Current days.

Servants Wing, Exos’ Empire’s Palace. 

I wake up completely damp with sweat, but I don't feel anything else, there's no sadness or anger, the dream was merely a common inconvenience for me at this point. Looking at the window I can tell the sun has yet to rise, but either way I get up, going to wash up before dressing up and leaving my room.

Raphael is still deep asleep, which brings me relief, to see his peaceful expression, his chest moving as he slowly breathes, alive.

The corridors of the Palace are silent, and the usually bustling kitchen is now empty. His highness was asleep so we didn't wake him up, but perhaps he's already awake now, I think, truth is, I merely want to occupy my brain at the moment.

Opening the servants’ pantry I grab a small sweet bread the maids did earlier that day as a recipe test for the Empress’ tea parties. The bread is still soft and isn't too sweet, which is good since I'm not very fond of sweets, however I'm unable to eat it all, placing the other half in a napkin inside my apron to give to Raphael later, since he has a sweeter tooth than me.

I then prepare a mana tea for his highness. I'm not sure if I should, but part of me wishes to test the truth behind his claims of amnesia.

After what happened I went to the Palace’s library to research amnesia cases, especially involving poison and cardiac arrest. However all I was able to find were fables about corpses coming back to life and myths about one or another hero that escaped death, especially the Founding Father of the Exos Empire who is said to have come back from death after a week dead. Sure, there are a few books on amnesia, but none were relevant to the Prince's symptoms, those cases where some forgot only bits and pieces, a month or a year, not their whole lives. 

And he still has some rationale and common sense, he can still speak and is able to form conversations that require previous knowledge… Perhaps has he locked away his memories due to the trauma he experienced being shunned by his family? It wouldn't surprise me, but why now? Or maybe he is truly pretending, so that he can get his family's attention. It never worked before, but maybe it'll work now since he actually died for a few minutes before coming back to life as if by a miracle.

Slowly I carry the Prince's tea alongside the warmed up soup I was supposed to give him before when he was asleep, my thoughts wandering around the truth of his amnesia. Once I arrive at the door of his bedroom I knock softly three times, and at the third time I hear a muffled “Enter”, from the other side of the door.

‘’Excuse me, your highness, but I wasn’t sure if we should keep serving your tea at dawn, I also brought soup as you didn't eat yesterday’’, I say, avoiding eye contact at all costs, worried about the response I'll get to my previous questions behind his golden gaze. Placing the tray with the soup and tea at the table located in the middle of his quarters, I continue: ‘’This is the tea you usually drink every morning, it's a black tea with mana blend.’’ A small lie placed in the middle of truths, Prince Nikias usually enjoyed mellower teas, like herbals and green tea, he wasn't able to even stomach black tea. Lowering my head I serve the tea once he sits down, stealing a glance at his face, trying to analyze it, but when our gazes meet I blush due to embarrassment for trying to catch him in a lie I ain't sure he's even telling. 

With the corner of my eyes I watch as his highness’ lips touch the rim of the cup, waiting to see if he'll comment anything about the tea, but before he even drinks a sip, he turns to me, saying: ‘’I would like to ask you a couple questions’’.

His words catch me by surprise but all I do is answer with a short bow: ‘’Anything you desire, your highness’’.

“How was I before? You know… before I died?” His question is a complicated one, does he wish for the brutal truth or the pretty one? Is he testing me right now?

I can't look him as I reply: “You were a private person. You used to spend a lot of time alone”. Not a lie per se, just the pretty truth.

The Prince replies: “And what did I do with that much free time?”

There's not a correct answer to that question, it depends on whose eyes were on him. I'm quite aware that the Prince was always closer to Raphael than me, they chatted and even laughed together, however with me he was way more reserved and quiet. In the eyes of those who didn't work closely to him, he would probably be a spoiled brat that is going to grow up into an alcoholic lout. But I decided to answer my own perspective of him, after all that's what his question was. “You would take strolls, read books and drink tea.” 

After my answer the Prince falls silent, he seems to be thinking about something, but I can't assume anything by his facial expression that is completely blank, after what it feels like forever, he speaks again.

‘’Do you possess mana, Lowe?’’ He asks, taking a sip of the tea, there's no hesitation or change in his expression while he drinks it, can amnesia change your tastes as well? I wonder. If tastes are acquired through experiences and memories, it can make sense, however wouldn't his taste buds be the same? I remember Prince Nikias quite hated bitter tastes. 

Unless…

No. That wouldn't be possible.

“Yes, your highness”, I answer with a short nod.

“Then first make a mana pact to me”, his words take a few seconds to sink in, after all what he said was not only nonsense but also, how could he know about mana pacts without his memory? Did he solely lose his memories as a Prince yet retained certain knowledge? No, that's not exactly possible. Perhaps with certain triggers he's remembering things, but even so, how could he remember about mana pacts yet not about his mother and brother?

Mana pact… Something that can only be done by those who possess mana , however isn’t as simple as a Knight’s Oath for example, or something you’re able to break like a Marriage Oath. No, the name already says it, it's not a simple Oath or a promise, no, it's a pact. A pact bound to one’s soul. Something that can never be broken. That’s why it's usually made by lovers renewing their vows  or Knights that serve the same master for years. No one would do such a thing as a servant.

Depending on the promise made, you’re unable to ever even abandon the person you made the pact to, meaning that wherever the Prince goes, I would need to follow, of course, that depends on what he demands of me. The basics of the pact is that you’ll forever be unable to lie, harm or even think about causing any negative impact towards the person you’ve made the pact to.

Although a pact is made between two people, only one side of the Mana pact is inflicted by it, however the reason behind its name is due to the benefits it brings. The ones sharing a pact are able to understand each other more, and have their senses heightened regarding matters involving each other. However there are two reasons why a Mana pact became something that no one ever really uses anymore, since if the two people involved in the pact possess mana the pact becomes more complicated.

As the pact becomes two ways, and both parties become unable to utilize their mana on each other with the intent to cause harm.

There is also an even rarer instance of the Mana pact where if the person you’re promising loyalty to is a Saint or a Priest, your sense of loyalty will also be transferred to the god which blesses them.

Of course that wouldn’t be the case since Prince Nikias doesn’t possess any mana nor is a Saint.

His expression is cold and serious, but I can’t promise to be loyal to him, especially now when I ain’t even sure if he is in his right mind. Being locked into being his servant for the rest of my life isn’t the worst thing in the world, that is if he won’t be fickle and get rid of me once he gets whatever it is that he wants, even more, how could I promise such things and leave Raphael?

No, I can’t. So I bow down fully, my whole body on the ground, my face glued to the floor. ‘’I apologize, your highness, but I can’t possibly…’’

‘’How can I trust your words if you refuse to make a mana pact?’’ The Prince asks, but what even is that logic? I am already his servant, my stance is considerably lower, with a wave of his hand he can get me killed, how much more reassurance he wishes to have? Is this truly necessary?  ‘’If you wish to continue serving me together with your brother, I recommend you do the pact.’’

That’s a threat, but this whole situation leaves my brain in shambles. Just because I am good at studying and catering to other’s, doesn’t mean I am that quick in the uptake. Studying hard is the only thing I was ever truly good at. Perhaps this threat means that he’ll have us killed, or perhaps he’ll simply fire us like he did with the other servants. But whatever the reason is it’ll leave me and Raphael in a very bad situation. 

The real problem here is that we both like working for the Prince, the money is good, the job is good and the Prince is a fair employer. However. There is no telling if with this ‘’amnesia’’ said generosity will continue. Should we risk this or not? Should we take the gamble?

I raise my head slowly, trembling, trying to think, and think, what I can do right now, is accept and try to buy myself some time. ‘’I’ll do it, your highness’’.

‘’Bring your brother too, you have ten minutes’’.

No, not Raphael, binding myself is fine, but not him. I think, extremely upset, at the situation, at the Prince and at myself for not being able to get out of this situation properly. But I can’t argue with the Prince right now, I can’t barely read the emotions on his face, as there isn’t any, so I bow and leave his room.

The moment the door closes behind me, I take a deep breath, my heart racing and my head struggling to keep up with the amount of changes in less than 24 hours. Looking right in front of me I jump softly, startled, standing near the Crown Prince’s office, looking through the window, is that Knight again.

His red hair is almost hidden amidst the darkness of the night, his eyes show soft and sad emotions, he clearly hasn’t noticed me there or he wouldn’t be looking so vulnerable. Whatever it is he’s thinking about, is sad enough to make him trapped within his own head, unable to hear the noises I make as I turn around and run towards the Servant’s Wing, because ten minutes isn’t even near enough for me to go towards our room and back to the Prince’s quarters.

But I manage it, to awake Raphael, make him dress quickly and for us to run back there, I explain to Raphael what happened on the way, contrary to my expectations, Raphael isn’t upset at the Prince’s request, he simply nods, and says: ‘’If that’s what it takes for him to trust us’’. I don’t understand, not really, does he think it’ll be worth it? Did he weigh the pros and cons? Of course he didn’t, he never did, moving along with whatever his heart desires he never had to.

If that’s what Raphael thinks, then I have no reason to not accept as well, since whatever he wishes and wherever he goes, I will forever be with him until the day I die.

Because I refuse to die after him.

We enter the room without knocking this time, and before I cross the door I notice the Knight isn’t there anymore, perhaps he is inside the Crown Prince’s office now, or he went back to his mansion. It isn’t really something worth wondering about, though.

‘’Take a seat’’, His highness says, and we do as told. ‘’I expect that your brother already told you what you’re doing here’’, his words are cold, I can tell by Raphael’s expression that he’s hurt by the Prince’s sudden change, but he doesn’t speak on it. His highness then gets up, goes to search for something and then comes back with a letter opener in his hand. Without hesitation, the Prince that always hated pain, crosses his legs and slashes across his skin, deep enough to make an opening, his blood dripping onto the rug I'll probably be the one cleaning in the morning. ‘’Begin’’, he says curtly, staring at us blankly.

When did the soft and delicate Prince become so fierce?

How can mere poison change a person like this?