The Cursed King

Back in Italy, when Elise called Alexei detached and callous from the world for saying that he didn't care about another person's life, she was right about that. 

In a way, Alexei wasn't all that different from someone like Hilde and Baron who were concerned about themselves. So he really didn't know why he was putting in so much effort helping out someone who told him to forget that they even met each other.

"What's wrong with me?" Alexei asked as he left the penthouse to meet up with Elise.

When Hilde joked about sleeping with mortals, Alexei wondered if he was attracted in any way to Elise and that was the reason why he was interested?

He felt himself making a face at the ridiculous notion of it because it wasn't physical attraction at all. It was just that when he saw Elise in danger… Alexei moved on his own almost instinctively. 

He even already sent a message to his guardian about the privy condition of Elise as far as Alexei knew about the woman based on their interactions. 

[I met someone in New York that needs your help. She's someone with powers but doesn't seem to have any recollection as to how she gained them at all… and I don't think she's just an ordinary human either.. It's a huge favor to ask, but can you help me out?]

No responses yet, but even if the man didn't respond… Alexei could just bring Elise to him. She wouldn't mind that, right?

That seemed like an easy solution in the back of Alexei's head.

[What is her name?]

Alexei glanced at the rather sudden message of his guardian and he wondered what names had got to do with anything? And yet, maybe giving a name to a person would help them sympathize more with their plight?

Nobody else could do this except him.

Alexei gave the reply without any hesitation at all.

[Her name is Elise.]

***

Elise wasn't sure how long it would take to recover her memory and what she needed to undertake in order to obtain them. Was it going to be something that would take more than a day?

The answer to that seemed like yes.

Even if there was magic… Elise didn't think that recovering memories were easy or else Alexei would have done it himself and didn't need to ask help from someone who was more skilled than him.

So it was with a heavy heart that Elise packed some of her things, the ones she originally used when she escaped the York Mansion, and then hastily wrote down a note for Loriel to explain things in order to not have him worry.

Elise wanted to say it when Loriel was awake, but she doubted that he'd let her leave if he knew.

It was so difficult saying temporary goodbyes but Else knew that she needed to be gone before Loriel realized that she left the penthouse. Quietly, she made her way out of the house but found herself stopped by the appearance of Pott and Pebble.

The two cats were currently mewling and purring at Elise's feet, lurking around her leg as if begging her not to leave and simply stay with them. Elise couldn't hesitate though. So, after patting the two's heads…. she left the penthouse.

Elise glanced at the text message that Alexei sent her. It contained the address of the place where they were going to meet and it was in the downtown area of the city.

[I'm on my way]

There was no need for Elise to get cold feet and back down at all. What kind of person would Elise be if she were to never try to find out what happened to her?

Two pregnancies. Gosh…

If a part of Elise couldn't even remember something important like that… then how much more memories were she missing? Elise had powers she couldn't explain and a past that she couldn't remember at all. 

Was it actually right for her to not remember them at all? 

Even if Elise was currently happy with Loriel that didn't mean that she could simply forget the past. Those two pregnancies were important to her. What if Elise was actually a mother and she abandoned them and came here?

That was an unforgivable thing to imagine. 

Elise couldn't stomach the thought of things being that way, but even if they were uncomfortable emotions to process… it simply meant that it couldn't be ignored. The more she tried to repress them, the harder it would be to live.

At last, Elise finally arrived at her meeting place with Alexei.

It was a public place and with a large crowd moving behind and in front of Elise as always. There were so many people here that it was hard to distinguish someone out from the group.

"Why did he decide to meet me here?" Elise asked herself.

Someone grabbed Elise's shoulder and she quickly spun around to meet Alexei's face. A relief went through her body as she went slack for a moment. 

"Oops, sorry. You looked lost so I tried to help you out," Alexei said and eyed her backpack. "You look like you're ready to take another vacation elsewhere."

"I have no idea how long it's going to take to recover my memories, so it's better to be prepared for it," Elise explained as her grip tightened around the straps of her backpack.

Alexei didn't know what to say to that. He didn't want to say anything and pry into Elise's situation, but if he was already trying to help her… The least he could get was to know more about them.

"So about your husband?" Alexei coughed lightly. "Is he okay about this?"

Elise smiled sadly at Alexei. "I'm sure that he will be okay… I just can't live my life with him knowing that there is something important in my past that I could probably figure out and yet I refuse to learn about it."

.

.

**********

It's unfortunate that Elise thought she is protecting Loriel from herself and her past, while Loriel is thinking exactly the same about his position.