I went to bed early last night since burning the candle at both ends can leave me a loser again. I had to die once to get this body, health and appearance. If I failed to take care of myself once again what was the point of this second chance?
The next morning I woke up even before Flora started to chant the 'rise and shine' mantra. I was feeling exhilarated since things went my way the last evening. I even bathed in the royal pond early in the morning listening to the chaffinches.
Still, I have a few businesses. Victor is one of them. All I needed for that day is for him to appear in front of me and pledge his loyalty. Thus, it was a start of a fresh new day full of positivity and expectations!
I reached the room with a wide smile, only to witness Flora's face full of horror.
I frowned as I entered the chamber. Since it was Flora, I couldn't analyse the severity of the event that happened.
Because I can't simply relate to her. She was many things which I can never be. At times she was a weakling who may get a heart attack just by seeing a lizard. (Not to mention Edward was there every time to chase the lizard away). At times she was lionhearted enough to face a wild beast amid the dark forest, just because she wanted to save Edward. (But at last, it was him who saved her). Sometimes she would cry for minor issues and other times she would hold tears since she is strong!
I couldn't guess which mode she was in now, thus I couldn't guess the severity. Suddenly she burst and started to cry. Then followed the audible mutter.
"Your highness! How am I going to find you?" she shuddered as she continued to cry.
"Why did you run away?" she continued.
I was indeed confused. 'When did I run away?' I mused.
"How will you survive out there?" she blabbered.
I liked her idea there. My eyes even grew softer as she was pouring her heart out for me assuming I can't manage outside the palace. I was going to say, "I'm not that naive," but before I could, she continued with a whimper.
"With your current mental state, you can't even survive one day out there!"
My lips which were going to spill some pacifying words to her left open then!
So that's why! She doesn't mean to say that I'm naive. What she intended to say was that I'm out of my mind!
I closed my eyes in distress.
Then silently walked to her and called her name.
"Flora!"
"Leave me alone, Violet!"
I rolled my eyes in annoyance then poked her shoulder again. "Flora, it's me!"
"Leave me alone, Lilly!"
At that moment, it was extremely hard for me to stay calm. Still, I stayed calm. Though I was feeling already exhausted I walked around her and stood in front of her.
This time she wiped her eyes and looked up ready to scold. When she saw my face, her face immediately beamed.
"Your highness!" she already let out a cry then immediately covered her mouth in disbelief.
"You're back!" she continued to cry.
The other two maids heard her. They barged in the chamber with happy faces.
"Your highness! You're back!" they chorused.
"I was never gone in the first place," I lazily told them as I sat on the bed.
"Where were you, your highness?" Flora asked.
"I was in the bath the whole time. Why didn't you search for me there?"
"Your highness, you usually don't like to take bath in the morning... So..." Violet tried to justify!
"Your highness, you disappeared last evening as well. We searched the whole palace. But finally, you came back," Lilly continued.
"The queen had ordered us to keep an eye on you. We'll be severely punished if you disappear again! That's why were panicked and..." Violet finished without actually finishing the sentence.
"So the queen knows about me disappearing from the palace last night?"
"Yes, your highness!" Violet replied.
"Also, as her majesty instructed, I had sent the message of your morning disappearance as well, your highness!" Lilly told me with a proud face.
I wasn't sure why she was proud but I felt extremely annoyed.
I couldn't hold my head straight anymore. I placed my head in my palm unable to think further.
What a mess this is! If the queen knows, I'm done for. At the same time, I started to worry about my precious soldiers. If these people only searched for me in the palace, then fine. But if the queen got to know I left the palace with the help of them... I couldn't think further. Saving them was my priority then!
I didn't expect things to go this way! As I was seriously ruminating what to do next, the queen entered my chamber!
'Here comes the next problem!' I didn't even want to stand up to pay my respect. I lay on my back in the bed. Everything was messed up. I was out of ideas then.
I just let fate decide my next step, but what fate bestowed was a bombshell.
Once the queen entered the room, I could sense her standing by my side, scrutinizing me. I lay without any moment on my back, with my hands clasped on my belly.
"You all leave!" the queen whispered to the three since she assumed I was asleep.
"Come in!" the queen invited someone.
"...." I didn't move, but my brain already started to wonder who that person was.
Within a few minutes, I heard some rustlings and a strange smell followed. It was something similar to an incense stick. I heard a few footsteps approaching me.
I couldn't help but to slightly open my right eye to see what's going on.
A short, fat man who probably was in his late sixties was standing next to the queen. He was looking around the chamber with a frown. His serious face scared me for some reason.
"There is an evil spirit here!" he assured.
I was taken aback listening to what he said. Is he referring to me?
"We need to do a few remedies to chase it away!"
I started to wonder what it could be.
"If we do it properly, we can chase the evil and bring the princess back to normal!" he said.
I frowned as I bit my lip slightly.
"We need to hold a party in this palace. All the maids and manservants in this palace should be given a gold coin!"
Now I could understand who this new entry was.
He was a famous Shaman in Astrana. In the later episodes, the queen had hired him to do black magic to kill Flora. She never succeeded since he was a fake.
Now that I know who he is, I relaxed. I understood that everything he said fell in place just because of his luck. I lied peacefully as I awaited a few more lies.
Though he was making the queen spend her fortune for nothing, I didn't interfere since it happened in the novel too. But at last, there occurred a situation that caused me to intervene.
"Not anyone can do this! It has to be His Highness. Let His Highness give the coins to the maids and manservants."
'Edward? Does Edward have to give the coins to all the maids? Then what about my encounter curse? What if he meets Flora?' with this, my eyes shot open.
"See, Her Highness reacted!" he giggled. Once the remedy is fulfilled, she would be perfectly fine."
I jumped out of the bed. "Mother, don't trust him!" I resisted.
"Athena, behave," the queen stopped me from speaking. I frowned and tried to warn the shaman with my eyes but he twisted it the other way!
"Your majesty! Seems like her highness is really in a critical condition! You must hurry!"
"You...!" I stepped forward in anger. He was making things complicated.
"Athena!" the queen fiercely looked at me. "We'll be conducting the ceremony! That's final," she said. "You are not allowed to leave this chamber until the ceremony ends!"
I was aware that how difficult it is to convince the queen. She is adamant. I was left with no other option but to think of an alternative.
At last, I was left with so many problems. I was in a hurry to save my soldiers. I had to meet Victor. I also had to find a solution for this headache this shaman caused.
Though these problems lined up, I was not allowed to leave my chamber. I was tired to the bone. Still, I couldn't calm down.
I chose to sit and think about these issues properly. I'm already a princess. If I couldn't face this, it would be a shame. 'Bring it on shaman,' I thought as I hurried to my working table to prepare a brand new plan!