Why am I having a hard time breathing? I was fine just a while ago. What's happening? Why does my chest feel tight? I can't move. I tried to move my hand and even tried to lift one finger to wake myself up. I was just sleeping. I'm sure I was sleeping. My dream was still… I can't remember it…
I tried to struggle from that heavy force that's pressing against my head and chest. I could be experiencing this sleep paralysis I usually experience back in my other life. I did my best to open my eyes and felt relieved when I successfully do so. But it looked dark, like someone's trapping me from the darkness and preventing me to breathe. It had taken me a couple of seconds before I realized what was going on. Someone was trying to suffocate me using a pillow.
I forcefully pushed the pillow off my face and pulled myself up to sit. I panted heavily as panic slowly rushes to my body. No. Stay calm, please…
"Why can't you just die?" My eyes widen as I recognize that voice. Eliza… my handmaid.
"Just die, your highness, please…" She begged, her voice almost a whisper, then she tried attacking me again, this time using the dagger she grabbed from the ribbon of her maid dress.
I gathered my remaining strength to push myself out of the bed. A soft groan escaped my lips as my body hits the cold floor. I rolled a little more and moved to the side of my bed, near the balcony. My body feels heavy, I wonder if she did something to me before I woke up.
She was my handmaid, and I somehow trusted her since she's the only one who looked after me ever since I've arrived here. So why?
I wanted to ask her questions that suddenly flooded my head, but I have to knock her down first. Before I could do anything, I felt another force hitting my back. "Ugh…" I yelped as my body fell on the floor.
I wanted to cry from the anxiety that's building inside me. My body was starting to shake as well as panic engulfed me.
Henrietta… Don't be so afraid, please… We have to survive…
I tried convincing myself, this body of hers, I want both of us to live. I shut my eyes tightly, silently hoping that any of those three musketeers will show up to save me.
"Let's capture her alive if we can't kill her here," I heard the man who kicked my back suggested.
I could only tremble in fear. My body's not cooperating with my mind as well, and I'm starting to feel nauseous.
"Who did you say you would capture?" That voice!
The fear that was starting to devour vanished as soon as I heard Hendrix's voice. I quickly lifted my head and looked at the door of my room. My eyes could be swelling, but it will be because of the tears I was holding back earlier that's now starting to flow down my cheeks.
"Argh!" The man groaned loudly.
"How dare you enter a lady's room without permission?" Arthur!
I watched how the man fell on the floor after Arthur had stabbed him with his sword. This terrifying experience had drained me. I could feel my head getting heavier, and my chest tightening up. And the last thing I heard were their calming voices calling out to me.
"Henrietta!"
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I found myself lying alone on uncle's bed when I opened my eyes. I mentally checked on myself first and was relieved when I felt no pain from breathing anymore. I should be fine now, right? Henrietta should be fine now.
"But can't we tell her now? She's been through a lot already, father. Do you think uncle and aunt will be happy if ever they were here?" It was Hendrix's voice, and it's coming from outside.
The door was partially opened that's why I was able to hear the voices clearly. I carefully got out of the bed and went closer to the door. I don't want to eavesdrop, but I think I have the right to hear what happened to Henrietta before I came here.
"But they're not here, Hendrix, That's why we must protect her at all cost. We can't afford to lose the last survivor of their twins," Uncle said with determination.
Twins? "What do you mean, uncle?"
I was unable to control myself after hearing what uncle had said. What does he mean by twins? Was that even mentioned in the original book? Why can't I recall that part? What are they hiding?
"Henrietta… How long have you been standing there?" This is my second time seeing uncle's surprised face. The first time was when I first kissed his cheek.
"Please enlighten me, your excellency. I want to know everything that you're hiding from me," I said, my voice wavering with authority.
They both stared at me for a moment, probably assessing if I'd back down or not. Unfortunately, I won't miss this chance of knowing whatever you are hiding.
Uncle heaved a heavy sigh, as if he was already giving up. "Change your clothes and go to my office," he said with a dismissing tone then left.
I'll make sure to figure out this puzzle piece that appeared right before me. I marched to my room, not bothering to look at Hendrix. Maybe I'll thank him later after all of this.
I only took me a couple of minutes to change into a modest dress. I wanted to sprint to uncle's office, but Hendrix seems to enjoy blocking my way.
"What is it, brother?" I asked as we head to uncle's office. I found him standing outside of my room. I wonder what he's thinking.
"I'm just worried. I hope nothing changes after this," he said then gave my head a gentle pat. He sounded so weird just now.
But I should prepare myself, I might get hurt knowing the truth.
"Take a seat." Uncle motioned at his office couches. He sat on the large solo couch and beside him was Arthur, he looked silent and well-behaved, not like his usual self. I took a seat at the other couch opposite of them and Hendrix sat beside me.
My heart started beating weirdly as silence surrounded us. It was as if it was meaning to warn me about the information that I'm about to hear.
"15 yers ago, Empress Avery gave birth to the heiress of Clareian Kingdom. Everyone was delighted knowing that they were blessed with a healthy baby girl, but little did everyone know was that the child has a twin. Twins aren't really welcome in the empire, especially if the twins were born in nobility. Twins are usually a symbol of chaos and destruction, or that's what the people of this empire believed." I watched as uncle held on to his hands that's sitting on his lap. He looked so conflicted.
My heart kept on aching with every word that came out of his mouth, telling everything I needed to know.
"After the twins were born, only the first princess, Princess Henrietta, was allowed to roam freely in the imperial palace. The second princess, Princess Amethyst, was forbidden to come out of their secluded chambers. They were only seconds apart, yet they distinguish the twins as if they have a wider gap in age, and as if they aren't truly related. Only a few servants knows about this, because the imperial couple had decided to hide the truth from everyone.
The second princess was always alone, playing by herself in their secluded chambers. Her mother, the empress, will usually sneak hero out to the garden to spend time with her. Whilst, her father gave all of his attention and affection to the first princess, giving no room for the second born. Despite the discriminating situation, the second princess remained positive.
She always reminded herself that it was natural for her older twin to receive a lot of things since she will become the future empress of their empire. Besides, her mother and sister never really neglected her, or that's what she truly thought.
But one stormy night, everything changed. It was their eight birthday and an assassin infiltrated the palace. It was during the first princess' birthday celebration when she was murdered by the assassin they believed was sent by a foreign country.
The emperor and the empress tried saving the first princess by consulting the powerful mage of the Arcadian tower, but the mage couldn't heal her as well. Henrietta, the first princess, was no longer breathing, and the only thing remaining in her body was her essence.
The emperor begged him to do anything to at least preserve the first princess' essence. Then the mage suggested a very risky incantation; he suggested to perform transfusion wherein the first princess' essence will be transferred and preserved to a new host. And the new host should be a child close to her age. The one who was the most compatible host was none other than the forgotten second princess, Amethyst.
They quickly dragged Amethyst out of her secluded chamber and offered her as the new host. The second princess was horrified as she heard about the news of her elder twin's death. And despite of her plea to mourn for a day, the emperor ignored her wishes.
The Transfusion began five days after the first princess' death. They followed the mage's instruction and locked Amethyst inside the tower of Arcadia. Before the mage proceeded with the incantation, he warned the emperor and empress for the last time about the possible side effects of this risky incantation. But it seemed that they didn't care about whatever happens to the second princess as long as they can preserve the essence of their beloved Henrietta.
The transfusion was a success, but the mage and the first princess' body had disappeared. The only one left inside the tower was the unconscious second princess. Amethyst woke up with no memories attached to her, it was as if she was a new princess born after mixing two different essence. So the emperor and empress decided to change everything.
And they named her Henrietta Amethyst le Clair."
I felt speechless. I could feel a certain emotion burning inside of me. For some reasons, everything I learned tonight hurt so much to the point of hiding away from fear. It was too painful hearing how the second princess was hidden and forgotten.
Is this why she turned evil in the novel? Was it because she felt too much that she wasn't able to control her power? Maybe she felt good after releasing the anger and resentment she hid inside of her. I think, I kind understand why she became evil. It wasn't because of the Grand Duke and his sons' treatment towards her, but it was because of her parents.
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I quickly set aside the pain and sadness I felt after hearing her childhood story. We remained inside uncle's office and discussed what happened earlier. It seemed like another assassination attempt after a few years.
"Your handmaid Eliza was the one who leaked the information about you." Hendrix was the one browsing over the documents that Sir Reynolds brought in the office.
"It's possible that the maid is also holding a grudge against us since she had the courage to suffocate the princess with a pillow," Arthur said hypothetically.
That's a possible thing. "Either way, we all know that the mastermind can possibly be that same foreign country who planned the same thing before. Can we deploy some spies to gather information about them?" I asked as I check on the other documents on the center table.
As I remember, there's a specific spell to locate an anonymous person using things that are related to him or her. I really should learn more about this things since it's really helpful during investigations.
"The princess is right. We should send someone to investigate them." Hendrix agreed with me, while the other two was busy checking the other documents.
Oh, right!
"We have magical gems, right? Do we have something that can act as a tracker and a locator?" They looked surprised with my sudden question. But I'm sure that those gems exist. I read them on a book I found in the imperial library.
"Very well. I will leave the three of you here. I'll return as soon as possible once we've deployed some spies with the trackers," uncle said and stood from his seat.
He gave me a gentle pat on the head before heading outside, leaving us in his office.