The Search For The Reincarnated Queen

After witnessing the painful night, they all went back to the library early in the morning.

Taylan asked to be alone, while Willow suddenly vanished and the others are silently sitting in the library while having a cup of tea.

Velo, who's worried for Eli, decided to leave and bid goodbye, only to stumble upon her by the entrance.

"Ve--" Eli was about to call him but shook his head lightly for her to stop talking and whispered: "Pretend you don't know me. I'll talk to you later."

Then he passed by her as if he didn't know her and left.

Eli went to Rein and gave him a letter with a serious expression, showing no signs to be swayed against her decision.

"Resign?" Rein stands up and shook his head, "No, Eli. No."

Eli looked straight into his eyes, "You don't have the right to tell me what to do, I respect you as my boss, but whether you confirm my resignation or not, I'll leave."

She promised herself not to be involved with them or with E in any way starting now.

And this is the first step.

If she can get her hand on a beast, then, that's the only time she will let herself get caught by this drama again.

"But!" Trace stands up and frowned.

She's the only person, no, the only human they trust and adore. Losing her feels... Feels like they just lost the Queen.

Eli looked away and crossed her arms, "Sorry, my decision's final. Thank you so much for the past years. See you around, " she laid her eyes on the books she fixed yesterday.

The dusty air, the smell of books, the chairs and the chandelier, she already engraved this scene on her mind.

She never thought that this place that she already considered as home, will be the one that will show her the beasts who destroyed her family.

Macky ran towards her and hugged her tight, "No!" He clenches Eli's shirt and shook his head, "No!" He cried as he tightens his embrace.

Eli sighed and patted his head. Aside from the library, of course, she'll miss everyone.

They are like family to her.

But, no.

They are not humans. Not even a bit. She bites the inside of her mouth and retreats her hand away from Macky.

"I'll go now, goodbye."

Eli pushed Macky away softly and went straight to the exit, but the voice that she wasn't expecting to hear, stops her like a puppet.

"Where are you going?" Asked Taylan as he went down the stairs. His eyes looked tired, and his complexion's a bit pale.

After watching the Queen's death, he can't help but fully take responsibility for it and feel the weight of guilt on his shoulders.

Eli took a deep breath as her heart became uneasy. He's a killer. He killed E. He killed his wife!

"I'm resigning. I have personal matters to attend to." She said and pushed the door, but his hand stops her.

Taylan pulled the door and locked it, he smells like burnt ashes, which came from the garden earlier.

Eli didn't even move an inch and remained on her position without facing Taylan.

"Why are you leaving?" Taylan's voice was heavy, but it was faint as if he's asking himself the question.

The sight of her leaving breaks his heart. For some reason, he can't bear to see her go.

He's going to be left behind.

Again.

"I said I have to do something, Taylan."

Taylan.

He can't avoid but notice how she called him by his full name, not Tay.

Her sweet charming voice, calling the nickname she gave; her beautiful smile, and her black enchanting hair.

Eli unlocked the door and faced him, with an emotionless face she forced to put on.

Why is he frowning? Why are his eyes red? Did he cry? Why does he look like a mess? What happened? Is he alright?

Questions and worries filled Eli's c.h.e.s.t which only grew heavier as she stares at him longer. If she continuous to do this, she might even decide to stay. She snapped out of her thoughts and pushed the door, "I'm leaving."

"Please, don't leave me, " Taylan begged as his vision blurred, and slowly, his strength and consciousness left him fainting.

Eli managed to catch him before he fell, "Tay!" She called and shook him, but still, he's unresponsive.

Everyone ran towards them, but Velo stayed behind the shadows, watching everyone grew frantic of what happened to their king.

"What happened to him?" Eli asks as she stands by Taylan's side, watching Macky take care of him.

"He's just tired." Trace kept the explanation short, but they all knew what truly happened.

He's slowly losing his power and strength due to restricting himself of drinking blood, also, because he needs the Queen.

Eli sighed, "Okay. Then, I'll go." She glances over Taylan for the last time and left.

How can he kill his own wife and child? Tram is the splitting image of him, yet he killed him. But... How can such a perverted yet soft and kind person like him do that?

No. He's not soft nor kind. Eli doesn't know him well. All he did was catch women's attention and lock himself in his room.

But his smiles, his voice, his eyes, and that lonely emotion he sometimes shows, it makes Eli feel an ache inside.

Velo appeared before her as she was about to cross the street and decided that they should talk in the park.

"What were you doing there?" Eli asked while watching the light post turn off.

"I won't lie to you. It seems like you already knew what is happening anyway."

"What gives you the impression?"

Velo smirked, the way Eli worriedly catches the King earlier with her fearful eyes and panicked expression says that they already had an interaction.

The King also stopped her, and even he was on the verge of passing out, he begged her to stay with him.

There's no denying that destiny's doing its job right.

"It doesn't matter. So, what do you know?" Velo asked as he glances at Eli.

Her black hair that will turn silver doesn't change the fact that is silky and straight. Her brown vanilla eyes, turning gold, is still majestic.

"He killed the Queen, or whoever she is, including their child," Eli said in a straight tone.

"Did your aunt told you about that?"

"Yes... I mean, no."

Velo flinched, "What do you mean?"

"I won't tell you, but tell me, what were you doing there exactly? Don't tell me you're siding with a murderer?" Eli snickers and stands up. "But don't worry, I don't even care. I'll pretend I don't know anything."

"He didn't kill the Queen, Eli. He was... copied. It was an imposter." Velo wasn't able to resist telling her the truth, among everyone, she has the right to know about it the most.

"Oh, really?" Eli looked like she just found out something incredible but she smirked and started walking away, "I don't care if he did or not. It doesn't concern me, Velo."

Of course, it doesn't concern her, a mere human. But it does concern her when it is about beasts. Even if she just kills... no, even if she just wounds a beast, she'll consider it as a revenge.

Velo watches her as she lightly walks away, but two huge silhouettes appeared before her.

Beast!

Velo stands up but was held by another beast. Good thing there are no people around the park, or else they might get hurt.

Eli took a step back while glancing around her if there are other beasts around and saw Velo being held by a huge man.

With Velo's thin body, he'll easily break if he tries to fight.

"What do you need?" Eli asked at the beasts who are staring at her as if they just found a treasure.

"We can bring the beasts who killed your parents, and you can order us to kill them if that is what you want, Our Queen." Says the one with a scar on his face.

Eli, shocked by what he said, imagined the beasts, who killed her parents, perish. Having them dead eases the anger in her. But why would they do that... and Queen? What is happening?

She looked at them, but another man, who doesn't seem like a beast with his normal body proportion, appeared.

Tall, long auburn hair, red eyes, and an earring on his left ear that looks like a vial full of red liquid, is standing before her.

He smiled at her and kneeled while leaving a kiss on her right hand.

"My Queen, " says the man.

Eli can feel a familiar warmth, then a painful cold sensation runs through her body starting from her stomach.

This hand, Eli thought, why does she feel like the warmth coming from him is dangerously familiar?

"Sir Vanford, " Says the other beast while looking at the man with fear, " We found her."

Velo froze in fear, how? How did they found her? They kept her well hidden. No one knows except Oberon and Aunt Susanna. How?!

"Ah~ the last time I saw you, you were really small, like a doll, so delicate, so pitiful," Vanford stands up and leans close to Eli and held her. "They hid you very well." He said and stared at Velo.

"What do you mean?" Eli can feel her body getting weak, his hand over her waist feels like it's taking her strength. Her eyes are beginning to feel heavy while her legs are turning into a wobbly stick.

"They made you forget, but I'll let you remember EVERYTHING starting from the past."

Slowly, Eli's vision grew dark, until her eyes shut while she fell into Vanford's arms.

Velo, who watches as his friend fell unconscious at the hand of an unknown man, grew terrified as the same man molded his face into Aunt Susanna's appearance, just like what he saw in the past when France Benedict turned into the King.

He was about to fight against the beasts that hold him but a punch sent him to sleep.

"Eliora!" France Benedict called out as his friend and Tram faintly disappears, "What is happening?"

Tram held E's hand tightly with fear. They were about to go back to the city and meet with Eli, but E and Tram suddenly started disappearing.

This thing will only happen... they will only disappear once Eli gets her memories back from her past life, which will only occur when Taylan claims her back.

E looked at Ben with terrified eyes, "He hasn't taken her yet, what is happening?"

This is impossible. She just found out about Taylan earlier, and Eli doesn't want to be involved with them, but why are they disappearing? How can she get her memories back?

"I'll tell them about Eli. They can help us, " Ben stands up, "Don't worry, I won't let them hurt you again."