Part 32

Sister?

I stared up at Edith, a little dazed, my mind racing as I tried to put the pieces together. My silence didn't frustrate her, however. It seemed to amuse her as she watched me, her smile growing wider.

"Let me tell you a story." She called out, and an expressionless man dressed as a bandit brought over a chair for her to sit on. She was so close that our knees were almost touching. It made me want to kick out, to hurt her, but my legs were too tightly bound to do more than shift the chair.

"There once was a handsome young man, the only son of a Duke. He was smart and hard-working, caring deeply about those around him. His father, the Duke viewed him with great pride, thinking how his legacy would continue to grow under such a capable son." She continued to smile, but her gaze was cold as she studied me slowly. "The young man fell in love, with a girl who grew up by his side. Her status was a little low, but she was beautiful and kind, and he loved her deeply. Even his parents could not object to their engagement. Everything was perfect."

She stood up suddenly, the sound of the chair scraping against the floor grating on my ears. "But one day, startling news arrived. The crown prince had broken his engagement with the daughter of one of the larger duchies, to marry a foreign princess. The woman was reportedly heartbroken." Edith sneered at the last sentence, her eyes on me growing more hostile. "She didn't mourn for long, however. She insisted she be married to the highest ranked noble in the kingdom. And who could that be other than the young handsome man?"

My hands clenched into fists, the nails digging into my palms. I discretely tried to continue pulling at the ropes, but all I managed to do was tear the skin at my wrists, the warm blood soaking the bonds.

"He protested of course. As did his precious little sweetheart." She laughed bitterly. "But none of that meant anything to that cold hearted woman. Her family forced the marriage, and the lovers were separated... at least officially."

Edith had wandered towards the back of the room, beyond the candlelight. Slowly she returned, but this time something was clutched in her hand, causing me to freeze with fear.

A knife.

"They still saw each other... for a time. Until the childhood sweetheart learned she was pregnant." She gently touched the tip of the knife, as if testing it. "Perhaps he could have divorced the scheming woman who forced him into marriage, but not too long after, it was revealed that she was pregnant as well."

I stared at Edith and the knife in her hand, almost hypnotized as she turned it over and over in her hands. I didn't speak, I didn't know what to say.

"A pregnant wife with a legal child, and a pregnant mistress with a bastard. Who do you think won?" She laughed again, but the sound was painful. "The sweetheart married a count, and passed the daughter born as his own, only revealing the truth to the daughter when she grew older."

I stared down at the floor, thinking of the beautiful smiling woman I had known as the Countess of Erand and tried to reconcile that image with the bitter betrayed woman Edith described, unable to. I thought of my mother's accusations and coldness, my father's guilt. What was it that he had said to me during our last conversation?

"We all have our sins, Lenora. Some of us are just still waiting to pay the price for them."

"You're my father's daughter." I studied her curiously, her delicate features greatly resembled her mother, we looked nothing alike.

Edith stood up straight. "I am the Duke's eldest child." Her eyes were disdainful as she looked back at me. "You are nothing. A thief. A fraud. Just like your mother, who stole father from us."

"I hate you." She whispered crouching down, the knife in her hand pointing towards my face. "I've always hated you! Everything you have should have been mine!! Your home! Your title! Your dresses and jewelry! They all were meant to be in my hands!"

The knife crept closer, and her face distorted as she continued. "The Queen should have loved me! The engagement should always have been mine! I WAS MEANT TO BE THE FUTURE QUEEN!"

"But you have the engagement." I answered softly. "You will be queen."

She hesitated at that. "I thought so too.. I thought everything was going well! But then Ronan started talking about making me the MISTRESS!!!!" She was screaming now, the knife only a short distance away from my neck shaking back and forth. "I would be the mistress and YOU would be Queen! WHY? Just because you were born to the right woman?! HOW DARE THEY?!"

Edith shook her head slowly. "But then, just as I was giving up hope... you gave him to me. Arranged for us to be engaged." She smiled. "I always thought I would be happy on the day I took him from you completely, but I found out that the opposite was true."

The tip of the knife dug slightly into the skin of my throat, only the slightest increase in pressure needed to break the skin. "I didn't want him. I wanted what you had. I wanted to TAKE it from you!"

Her hand reached out, finding the necklace I almost always wore under my clothes, the present from the Queen. The golden chain and blue amulet shined in the candlelight as she pulled it out. With a sharp tug the chain broke and the necklace fell to the floor.

"To watch you scream and cry and beg for mercy as I stole back everything that was mine! I wanted you on the streets begging, starving for scraps, staring up at me who had gained everything you lost!"

She had done that, though... at least in a previous life. I looked at the necklace on the ground, my heart cold.

"So you followed me to Tilendria. But it didn't work out."

Edith paused. "That was... a miscalculation. But when I heard that you were happy there... I just couldn't stay away."

"Who told you I was happy?"

She ignored me, continuing to talk. "When I failed, I knew I needed to work harder. To completely crush every one of your dreams and kill you with my own hands." She laughed, her eyes wild. "I hired bandits to attack the Tilendrian border to lure out that useless prince, and then tried to find a way to get you here. But then the easiest way unexpectedly fell into my lap..."

She pulled the knife away, letting me breathe a sigh of relief, and motioned to something beyond the room. Two men dressed as bandits walked in, carrying an unconscious woman. She was bruised, her clothes dirty, one eye swelled shut, but the face was still recognizable.

Angela.

"What did you...?" I started to ask, but Edith interrupted, laughing.

"Not me, but you! I caught the little traitor trying to send you a warning about my plans." She shook her head sadly. "Good help is very hard to find. I don't know how you convinced her to switch sides, obviously it didn't work out well for her. But it worked in my favor in the end. A simple change to the message, and here you ran. Straight into my trap."

I ignored Edith for a moment, watching Angela closely. Finally, I let out a relieved sigh, having saw that she was still breathing. She was injured but alive. I needed to get her to help, but i wasn't even certain of my own fate right now. As i thought this over, Edith spoke up again, recapturing my attention.

"I've got your little spy, my bandits will take out your foolish prince. And now?" She bent down again, one hand grasping my chin and pulling it up. Her fingernails dug into the skin of my face, a small piercing pain. "I'm going to cut your throat, and watch you die."

The knife was at my neck again, the pressure slowly increasing. She whispered again, directly into my ear.

"I can't wait to see the life fade from your eyes. Do you think father recognize me as his true daughter then?"

I looked up at the ceiling thinking over her words. And slowly I laughed.

"WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?!" The sound of her shouting nearly deafened me. The knife pricked the skin at my throat, a thin trail of blood running down and soaking my collar.

"Do you really think you hired bandits?" I asked, "Are you really that stupid?"

She paused, pulling back enough to look into my eyes. "I did hire bandits! They're here! And a whole group at the border to attack your prince!"

I smiled, ignoring the pain from her grip, from her knife. "They're Reterland's secret force, directly from the king. He's using you."

"What? You're lying!" She looked around the room, and then glared at me.

"They really are." I laughed again, until tears ran down my face. "You thought you were so clever, but he's played you like a child! If you kill the prince, he blames you. If you kill me, he blames you. He would love to see both of us dead, and to use someone else to do it. But in the end, even if you fail he'll still have accomplished one of his goals:"

I leaned forward just a tiny bit, ignoring the increasing pain at the knifepoint. "He'll have branded you as a criminal and will break the engagement with Ronan."

"NO! That's not true! No one knows what I've done! Except..." She stared uncertainly off to the side, where the men who had brought Angela had disappeared.

"Except for the men you thought were bandits, but actually work for the king." I sighed. "A great chance for him, kill two of his enemies and get rid of a burden all with one shot."

"NO! SHUT UP!" She tightened her grip on the knife, her face drawing back into a snarl. "I've WON! You're the one at my mercy! Nothing you say will change that." Her gaze sharpened. "Now it's time for you to die."

"STAY AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER!"

A figure rushed out, tackling Edith, knocking the knife from her hands. Behind her a group of armed men both personal armed guards of the Queen and guardsmen from the duchy of Armeny followed inside, securing the screaming girl and tying her up.

"NO! I WON! I WON! YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" Edith screamed, struggling. "I'M THE DAUGHTER OF A DUKE! YOU CAN'T TOUCH ME."

"Gag her." A woman's voice coldly ordered, and the men quickly carried it out. Before I could truly register what was happening, the figure bent down and embraced me tightly.

"Lenora! You're okay!"

I was shocked. It was the Queen. "Your Ma-" I paused, correcting. "Mother?"

She leaned back, her face tired and drawn but happy. "I found you!"

__________________________

"Your Majesty." One of the guards called out, his face stern. "You promised that if we brought you along you would only come in at the end, after it was safe!"

The Queen snorted. "That means nothing, my daughter was in danger. Now help me cut her bonds."

They cut me loose, another taking Angela's unconscious form and bringing her out to be treated. I reached out, hugging the Queen tightly. "How...?"

"Hallers." She answered my unfinished question. "They had left him for dead, but he survived their attack and came straight to the palace. Your... spy network..." She grinned at me. "Had found a secret home bought by that wretched girl, and so we came here first."

"Thank you for the rescue!" I smiled back, but her expression was already serious. Her hand reached out, gently touching the wound on my neck.

"Sorry we were late."

I spread my arms. "I'm still in one piece! All thanks to you and Hallers." I looked around. "Where is he?"

"He was injured." The Queen shook her head. "We told him to stay behind."

"MMMMIIIIISSSS!"

A long shout echoed in the dark room as a man jumped out to tightly hug me. To my shock it was a bloody and disheveled Hallers, who was sobbing uncontrollably.

"How dare you get into danger! You're never going out without ten... no a hundred guards! How could they do this?!!!!"

I reached out, patting him gently on the back. "Thank you, Hallers."

At my soft words he started, staring at me in shock, before clearing his throat and standing up, the perfect picture of a butler despite his torn, bloody clothes and tear-stained face. "As long you are safe now."

I reached out and hugged him again, and slowly, his façade crumbled again, and he just silently held on, a trembling hand patting my head.

After a while, I turned to the Queen, who was smiling at the two of us, tears in her eyes as well. "Mother... I think we need to talk."

She nodded slowly. "But let's leave here first and get you checked by a doctor. As for Edith..." She paused, "Throw her in the dungeon."

I reached down, picking up the broken necklace on the floor. She saw my expression, and reached out, touching my hand with a smile. "It can be fixed."

I studied it closely, tucking it away in my pockets. I had lost it in my first life, sold it for bread. As a precious gift from my mother, I wanted to hold onto it in this life.

We left the dark room, and headed for one of the Queen's rooms.

__________________________

After bullying Hallers into going into a room from treatment, and getting my own small wound bandaged, the Queen and I sat down for tea.

"What do you need to tell me?" She asked calmly, although her hands trembled slightly as she lifted the cup to her lips.

I looked at her, at the woman I had claimed as my mother, silently for a few moments. She had always loved me, in this life and the last... and I loved her too.

I needed to tell her the truth.

"It's a long story, and a strange one." Seeing her encouraging smile, I took a deep breath and I began to talk.

And I told her everything. Edith and her true origins. The King's schemes.

My past life.

Tears silently spilled down as I described how I lost hope in my last lifetime. How, believing she had hated me, I had died alone and friendless. I explained how I had worked to change the future in this lifetime, unintentionally still almost bringing about my death at the hands of my half-sister.

By the end, my voice was hoarse, and I was so tired I could barely lift the cup in my hand. But still I felt nervous, staring at the now silent Queen.

"Do you believe me?" I whispered, unable to look at her for fear of what I would see on her face.

"My dear girl." A hand reached out, touching my head. "My darling daughter. You've suffered."

She pulled me into a hug, tears soaking my hair as her head rested on mine. "I'm so sorry."

"You didn't do..."

"No, but you've lived all these years thinking I didn't care for you." Her arms tightened. "How much pain you've endured... I can't imagine it."

"..." I didn't reply. I didn't want to make her feel worse.

"I love you." When she spoke again, the words were simple, but they caught at my heart.

"I love you too, Mother."

__________________________

After a while our conversation turned to what would happen next.

"The King won't just let you go." Her face was worried as she thought. "We need to settle this, so that you can be free."

"Don't worry."

I sighed, calling in Rig's second in command. "I need the 'Final Measure.'"

His eyes widened briefly, before his face resumed its former calm. "Yes, Miss."

The Queen stared after his retreating back, obviously confused. "What is that?"

I smiled. "I made a plan, in case he went too far and left me no choice." Shaking my head, I continued. "With the last attempt on my life, and this using Edith... I have to do this, but..." I looked up at her. "I'll have to leave Reterand. I won't be able to come back if I do this."

She nodded gravely. "I understand. As long as you're safe." Standing up, she pulled a letter out of a drawer, handing it to me. "I would recommend Tilendria, if you're thinking of somewhere to live long-term. I received this earlier today. I think you should see it."

I looked down, reading the letter with a silly grin.

__________________________

To Queen Amerande.

I have been called to the border to fight bandits, leaving our precious person behind. I have taken every precaution and hope to return safely. But no one can no the future, and so I wish to say this:

I love your daughter very much. If I return I will gather my courage and ask her to marry me.

She may refuse me. She has been hurt, and closed her heart to love. I am not so arrogant as to think that my feelings can heal that.

Either way, my heart will not change. If she says yes, I will happily become your son-in-law and invite you to live with us. If she says no, then I will continue to help her with all my strength, and ask that you help her to live a happy life as I love her from afar.

I'm more terrified of this than of fighting bandits. What does this say about me?

Best regards,

Nathaniel

__________________________

"How can he always confess his feelings about me so clearly only to other people?" I grumbled, looking up at the Queen while she laughed.

I paused, studying the letter again. "I hope he's safe." I thought of Edith's words, of the group of armed men at the border, and felt a pain in my chest. What if he was hurt? Or...

She reached out and held my hand. "Trust him. He's capable. He'll do his best to get back safely to you. But when he does..." She hesitated.

"Do you love him?" Her question was simple, so much so that I couldn't help but answer honestly.

"Yes."

"That's good then." She grinned. "Don't think you'll be rid of me after you get married."

"Didn't you read it?" I shook the paper slightly. "You're living with us!"

"If only it were that easy..." Her sad words were interrupted by an annoying shout.

"MOTHER!"

Both of us sighed, as the footsteps grew closer. "WHY did you imprison Ed..." Ronan paused, staring in horror at me. "YOU! THIS IS YOUR FAULT!"

I laughed. "Yes, how dare I survive a kidnapping and murder attempt? All my fault."

"If you weren't so terrible how else would my lovely Edith..." He shook his head. "You set her up!"

I looked over at the Queen who was staring at her son with a disappointed expression Standing up, I walked closer, startling Ronan who took a few steps back, but not quickly enough.

BAM!

I punched him in the face, watching in satisfaction as he fell to the floor.

He held his cheek, his eyes filled with shock.

"You are a worthless coward. That's for trying to drug me at the Queen's party as well as all your other insults over the years. You and Edith deserve each other. But... just so you know..." I leaned forward, whispering with a smile. "She never loved you. You were only ever a tool to hurt me."

"No! You're lying."

I smiled. "If you don't believe me, ask someone from the Tilendria court how she acted there. You'll get your answer there."

I waved, walking on before pausing and looking at the Queen. "I will take care of everything, Mother. Just pack your bags and wait for me."

I left smiling.

After so long of working stealthily against each other in the shadows, it was time to directly confront the King head on. He thought he knew the enemy he had made. I was about to show him the reality of his mistakes.

It was time to move forward.