He swallowed hard.
"My lady… you're gravely ill. It's... White Death."
Luna's heart sank. She blinked, stunned. "I knew it... Reincarnation always comes with one of those tropes."
She clenched her fists, trying to push down the wave of frustration.
Wait... what even is White Death?
Luna looked up, confusion clouding her face.
"What is White Death, Doc?"
Mr. Aux hesitated, his eyes filled with pain.
"My lady, forgive me… It's… it's an incurable disease."
"Eh?" Luna muttered, her voice small.
"What do you mean, incurable?" she pressed. "As in, no cure at all?"
Aux lowered his head, shame washing over him.
"I—I'm sorry, my lady. I— I lack the skill to heal it."
His voice trembled as he dropped to his knees, bowing before her.
"Please… forgive me..."
Luna stared at him, her expression unreadable, then shifted her gaze to the window. A deep sadness welled in her chest.
"Aux… leave. I need time to think."
The doctor, visibly crushed, hesitated. He couldn't meet her gaze. His hands, trembling with helplessness, clutched his coat.
"I'm so sorry..." he whispered.
Luna didn't answer. She couldn't. She was too lost in the weight of it all.
After a long moment, Aux rose to his feet, and with one last sorrowful glance, he exited the room, leaving her in silence.
Luna let out a quiet sigh, her voice barely audible.
"Does it always have to be a terminal illness?"
Her eyes squeezed shut, and she clenched her hands into fists, trying to hold back the fear that threatened to bubble up.
She finally opened her eyes and, in a soft murmur, added,
"Well... at least I have a few more years left."
Her gaze drifted down to her hands—small, frail. She let out a shaky breath and walked toward the windowsill.
Outside, her family was gathered in the garden, laughter filling the air.
Keal and Kane, her mischievous twin brothers, were up to their usual antics.
Nyx, the eldest, stood by, keeping an eye on them with a knowing smile.
Aria, her bright and kind older sister, beamed at her from the garden, and Lily, her bright-eyed little sister, danced around happily.
And Reed, their father, stood beside them, his gentle smile a comforting sight.
"Luna!!" Aria called, waving with a radiant smile.
"Come join us for a picnic in the garden!"
Luna's lips curled into a faint smile.
"At least I still have these moments with them," she thought. "While I still have time..."
As she descended the stairs to join them, her mind flickered back to White Death.
"Kinda cool, honestly," she whispered to herself, then grinned, throwing her arms in the air.
"Well, at least my illness has a cool name, right?" Luna muttered, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "Guess I'll just have to cope with it... 'White Death' sounds almost... badass. Let's make the most of it—woo-hoo!"