She hasn't returned yet. It's been seven days, and there was no sign of Rea. Ivan had already sent out his ships to find her. Well, not her, but the missing ship. He needed to be careful. He was still the only one that knew Rea was out there. Everyone in the castle thought Rea was ill.
Ivan was standing in her bedchamber, looking out the window. He told the servants he was the only one who could visit her. The maids were getting worried. They thought Rea had already been sick for five days and Ivan still didn't call for a doctor. Gossip started spreading through the castle. Most of them were that Rea has taken deadly sick, which presented a big problem. She didn't have an heir.
And if that wasn't a huge problem already, the ball was happening in five days. He couldn't cancel it. It would be a great risk to the kingdom.
A knock sounded on the door. Panic rushed through Ivan. He had strictly forbidden the maids to disturb Rea. He rushed through the door and opened it just an inch. It was Margey, a maid that had been in service for almost fifty years.
"Your Majesty doesn't want to be disturbed."
"I understand that Ivan," she bowed. "But I'm sickly worried for Your Majesty. She had been sick for days and the ball is in due days."
"I know and I promise, Your Majesty is feeling a lot better."
She looked at him with worried eyes. "Ivan," she sighed. "Please tell me if there's something else going on."
Ivan tightened the grip on the handle. He wanted to close the door, but Margey stopped him. "Your Majesty isn't sick, is she?"
Ivan was running out of options. He needed to tell someone, and Margey was the only one he could trust. He looked out into the hallway to make sure no one was there and then he let Margey in. As soon as she came in, he closed the door behind. Margey looked at the empty bed and then at Ivan.
"I'll explain." He sighed. "I sent Rea to travel for her birthday. She had been stressed and she was working herself off, I just wanted her to forget her problem for five days and go outside. She was meant to come back two days ago. I don't know what happened. I had sent troops out to find the ship. I'm running out of options." He sat down on the bed. "I made a stupid decision."
Margey came to him and held his hands in hers. "You're a good man Ivan. And the idea wasn't stupid. I'm sure it meant a lot to Your Majesty. I understand. We'll figure something out."
"But what, Margey?"
A playful smile crossed her face. "It may be dangerous and hard to do in five days, but I think it will work."
"A doppelganger?!"
Ivan was staring at a woman who was awkwardly standing besides Margey, fidgeting her fingers in front of her. Margey smiled proudly. "Yes."
She did look like Rea. The girl had similar blond wavy hair, but she was obviously not Rea and there was no way others would think it's her.
"This won't work. If people will believe that she is Rea by her looks, they will defiantly see through her acting. No offence to you, miss but you don't know anything about acting like a princess."
Margey opened her mouth to speak when she stepped forward. "I may not know much, but I have been a servant of this palace since I was a child. I admired Rea with every second I could set eyes on her. I know how she behaves and Margey can teach me, she knows these things. I'm willing to try."
"Ivan, she is the only solution we have."
Ivan looked between Margey and the girl and then he sighed. "Okay." He looked at Margey. "Can I trust you to teach and show her as much as you can?"
"Yes, sir. I'll make sure she'll be ready for the ball."
"Thank you. And nobody needs to know. You tell no one."
They both nodded and Margey walked the girl outside the room. Ivan looked after them as they left. This better work. The plan was good on paper, but it had so many flaws. I really hope this works. He looked outside the window down into the castle's courtyard. Servants and guards were walking through it. And then he saw a hooded figure entering the yard. When she entered, she removed her hood.
Cornelis.
What is she doing here? When The Rose Sparrow kidnapped Tivon, she disappeared. Ivan moved away from the window and ran to the courtyard. They met in the corridor.
"Cornelis? What are you doing here?"
"Have you found Tivon?" She said quickly upon setting eyes on Ivan.
"No. There's no sign of him."
"Onh gondtxy uy yx ponr uyut." She cursed under her breath. Cornelis was holding her hand over her shoulder. She was covering a wound.
He reached for her. "Cornelis, you're wound- "
She stepped away and moved her shoulder. "It's okay. It's just healing slow."
"Where were you? After they got Tivon, you just disappeared."
"I was looking for him." She hissed. Ivan was taken aback. Cornelis closed her eyes and breathed in. "I've been looking for him ever since." She said calmly. "I've stopped looking for my sisters just to find him."
"Hasn't the sea told you anything?"
She frowned and looked away. "I can't hear it."
That couldn't be. She always heard the sea. Tivon had told her, that was Elias' and theirs only communication. How could she just not hear it now?
"Something is wrong. Usually I can hear it, but now… There must be black magic involved."
"Black magic?"
"Ona xardayk-"
"Cornelis I can't understand you."
She sighed. "Not every magic is good and whatever is blocking the sea it must be connected to black magic. I came here to see if you'd found Tivon, but I see that you had no luck either." She turned around and put her hood back on. "I'll continue searching."
"Rea's missing too." Ivan said quietly. Cornelis turned around. "She went out and hasn't returned yet."
"Uox ruy gdtxy uyr ronon?"
"What?" Ivan just hated when Cornelis talked in her own riddles. He could never figure out what she's saying. "Have you heard anything from her?"
Cornelis shook her head. "If I get any news, I'll tell you."
She turned around, but Ivan stopped her. He hated himself for asking her for it. He did believe in magic, and he believed that many good things could be achieved with it, but he didn't like Cornelis' magic. He didn't know why, but Cornelis was giving him doubtful feelings.
Cornelis was impatiently waiting for him to speak.
"Can you change a person's appearance with your magic, temporarily?"
________________________________________
Cornelis' language:
"Onh gondtxy uy yx ponr uyut." "Of course, he's not here."
"Ona xardayk-" "You stupid-."
"Uox ruy gdtxy uyr ronon?" "Has the curse hit her too?"