“You should rest for a bit Master.” The voice was soft, almost shy. The timidness in the voice never left it even after the two have been with each other for more than a month.

“No. Father said if I don’t finish my analysis on this book he’s not going to let me attend Mother’s memorial.”

“Isn’t that a bit too harsh?”

“Is it?” Daniel's tone remains curious, as he always is to Felix's eye-opening statements.

“It’s your mother’s memorial. No matter what’s the situation, you should be able to attend it.” The owner of the soft voice placed a glass of water on the table in which his master was writing his report. “Master, for five minutes, stop writing so you can rest your hand.”

The master sighed and put down his pen. “If you say so, Felix.”

Felix smiled and said, “Thank you, Master.”

“I told you, just call me Daniel when we’re alone.”

Felix showed his shyness by scratching his cheek, a habit that made Daniel train his eyes on his slim fingers. “I’m sorry Daniel.” He nearly whispered.

“It’s weird how bold you are despite how you talk.”

“Really now?”

“Yeah, it’s nice.” Daniel turned to Felix with a small smile, lightly taken aback when Felix was smiling back at him. Having Felix around changed almost everything for him. He learned that his father was too harsh on him and that this nice, comfortable feeling they had right now was what it actually felt like around someone that truly likes you. Cares for you. Loves you.

*****

I jerked awake when I felt a touch on my shoulder. When I looked back, I saw Louise looking at me with amusement. “Already so tired, My Prince? It’s only an hour before lunch.”

I straightened from my slouch on my study table, where I had been reading a book, and stretched my arms above my head. “I haven’t been able to sleep peacefully. I’m too worried. It’s been two days yet Father still hasn’t come to question me.” I took a deep breath and shook my head, “I still need to help with Felix.”

Louise nodded knowingly. ”I don’t know the details, but the King must be busy with other businesses of his. He his the King after all.”

“I just want to find out about how Felix is doing.”

“You will, My prince. Be a little more patient.”

I sighed again and rubbed my eyes as I got up from my seat and said, “Can I get tea? I’m going to go wash my face for now.”

“You’ll have tea during lunch.”

“An hour seems so far away though.”

“Patience, My prince.”

I chuckled. “I know, I know.” I walked into my private bathroom and dropped my smile. The short dream I had played back in my head, a memory from Daniel’s life that felt too much like my own. The memories were starting to mix together.

Father was right, even with people around me to remind me as to who I am, it’s still difficult. My way of speaking changes mid sentences and my tastes in things were shifting. It was small things like my average two teaspoons of sugar in my tea changed to four teaspoons of sugar. Daniel was a big sweet tooth and it influenced me into being one myself.

The memories I have of Harold does the same. Because of it, I’ve grown a distinct interest to farming, with him being a successful farmer himself. Thankfully, even though he was a 27-year-old man, he still hasn’t gone past the first stage in any of his two relationships.

However, it wouldn’t have mattered too much because I already experienced a lot from my first life as Elliot. Being together with a lover for almost a decade, you don’t just do nothing, especially when it comes to intimacy.

I washed my face quickly with cold water which instantly washed away the tiredness around my eyes. I stepped out of the bathroom and found Louise speaking with someone outside my bedroom door.

Louise bows to the person, and with a stretch of my neck around his figure I saw the head butler of the palace, Terrence Meyer. It wasn’t often that I see the man as he’s a direct servant to Father and watches over all servant activity that happens around the palace. But I’ve seen him mainly taking care of Mother instead of Father. It was an odd thing, but I wasn’t curious enough to ask about it.

“Why was Terrence here?”

“To inform me to tell you that the King wants a meeting with you after lunch.”

“Well finally,” I say relieved as I head back to my study table. “Two days have been too long.” Before Louise could speak up I wave him off, “I know, I’m being patient. There’s no harm in a little complaining though.” Louise smiled at my rebuke.

I spent the hour before lunch reading but really couldn’t put my mind to it. For the first time in this life, I wanted to start writing. It was more effective to clear my mind for me. But lunch came and passed more quickly than I thought. The last two days were dragging so much I felt like time had stopped itself, so this was a nice change.

“Are you taking me now?” I ask Louise as I see him tidying up my study table.

He nods, “Yes.”

“Then let’s hurry. I don’t have any more patience in me.”

“Alright, My Prince.”

Louise led me to where I last met my father in his study room. He knocked on the door and a clear voice told him to come in. Louise opened the door for me and I wasted no more time to enter. I felt like I was meeting Father for the first time again. It was only him and me with Louise standing quietly behind me as I took a seat across from Father. The mahogany desk still looking like the only rich piece of matter.

“You must’ve been getting impatient.” Father started.

“Two days is a rather long time.” I reply, “I just guess you’ve been busy.”

“I have,” He says. His voice held the tiniest bit of tiredness in them. “I interrogated Harold Gloss, personally. Oddly enough, even when I was speaking to the man who tried to assassinate my son, I didn’t feel any negative emotions to him.”

“Of course not,” I say defensively.

Father smiles at my childish behavior and continues, “I questioned him about the situation. Surprisingly or unsurprisingly, he doesn’t remember anything. Not even a few days before you had your coming of age ceremony.”

“That’s true,” I said resolutely. “That’s what I tried to tell you in the dungeon before you sent me off. I have-” I clear my throat and correct myself, “He has no memories of the incident. The last thing he remembers is falling asleep after a long day of tending to his field.”

Father looked at me for more than a few seconds and says, “That’s exactly what he said.”

My heart jumped in confusing nervousness. I pursed my lips and turn to Louise, “Can you get me water.”

“It’s okay Eli,” Father tells me knowing how nervous and frustrated I was. He stands from his seat and walks around his desk. He stops beside me as I look up to him.

Father was handsome. Really handsome. There’s a memory of Daniel meeting him for the first time and being mesmerized, more than he was with Mother. Honestly, all the little things Daniel does makes it so easy to know he was like me; gay. For Felix especially.

Harold was as straight as a rod with his new lover.

“You’re right Father,” I say to him. I take a moment to enjoy the feeling of Father’s hand on my head. It felt safe and secure, warm and comfortable. “I need to do something about the memories I have before it’s too late.” Honestly, I have a feeling that if this keeps going on, I’m going to lose my true identity completely.

“That’s what I’ve been working on. With your words and clear evidence, Harold was being manipulated. Seeing how Felix is in the same situation, it’s clear putting two and two together. But before gaining his memories, I was trying to find someone with an aura that can erase memories.”

My eyes widen and I jerk forward, “Really? Did you find someone?”

“It’s not unheard of, but any aura having to deal with memories are rare. I spent one whole day sending out personals to find someone like that. Trust me, I looked into more than a thousand people before putting up notices in every part of the kingdom. But no reply has come through in the last twelve hours, so it suffices to say there isn’t anyone like that in our kingdom.”

“Are you sure? Shouldn’t we wait till another day then?”

“It was a notice from me myself, the king. I haven’t sent out any notices since the beginning of my reign, so it was a popular topic that spread in the first hour. If no one answered to the notice then there’s no one.”

I slouched back in my seat in disappointment, “I see…”

“Don’t get disappointed yet. I said there’s no one in our kingdom." Father walks back to his seat, "I sent out a letter to the king of Lorains Kingdom. They’re our closest allies, I’m sure Reinhardt taught you so.”

Reinhardt did teach me about the Kingdom of Lorain. The lesson lasted for just a single day, but I was interested enough to remember details about them. They were our first allies during the conflicting era two decades ago. Their alliance with our Kingdom is what helped our Kingdom stand strong and vice versa. The king of Lorain, still in reign today, offered his daughters hand in marriage to the king before my father. However, he was never given a reply back as the accident which killed the king happened only the day before he sent the marriage request.

“They sent a letter back just a few hours ago. The second prince of Lorain, Prince Lyle Lorain, has an aura which can block memories.” Father looked pleased as he took out the letter from his drawer, “It’s not the same as erasing memories per se. The memories still stay in your mind, except you can't access them unless Prince Lyle unblocks them again.”

I look at Father speechless, “Everyone can do anything can’t they?”

“Not everything. Just enough to make the world a bit magical.” Father says between chuckles, probably amused and wondering why I still find everything so fascinating.