(#12)An Extract From the Past

"Welcome, Young Lady Aesther." A maid greeted as we entered the palace.

I raised my hands. Bella bowed in response.

I smiled. "I was informed that Miss Maylene called me. May you please tell me where she is?" I asked and the complexion of the maid went bewildered.

But she suddenly changed it. She then presented herself with a warm smile.

"This way, Lady Aesther." She said and bowed. I nodded while smiling.

She then brought us to the writing room of Prince Louis.

We three used to play here so much. But now, thinking back on it, everything seemed to be a plan, and I seemed to be a chess piece. Only a chess piece.

I heaved a sigh. "My Lady, is there anything that matters?" Belle asked. I smiled. "Nothing to worry about, Belle." I said and she nodded.

"We have reached, Lady Aesther." The maid bowed and I nodded.

I knocked on the great oak-grained tree. "Yes, you may come in." I heard a commanding voice. It belonged to Maylene. The real one. The unveiled one.

"Maylene," I said and pushed open the door. "It's me." I said and got in.

"Oh My, Ana!" Marylene got up and came to me, quickly changing her complexion.

"This maid is accompanying you?" Maylene's disapproval was unveiled. "Yeah." I said and looked at Belle. "Father wants her around me." I told Maylene.

"Oh, it can't be helped then." She said and I smiled.

"Yes, and Belle-a won't be a bother. She will stand in some corner or look out of the window." I said and looked at Belle. She nodded.

"That's good then." Maylene sighed.

"Why did you ask me to come here?" I asked. "Oh, I heard about an interesting game. I want to try it out." She said.

"Oh sure. What is it?" I asked. "A story in the letter." She said, smiling. "I am sorry?" I acted confused.

"I know. It's normal to get confused. It's a game that is practiced in the northern part of the country. It is about writing a story in a letter to your friend, or that is how it looks like." She said and I nodded.

"We will both choose a topic and will write to each other, how does that sound?" Marylene asked, her face plastered with fake curiosity.

I smiled. "If it is something that you," my betrayed friend, "My dear friend wants, then how can I not help her fulfill a wish?" I asked.

"Aw... you are so nice. I sometimes wonder if I deserve a friend like you." She said. Yeah, you don't. But I smiled.

"In fact Maylene, this something I wonder a lot too. Do I really deserve," such a treacherous friend "such a good friend like you." I said and Maylene laughed.

"And Bella?" I called Belle. "Yes My Lady?" Belle bowed. "Please do not disturb us in the meantime. You can watch the view or do anything." I said.

I didn't miss the victorious look on Maylene's voice.

"So, we will start." Maylene said and took the quill and was about to start.

I smirked. Too eager, aren't you? "Maylene we haven't decided the topic yet. If you want me to write in any topic we can do that." I said and was about to start write.

"No, no, no." Maylene stopped me. "Let me think." She said and acted like she was thinking. "Oh!" She was like, she was struck with an amazing idea.

"What is it?" I asked. "We are missing a person here, aren't we?" She asked. "Yeah, Louis." I said and she nodded.

"We will make him the subject of our story." She said. I raised my eyebrow and acted like confused.

"I will elaborate it. You will write a story like Prince Louis is your fiancé. And then, you will be like you found your true love and also know that I love him and he loves me. And you will admit that you were an obstacle in our love story. And then you are planning on running away with you love to a faraway place." She said.

"It doesn't bother you, right?" She asked.

I shook my head. "Why should it? It's just a game. It's not like people will use it against me, right?" I asked Maylene, with my last word, a bit cold.

Her face went a bit pale. My inner self smirked.

I then laughed out loud. Maylene got confused. "I was just joking. Everyone could tell it, because I am not very good with acting and all, why did you take me seriously?" I asked.

"O-Oh, I- I was j-just shocked with the sudden change in your voice." She stuttered and I smiled. "What about you?" I asked.

"How do you want it to be?" She asked. "Well, since me and Louise is a fact, we can't change it." I said and she nodded.

"So, you write it like, you and Louise loves each other and I am an obstacle. But I am oblivious to your affection. So you are asking me to move away from your love." I said.

Maylene looked shocked. "What kind of story is it?" She asked, with unsettled mind.

"It's just another perspective of what you just said." I smiled.

She thought about it for a moment. Then she nodded. "Mm..., it's true. So, shall we start?" She asked and I nodded.

We both started writing. My letter was almost like by hearting and writing, since I had already written a similar one.

Once I finished I spared a glance at Maylene. She was taking her time and enjoying the work she was doing.

"Done! What about you?" She asked. "Finished." I said.

"Give me yours." I said. She then crumbled it and threw it.

"I give importance to yours more than mine." She said. I really wanted to spit at her face. But, two can play this game.

I then crumbled mine too and aimed it at the fire place through my peripheral vision. And then I threw it.

"There is no partiality in our relationship." I said. Then I looked at where I threw.

"Oh Goodness, it went to the fireplace?! What am I going to do?" I acted desperate. "It's alright, it's alright." Maylene said. But I could sense the uneasiness in her voice.

"Well then Maylene, we should play it often. It's very much fun." I said and she brightened up. "True, very true." She agreed and I smiled.

"Well then," I said and stood up. "I am going to leave. It's already sunset and there is a hearing tomorrow." I said and stiffened at that.

"Yeah, you must be very worried right?" Maylene asked. "No, I have my Father." I said. "True, very true." She said, growing impatient.

"Then we will leave." I said and Maylene nodded.

"My Lady, the view of sunset from the palace is amazing. You have to see it." Belle called.

"Then I will head over to there. You can leave first, Maylene." I said and she nodded and started heading out.

I went to Bella's. As Maylene headed out, I and Bella looked at each other.

"My Lady, this is just amazing." Bella said. "The Scenery or what just happened here?" I asked.

"Both, but the latter more than the former." Bella said.

~~~~ (Some moments ago, in the carriage) ~~~~

"Look Bella. There are some things you need to know." I said and Bella listened attentively.

"I know exactly the reason why Maylene called me today. Just don't ask why. Get that?" I asked and Belle nodded.

"Okay. Maylene will ask me to write a letter or something related, of me, Maylene and Louis, making me the villain in their love story. And the highlight of this event is that, she plans to use this letter to destroy me in the future. Are you following?" I asked and Bella was shocked but she nodded.

"Alright. Once I get in, I am going to be a little rude about your presence. But in the end, when we are leaving, you are supposed to ask me to stay behind. You are supposed to find the excuse." I said.

"Alright My Lady. But are you sure that we can trust this source? I mean, it's Miss Maylene." Belle said.

"Sometimes, Scorpion's venom is seemingly less stingy than humans." I said and Belle didn't ask any further questions.

~~~~ (Back to the present) ~~~~

"I still can't believe it's the truth though." Belle said.

"Just like I said. Sometimes, Scorpion's venom is seemingly less stingy than humans." I said.

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