From Alive to... Alive-er

My eyes fluttered open. I was in… a bed. Something was in my hand.

I blinked. I was in my bed. My Elisabeth bed! That was the canopy!

My hand gripped… another hand? I squeezed. I looked to the right. That other hand belonged to none other than Finley Caestra. As I squeezed, he looked up from a book.

“E-Elisabeth! You’re awake! I mus-”

I leaned up out of the covers and buried him in the tightest hug possible. “Finley. Finley, I missed you so much.” I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. I had done it.

I was back.

“Hey, easy on the grip. I’m no dubhiast,” he laughed.

I fell back. His face was gaunt, like he hadn’t slept for as long as I had been gone.

“You need water. One moment.” The prince stood up, putting the book face down on the bed, and grabbed a glass of water.

Curious, I took a look at the page he had been on. Hey. Wait a sec.

“Finley… What were you reading?” I called out to him.

He smiled at me as he walked back over, glass in hand. “I had been doing a little research while you were dozing off.”

I’d never seen this book before. “How? I wasn’t even gone for a day.”

Finley sat down on the edge of the bed, and handed me the water. “Elisabeth… you were asleep for over a week.”

“Oh…” I took a deep gulp. Even the water tasted better here. “I’m so glad to be back.”

He smiled. “I’m glad you’re safe. I must say, the records in Lumineuse have been extremely helpful.” He picked up the book. “I think, given what we saw right before you fell asleep… That you might be like the Radiant Princess.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “I think that might be the case.” He looked puzzled. “Ah, sorry, please continue.”

Finley nodded. “Well, she was an ancient princess of Incande. The deeply vaulted records of her story that His Majesty King Lumineuse granted me access to, in order to find a way to wake you up, helped me piece it together.” He smiled. “She was a lot like you, apparently. In more ways than one.”

You can say that again.

“So, you’ve been looking into this Soul Bifurcation thing?” I asked.

He raised an eyebrow. “...Yes.” He paused, considering me. “I think… Well, it certainly helps explain why you were a little, ah, unaware of some things here and there,” he chuckled. “I wouldn’t have known to look this up if you hadn’t left that bookmark in that history book. That was what prompted me to begin my research, before Diana and I departed.”

“So you know that, um…” I couldn’t look him in the eye. What would he think? Of me originally being… something else?

“Elisabeth.” He looked me in the eye, as if reading my mind. “Soul Bifurcation is a tricky subject, from what limited information we have,” Finley explained. “Memories get splintered. One soul, two bodies. Something like that.” He grabbed my hand. “Point being, that you are you. And that’s what matters.”

I knew it! I was Elisabeth. And… I always had been. “I did feel kind of fractured, back there. It sucked. Bad.”

He laughed. “That would align with what the Radiant Princess said.” He let go. Noooo, keep holding it! “I think I should go let my sister and Marie know that you’re awake.” He stood up and left the room.

Moments later, Marie ran in, followed by both twins.

“Miss Elisabeth! You’re awake! Oh, thank the stars above!” This time it was Marie’s turn to suffocate me in her embrace.

Tears welled up in my eyes. “I’m so glad to be back.” We released one another.

“You aren’t too lightheaded or anything, right?” Diana asked, taking her turn to hug me.

“Well, I’m a little… disoriented,” I admitted. It was so nice being back to being me. The softness of my hair, the feeling of my chest, the airiness of my voice — the key had slotted into the right lock. “I think I’m… tired?”

Diana burst out laughing. “That’s one way to put it!”

Finley picked up the book, turning it away from the other two. Guess he didn’t tell them. “There’s much more to discuss, and even more to research, on the matter, but for now…” Finley closed the book, the tome sealing with a thud. “I think we should simply be happy to have you back.”

“You have no idea how good it feels to be back.” I meant it — they seriously had no clue what the past day had even been like for me. I felt my face, the daintiness of my small hands providing immense relief.

Finley looked concerned. “You sure you’re alright, Elisabeth?”

I smiled, trying to ease his fears. “I’m okay, though I think for now… I might like to get some fresh air. Could we… go outside?”

Finley held his hand out. “Absolutely.”

The three helped me out of bed. I felt a little weak in the knees, but with their help, I began to stabilize. We slowly made our way to the garden outside my room and set up for some tea at a garden table. While Marie prepared it, I nudged Finley.

“Wanna take a little walk?” I asked.

“Absolutely.”

We left Diana and Marie there and began to slowly stroll through the garden. It was midday, and the sun shone brilliantly down upon us, its warmth counteracted by the spring breeze rustling all of the plants around us. The smell of spring, that fresh floral scent which had graced my nose that first fateful day, was deliciously potent.

As we lazily enjoyed our time in the garden together, holding hands under the bright noon sky, we came across a bed of…

“Alstroemerias.” Finley said.

I smiled. “You recognize them.”

“How could I not?” God, his laugh was a balm upon my soul. “That does remind me…” He reached into his pocket and pulled something out, a silver trinket with little blue gems embedded inside. “You never got to claim this, now did you?”

That’s…! I gasped. “Is that the tool Moira made for me?”

“The very same.”

“It’s incredible. She captured the appearance of an alstroemeria perfectly,” I breathlessly admired it.

Finley tilted his head. “It’s meant to be worn, you know.” He held it up. “May I?”

I nodded. With great care and precision, he gently nestled the sterling silver floral accessory into my blonde hair. My hair! He took a step back. “Stunning.”

My face suddenly felt very hot.

“In addition to that…” Finley looked at the bed of flowers, hiding his gaze. “There’s one other thing you never received.”

“I have a feeling…” I smiled and grabbed his other hand.

He brought his eyes back to mine. “We did get rather annoyingly interrupted before.”

I giggled. “So inconsiderate of my soul.”

“Elisabeth, even one week is too long to go without hearing your melodious voice. Not even a day under the summer sun could feel as warm as spending time with you.” He blushed. “I should never like to spend another day apart in my entire life.”

My heart pounded, the noise of my blood pumping through my ears almost overshadowing his delicate poetry. “Yes?”

“Elisabeth…” He gazed into my eyes, as if viewing straight past everything, right to the very essence of my being, pulling the splintered pieces of my soul together with unimaginable power. He was truly magnetic.

“I love you.”

I melted on the spot.

“You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to hear that.” I gazed back.

He swallowed. “...Do you… Feel the same?”

What a complete and utter dork.

I paused for a moment, then smiled.

“You tell me.”

I leaned up and brought my lips to his.