Many Spring Ago

'Long ago, in a land far, far away, lived a girl named Hansel.

She was a bright child with a smile of an angel and the face of a fairy.

Being the only daughter, her parents loved her dearly, even though they were not wealthy, they would treat Hansel no less than a princess.

Everyday they would go to work in the morning and return after the sun had set. Hansel used to wait for them in the doorway, to greet them. Everything was going on perfectly, and there seemed to be no worry ever to come close to them.

Until one day when the spring of her life ended and the winter took over her fragile heart. The sun had set long ago and due to the heavy rain everything was even more scary. Hansel was scared as she stood by the doorway staring at the open gate hoping her parents would return soon, the innocent heart wished to see them so her heart would be at peace, but nothing except for the loud thunders greeted her eyes. Hansel's frightened heart leaped out of her chest when one of the thunder bolts struck the trees of the forest, and with a blink of an eye, a fire had started.

The yellow flames reflected in her eyes like a monster, because the forest fire was spreading quickly, it had already taken over some of the cottages that were close to the forest, and within no time the fire had taken over half the village.

At that moment the only wish her tiny heart had was to get a glimpse of her parents entering the gates. The villagers were out on the muddy streets, somewhere running, while the others were in state of shock.

"Come home, please." Hansel mumbled in a crying voice as she looked at the burning gate of her house. They didn't return.

"Child get away from there, run!"

The village blacksmith who had caught a glimpse of the child standing in the doorway like a statue.

But Hansel didn't budge, He jumped into the fire and picked her and took her away from the burning house.

"No, put me back, put me back."

Hansel protested and wanted to grab onto the fading image of her house with her tiny hands but it was in vain.She cried as she saw her home fading away from her vision, the village was burning even with rain falling down.

The cries the misery was witnessed by Hansel in such a young age, the night was the most horrible night of her life, or was it? The next day when the day broke, the sky was grey and the air had a disgusting smell, The villagers got back to the village, The girl too ran back to her home, which was just a pile of dark matter, the doorway she stood in was half broken and half burned, she walked close to it and notice a human like figure laying, it was her mother.

The burned body emitted a foul smell, the flesh had burned down and there was blood, Hansel's heart tore into shreds and a tear rolled into her eyes, The blacksmith from before found her father body in another corner of the house, The pain was so much for a child that she didn't know how to react to it for a while, and the blacksmith picked her up and took her away from the scene.

Hansel didn't protest this time as she was in the state of shock, he had seen the dead bodies of her parents, all the happiness of her life too was burnt to ashes along with the little house of her's.'

'She died that day, along with her happiness, her young heart too died, with only emptiness left.'

Hazel stopped her story after she had said those words and looked at Nala who had tearful eyes.

"What happened after that?" Nala spoke with a crying tone.

"You wanna know?" Hazel had stopped because she thought Nala would be tired by listening to it but she seemed to be quite into the story.

Nala didn't speak by she nodded energetically.

"How can you write such a story with so much emotions in it? You should publish it."

"Sigh! Yes I will think about it."

Hazel continued her story.

"Hansel was taken to a small town along with the people of the village who had lost their everything. Hansel was alone in that place with not a single person to hold on to. She would walk the streets of the town like a stray animal and sleep on the streets in the cold nights. Life went from bad to worst in just a span of days.

But soon she was taken into an orphanage. It was not the best place but it was better than sleeping out on the streets under the naked sky.

Years passed and nobody adopted her, she saw kids getting adopted by influential families and got jealous of them.

Hansel had made a friend at the orphanage, she was a beautiful and sweet girl named Aura. She would play around with Hansel and make her happy.

One day Hansel sat in the corner of the room crying, It was her birthday and she missed her parents who would bring her presents on her birthday she missed her parents and wanted to celebrate it, but nobody cared if it was her birthday.

Aura found out that it was her birthday went out and brought her a sweet bun along with a box wrapped in a glittery white sheet. Hansel was happy to see a gift and opened it, hurriedly.

As the glittery sheet was torn off a shiny object was revealed, There was a bracelet inside the box. the one that belonged to Aura herself. Hansel happily accepted the gift and was happy. Hansel didn't know the worth of the bracelet nor did Aura know, the reason she had the bracelet on her wrist, Hazel shifted sides on the bed and looked back at Nala who was keenly listening to her story.

Hazel took a long breath before continuing the story.

' Hansel grew up hoping she would find her happiness, once she is older but nothing much changed.

Until one sunny day when the flowers were blooming and the air was fresh, a beautiful lady hugged her all of a sudden calling her. " lost daughter" She took Hansel away with her. Hansel was happy at first when she thought that she was finally getting adopted but a few days later she found out that it was all a mistake. The beautiful lady who was also the Duke's wife had mistaken her for Aura. Because of the bracelet.

Hansel felt bad for Aura at first but slowly she got used to the love and attention she received from the family and forgot all about Aura, the real daughter of the duke.

Hansel lived like a princess and then the most beautiful day of her life came when she turned of age and was getting introduced officially in the social gathering.

Many influential families had attended the party, The first prince of the state Prince Eric too had attended the ball, He was engaged to the Daughter of the Duke.

When Hansel's eyes fell on the prince she fell in love with him, she knew it because after so long she finally felt like her heart was really beating.

She had her first dance with him, Her happiness had no bounds, she felt like her life was complete. Now the only thing she wanted was to make the prince fall in love with her.

She tried everything to catch his attention, but she never got any. Even so, she didn't give up because she felt alive when she was with him. And time passed and then one day, the prince came to her, her happiness knew no bounds, she thought her wish had finally been granted. Hansel twirled around the garden where the prince had called her to, She danced on the melody her heart played. Everything was perfect until the prince showed up, with his usual serious face.

"Let's break the engagement."

The words fell on Hansel like thunders, the melody that her heart played suddenly met an end, the wings of her dreams shattered in a moment and she fell on the ground from the sky she had been flying in. She felt like she had died once again, the only words that escaped her lips were.

"Why?" In a broken voice, she uttered as she looked at the prince who stood all high and mighty before her, and just then an image slowly emerged from his back. The moonlight struck the timid figure behind him.

Hansel's leg lost the energy to stand up when she saw who it was, she fell on the ground.

"Hansel!? Are you alrig.."

Aura ran towards Hansel to help her up but Hansel stopped her.

Hansel muttered something.

"What.." (Aura)

"Why is it you again? Why?... Why!!" Hansel's face showed misery and disgust as she looked at Aura. She hated her.

"I am sorry... "Aura said as she cried.

Despite being right, Aura apologized to Hansel, even when Hansel was the one stealing Aura's happiness she apologized. But Hansel who was shattered didn't see that. All she thought was that Aura stole her happiness.

Aura was pregnant with the prince's child. And the dutches found out the true identity of Hansel and abandoned Hansel. She was banished from the city, but before she left she poisoned Aura.

She left the city forever and lived the life of a murderer until she couldn't take the guilt of killing her friend anymore. So she committed suicide.

And that was when her real test started, She didn't die. Hansel thought the poison she ingested was not strong enough so she decided to jump off a cliff. But she still didn't die.

The incidents continued and she couldn't die even if she wanted to, until one day she met a man who called himself Her guardian angel. He asked her for a tear and in turn, he would send her back to the past. She didn't agree at first but slowly she began to trust him.

And guess what he did send her back, to the time when she hadn't met the Prince yet, She promised never to make the mistakes of her past ever again, but who knew when she went back to her past body, the heart within too belonged to the past Hansel, which kept on beating fast when she thought of the prince.

Hansel had suffered a lot from redemption and she didn't wish to cause pain to the people she loved anymore so she, changed fate. She never became Aura again. She gave back what was never hers....

"What happened after that? Did she find her happiness again?"

When Hazel had stopped suddenly after not completing the story, Nala felt curious.

"She knows she doesn't deserve happiness because she is just a villainess who is repenting on her sins. Peace is all she is waiting for..."

Hazel's voice was greaving, one could feel the sadness pouring through it. She closed her eyes to avoid showing too many emotions.

"I am tired, I wanna rest"

Hazel turned around and tightly closed her eyes and a tear escaped. Nala sat at the edge of her bed staring at Hazel's back. She was still curious about what had happened to the girl in the story, how it had ended?

In the midst of the darkroom, on the chaise lounge, a man with a charismatic aura lay peacefully with his eyes lightly closed, his distinguished feature and his sharp jawline gave him a beauty without compare. His dark hair were messy but still made him look even more handsome.

As moments passed his facial expressions started to change and his eyebrows knitted together, he looked like he was having a bad dream, and a few drops of sweat formed on his forehead.

"Gasp! Haah, Haah!"

He opened his eyes with horror and stared at the ceiling, his breath was uneven and his eyes were tinted red.

"Here have some water."

The doctor approached him and handed him over a glass of water, Elijah took the glass and gulped it down in a go.

"So what did you see? Did you remember something?"

The doctor who was in his late 40's asked with a serious face while holding onto a note pad.

"Nothing, nothing new, just the same old events, "

Elijah spoke with his raspy voice, "It's not helping me, it's just a waste of time."

Elijah picked his coat from the couch and got up, with an unusual expression and an irregular heart rate, When he reached the door and held onto the Handle to twist it open, the doctor spoke.

"Are you sure you saw the same old memories?"

"What about Aurora? Did you not see her, "

The doctor had a mischievous expression now, Elijah had muttered the name in his sleep on the couch, Elijah turned around and glanced at him with a serious expression, and left without saying another word.

It was getting cold outside and Elijah wore his coat and pushed open the glass door when his secretary approached him.

"Was there any progress?" Secretary asked

"No, "

Elijah replied with a cold wave in his voice, that made his secretary get chills, he didn't ask further questions as he knew Elijah wasn't someone to mess up with.

"Tell father I am not taking the sessions anymore, "

Elijah said as he opened the door of the driver's seat and started the engine.

"Where are you going, sir?"

Being Elijah's secretary was not easy, because Elijah's attitude was extremely unpredictable.

"To the Smith's they invited me for the lunch, "

"You mean you are going to meet Miss Aurora?"

The secretary said while hiding his smile.

"I said the Smith's, did I mention Aurora's name?"

When Blaze saw Elijah's expression getting sour at his words he suddenly backed off and closed his mouth, The engine started and Elijah drove away leaving Blaze behind.

"You should have just said that you wanted to meet Miss Aurora? What's with the sour face?"

Blaze mumbled as he saw the car fade into the distance.

...................

"Let's break the engagement."

"I can't marry you, "

Under the moonlit night a girl who's face was not clearly seen due to the shadow of the majestic palm tree in the middle of a garden, but her body language gave it all, she was standing dumbfounded, in a state of shock.

Her fingers penetrating the silvery net of the white gown. Her grip on the dress tightened when she heard the words, her legs lost the strength to stand and she fell on the grassy ground in despair. At that moment her world collapsed in just a wave.

With a wavering heart and a fainting breath she mustered up courage to speak in front of Elijah.

"Why?" The words came out with an effort and her courage broke so she paused before continuing again, trying hard not to shed a single tear. "Did I do something wrong? Why are you doing this?"

Her palm started hurting as she felt her nails stab through her dress, she waited for him to speak again and he did speak, causing her to lose her control over her tears.

"I don't think you are the one for me"

Elijah's face was serious, it didn't change even for a second not even at the sight of her misery nor her pitiful fallen image.

"How? How can you be so cruel? How can you decide it on your own? Did you ever ask me how I felt about the breakup?"

"I love someone else, I hope you understand." His words with no emotion nor sorry.

"No I don't understand! I don't want to understand! (Breath). I will never forgive you for this!"

The grieving voice rang like a warning bell, the cry was heard far and wide but most importantly it struck Elijah deep in his heart, he saw her shed a tear as sparkling as a pearl, and as it socked into the soil a pain arose in Elijah's heart. He felt his heart beat fasten and his breath slowly fading away. It was getting hard for him to breath and suddenly his eyes opened.

It was just a dream, a very realistic one.

Elijah's gaze were pinned to the off white ceiling above as he opened his eyes, he could still feel a mild pain in his heart and his breath was unstable.

"What was that again?"

His brain had started acting oddly for a while now, he kept on seeing hallucinations, and sometimes hyper realistic dreams, that caused him serious unrest and today's dream was one of them.

He got up and poured himself a glass of water and pondered over the dream he just had.

.........

"Hazel! Get up!"

Nala snatched the blanket from over Hazel who had been sleeping like a log.

"Hmm? Why?"

Hazel opened her eyes as little as possible and it seemed as if she was trying to preserve the sleep in them, her voice had very little volume to it but still Nala understood it some how.

"You are late for your class! Didn't you say you had to reach there before 10?"

"Yes I said that, " still in her sleep.

"So, it's 9:45, what do you have to say about that!"

"9 what!!!"

Hazel jumped out of the bed and grabbed onto Nala's shoulder, trying to confirm her saying.

"Look at the clock!"

"You are right I am gonna be late for the seminar, "

Hazel hopped around the room and picked up some clothes and went to change, and within 5 minutes she came storming out of the washroom, with a shoe in her hand and the other partially in her foot.

"Don't Wait for me, I will be late."

Hazel gave her a flying kiss and ran out, There was a seminar she wanted to attend, a very renowned artist was coming, although she was from the same college, many didn't know her from her face as she didn't like to gave out her identity, but today she was going to appear before a few selected students and give them a lecture and Hazel turned out to be one of them. Hazel had a very long connection with this artist, it could also be named as she had known her from her previous life ;)

"Make way, make way, coming through, "

Hazel ran around the architecture block and was just a few yards away from the hall, Hazel stood on the pavement waiting for the luxurious cars to pass up so she could cross the road, and it was just then that a bunch of football players passed and bumped into Hazel, which caused her to fall over the road.

Although there was not much traffic but right now a car was headed straight towards her. A sudden flash of memory stormed Hazel's brain that caused her to sit like a stone statue.

'I am not a monster! I am not a monster, leave me alone. (Honk, honk, honk)'

"Get away from the road, "

The people on the pavement kept on shouting but Hazel was in the middle of the road, like an emotionless statue.

Just when everyone thought that she was going to be run over by the speeding car, someone swooped her up in the last moment and landing her safely at the other side of the road, a wave of relief spread through the people around when they saw her unharmed.

"Are you alright? "

A deep voice spoke to Hazel from the side, it was almost a whisper but Hazel heard it, She was so shocked that she dared not to look up and she gazed at the dusty pavement with empty eyes.

The football player who had accidentally pushed her, came running towards her from the other side of the road and kneeled beside her with a worried look.

"I am so sorry, I didn't mean to do that."

He lightly touched her shoulder on which she responded suddenly.

"Haah! (Deep breath)"

"Here have some water It will help, "

Finally Hazel showed a sign of life and looked at the water bottle.

She slowly lifted her hand and grasped it with her fingers.

"Th-thank you"

The guy who had saved her was still holding onto her arm, The scene that she witnessed a few moments ago had so many similarities with a past incident, that she felt that, she knew the man who saved her, She lifted her head and stretched her lips into a smile, before speaking a few words of greeting.

"Luke! You came bac-"

She chocked on her words and her tongue got heavy, her eyes fell on the face of the guy beside her. She was petrified.

He was a handsome guy in his early twenties, black seductive eyes which were protected by long eyelashes. His face was perfectly sculptured with a sharp jaw line, his eye brows were lightly knitted as if he was uncomfortable for some reason. But even though with such a handsome guy beside her, Hazel's eyes didn't have admiration in them. But instead there was horror.

Hazel's grip tightened over the water bottle and her heartbeat went wild. She snatched away her arm from the man's grasp and her smile from before wilted.

Hazel shrugged herself away and lightly bumped into the football player.

He too noticed her odd behaviour so he spoke to her.

"Let me take you to the hospital, "

"I-I have to go"

Hazel abruptly got up and ran away without looking back. The crowd around them gazed at the scared girl running off as if her life depended on it.

"Elijah? What are you doing here?-Di-did you get into an accident?"

A fair girl with wavy brown hair and a Nobel aura walked through the crowd with a puzzled expression.

"No, I didn't, " Elijah answered by not putting much emotions into it.

"That's a relief, I got scared because of the sudden commotion, " She spoke while giving out a beautiful smile.

"Are you here to meet the dean?"

"Hmm, " He replied with a nod still distracted by the fearful girl from a while ago.

"Aurora! hurry up we are gonna be late for the class, " another voice came from behind her that caused her to look away from Elijah.

"I will be right there, " Aurora replied

"I think you should be going, "

Elijah looked at her friend who was calling her, "Okay, but be sure to go to the doctor, " Aurora threw the last words at him in a hurry and reluctantly followed her friend out of the crowd.

Once she was gone, Elijah glanced at the direction where Hazel had ran off to, ......................

Sniff, sniff, 'It was him, I saw him again, everything is gonna repeat itself. Everything!'

Hazel limply ran as she cleared the tears streaming down her eyes, her eyes showed a pure sense of horror. She was scared.

Her legs gave up and she fell on the ground sobbing, the people around her stared at her with odd looks but she was not aware of the fact, the only thing she could feel was her pounding heart and her scared self.