"Oh, please. I'm just stating the facts," Morvin said.
"Excuse me?" Astoria asked, utterly interested in the boy's statement.
She needed to get as much information from them to help her temporarily live in this fantasy world.
"Don't 'excuse me?'. You know what you did," Morvin said, his hands fisted.
She blankly stared at him, tipping her head to the side. She crossed her arms, a scowl plastered on her face.
"Actually," she said, completely annoyed, "I honestly don't."
Naida abruptly stood up, seething with anger.
"I don't know why you are behaving like this! You think my brother and I don't know that you are just faking your amnesia?" she asked, downright furious.
"But I'm not-"
"Oh please, Nexi," Morvin interrupted, standing up.
He stood behind Astoria, turned her chair so she could face him. He placed his hands on both arms of the chair, completely blocking any attempt for her to escape.
'What the hell?'
"You don't have to pretend in front of us. We know," he said, staring intensely at her, "that you're just putting on an act because you don't have what it takes to control the Silver Ocean."
"Exactly," Naida agreed, "You feel burdened. I don't know why the Goddess had to give you the power when I could have been the wielder."
"I mean," she continued, running her fingers through her purple hair, her turquoise aquamarine eyes staring into space.
"I'm a full-fledged Water Folk, while you are not."
She told her brother to move to the side and placed her left hand on Astoria's ruffled dress.
"After all, I'm next in line for the throne."
Her left hand suddenly began to spark. She grinned eerily at her as smoke began to appear. A part of Astoria's dress started to catch alight. Astoria's eyes widened like saucers in surprise.
"Don't you, therefore, think it's only right that I am given your power, my dear little sister?"
Astoria could feel slight heat seeping through her dress. She pushed Naida's hand away, to which the girl scowled. She got up and glared at her.
"Now, the both of you better listen up," she told them, eyes blazing with anger.
"I don't know what the hell you're doing, sister, or what you and your brother are planning. However, know that I will not sit still and just watch in silence like a weakling!"
Naida and Morvin exchanged looks of surprise and stared at their little sister, who was behaving unusually brave.
"First of all," Astoria continued, "I'm not acting. This is real. I remember nothing. Heck, I don't even like what is happening to me! I never asked for this. I don't wanna be stuck in this world with the likes of siblings who hate me to the point where I don't know what they could do to-"
"What do you mean "stuck in this world" ?" Morvin interrupted, raising one eyebrow.
"I mean stuck in a world where I don't remember anything," she said.
She could not let them find out that she was not Nexi. These two most definitely shouldn't know. Who knows what they could do to her with that kind of information.
"I've had enough of this," Naida said, leaving the room.
Only Astoria and Morvin were left in the room. He grinned and walked towards the door. Before leaving, he turned his head and glanced at her.
"I'm surprised by your behaviour. It's like losing your memories made you a completely different person," he said, also leaving the room.
She let out a sigh of relief, glad that they finally left.
'Man, I was so tempted to smack that pretty face of hers.'
Either way, she was now able to conclude that she had to closely observe those two. Walking out of the dining room, she was greeted by the elf, who was patiently waiting for her.
"Princess Nexi," Keya said, looking at the burn mark on her ruffled dress.
"Oh, dear. Are you alright?"
Astoria followed her gaze, saw that there was a burn mark on her dress, and frowned.
'Tsk, talk about hostile siblings.'
She touched the burn mark, sighed, and smiled at the green-haired elf whose eyes were full of worry.
"I'm okay, Keya," she reassured her.
"Please take me to my room."
The elf nodded, and they walked to her room.
"I will be outside if you need me," Keya told her.
"Wait," Astoria said as Keya was about to walk out the door.
The elf stopped in her tracks, looking at the princess.
"Yes, Princess Nexi?"
"Okay, first of all, call me Nexi when it's just the two of us, okay?"
"But that is-"
Astoria held her hand up, signalling Keya to be quiet. The elf clasped her hands together and stood silent. She was confused by the princess' behaviour and imagined that this was one of the side effects of her amnesia.
"Also, no bowing to me, alright?" Astoria added, placing her hands on the elf's slender shoulders.
"Y-yes Pr-," Keya stammered, "I mean, yes Nexi. As you wish."
She smiled at the princess. Clearly, this was gonna be hard and tricky for her to do. She has been on Nexi's side since the day the princess and her mother entered the palace. The king had assigned her to look after the young princess and her mother ever since. She was a very loyal elf and a mother figure to Nexi. Nexi was now twenty-two years old and had grown up to become a fine young woman thanks to her.
"Oh. Also, please stay by my side tonight."
Keya's eyes widened. Astoria did not feel like being in this big bedroom alone, especially after what happened between her and Naida.
"I just don't want to be alone right now," she explained, staring intently at the burn mark on her dress.
"Oh. I understand, Pri-"
Keya stopped, quickly correcting herself, "Nexi."
Astoria smiled, walking towards the dresser.
"Great."
She needed to change into a nightgown. After rummaging through the clothes, she found a pink nightgown and walked into the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror and gasped loudly.
"Is everything alright?" Keya asked upon hearing her loud gasp.
"Oh yes, everything is alright! Don't worry, I just thought I saw a spider!"
She looked at her reflection again as she never got to take a good look at the young princess' appearance.
'Wow.'