HENRIETTA: PRAELUDIUM [TO BE EDITED]

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 14

"It has been a while, your highness." I flinched as I heard his voice. His mouth isn't moving, yet he could talk to me.

Oh, right! Telepathy! Well, what do you expect from the new master of the magic tower? Nothing less, right?

"I wish to talk to you and the Grand Duke privately."

Talk in private? What would be his business?

"Yes, in private. It's an important matter."

Right. He can read my mind. I should learn how to hide my thoughts.

"Yes, you should."

Stop reading my mind!

I stared at him cautiously, and he stared back at me with that annoyingly handsome smirk plastered on his face. His voice sounded familiar, but I still can't pinpoint where I heard that voice before.

"I didn't know that her majesty can get distracted because of a handsome face." Here he goes again. I wonder why Aurelius is acting like this, like a total jerk.

I could sense uncle's change of mood. I should be the one to answer this puny prince, or uncle might draw his sword or do something bad.

"I believe you don't have the right to criticise me when you yourself are lacking so much." Yeah, dude. Like your height and manners.

Aurelius frowned at me, but I only gave him a smile. I'm still wondering why he's acting weird. Did something happen to Rowan? I suppose uncle, me and that mage should move to a different room so we can properly talk and discuss matters.

"I apologize for acting so rude. I just can't help not to say bad things after someone insults me. That's a childish thing to do, I know. This won't happen again, unless provoked," I stated as I stood up from my seat. "It seems that his excellency and our mage needs to rest for now. We shall take our leave."

Aurelius looked so annoyed, while his uncle looked nervous. They did bring this upon themselves, so I shouldn't feel too guilty. I motioned for Astraeus to follow us as I helped uncle to stand up. He doesn't have any physical injuries, but he's unbelievably shaking. Did that dark sorcerer attack him too?

"Uncle, I think you should rest for now. I'll handle everything for the meantime," I suggested.

"If that's what you wish. I'll stay in my room until the coronation day." I was a little surprised when he quickly agree with my suggestion. I suddenly feel nervous.

Well, for starters, I haven't tried acting like an empress yet. However, I already finish studying the basics of the empress' job. So I suppose I'll be fine. Hopefully.

I escorted uncle to his room that the royal family of Leroux prepared. I made sure that he would rest first before leaving him. Though I know uncle won't really do that even if he's feeling sick. He might even do something right now that no one's watching him, especially when I took charge of everything.

Sir Reynolds accompanied me and Astraeus to the drawing room prepared for us. He explained the current situation as well. There are two severely injured imperial subjects, a couple of injured knights and an issue concerning Arthur and Rowan. This might be the case why Aurelius' been acting strange.

Sir Reynolds said that Arthur and Rowan had an argument and that they're pinning the blame on us. That we were attacked because we planned this from the beginning. How insolent. I didn't know that they had the size of a shrimp's brain on their heads.

I could feel a chilling sensation against my spine as we entered the drawing room. It feels like something's listening or watching us. I tried to shrug it off and tried focusing instead. I need to think of a solution for this.

"Sir Reynolds, can you check on Hendrix and Keita's condition first? Then bring Sir Shotaro with you once you return," I said in a dismissal tone.

"I understand, your highness. I shall take my leave now." Sir Reynolds bowed his head then left.

I released a heavy sigh as I took a seat on the couch. "So, what is it that you want to talk about?" I asked while massaging my forehead.

"Let me just check this room for a second, your highness," he answered.

I quickly looked up to him and raised an eyebrow as I watch how his silver eyes glow, while his body's emitting a red-silver aura. He looked too focus, as if he was searching for something. Then I heard a faint static noise erupting from every corner of the room.

"As I suspected. This room is full of magical gems that can transmit information through voice."

What? Like a hidden camera or something? I couldn't hide the displeasure on my face. Why would they bug this room?

"Do you wish to find a much secluded room where we can talk?" I asked.

Astraeus shakes his head then he sat on the couch across from me. "Don't worry, your highness. I blocked the magic from those gems. They won't be able to hear anything from here."

"But why would they do that? Aurelius isn't that kind of person when we met back at the Clareian Kingdom. Or was he just acting to gain something from us?"

"No one can be so sure of how a person truly acts even after meeting them, your highness. When I first saw that kid, I can already sense a dark aura lingering in him, and he didn't seem like he was possessed by that dark aura."

He must be right. But I swear, I didn't notice anything suspicious back at our Kingdom. Now I'm curious to what they're actually after.

Hah. Too many suspicious people. This guy too.

"Before we continue with that, can you tell me the reason why you requested to talk alone?" I feel like, if I won't ask this now, I'd completely forget about it.

Astraeus chuckled then his index finger moved up. I gasped when I felt something being pulled out of my dress. Violet! What the hell is he doing?!

"I believe you already know me, your highness. You even gave me a name before." He smiled cheekily as he opened his hand and let Violet rest on his palm.

"He's mine!" I exclaimed, pointing at my pet snake that he's holding.

He seemed surprised with what I said that he tilted his head, throwing a curious gaze at me. My eyes widen when he closed his hand and Violet disappeared into thin air.

"Hey! I told you he's mine! What did you do to him?!"

"But he is me. So are you saying that I'm yours?" He asked with an innocent look.

What does he mean..? But... Violet's my snake...

Right! At the capital! It was Violet's voice who spoke in my mind. And that voice before I woke up in here. And this guy's voice too... Hah... They're all the same...

This sudden realization's making me want to bury my whole existence ten feet to the ground. Why did I even make that selfish claims? This is embarrassing. Truly embarrassing...

"So it was you... I didn't realize that sooner..." I said with my small voice, my hands fidgetting on my lap.

I quickly averted my gaze when I saw him smiling widely at me. Then he stood up and sat beside me, making me jump from my seat.

"Then I'm yours now, your highness. You can call me Astra." Why does he have to sound so innocent? Is he playing with me?!

"I-I refuse... It's not right to own a person."

I scoot away and tried my best not to look at him. But he cupped my cheek and turned my head to face him. I could feel my cheeks heating up as he moved closer to me. Is this guy, a total idiot? Does he not know how handsome he look and how annoying it is to look at his handsome face in a much closer distance?

His silver eyes looks like their glowing in purple as I stare back at him. It's like, his eyes can mirror any other color by just looking at him.

"But I'm destined to be yours anyway. In the future, I will be yours."

I'm delighted knowing that there aren't any mirrors around here and that those gems are blocked from hearing anything from this room, because if not, I might have died from sheer embarrassment.

"I d-don't understand, but move away. Don't come too closer, so we can properly talk," I said, surrendering.

I won't win from this innocent, handsome idiot of a mage.

"About that, allow me to introduce myself once more. I am Astraeus Valorian, and I am the son of Seymour, the previous master of the Arcadian Tower." He stared at me for a second as if he was waiting for a response. But what can I say? I don't even know him.

I frowned as I stare back at him. I could feel my head throbbing as a faint memory flashed in my mind.


── ▪ ──


"Princess!"

"Master Seymour!"

"Come closer. Let me introduce my son to you. Astraeus, come here."

"This is Astraeus, my son."

"Hello, I'm Amethyst. Let's be friends!"


── ▪ ──


I was taken aback when the memories suddenly drifted away. Then I heard Astraeus' voice again.

"I see that you lost your memories. Seymour is close to the second princess Amethyst and he's the one who performed the transfusion spell. He disappeared with the first princess' lifeless body and hid in the Crimson Forest. I'm telling you all of this because a bad omen will happen to the empire in the future. You and the first princess will be the cause and the end of it," Astraeus explained.

I only look at him in disbelief. A heavy sigh escaped my lips as I tear away my gaze from him. I could feel my head and my back feeling heavier as everything slowly sank in my mind.

How did he know about Amethyst? Is he aware that the current Henrietta is the second princess? Does that mean he knows who I really am? The first princess... is she alive? But... he said "lifeless." Then why would he mention the first princess if she isn't alive?

This thing's making my head throb painfully. We already have an important matter to attend to, now I also receive an oracle-like news, like a death news.

I've decided. We should focus at the current problem before this future one.

"I don't quite understand. But we need to discuss this with the Grand Duke. For now, we should tend to the other matters at hand. Will you help?" I asked, looking at him with an anxious frown.

Astraeus stared at me with his curious, silver eyes then he brushed off the crease from my eyebrows with his thumb. "Of course, after all, I am yours." I pursed my lips, trying to hold myself back from pinching him as the heat crept on my cheeks.

Does he really need to say that with an innocent gaze?

While we waited for Sir Reynolds and Shotaro, Astraeus and I started discussing some things for the meantime. He told me the entire situation during the ambush and how he defeated the dark sorcerer. Yes, amazing.

"Before I arrive, I already sensed an evil mana surrounding your resting spot. At first I wasn't able to recognize who it belongs to because of the dark sorcerer's dark mana, but since I've talked with the Marquess and the Princes, I've figured out who that evil mana belongs to. And it belongs to the Crown Prince Aurelius," Astraeus said.

Apparently, there are different types of mana depending on one's purity. The Royal and Imperial Family's mana are the most divine types, they become evil mana when the owner of that mana become tainted. However, dark manas are naturally produce when you use dark magic. If you have a divine mana, it won't turn evil even if you use dark magic. It will only become evil if you'll start killing innocent humans or if you'll start thinking of evil deeds.

Yeah, like the normal types of people in another world.

"So you mean that Aurelius is the enemy? But isn't he too young for that kind of thing? And what about his brother, Rowan?"

Astraeus tilted his head a little then his lips pursed. "Rowan? That first prince? I didn't know that you guys called each other by your first names."

Now, now. Is that another problem I should be dealing with?

"No. I just call him by his name in a disrespect type of thing whenever I'm alone or something." Why am I even explaining this?

"Alright. Well, right now, the only information I'm sure of is that Prince Aurelius and the Marquess is planning something that can destroy the Nation. If they'll succeed, they might harm the Imperial Family as well, like what they did to the Grand Duke." He looked at me as he said his last statement.

Is that the reason why uncle's been acting odd? I have to do something then. If Aurelius and the Marquess are planning something bad, then does that make Rowan an enemy as well? If that's the case, then they're surely the ones who planned the ambush and the reason why Hendrix and Keita are badly injured.

Since they did something to uncle as well, wait... Are they trying to drive me to the corner? As far as I can remember, Aurelius became the emperor after killing the evil Henrietta. It was made possible because their Nation is the next in line for the Imperial Throne!

"I guess, we need to start planning now or things might get messier than we expect."

I have to figure out what their real goal is. Uncle and my cousins won't be able to help me, so I need to plan this discreetly.