Trapped In Hisstory

It was a fine day to sit at a table, looking around, taking in the view of the kingdom while sipping tea in the morning. It was not too sunny, making the people be in a good mood.

At this time, Chance was still in his chamber, sleeping. A woman whose face was covered with a veil poured more tea into her cup. The rim of the cup was already near his lips and was about to take a sip when she stopped all of a sudden as she felt another being's presence in her room.

"What are you planning to do?" 

The woman with a veil turned her head around and saw the spirit, taking a human form, looking at her with a serious expression. She chuckled. It was so early in the morning for her to be greeted with that kind of look. 

"May you have a nice day as well," she said when the spirit did not even bother greeting him good morning.

"Stop messing around and answer me, A-"

From the dark see-through veil, the smile on the woman's face vanished, and she looked at the spirit from the corner of her eyes, "Best if you clarify what you would like me to answer." she said and took another sip from her tea.

"I am serious. What are you doing right now?" the spirit asked again, and the usual smile that the woman wears returned to her face.

"As you can see, I am having tea. Would you like to join me?" the woman answered along with a question of asking the spirit to join, "Oh, dear, wait. I forgot that you cannot drink since...you are a spirit."

The spirit ignored the woman's tease and disappeared. After a few seconds, the spirit appeared, standing on the railings of the balcony near the table she was on. The spirit has its back facing the woman as it stared at the streets of the Geminga area.

The spirit raised his gaze and looked at the palace that they could see from the place they were in. "I do hope that you are not planning anything that will ruin destiny."

The woman smiled. "I do not know what you are trying to imply with that." she said. "Why do you assume that I am planning something?" the woman asked, smiling behind her veil.

"You seem to be getting bored these days, I am afraid that your boredom will cause chaos in this time." the spirit said, with its hands crossed on his back.

"Do not treat me as if I am a child, I do know how to identify the right from the wrong."

"Of course you are not a child, you are very old."

Although the woman was smiling, the spirit hit her nerves but she concealed her annoyed expression. "I am nowhere near old. I am very young and beautiful." she said in return, but the spirit ignored her remarks.

"Not all people know what is right and what is wrong. Even those who are not young make bad decisions that they regret for their lifetime," he said with no expression as he looked at the palace and dazed.

The woman watched the spirit's human form as it stared off in the palace's direction. 'A memory that he will never forget. A memory that he shall forever regret.' she thought, and rested her cheeks on her palm.

"You do not have to worry, I will not do anything that would change what was pre-destined." she said, "Even someone like me has no power to do such a thing," she added.

"All I could do is to keep the game of chess going and watch...as Chance Howard makes his moves."

The spirit's human form slowly turned around to face the woman. "For everything that is happening right now is fated to happen. A destiny that cannot be changed."

The woman took another sip of her tea and closed his eyes while the spirit slowly disappeared, leaving the woman staring back at the view of the kingdom's palace.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Tomorrow. It is...tomorrow." Chance thought repeatedly inside his mind as he bites into the nail of his thumb, trying to calm his panicked mind.

A day has already passed which makes it his last day of preparation from the celebration of Charle's birthday, officially as the Crown Prince of Antares. After the day ends, it will be the celebration. Which means he would be in front of the guests, especially nobles of high ranks.

From the moment he first arrived at the palace of Antares when he came into the 19th century, he was already learning about different families. And until now, he was still reading so that he would be prepared in case anything would happen in the celebration.

'Guests...many guests. A crowded room of the celebration. I do not think I could this.' he thought. 'Charles would be able to do this easily but not me!' he thought again, nervous about talking to people.

"Do not think like this, I can do this as long as I keep everything in mind." he thought, comforting himself. Social anxiety sucks, but then Fate decided to awaken him in a royal member's body, a Crown Prince! "Oh, Fate, you are very great."

He flipped to other pages and every page he goes through felt as if it was already stuck inside his head. 'I already know about all of this.' he thought.

He put the papers he had gone through on the table and stared into space. Edmund appeared in front of him, and Chance looked up at the face of the librarian. "Oh, Edmund."

"Is Your Highness done with these?" Edmund asked, pointing at the books and papers scattered on the table. 

"Oh, yes. I am sorry for the mess." he said and immediately tried to put the scattered papers in one pile but the librarian stopped him. "Your Highness does not have to do that. I can do it," he said.

"Thank you as always, Edmund." the Crown Prince said and leaned back in his seat.

"Best if Your Highness takes a rest. A little break would not hurt." Edmund suggested as he cleaned up the table and carried the books.

The Crown Prince rubbed his neck and looked at the librarian with worry on his face. "But I need to prepare. Tomorrow is the celebration."

"A little break would help put your mind at ease. It will help you study more." Edmund with a smile. "Though in all honesty, I still do not get why you need to study...all of these?" he asked, confused.

"Oh, well...My memory is not that good with names. Best if I could study it again, right?"

"I see your point." the librarian nodded and left to put the books back in the racks.

A little while, Edmund came back with empty hands, just finished putting the things that the Crown Prince has used in his study. "But still, Your Highness should take a rest," he said, while walking back to Chance's table. "You would not want to appear at your own celebration looking bad with dark circles under your eyes, yes?" 

Chance almost laughed. 'You say that as if you do not have it.' he thought and looked at his eyes that makes him look like a panda, but a sleepy version. "Look at yourself first before saying that. I think you are the one who needs rest."

Edmund waved his hand left and right at his words. "Oh, please, Your Highness. Believe it or not but I get too much rest. There is not much to do here in the Royal Library." he said.

Even so, he still looked like he was about to fall asleep because of his droopy panda eyes.

"Thank you, Edmund. I am really grateful for your kindness and will to help." the Crown Prince said with his sincerest tone.

Edmund smiled and bowed his head. "Anything for Your Highness, may you always be blessed by the Goddess." 

Chance smiled as a response. He looked beside him, but his personal knight was not standing there near him. "Edmund, have you seen my knight, Alec?" he asked.

Edmund looked around him and shook his head. "I do not see His Excellency inside the Royal Library but I did see him leaving through the door earlier." he answered.

'But why did he leave?' Chance thought.

"Your Highness."

Edmund and Chance turned around and saw Alec, who has just appeared. "Where did you go, Alec?" the Crown Prince asked.

Suddenly, a butler pushing a cart, followed by maids, came inside the library. They stopped in front of his table that was just been cleaned by Edmund, no books nor papers spotted. The butler opened the cover and there were desserts in it and a teapot and cups.

"Your Highness should take a rest, so I called over a few servants to prepare snacks." Alec said while the servants carefully put the stuff in the cart on the table.

"Thank you...Alec." he muttered, feeling touched that he had already got it prepared for him. Alec just nodded and stood straight beside him once again.

The servants bowed and immediately left the Royal Library as soon as they finished setting the foods onto the table. Edmund returned to his desk as well and fell asleep at the moment he sat down.

Chance smiled, feeling grateful for the people around him. He was about to take a bite of the cake when he felt someone staring at him.

"Eh? Is that a kid?"