Alexis left the castle grounds and sprinted to where the lower section used to be. She had memorized the way to her friends homes but it was more difficult when the houses had all changed position and looks. But soon enough, she stood in front of Topaz's house, hesitating before knocking on the wood leaves leaning against the side. Her friend walked out and looked at the white cloaked figure.
"may I help you?" she said politely, and Alexis pushed her back inside and followed.
"Topaz, it's me!" she said. Topaz's eyes widened, but she wasn't nearly as surprised as Chase.
"wait here, I'll be back!" she says and quickly ran back outside. Alexis was slightly puzzled by this getting but did as her friend told her. A few moments later, she returned with Brook and Rose, and they all huddled inside the room.
"we knew it! We knew you couldn't be dead!" Rose cried and Brook grinned. Alexis pulled off her hood.
"how?" she asked and they explained.
"well, we heard the rumor at first, but we didn't believe it at all. Then we saw the body, and we were so shocked! I think we all kind of doubted that you really were dead, it didn't seem right, so even though we had seen proof, we didn't really want to believe it. So while we still mourned and cried about it, we already kind of knew that it wasn't true. There's not really anything dangerous in the woods, and you came back!" they said and smiled. But that smile was soon wiped away once Alexis told them what Brazillia had told her, replaced with angry growls and clenched fists.
"Chase needs to dump her!"
"how is she the queen! That's like assassination!"
"I cannot believe this."
"guys, calm down, at least I'm not actually dead." always hushed them, but Brook was still muttering under her breath.
"we have to do something! We can't have a murderer for a queen!" Brook hissed and they nodded.
"but what? It's not like we have the power to sack her." Alexis replied.
"no," Rose was deep in thought, "but the people do." she said.
They all turned to her.
"if, if there were enough people that said she wasn't a good monarch, then, the people have the power to choose a new one. That's the law." she finished.
"so... so we need to start a rebellion?" Alexis says and Rose nodded
They all stay quiet for a while, soaking this in.
"has she done anything that says she's a bad monarch?" Alexis asked, "because the only proof he have is that she tried to kill me, but to prove that is need to show that I'm alive, which we could probably use to our advantage." Alexis said.
"she wanted to rebuild the wall. Chase stopped her, though." Topaz replied.
"and she tried to get people to pay rent to the castle for the land they live on. She also said that 'lowers' shouldn't have jobs. She's determined to keep the place separated. It's a good thing that she's with Chase, he stopped all of it. Well, no it's not good, but, you know what I mean!" Brook added, seeing the look in Alexis face, and Alexis rolled her eyes.
"but the majority of the population used to be lowers, so the majority of the population would probably be happy to rebel against her because she's trying to force them back to poverty." Topaz said and Rose nodded again. They were silent for longer.
"I think we can do it. I have to keep being the healer, I can try get information from inside the castle." Alexis said and Rose nodded for the third time. Alexis got up to leave.
"wait, Alexis did you tell Chase that you're here?" Brook added and Alexis nodded.
"earlier today. That's what made me come tell you." she smiled at her friends and they smiled back.
"so, how did he respond to that?" Topaz said, raising one eyebrow and smirking. Alexis laughed.
"well, he didn't say much." she says and her other friends joined in on Topaz's smirk
"And?? You know he's married now, Alexis." Brook said and Alexis shrugged cheekily.
"that's fine by me. So long as he doesn't like her, which I know he doesn't. I really should go now, but I'll come see you again." They nodded and Alexis left.
Waking back from what used to be the lower section. It really had changed. It was still dirt grounds, but they now had flowers planted, a few strips of grass, the cloth walls had been replaced by stone, brick or wood, and the dust has been cleaned.
It was late afternoon, so there were still people out, but they looked better fed than she had seen them all last.
The sun was setting by the time she had returned to the castle, but even the darkness didn't stop her from noticing the whispers around her. She ignored them though, but tried to get to chase's room faster than she usually would have. She was about to open the door when she heard arguing inside. It wasn't exactly quiet either. Maybe she hadn't noticed it since she was deep in thought about her friends, but she stopped now to listen.
"You are, I know you are!" Brazillia screeched
"Really, Brazillia, go back to bed, I was just sleeping." came Chases tired reply.
"That's exactly my point! Just go back to bed Brazillia, it'll be fine Brazillia, just leave me alone Brazillia! We're married! I deserve some respect!"
"what do you mean? I do respect you!"
"no, no you don't. Go back to bed? We are supposed to be together! This should be my bed! You never even leave this place, you never think about how I feel!"
"Brazillia, I'm not sleeping with you. You have your own bed."
"we are married! So you even love me at all?"
"it's an arranged marriage. That hardly counts."
"it's still marriage! Why don't you be like a normal husband! I know it's not like your virtuous, I know you slept with that disgusting peasant!"
"Brazillia, are you serious right now?"
"I know you're cheating on me! You did before and you are now!"
"I'm not! And how could I have been cheating on you before, we weren't even together before."
"yes! Yes see you admit it, you had an affair with that thieving peasant!"
"stop calling her that. She's not a peasant and it we didn't have an affair."
"I caught you two together!"
"that's because we were together!" Alexis stopped listening at that. She felt sick, had she been caught with Chase? She would have though that it was just Brazillia being dramatic, but even if she wasn't, the whole castle knew now, whether or not it was true.