Just How Many Lives?

When she woke up from the body of an old woman who lives alone in an empty house nowhere in the Empire, she decided to end her life as she knows that she cannot make anything with that body. Again, when she opened her eyes from another body, she got insane upon realizing that she had transmigrated to a beggar’s body. She would tell anyone who passed by that Emperor Darya was killed by her husband. She would announce that the Emperor Lorenzo was a child of Emperor Esteban from his secret mistress who had become the Empress when Emperor Darya was dead. However, no one would believe a lowly beggar as they regarded her as an insane lowly being who curses the Emperor for her own misery. She was also abused because of this until then she was executed for blasphemy.

In her next life, she woke up from a three-year old child’s body of a high ranking commoner. Her family was living in the outskirts of the upper lands of a faraway kingdom where they study alchemy, illegally. Feeling lifeless that she had no idea how to get to the Largoth Empire, she decided to study alchemy in order to run away. After ten years, she died in an experiment she made herself.

So then, she woke up in a completely different world. She could barely see a tree and all the shelters were tall and sturdy. There were many new inventions where they can fly a thing to the sky and they have things they could see themselves and talk to others while they are far away. It was a completely new world. It was so new that she almost forgot the events that happened in her many lives. However, how could she forget the undying love she gave to her husband? How would she forget her responsibility to build her Empire to become the greatest of all? How could she forget the betrayal she felt as if she was killed again and again by the painful love she once thought was genuine?

“Wan, ato, sree, oor, fay, si…..” Ayian started counting her little ten fingers. She is still one year old and she is already counting numbers without anyone teaching her.

“Ayian, what are you doing?” Her mother, who noticed her, came to her and took her to her arms.

“…lemin, twelf,”

“Oh my god, my baby must be a genius! She is counting numbers with her fingers!”

“…sirsin!”

It is already her thirteenth life! Why can’t she just die and not live anymore?! Why must she suffer from this?! Why is it only her?!

In her first life, she was an Emperor. In her second life, she was a noble lady. In her third, she had become an errand girl. In her fourth, she became an old woman. In her fifth life, she became a beggar. In her sixth, she was an alchemist. Then in her seventh life, she was in what they call the modern world but she died after crossing the street ignorantly. Then she lived another life in the same world again and died in too much studying in a library.

Nine, she was killed by a murderer. Tenth, she became a businesswoman and died in her old age. Eleventh, she died in a plane crash. Twelve, she died because of a disease! And now in her thirteenth life, her family died in an accident including her. She lived another life then in this life… it’s the same but different.

“Please, wake up, Princess.”

She woke up from sleeping after feeling light taps on her back. She yawned and stretched out her arms. As she opened her eyes, she saw a familiar place and a familiar maid. She could barely remember her name but she spouted a name out of surprise.

“Ejila?”

“Yes? I have prepared your bath, Princess.”

She stilled as she immediately went out of her bed and ran to her vanity table who she could not believe were familiar to her.

“Be careful, Princess!”

She climbed to the seat on her vanity to see herself in the mirror and there her eyes went wide upon seeing her silky black hair and her morganite eyes.

“How old am I, Ejila?”

“You are four years old, Princess.”

She jumped out of the seat and ran to the window to see the outside. It was the same garden when she was young and was the first Princess. What does this mean? How did she come back to this time?

“Your highness?” Ejila was worried about the Princess’ sudden actions.

“I want to see my grandfather.” She made her way to the bathroom as Ejila followed her. She was then attended by maids in the bath and with her garments and meal.

After preparing herself, she made her way out of her room and walked to the direction where her grandfather usually goes every morning. She was still fazed as to why she suddenly came back to her first life or was everything that happened a dream?

After that speculation, she suddenly stopped walking to think deeply. If those are dreams… then… she found her hand travelling to her heavy chest. Why can she still feel the pain on her chest with everything that had happened to her in her first and second life? Why was it still very clear in her memory that she was betrayed by her husband?

She continued to walk towards the Imperial garden as he found the Emperor picking flowers. The imperial knights set aside upon seeing her enter the garden as she walked towards her grandfather, the Emperor.

“Grandpa!” She called for the Emperor and when he turned around, she could not help but run towards him because she missed him so badly after all those years.

“Lysandra?” Surprised to see her early in the morning, the Emperor’s face suddenly turned light as he bent down his knees to catch her. He wanted to lift her up but he is too old now. He can only hug her grandchild.

“I miss you, grandpa!” Darya could not just help but say the words she had always wanted to say to him in person. Her grandfather is her source of strength as he is the only family that is on her side.

The Emperor laughed after hearing his four-year old granddaughter’s declaration. His heart just moved and the pain of old age was relieved.

“My granddaughter is so sweet. We just saw each other yesterday.” He giggled and broke the hug to stand up.

“I miss you everyday, grandpa.” Darya held the Emperor’s hand as they walked to the table.

“You have made my day, my dear Lysandra.” The Emperor tapped her head as they separated to different seats.

A tea was then served for both of them. While Darya is drinking tea, she watches the Emperor put the flowers he picked into a vase.

“Peonies!” She exclaimed after seeing her favourite flowers that she had not seen for many years. It was a beautiful red flower.

“Do you like peonies?” The Emperor asked.

“Yes. It symbolises good fortune and honour. It also signifies building a good relationship with anyone you are going to gift with peonies.”

“That is so thoughtful of you, Lysandra. Who taught you about its meaning?”

She flinched and her smile twitched upon realizing that she was so excited to see her grandfather again that she forgot that she is four years old as of now.

“I read it in a book that Ejila gave me.” She reasoned out although in her first life, she only found out about the flower’s name when she was ten years old.

“Ooh?” The Emperor giggled. “I should reward your personal maid for doing such a good thing. I am happy to see that you are learning at your age.”

She beamed as an answer. Her grandfather might have a soft spot for young children but he is still strict towards learning and education. He always wanted all his family to be a role model of anyone in the Empire.

“Your majesty, it is time for your meeting with the nobles.” The Emperor’s personal aid walked close and announced the Emperor’s schedule.

The Emperor stood up and looked at Darya. “Do you want to come with me?” He smiled as her eyes glittered with the thought of meeting the nobles as a young child.

“Yes! Yes. Let’s go!” She jumped from her seat and went to hold the Emperor’s hand.

As they walked out of the garden to go to the main palace, she already got an idea on what will be the main objective of the meeting because the Emperor was talking about it to his personal aid.

Finally, they arrived and when they walked in, all of the nobles stood up and lowered their heads to greet the Emperor. So then, the Emperor sat on the leader’s throne as his personal aid took a different seat for Princess Darya. So then, she could feel many eyes coming towards her. Others were hiding their fangs and others were genuinely admiring. She raised her head to find those people whom she knows are not on the Imperial side.

So then, her eyes went sharp as soon as it met Count Morata’s and Count Garrett’s. They looked younger than her time and they looked as if nothing was on their preoccupied minds. She showed them an innocent smile.

In this life, I will not let you win.