a/n: "Repressed Memory" is a real type of memory loss or amnesia. Further discussion of repressed memory will be elaborated in the chapters to come. :) Hope you'll enjoy chapter 28!
"Oblivious Fate"
By: rorudesu-chan
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Chapter 28: Hospital Night
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Stella Nox Fleuret.
—the only daughter of King Eneas Spei Fleuret and Queen Seraphine Fleuret.
The nights before she lost all her memories, the kind-hearted Tenebrae King would always grant his beloved child her request: a bedtime story. Eneas, of course, knew what little Stella wanted for him to read—Sleeping Beauty. Seraphine also knew about their father-daughter moments, however, she wondered why Eneas wouldn't dare suggest a new story to be read. The princess tale was getting quite old, she said. The King replied to his wife, saying that he would still see a very cheerful Stella even if she had practically memorized almost all of the lines in the storybook. It was his daughter's happy face that he sought after a busy day of ruling Tenebrae. Repeating the story over and over again was nothing to him at all. To his surprise, Eneas received a follow up question from Seraphine after replying to her question. The Queen asked why he brought that storybook for Stella on her sixth birthday.
It took a whole day before Seraphine heard his answer. It was a rather special reason, that's why. Eneas brought "Sleeping Beauty" because of the story itself. He foresaw Stella as a 'Princess' who would one day fall into a 'deep slumber', deprived of the truth she was fated to know. But once she finds out the truth, Stella would need someone to help her face it whole-heartedly. That 'someone' would be a 'Prince'. With his help, he would be able to wake her up from what she thought was reality and he would aid her in fighting against it as well. A look of dubiousness swept across Seraphine's face. She wondered what was this truth and reality Eneas mentioned earlier. Showing his wife the letter which the Caelum kingdom sent him, the King sadly assumed his death. The Queen was enraged. Eneas said that in refusing the land domination that Sir Arkenis proposed, a payment would be made. That payment would be his life. But for Eneas, it did not matter much whether his assumed death would come true or not. As long as Tenebrae remains in its people's hands, he would never regret the choice he had made for his kingdom.
Just weeks after that talk, the beloved King of Tenebrae was murdered. Seraphine was greatly depressed by her husband's sudden death. The cause of which was an assassination by a gunshot. That very moment when Eneas was shot, his wife immediately came to the room where she heard the sound. To her misfortune, Seraphine was greeted by the bloody, lifeless body of Eneas. But before the murderer got away, the Queen spotted a man shrouded in a black cloak. She called the killer and furiously asked who the unknown murderer was and why he did such cold and cruel act. The murderer answered, however only revealing his name and not the purpose of the murder. He was none other than Neleus Caelum, King of the Caelum Kingdom. And in a flash, he pushed himself out of the window and then he was gone. Seraphine could no longer hold the pain and fear that her heart carried. Falling to her knees, she screamed in agony.
That scream was what Stella heard last before passing out. It was only until the Tenebrae officials decided to further investigate the crime scene when they found the unconscious Fleuret daughter lying under the library's staircase. The elders of the Tenebraean council quickly discussed what must be done to protect the young Princess who was the only heir to the throne. Seraphine argued with the council's decision. But realizing that it was for Stella's welfare as well as for their kingdom's future, the Queen finally agreed. Later on, Seraphine would regret each day that passed by when she didn't fight for Stella to remain by her side.
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The throbbing pain finally went away. However, her heart was not yet fully at peace. There were still questions which lurked in her head. And they can only be rested the moment 'that' person answers them—her mother.
Slowly, yet hesitantly, beautiful blue eyes flickered open. The fluorescent light was the first thing Stella saw. Bringing a hand over her eyes, she squinted. It felt as if coming back from the darkness was new to her as she needed to block the bright light away.
"Good, you're awake. How are you doing?"
Stella tilted her head to where the husky voice that was full of compassion came from. Seeing a man with a stethoscope hanging around his neck, she groggily asked where she was. Surprised by her unawareness, the man chuckled and replied, "You're here at the hospital, Miss. Don't worry; everything's going to be fine."
Thanks to his answer, it finally occurred to Stella that she was lying flat on a bed with a white sheet draped until her shoulders. The man staring at her, asking if she was alright was a doctor. Sitting herself upright quickly, the middle-aged doctor spoke worriedly, "Don't shock your body immediately. You're still recovering, you know."
Gazing around the room, Stella found herself on a hospital bed. She looked down as well, noticing a change of her clothing. It was that familiar hospital robes that she'd see in the movies with patients. The thin fabric felt quite comfortable against her skin as the strings which held her clothing together, tickled her back.
Glancing at the doctor, Stella softly asked, "Who brought me here?"
"That boyfriend of yours, I think." He replied, smugly.
Reflexively, she glared at the physician, thinking that he must be fooling her. Noticing the sudden expression on her face, the doctor apologized.
"I'm sorry; I didn't know who he really was. Some of the nurses who attended to him said that he was Prince Noctis and such. But," he chuckled. "What would I know of monarchs, eh? I'm just practically living every single day of my life here at the hospital!"
Stella clutched the sheets tightly. It came crashing down on her at last. The Crystal. The Crystallite. The fight. And after those… she fainted.
"Ooh, dear! D-don't you hurt yourself, okay?" The doctor reached for Stella's clenched fist, showing to her the wounded hand. "See this? You just got a deep cut. It was a good thing you were brought here just in time! Otherwise…"
Stella gazed upon her right hand wrapped in a white bandage around the palm area. She recalled how Noctis' sword sliced the back of her right hand. The cut was deep enough that her hand still felt quite numb until now.
"Were you aware about what happened to you?" the doctor kindly asked.
"I guess… I just fainted." She replied, sparing him the details about what really happened.
"And you think that was normal, dear? I have in my office the diagnosis of your situation. It turns out that that was no regular fainting. How many times have you fainted before?"
"Just once or twice. But I was able to wake up from them shortly."
"Mhm… Do you feel your head throbbing at times?"
"Yes, but they can be eased by taking some pain killers."
"Did a doctor prescribe you with such drugs?"
"No. The pain killers I took were just over-the-counter drugs."
"Ah, I see. Listen, I bear good news. Earlier, I received word that some people you know are on their way already."
"W-who?"
"Some Ambassadors of some kingdom, as said by your boy—"
"Doctor," Stella interrupted sharply. "Please do me a favor. When they arrive, tell them that I'm still sleeping, that I haven't woken up yet."
"I'm sorry, Miss, but—"
Stella looked at the doctor with faked warm, teary eyes. "Please, Doctor! Those people coming here, t-they don't know that… my b-boyfriend and I fought!"
"Does that explain the wound on your right hand?"
Stella nodded 'sadly'.
"Poor girl. If you know what's good for you, you'd break up with him the moment you see each other."
Stella looked down. With her blonde tresses covering her face, she pretended to cry lightly. "Y-yes. I'll do that, Doctor. So please… Let me be the one to tell them what really happened. You can inform them of your diagnosis instead."
The physician frowned, his thick brown mustache covering his lips entirely. "I don't know about this…"
"Please, Doctor! It's the only thing I ask for!"
Stella's pretend-cry managed to touch the doctor's heart. He smiled and patted her gently on the back.
"Alright, alright, dear. If that will make you feel better."
She sniffed. "T-thank you so much."
"You're welcome, dear." He grinned, heading towards the switch panel. "I'll turn off the lights to have that 'sleep' effect you want."
"That would be very helpful." She smiled, weakly.
The room was almost dark; its only light came from outside the room which seeped through the small opening of the door beneath the floor. The moment the physician left the room, Stella brushed her hair away from her face. The Ambassador felt lucky that the doctor was easily deceived by her cries. She felt quite disgusted as well for using him as her 'boyfriend'.
Rain began to pour. From inside the hospital room, Stella heard the drops fall against the windows. She wondered what would happen next, now that she had ruined the mission Tenebrae assigned her with. She didn't know what she would answer to Somna and the rest who have believed in her so much.
A tear pushed itself out of the corner of her left eye. It was a real one this time. Her heart could no longer hold the guilt she realized. Stella knew she became selfish, thinking only of herself, leaving thoughts of her kingdom behind.
Knock, knock.
Because of the pouring rain, Stella did not hear the knocks.
Knock, knock.
Because of her soft cries, Stella refused to listen to anything but to her own taunting thoughts in her head.
The person knocking heard no response to whoever was inside the room. Taking it as a sign for him to enter, he slowly opened the door.
Hearing the creaking sound of the door, Stella froze in place. What would she do if it was Somna or Spargo who opened it? What would she say?
"Feeling better?" he asked, closing the door.
Stella recognized who it was even with the dimness of the room. His silhouette made his identity distinguishable. She felt a little bit relieved that he wasn't Spargo or Somna. Tilting her head down, she hurriedly wiped the tears that cascaded down her cheeks. She didn't really expect that he would still talk to her, much less ask her how she was doing after their battle.
"Thank you… for bringing me here, Noct." said Stella sofly, noticing the stains of blood smeared at the lower portion of his white, creased polo. The wound from her hand must've come in contact with his clothing when he brought her to the hospital, she thought.
"You're welcome." Noctis replied.
The rain poured some more. Even from the reverberation of the rainfall, Stella knew that Noctis has not yet left the room.
"There's nothing else to talk about," she said, avoiding his cold, cobalt eyes. "Why are you still here?"
Reaching for the doorknob, Noctis clicked the door lock. "I want answers."
She glanced, saying, "I suggest you leave, Noct. You're not getting any."
He smirked. "I knew you would say that, Stella."
Reaching for his waist, the Prince retrieved a weapon with a golden hilt strapped upon his belt. He held it before him, pressing the button which caused half of its blade to thrust forward. Hearing the sound of metal swiftly retracting, the Ambassador quickly tilted her head sideways.
"My rapier!" she claimed, clutching the blanket above her legs.
"I was amazed how your rapier managed to withstand every blow of my Hakai. It would really be a shame for such a fine weapon to go to waste."
Her fingers loosened its hold on the sheets. "I get it now. The answers you seek in exchange for my rapier."
Pushing the button once more, the rapier's blade withdrew. Noctis grinned and said, "You can start by telling me what you would need the Crystallite for."
"How do I know that you'll keep your word?"
"I'm a lot more trustable than you."
Noctis' words shot right through her. Stella couldn't argue anymore for he was downright correct.
"Now," he began, "tell me why you need the Crystallite."
Stella looked away. "I… I'm not the one who really needs it."
"Who?"
"The Tenebrae kingdom, the government itself to be precise."
"What do they need it for?"
"To be honest, I don't have much of the idea. The mission given to me only asked for the whereabouts of the Crystal. That's all they told me to do."
"Then why did you want the Crystallite?"
"I have my reasons, Noct."
"What are those?"
Stella did not answer.
"Were you able to comply with your reasons then?"
Stella shot him a glare. "I didn't get the Crystallite." She clutched the sheets again, feeling a twinge of pain from her wounded hand. "I ruined my mission by failing to follow the correct orders. Did you really think that I was able to comply with my own reasons?"
Noctis remained silent.
"There was a promised exchange," she blurted unconsciously.
He waited patiently for her to continue. He felt her reluctance as she went deeper. But wanting to know more about what seemed to be troubling her; Noctis did not opt to stop Stella.
"The knowledge of the Crystal's whereabouts for a huge part of me…" she muttered. "By giving the council the information where your kingdom kept the Crystal, they would grant me what I want."
"And to get that piece of information, you needed to get close to me."
Stella gazed down and replied, "Yes."
Noctis tightened his hold on the rapier's hilt. Her firm answer finally proved that Stella was just using him. Noctis was completely oblivious of her real motive. He trusted her, for real. On the first night they met, he thought that he could already trust her because her words felt real enough to believe. She said that she didn't know how to face the reality she could not bring to hate. Stella's words spoke for what Noctis truly felt deep down.
He relaxed his hold. Noctis could not put the blame on Stella. He, too, was accused of using her. The Crystal was dying. And in order to prevent the catastrophe which his father wanted to avoid, he was advised to take control of Tenebrae's land. For that to happen, Noctis needed to get close to someone of Tenebraean blood. That someone was simply chosen by fate to be Stella, or rather, chosen by Arkenis himself.
All these truths. Hers was revealed. But he wasn't ready to tell his truth to her yet. Saying it might make things worse to which Noctis didn't want to happen any further.
Stella glanced to where the Prince stood. She stared at him as he gazed past down the floor. The moment he saw the poignant look in his striking face, she knew what it meant. His hurt devastated a part of her.
She pressed her lips, thinking of a way to change the ambience. Finally, she said softly, "What else do you want to know?"
Noctis turned his eyes to her.
"Do you wish to know who the other people behind the mission are?" she asked.
He did not answer a 'yes' or a 'no'. He simply waited for Stella to tell.
"The Council of Tenebrae ordered me. Ambassador Spargo, in particular, was the one who explained to me the fully details of my mission. The Council's elders were simply the men and women the minds while Spargo was the one who instructed me most of the time." Stella went on, hoping that spilling everything to Noctis would help lessen the hurt he felt. "The grand celebration which your family's company threw two months ago was the pivot point of my mission. I was tasked to meet you there and—"
"Stop." He said, interrupting. Stella looked at him, dubiously. Noctis didn't want her to know how it pissed him even more, remembering the night when he thought she experienced the same hell as he did. It wasn't betrayal, but simply the predator transforming to become the prey.
"I thought you wanted to know more." Stella assumed.
"I only asked why you wanted the Crystallite." He responded. "It was for an exchange, right? I asked you about the reasons behind the exchange. However, it seemed that it would be against your feelings if you admitted anything."
Stella remained still while Noctis went on. "What would I do with the information regarding your mission? It ended the moment you chose to take a turn for the worst."
She bit her bottom lip. It stung to hear her mission's realization from him. It made her sink into the depths of remorse even more.
Stella looked away. "Perhaps you're right. There won't be any use even if I told you."
Noctis approached the bed. Spotting her bandaged hand, he grabbed hold of her fair wrist. To her surprise, Stella felt the metal hilt of her weapon beneath her fingers. Noctis had taken the liberty of giving it back to her personally.
"You kept your word." Stella said, gazing upon her retracted rapier.
Noctis turned around. "It would seem so."
She did not reply back. Without another word, Noctis took a step forward. Stella suddenly gently clutched the sleeve of his white polo. She held firmly to him, not wanting Noctis to go without hearing what she still wanted to say.
"Let go." he whispered coolly, trying to brush her hand away without getting his fingers into contact with hers.
"I'm not sorry," she said, sternly. "I'm not sorry about what I almost did to the Crystallite."
"The damage has already been dealt with. You have lost the battle."
She tightened her grasp. "Yes, I have."
"I'll be taking my leave now."
"It… might be best that you should…"
He escaped her hold. She didn't want to let go, but she did. Stella had to. There was still something she wanted to say to him. However, it seemed that it had to wait until they met again.
Noctis unlocked the door and went out of the room. Outside, greeting him were familiar faces. However, the frustration crossed upon Celer and Lacertus' façades were not familiar at all. Noctis knew he would be taunted for letting himself slip carelessly.
Black eyebrows met in the middle. "You have a lot of explaining to do, Noct."
"I know, Lacertus."
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"Excuse me, where is the room of a patient named Stella Nox Fleuret?!"
Somna tried her best to sound calm the best way possible. But the fear she felt for her fellow Ambassador altered the tone of her voice, causing the nurse at the reception area to panic.
"Y-yes, Ma'am!" her fingers began typing the keyboard. "L-let me just check the list of patients. Is she a new patient here, Ma'am?"
"As I was told, yes." replied the brunette.
Somna was getting impatient. The nurse was typing as fast as she could; feeling the pressure from the Ambassador as she restlessly tapped her fingers on the reception desk. She was wet from the heavy rain outside. Her gray, soaked satin dress created tiny puddles of water at the spot where she stood. Spargo, who was also waiting beside her, offered to hold an umbrella for her while they, made their way from the hospital's parking lot. But, Somna refused as she was too anxious to know what happened to Stella as informed by Natalia. For the brunette, her blonde friend was an important person to her. If anything were to happen badly, Somna would be there to aid Stella whole-heartedly. That was a promise she made to herself.
The nurse clicked her tongue and pursed her lips tightly.
"Is there something wrong, nurse?"
She restlessly glanced from the computer to Somna's crossed face. "I-I'm sorry, Ma'am. But there seems to be no record of a Stella Nox Fleuret in our data."
"There's no what?!" Somna exclaimed, feeling a warm hand caressing her back. She took a glimpse and saw that Spargo was trying to cool down her rising temper.
"Hello!" said a welcoming voice. "Good evening!"
"Ah! Doctor Wilhelmus!" the nurse greeted, relieved.
Natalia, who was with the two Ambassadors at the receptionist desk, swerved her head as well to see who tried to break the tension. A man who wore a white lab coat over his casual mid-90's pants and brown wool sweater approached them with a huge grin stuck on his face.
"What seems to be the problem here?" the doctor asked.
"Doctor, how is it that there is no record of a 'Miss Fleuret' in your data?" Somna frantically asked.
Wilhelmus glanced at the nurse. "Is this true?"
"Y-yes, doctor. I simply can't find any data of a patient named, 'Stella Nox Fleuret'."
"Fleuret?!" Wilhelmus gasped. "Miss Fleuret?"
Spargo's eyes widened. "Yes! She's here, isn't she?"
"Why, yes of course!" the doctor chuckled. "Her name hasn't been recorded in the data since she's still new and she was rushed immediately here."
"We want to see her now," protested Somna.
"Ah!" Wilhelmus said, remembering what Stella pleaded from him. "But you can't, yet."
"What?!" Somna shrieked. "What do you mean, we can't?!"
The doctor wagged a finger. "Can't, yet, Ma'am."
Somna leaned backwards. "Spargo, if I can't hold my temper anymore, I'm going to lunge straight at this man!"
"Easy there, dear." Spargo whispered back, rubbing her shoulders. "Doctor," he said calmly. "Why can't we see her at this moment?"
"She still came from a state of shock. Her body's quite tired; hence she needs plenty of rest. Even the slightest sound could disrupt her sleep."
"We understand." Spargo said, nodding.
"State of shock?" Somna questioned. "What do you mean by that?"
"I mean by just that, Ma'am." Wilhelmus answered. "Miss Fleuret… has just been freed from her 'motivated forgetting'. Or what you can simply call as a case of 'repressed memory'."
Somna gasped as she held a hand over her mouth. Spargo was not half as surprised as his fiancée. In fact, he knew that 'this' day would eventually come. He served the Tenebrae Council much longer than Somna has. Therefore, he knew more of what she did. Spargo knew about the fateful incident which had caused the young Ambassador's repressed memory.
Clenching a fist, Spargo spoke, "Please, doctor. Tell us more of what we need to know."
Wilhelmus smiled. "Glad to. Follow me and I shall further explain my diagnosis on Miss Fleuret."
"But, what about her? Shouldn't we visit Miss Fleuret first to see if she's doing alright?" Somna asked.
"Don't worry, dear." Spargo grinned. "The doctor has stated that she needs rest. We can visit her later when she's fully recovered."
The brunette finally agreed. The doctor walked past them and gestured the couple to follow him. Somna trailed ahead. Spargo was about to follow, however he paused as he noticed the quiet Princess ambling quickly to the opposite direction.
"Princess Natalia, where are you going?" he asked, his eyes trailing her.
Natalia did not bother answering; instead she let Spargo know her reply for himself. There, a foot away from him was the sole heir to the Caelum Kingdom. Standing beside him were two boys, one had a robust physique, while the other had a lanky build. Spargo saw Natalia shove herself towards the Prince in an embrace. The Caelum son winced as the Princess buried her head into his chest, crying like a lost child who's found her way back at last. Spargo's gaze was caught by Noctis. And there, they stood across each other. Noctis' cobalt irises clashed with Spargo's dusky ones. There were no exchanged words. Staring eye to eye made the two politically-involved men speculate about each other's momentary thoughts.
Years devoid of the truth. Noctis wondered about the reasons why Tenebrae wanted the Crystal. Spargo wondered if the Caelum Prince knew about his kingdom's true plans. Stella's mission wasn't only to empower their land with the Crystal. In fact, it was just a secondary motive. Her mission was founded more on revenge.
"Spargo!" a high-pitch tone called out, breaking the tension between them. Spargo quickly glanced away, realizing that Somna had noticed that he was left behind.
"Noctis?" Natalia tilted her head up against his chest. "Are you alright?"
Noctis breathed deeply as his strange eye contact with the Tenebraean Ambassador ended. Feeling a hand suddenly swathing upon his cheek, he looked down and realized that Natalia had been asking him if he was fine.
Noctis felt uncomfortable with her hand caressing his cheek. Pulling it away, he gently brushed Natalia off him and coolly said, "There's nothing to worry about."
"Yes, there is!" she shifted her gaze towards the lower portion of his white polo which had small blotches of blood. "Look at you! You're not bleeding, but you have bloodstains all over you! What happened? Tell me, Noctis!"
"We can talk about it later, Natalia! Jeez! You're annoying…" hissed Celer.
Natalia glanced while Lacertus added, "He's right. We should just take Noct back to his place. That way, he can have a change of clothes and some rest."
"Let's go," the Prince said, commandingly, gently shoving Natalia to the side.
The Princess no longer said anything, finally realizing that she was squeezing herself into Noctis' business too much that it has annoyed the rest.
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a/n: please Review/Comment/Criticize!! HUGS for those who'll do so!! :) Thank you!
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*~REVIEW REPLIES~*
(27. Because of Impatience)
Warangel88: hehe! And how is it that you have concluded Stella being 'Sleeping Beauty', eh? Honestly, I was quite surprised by you knowing about it. Hehe. I don't remember placing any hints until in this chapter... :D
Star: Well, you know what they say, always keep a lookout for unexpected things. Hope that the 'unexpected' feeling is a good thing with regards to the previous chapter. :)
Moonlight167: Hehe. I understand if you haven't reviewed for awhile. You must be pretty busy with your life as much as I am with, uh... school. I'm glad your finding things in this story interesting. And, I'd like to ask... What do you mean by 'a bit awkward for some characters'? :) Just curious.
ken08002: Stella's allegiance will probably lie in.......... :) you'll find out soon. Hmm. Thanks! I'm glad you liked how I added an extra ability to the Crystal... Though I think in doing so, the theme of the story might slightly lean into a 'fantasy' sort of thing... I wonder if it'll be okay...
Bmonti: Whew! Well, this was a pretty long chapter, I suppose. Hope it satisfied your craving. :) I try to make every chapter as long as possible with the given time I've got to write. And oh yes! I dislike Natalia for always assuming that Noctis likes her! :D
SilverIceDragon: Kalli! You'd better get your ass in the forum!! :D Lol! Okay? *smiles* Hmm.. Sorry for not writing this chap to your expectations. I woke Stella quickly, didn't I? Well... the following chapters will explain more. :) ...gah~! I love those couples too! so, when are you going to start writing for them? Can't wait to read a story from you! Don't suppress you're creative juices now, alright? It's, er, BAD. Hehehe. :P You're probably in North Carolina now, right? Take care then! *groan* I'm still not eligible to drive a vehicle! :)