The splash was deafening. Her eyes opened slowly, they were heavy and a cold sensation flowed across their surface. 'Water, I'm underwater' She slowly looked around as she drifted lower into the water. Her limbs frozen and become numb, and her breath was already gone. 'Am I dead?…I cannot breathe, I cannot move. I must be dead.' She looked below her into the boundless waters, empty and frozen.
Angelique closed her eyes, her body fatigued and sore. Is this how it all ends? 'Before the biggest day of my life, I die alone in a lake. Looking back I wish I had taken my mom's offer for swimming lessons.' To her surprise, as her body had been void of feeling for a while, a cold chill went down her spine. Sensing that something had happened, Angelique pried her eyes open, blinking to clear her vision. Endless black. There weren't fish, or lakebed, roots or plants. It felt like purgatory, an endless drifting abyss.
She glanced at what she assumed was down, to her hands, which were lazily drifting by her side. 'If I focus enough, maybe I can move my fingers.' She strained to flex her fingers, but to no avail. With a sigh, her eyes shut again and she decided to relax with her thoughts.
And so, she waited like that for more than an hour, or a few hours, still lazily floating down, or maybe up. Now the world was entirely black like a blindfold stretched across her eyes, and she couldn't perceive up or down, or even the presence of water.
Light where light shouldn't be. That was what came to Angelique's mind when she awoke. She must have drifted asleep at some time. Her eyes opened to murky water, with fish, algae, and dirt kicked up in the swiftly churning water. They burned and stung from the debris. It was dark, except for beams of moonlight breaking the thick murk. In a rush, all her senses came alive again, in a crashing wave of agony. She could feel pricks of cold on her legs and arms, her blue fingertips and bare feet went numb with pain. In her chest the pressure built and she began to desperately thrash, taking in a large gulp of lake water in her struggle. Her ears, though filled with water, could hear a distant scream, along with the words "help", and "drowned".
The sound of more voices rushed overhead, all shouting incoherent phrases. Some were male, some were female, and many more fiery lights surrounded Angelique as she continued to desperately thrash about in the water. Her cries were mixed with sputtering water and coughing, and she could barely scream for help. Her flailing arms were swiftly grabbed by the hands of some unknown figure and she was yanked out from the water and dragged to shore.
Her eyes shot open and she lurched over, coughing up lake water onto the ground, her lungs aching and her mind dizzy. 'What just happened!' Angelique took in her surroundings, as her head whipped dizzyingly around. About 10 people in strange costumes surrounded her, a few appearing to be old fashioned maids, the others looking like barn keepers and butlers. Clinging to her skin was a thick and heavy lavender dress, which weighed her down a few pounds. 'I fell off a bridge wearing jeans and a graphic t-shirt, how did I end up in this ballgown?'
Angelique opened her lip to speak, her voice merely weak rasp, “Who are you people?” she asked. All the individuals circling her let out a gasp of surprise, and the maid closest to her clasped Angelique's hands in her own and said tearfully, “My Lady, it is me! Your loyal servant Minnielle!” Angelique looked the small girl up and down apprehensively. The girl seemed around 17 years old, with a short mop of curly hair upon her head, and a face spotted with freckles. “What...what do you mean. Where am I?” Angelique said, glancing around. The crowd was sent into a frenzy at this, all running to grab doctors, and frantically trying to lift Angelique, speaking to her about how everything will be alright in a few days. “Someone, can you please tell me where I am, my name is Angelique Vosce and I think I’m lost.” Minielle let out a gasp and tightened her grip on Angelique's hands. “Oh, thank the heavens, she remembers her name at least! Don't worry my Lady, you’ll recover soon enough!” a doctor ran over beside them as the guided her through an empty field.
“Look, my Lady, the doctor is here!”
“Yes, but where am I!” Angelique answered, her mind still muddled.
“Ah yes, I apologize, my Lady, you are at the Alishe's mansion!”
“What's an Alishe?”
“Why, Alishe Julian, your husband!”
“My husband!”
“Yes my Lady, this is your husband's residence.”
Angelique's head shot down to look at her left hand, where a gleaming wedding ring sat. “Oh, my word.” she gasped. 'I most definitely wasn't married when I fell off that bridge.'
Everything happened quickly. It seemed to Angelique like she was inside a beehive. The swarm of servants escorted her up a hill in a rush, tripping over themselves and shouting orders at each other. She could barely grasp the immense size of the mansion that came into view as she was walked upwards. It loomed above everything around, and was as large as a castle, every window had a firey glow that shone out into the night. Before she could even respond to the spectacle, the maids brought her to a backdoor of the building. She was rushed up a few set of staircases and delivered to lavish bedroom and tossed behind a wall of curtains. There, she fought a gaggle of servant girls who struggled to take Angelique's soggy dress from her body. She was forced into a hot bath, having given in to the maids' insistance, and then lifted out, patted dry with a towel, and wrapped in a white nightgown.
The 20 maids that had brought her to her room, along with the doctor, had all left, all except for the maid girl named Minnielle and the other two girls who first greeted her from the water. Now the room seemed terribly quiet, and the only noise was the gentle crackling of the fireplace against the wall. Beside Angelique’s bed were the three maids who greeted her from the water, standing silently.
Angelique took amoment to recollect her thoughts. She fell off a bridge into the ocean, sank for what felt like hours, and appeared in a mysterious place, in a small lake. The three maids all began to turn to each other restlessly. "My Lady, per doctors orders, we must insist that you sleep now." said the one closest to her, visibly scared.
The maid named Minnielle, who was less frightened of the situation, came over to the other side of the bed and pulled the sheets up to Angeliques neck, gently pressing her into the bed. "Go to sleep now, My Lady." she said, clamly, before guiding the others from the room.
Angelique caught Minnielle whispering the the frightened maid, "She wont harm you until her memories return. Its alright." The door shut behind them and the fireplace began to entice Angelique to rest with its crackling embers.
When Angelique finally fell asleep, face buried into her pillow, she was met with a strange dream. A child with red hair receiving jewels and toys while she sat on a large gold chair. “Angelique, sit up straight.” A large booming voice commanded the girl from the other side of the room. The girl responded with giggles and stuck out her tongue. The world began to swirl and mix around Angelique and she was now in a large dining room that looked like a grand palace.
She saw The redheaded girl, now a teenager, throwing golden plates across the room, where food splashed the walls and clung to the ceiling. At the end of the table was the man with a large voice, probably her father, he remained calm, eating his meal while she shrieked and stabbed the table with her fork. “Angelique, sit down and eat please.” The man spoke without lifting his head to face her, focusing on his plate of roasted meats. The girl let out another shriek before throwing herself into her chair again. “Now, tell me, daughter, what is the meaning of this outburst.” the man said softly.
“You won't believe the night I had, father. I was at Dalphene’s party and she had the audacity to ask my beloved Julian for a dance. I was so mad that I almost ripped every hair from my head!” The smalls girls face became cherry red.
“My darling daughter, do not worry, is this all that bothers you?” her father answered, wiping his scruffy red beard of gravy, and going back to eat another piece of meat.
“Father, you won't believe what my beloved Julian did, he agreed! I was so shocked, since he is usually a man of high status and coldness, as you must have known. But to this slut he practically swept her off her feet!"
“Indeed, when I see him at the palace it is as if a block of stone learned to walk and speak. It is unsettling."
“Oh, father, I would be in such a state of grief if Dalphene were to marry my darling prince Julian.” The redheaded girl turned to her father and stared him down with her large, watering eyes. “Please father, something must be done!”
The father stood up from his finished plate and wiped his hands on a napkin. “My dearest daughter, what do you suppose I do?” The girl looked down at her hands, biting her lip tightly, “Father, if you want to help me…if you truly do wish to make me the happiest girl in the world,” she stood up and slammed her hands onto the table, “destroy that bitch Dalphene!” Once again, Angelique saw the world swirl, and melt into a new one.
A bride, and a groom, both sitting across from each other in a sitting room. The bride was without a doubt the same redheaded girl, sitting with a blushing face and glancing eyes. The groom, like a man made of ice, had the stillest and most unmoving face Angelique had ever seen. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment, unfolding it.
“Rebbeca, Dalphene, Maricra, Sumiatra. It was you, wasn't it?” he said, his words clinging to the air like frost filling the room. The redhead let out a gasp and met his gaze. "I know what what you're saying, my love." The man blinked and then continued, “The list goes on, Tracey, Luchia, Vienna-”
“Please, stop it, stop talking.” The bride leaped up from her seat to face the man.
“Lady Angelique Vosce. Or should I say, Alishen Angelique Evendase.” He stood and threw the paper down on the table. “I know all your secrets, how you've destroyed these innocent women's lives. What do you have to say for yourself.”
“My love, I am innocent I swear.” she laughed nervously, reaching a shaking hand out for the paper.
“You have bribed, kidnapped, you've entirely ruined multiple family lines.” the groom Julian smacked her hand away from the paper, “You still dare to call me your love!? You disgust me.” A pregnant pause filled the room as both stared at each other.
“What do you plan to do!” The bride broke out into a peal of hysterical laughter, her teary eyes flowing and wide, with newfound madness. “We're already married, what do you plan to do! What can you possibly do? Our marriage was a blessing from the Emperor, your father! Putting me in jail will only bring you down!” Her face was twisted and bent askew. Angelique almost could have sworn it was inhuman.
“Although I can't divorce you now.” Julian turned to look at her hunched for, and calmly tucked the parchment into his jacket. “I can still make your life a living hell.” He walked out of the room as the wife began shaking violently. As the door to the sitting room closed, the world whirled around once more.
The rest of the vision was blurred memories, jumping from childhood to adulthood. One moment, the redheaded girl would be playing with dolls, the next she would be beating a servant with a candlestick. The last vision Angelique saw was her telling herself if she leaped into the lake Alishe Julian would surely come to save her. 'Yeah...that worked out well, didn't it.' Angelique let out a snort, and her head suddenly began to throb.
Angelique opened her eyes to bright lights and whispers. She let out a low groan of pain as her head began to ache, and her temperature began to rise. "My Lady, are you feeling alright!?" a small voice whispered to her from her side. Minnielle shoved her face close to Angeliques and patted away the sweat from Angeliques forehead. 'I can't believe I'm still here...' Angelique looked around frantically at the crowd that had once again gathered in the room. 'I thought it was all a dream...' Angelique quickly pinched her face with her fingers, the sharp pain causing her head to twirl even more violently. "Oh! My Lady what are you doing!" Minnielle pulled Angeliques fingers from her face. "Your skin must remain perfect!"
A man in a white coat walked up beside Minnielle, and took Angeliques limp wrist in his hand for her pulse. "She is coming down from her fever now." The man said. "She needs rest, I'll send the prescription to your maid." He said, before turning and leaving the room. "Fever?" Angelique said, blinking her bleary eyes at Minnielle." "Yes my Lady, a fever, last night you were screaming in your sleep, terrible sickness," Minnielle said, as the frightened maid came over with a bowl of soup and medicine.
Angelique blinked, and asked, "Minnielle, whats my name?" Minnielle turned to the frightened maid, looking downturned, before answering, "Your name is Alishe Angelique Evendase, your maiden name is Vosce." Angelique recalled the visions she has seen the night before.
Gasping with realization, Angelique lifted her metal spoon from her soup and gazed into the inverted reflection. Although distorted, it was obvious that her hair was now glowing red, her eyes, now clear and green, and her skin, pinkish and smooth. Placing the spoon down in her soup she sat, dumbfounded. 'Did I die, and transmigrate into this woman's body!?'
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