Kael tossed and turned in the narrow bed, unable to find a comfortable position. The room was too quiet, too dark, too unfamiliar. He stared at the ceiling, counting sheep, but his mind was racing with anticipation and anxiety. He had never been to such a grand event before, and he didn't know what to expect. Would he fit in with the nobles and the courtiers? Would he attract unwanted attention or suspicion? Would he see Princess Guinivere again and find out if she liked him?
He got up and decided to try on the clothes the King laid out for him.
He walked to the mirror, fiddling with his clothes and hair. He wore a blue shirt and black pants that the king's servants had brought him, along with a cloak and a belt. He also wore a pendant that the prince had given him, a gold phoenix that matched the royal emblem. He looked at his reflection, trying to appear confident and relaxed, but he still felt out of place especially with a face that he no longer recognized as his.
In the mirror was the face of Professor Kael Richards. Someone who he was eager to put behind him.
He recited the shape change chant and felt more at ease looking into the face of Jayce of House Stormcloak.
He heard a knock on his door, and quickly recited the chant again to turn his face back into Kael wondering who it could be at this hour. He opened the door and saw Princess Guinivere standing there, smiling at him. She wore a dress of red silk that complemented her hair and eyes, and a tiara of gold and rubies that crowned her head. She looked stunning and radiant.
"Hello, Kael," she said. "May I come in?"
Kael was surprised and flustered. Amongst all the women he had met so far Princess Guinivere was the most unnerving and he would be glad when he no longer had to see her.
Her presence was intimidating, inspiring and distracting at the same time and he had trouble doing simple things like swallowing, breathing and even talking when she was close.
He didn't know why she was here, or what she wanted from him. He remembered how she had befriended him earlier, and how she had seemed interested in him. He wondered if she had ulterior motives, or if she was just being friendly.
"Uh... sure," he said. "Come in."
He stepped aside and let her enter his room. It was a small and simple room, with a bed, a table, a chair, and a window. It was nothing compared to the royal chambers, but it was comfortable enough for him.
She walked in and looked around, then took a seat on the bed. She fixed her stare at him, making him feel uneasy.
Kael consciously forced himself to blink, breathe and swallow because blinking, breathing and swallowing had all of a sudden become deliberate actions for him.
"So," she said. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm... I'm fine," he said. "And you?"
"I'm fine too," she said. "I'm looking forward to the feast."
"Me too," he said.
They fell silent for a moment, then she spoke again.
"Kael," she said. "I know you're lying."
He felt his heart skip a beat. He felt his blood run cold. He felt his face turn pale.
He faked a smile and asked her casually.
"Lying? About what?"
"About who you are."
He felt his stomach drop. He felt his throat tighten. He felt his hands tremble.
He tried to act calm and asked her innocently.
"Why would you say that?"
She leaned closer to him and said softly.
"Because I have a secret too."
He felt his curiosity rise. He felt his fear subside. He felt his interest peak.
He asked her quietly.
"What secret?"
She looked into his eyes and said seriously.
"I have the power of Necromancy."
He felt his shock return. He felt his disbelief grow. He felt his confusion show.
He asked her incredulously.
"Necromancy? What do you mean?"
She nodded and said solemnly.
"I mean that I can speak to the dead."
He stared at her in awe and asked her hesitantly.
"How... how do you do that?"
She shrugged and said casually.
"I don't know. I've always been able to do it. Ever since I was a child."
She sighed and said sadly.
"That's why I stay away from others. That's why I don't have many friends. That's why people think I'm strange."
She smiled and said warmly.
"But you're not like them. You're different. You're special."
He felt his heart flutter. He felt his cheeks blush. He felt his mouth dry.
He asked her nervously.
"What do you mean?"
She touched his pendant and said gently.
"I mean that you have a false identity too."
He felt his panic return. He felt his guilt increase. He felt his lie exposed.
He asked her anxiously.
"What do you know about me?"
She looked at him with sympathy and said honestly.
"I know what the spirits tell me about you. Things that you don't want me to know."
She looked at him with admiration and said sincerely.
"I know that you're lying about who you are somehow. And that you're very strong with a lot of powerful magic."
She looked at him with affection and said tenderly. "But I also know that you have a good heart."
He felt his emotions swirl. He felt his defenses crumble. He felt his secrets reveal.
He asked her softly.
"What do you want from me?"
She moved closer to him and said earnestly.
"I want your help."
He asked her curiously.
"Help? With what?"
She took his hand and said urgently.
"With finding the truth about my mother."
He asked her confusedly.
"How do you feel about the Queen Solara, your mother? She seems to have a cold demeanor, but I can relate to that. My own mother is also like that. It's strangely comforting to be in a familiar situation. Your dad is the one who seems way too warm especially for a King."
She looked at him with sadness and said gravely.
"She's not my real mother. She's the queen who married my father after my real mother died."
He asked her surprisedly.
"She's not? Then who is?"
She looked at him with hope and said eagerly.
"My real mother was the previous queen. The one who died mysteriously. The one who had the same power as me."
Kael looked at Princess Guinivere in shock and disbelief. "How do you know this?"
She looked at him with trust and said confidently.
"Because I spoke to her spirit. And she told me everything."
"She did? What did she tell you?"
She looked at him with determination and said seriously. "She told me that she was murdered. Probably by conspirators of the current queen. And that there's proof somewhere in her belongings. But she doesn't know where."
She looked at him with pleading and said desperately. "Please, Kael. Help me find it. Help me expose the truth. Help me avenge my mother."
He felt sorry for her, but he didn't want to get in too deep. "I apologize, Princess, but I'm only here for a pardon, I can't get involved in anything."
Guinivere looked sad. "You were the only one I hoped could help me," she said. "How come shady people like Duke Kassadin always get their way?"
Kael tensed up at the name of the Duke before asking her gently. "What does the Duke have to do with this?"
"Ever since Queen Solara took the throne, my father has shown preference for the Duke of Dorset over others who are much nicer to their people like the Albino Duke, which is strange from my father but whenever I question him he ignores my worries. I think he has something to do with this."
Kael let out a big breath. "What do you need me to do?"
She smiled and said thankfully.
"You changed your mind? Great."
She got up from the bed and walked to the door.
She opened it and said quietly.
"Come with me. I'll show you where the queen keeps her things."
He got up from the bed and followed her.
He closed the door behind him and said firmly.
"Let's go."