Trapped in the Past
EPISODE 15

**HAPPY READING**

Regaz shuffled his hair in frustration. He should have been happy if Athera disappeared but now his heart became restless when he did not find Athera distributing porridge to the residents and in the housing of the woman was not there.

"You guys seen Athera?" ask Regaz to the soldiers he met.

They nodded at the same time then one of them told. "The Empress is driving the horse towards the Forest, Your Majesty."

"You didn't prevent it?"

They were weakly shaking with fear. While Regaz sighed furiously then took his horse and went in the direction that his soldier meant.

Regaz put his horse down. Slowly he entered the forest. It was unexpected that now Athera had dared to enter the forest alone. Regaz continued to enter the forest until he finally saw a horse whose rope was tied to a tree body there. Regaz also saw that Athera was now in the arms of a man wearing the exact same clothes as the rebel who tried to draw his sword. Regaz understands that. He recognized the man's posture.

While there Athera asked for her to be taken down then she smiled sweetly at Alexus.

"Oh, is your name Alexus?" Athera observed the man's clothes and touched his chin.

"You don't know me?" alexus was confused. Athera's knowledge will encourage him not even to look at him then why Athera behaves like they are just strangers.

"Of course I know you. Aren't you a noble's son, then why wear clothes like this? Even your clothes seem to be similar to the rebels who attacked Regaz's palace at the time" Athera said.

"Did he forget his memory? It's only right that during the Occurrens Ad Regem event he waved at me," inner Alexus.

Alexus smiled awkwardly. " ah! I bought it in a shop. Looks cool so I'll just buy it."

Athera nodded and tiptoed to try to examine Alexus' face up close. He did not believe that Alexus really looked like Azen. Azen was able to smile like this in his world. Although Athera did not see clearly Alexus' smile because the man only left his eyes because of the mask that covered his nose and mouth.

Alexus nodded when Athera's face was too close to him. The man chose to move to pick up Athera fruits that came out of the bag of money cloth fell along with the owner earlier.

"Ah, Sorry. I forgot to pick fruit." Athera began to squat while picking up the fruit that he had picked earlier.

"It." Alexus gave the cloth bag to Athera. Athera received the bag.

"You're leaving already?" Athera asked with a sad expression.

Alexus smiled from behind the mask he was wearing. Then slapped the top of Athera's head. "Until we meet again" he then steps away.

After the departure of Alexus, Athera could only be slender. He twisted his body then walked closer to the horse to open the rope then returned. It seemed like this was the fruit he picked. He did not guarantee that he would survive if Alexus had gone away.

"Have you conspired, Athera?"

DEG..

Athera's body stiffened as he held the rope, and Regaz came on a horse to him.

"What do you mean?" athera was confused. Regaz came suddenly to his surprise and now says he just finished conspiring.

"Isn't that the rebels who attacked us."

Athera rolled her eyeballs. "He's a different person. Only the clothes are the same. He's an ad-"

"We're back in the kingdom now. You have dared to fight me from behind and then pretend to protect me so you don't become a suspect."

Athera widened her eyes. He held fast the horse rope and looked at Regaz with wrath.

"What the fuck! You should listen to my explanation first and take the next step, don't accuse me right away!"

Regaz smiled cynically. "He's the same guy. I never misunderstood people. You're a traitor."

"If he's the same person, not necessarily we've met because of past problems. I have nothing to do with it! We met by accident!" Reply Ahera growled.

****

All the way back to the kingdom. Athera remained silent when Regaz brought him back with a single horse.  The man rode a horse with Athera in front of him. Athera sighed repeatedly. The man just wants to send her back to the kingdom or punish her? At the moment Athera doesn't know what's on Regaz's mind.

"I didn't do it!" obviously Athera again.

"But you met him."

"We met by accident, I almost got bitten by a snake and then he came out of nowhere and helped me" explained Athera again.

Then a flash of Regaz's memory of the man flashed. He almost forgot that the man was actually after Ahera and wanted to kidnap Athera that night. Regaz succeeded in making one of the men die. So when they were attacked also because the man was targeting Ahera who was in the stretcher. Regaz was silent until Athera could only sigh, he was tired of explaining it to Regaz .

Regaz is accelerating his horse. They set out at night until Athera could see the sky filled with stars.

Degs..

Regaz was stunned when Athera leaned his head against the chest of his field, then looked up at the sky. He never felt so free. He never went out with any man and for the first time. He rode and was on the back of a man he hated because of another man's sad story.

"Can you stop leaning?" ask Regaz. He felt his chest pounding unruffled.

"My neck is sore" replied Athera.

"You're still calm."

Athera smiled at her smile. "I am calm because I feel I have no faults. It's not like you're fretting about trying to create trouble for me."

"I'm tired of arguing" Regaz answered eventually and Athera closed her eyes. Regaz kept on riding his horse.

Long enough for their journey until finally Regaz entered the main door of the kingdom. He also passed through the concubines' residence with his horse and then entered the Athera residence there.

Regaz halted his horse's steps when he reached the pavilion belonging to Athera.

"Hurry down" said Regaz.

"..."

"Athera," call Regaz.

The man looked at Athera. The woman fell asleep comfortably. Athera's head seemed to stick naturally to Regaz's chest. It looks too comfortable in its position.

Regaz raised Athera's body slowly then dismounted from the horse with a light jump. Regaz began to step into the Athera pavilion but his steps came to a halt when he found Tier and Retha standing together not far from Regaz's current position.

They hugged then Tier kissed Retha's forehead. Regaz was silent to observe the two creatures. Her absence used Tier to date Athera's sister.

"I'll tease him tomorrow," Inner Regaz with a faint smile then stepped in.

When entering through the hallway d isana. The servants looked down respectfully. They did not know what happened until Regaz quickly returned from Pelhium Village. They just left this morning.

Regaz enters the room of Athera. Then put the woman in bed.

"Dad-mom, I miss you guys." Athera held down Regaz's hand while delirious. Regaz initially wanted to leave Athera but the corner of the woman's eyes spread tears until Regaz approached Athera and then took a sleeping position next to the woman.

"Enhtreat. Are you trying to make me feel sorry for you?" regaz Gumam.

His sharp gaze was looking at the beautiful face of Athera. His big fingers wiped the tears at the corner of Athera's eyes. Regaz slowly closed his eyes. Because he was very tired of racing horses to get to the kingdom.

**Connected**...