Trapped In Hisstory

It has been three days since the King has invited them all to dine together with the guests from Canopus.

All of them are in their own worlds, thinking deeply of what happened that day. Chance continued to look for the little girl, with Caliber always with him. But they have to hide from the eyes of the King's spies.

Niro was worried about Sherin, who seemed to have a change in behavior after her conversation with Alec. He was curious, but it did not seem to be a topic that he could ask, it was too personal. He sighed and stayed silent, acting he had not noticed her troubled expression.

Even though Alec was not thinking much about their conversation, Sherin was deeply troubled about it.

To think that after all the years she spent in Aranea and Canopus, she would find out about a survivor, not only that, the survivor was the one she promised to play with back then.

~~~~~

The Fera before and the Sherin now were different, she was no longer the meek child of Summa Octo.

Although she has changed drastically, she felt her knees went weak as Alec stared at him coldly. She was dumbfounded by the things she has only heard now. To think that someone like him is right in front of her, she does not know how she would react or what she would say.

She looked up at him, feeling small like she returned to Phoneutria Fera.

"You...you said you are a lynx?" Sherin asked, and could not believe what she just heard. She thought that it was impossible since she saw how the royal army and Aranea annihilated the clans of Animalia Tribe.

Sherin remembered how her father, Phoneutria Bahiensis, killed the senior lyncas. Sherin put her hand on her mouth, 'Did he see..?' she thought.

"I do not blame you for not remembering me, since you never had the chance to ask for my name." Alec said.

She found it difficult to process it all in her mind, all these years, he was alive. The lynx she promised to meet and play with on the day of her birthday, he did not die. She does not know if she will feel glad because he survived or feel sad that he was the only one left.

She lowered her gaze, "You knew me from the time we met..?'

"That time where we dueled." 

All this time she was the only one who did not notice. She spent her day in the punishment circle and would never forget the promise she made. But that does not mean that he would still remember his face.

All these years she thought he was already dead. How would she explain to him? What does she need to say so she could prove that she has no knowledge of her father's scheme? 'Why do I have to prove something to him?' she thought.

She should not act like this, but it was not easy to remove the feeling of guilt deep within her heart.

Alec looked at her and his gaze gave an icy feeling to Sherin, making her uncomfortable and even more guilty. "When all of the people of the tribe, all clans, were wiped out, and you stood there. You stood together with your family and you…"

"You laughed."

Sherin's eyes widened, it was not like that, she thought. There was a misunderstanding, "Listen, that time when my clan was with the royal family, I had no-" Her words were cut off as she stared at Alec. The look on his face was enough for her to know that no matter what she said, he would never forgive her. He would never forgive her clan, the summa octo and even her who was also fooled.

"Although I did not give you my name, I do hope you remember the one I was with." Alec said to her.

Sherin glanced at him, trying to remember who he was talking about and the perplexed expression on Sherin's face made Alec irritated. He slammed his hand on the wall, making Sherin lean back in surprise.

Alec let out a snort as he looked her in the eye, "To think that you do not remember the person who reached out his hand to befriend you." he said, all of the emotions Alec kept within him was slowly seeping out. "He was the one who told me that he wants to become friends with you, he was the one who called the others to play with you!"

Sherin's eyes slightly widened as she got in a daze from Alec's sudden raise of his voice. "Aloy..?" she muttered. She remembered the boy who everyone got along with. How could she forget?

Aloy gathered kids to play with her and yet she could not even come. How disappointed he must be.

"That is right, Aloy, my best friend." Alec responded in a low voice.

"He was always with you, so he must be fine. Where is he staying now? How is-

Sherin could not continue her words when she sensed a bad air around Alec. She should not have asked, judging from his expression, she could already guess what happened.

"He is gone." he said in a whisper. Alec turned to her with a tear running down his cheek but his eyes were full of hate, "Aloy died that day. That day when your clan betrayed the tribe."

~~~~~

Her chest felt heavy as she remembered his words. She had long left Aranea when the Second Prince of Canopus took her to the palace to be a royal aide. 

But even so, that does not change the fact that she was still an aranean. She was still part of Summa Octo.

The ones who betrayed the whole tribe.

She cannot remove the guilty thoughts from her mind, knowing that the survivor of Animalia tribe's Lyncas Clan, went through a lot because of his father's betrayal.

"I made him wait that day and also could not do anything to help him..." she whispered as she looked outside the window. 

"Aloy died that day. That day when your clan betrayed the tribe."

She clenched her fist, Aloy, that lupus, how could she even forget. He was the only one who tried to approach her and gathered kids to play with her at the time of the loneliest moment of her life.

'To think that such a kind person died...an innocent boy.' she thought. 'This was all because of Bahiensis.' she added and her fists tightened up even more in anger.

"I was not part of the betrayal."

"I never wanted it to happen."

"I am no longer considered as an aranean."

"I hate my own father."

Those were the words she wanted to say, but she could not do it. Because it will not change the fact that his friend died because of her family.

Being guilty, giving pity and finding excuses will not change anything and would only make the other despise you even more.

She looked away from the window, where she could see the Crown Prince and Alec outside. She glanced at the other royal aide that was in a daze. She smiled slightly, knowing that he was worried.

Niro flinched when he felt a hand on his shoulder, "You do not have to worry about me, partner." Sherin said and Niro stared at her. "I will be fine." she added with a smile.

Partner.

Smile.

Those were enough to shake Niro inside and stare at her, wishing he does not have to look away forever.

He stayed silent and Sherin looked away to continue walking but he grabbed his hand, making Sherin slightly raise her brows as she turned to look at him.

He said he would not ask because it looked personal and he was in no position to know what she talked about with others but… 'I don't think I can hold back my worries and curiosity anymore.' he thought.

"Sherin...can you tell me what happened between you and Alec?"