright greeted her as if she was someone important. Rather than the ordinary wrestler she was. "She told me and AJ about them a while ago, AJ has them too but she doesn't talk about them all that much, same with Nikki" added Paige, revealing how she knew and also answer the question regarding Nikki Bella and how much she remembered.
"Actually, it is" answered Seth, keeping the honesty going while pulling the pages from his journal from his hoodie pocket. Passing the over to her with care. "These are the ones I had just after we met in FCW" commented the older brunette, revealing just how far his dreams about Paige went back. From the night they first met onwards. "A similar thing happened with Dean and Roman as well" added Seth, at least attempting to comfort her, as she began to panic, even more so when nothing had occurred for her. Whereas Seth had instantly recognized her the night they met, the same could not be said on her part, he was a stranger who become one of her closest friends. "You were a Princess, Paige. The heir of Erised" almost whispered the Iowan, as if not to scare her further, yet as soon as the words left his lips, he knew something had clicked with her.
"Stephanie and Hunter were the King and Queen, weren't they?" questioned Paige, slowly putting the pieces together, as if it was one giant jigsaw puzzle. "Punk was the prince, Finn and Aleister were the governor's sons. Undertaker the sorcerer" quickly added the raven-haired beauty, listing those she could remember. Yet still she couldn't remember who the Governor actually was. Nor could she remember the roles of others whom had often addressed her a princess. Seth on the other hand stayed quiet, wondering if his words had triggered her memories, much like Dean's did with Renee. "A sisters war tore apart the neighboring kingdom. The older of the princesses come to Erised. There was a home surrounded by rivers" finished Paige as she began to hold her head, as if being struck by a pounding headache out of nowhere. A feeling Seth knew well as he often got them when thinking over the memories too much, as if something was blocking the path to them and trying the stir him away from them. Yet the memories themselves making him want to know more.
Like how the journey ended, what happened to Erised where it was forgotten by present day, lost even. How come some remembered their previous life but others were oblivious to it? Just how powerful was the Undertaker back then and who was the Governor of Erised? Yet instantly he remembered being at Paige's side when she was sent to the Lake Country, her own beautiful residents there, as Punk had one although not as far into the valleys as Paige's was. He wondered if it was part of the war which had followed the princess from the neighboring kingdom or if it was part of Shane's plot to take over as the ruling monarchy.
"You remember a lot" commented Seth, as if to distract Paige from what was causing her a headache bordering on migraine. "Did I trigger them?" asked the Iowan, as if asking for confirmation, something Paige didn't deny when she nodded. Almost instantly he felt bad for it, yet he also knew eventually it would have happened. "Whenever you remember something, write it down. It saves on the headache of remembering later" advised Seth, taking a sip from the drinks the two had forgotten about. Once again Paige nodded, this time to signal she'd heard his words, yet at the same moment her eyes flickered to someone else entering the bar, Seth too turning his attention to the person, instantly seeing the trio odd trio of Shane McMahon, John Cena and Brad Maddox. Ryback following along moments later as if trying to distance himself from the trio of men he was so clearly in the company of.
"I wonder where their King is?" commented Paige, revealing she recognized them from the neighboring kingdom to have broken down into war. Something Seth also recognized them as, that at rivals inside the squared circle each of them now called home. Both knowing the king missing was none other than Daniel Bryan. He made it clear over the years he knew something, demanding respect and walking around each arena as if he owned them. Yet his hatred for others was also clear. How he quickly mistrusted each member of the Shield, Paige and Punk. His dislike for Sheamus was quickly foiled further by a quick WrestleMania lost years prior. Something the known Princess in AJ had a helping hand in. As if done on purpose. "Kane" whispered Paige, as if remembering something else, something that brought endless amount of amusement to her, especially in hindsight. "The governor, its Kane" laughed Paige, especially as all knew he was now a mayor. Yet his demonic character had also passed on to both of those known to be his sons. Finn being known as both the Demon King and the Prince, whereas Aleister being known by the Devil amongst other things.
Seth too seemed to recognize the funny side of it. Almost as if fate was determined those who were family would have something in common, to the point they could be recognized as family. It was as if fate was screaming at them in the face, not only had it brought all of them together and triggered memories of a long-forgotten past, but it also gave hints to who were friends and who were enemies with simple feelings of trust and fear. Almost as if it was all part of an elaborate storyline for the universe see playout inside the squared circle.