28 Chapter Twenty Eight

"What are you doing here?" Prince Noah asked, confused.

I was so astonished by the King's presence that I didn't even notice Prince Noah approaching me.

He was standing in front of me, blocking my sight of the King.

"I… I am here to work for you, Your Highness. I'm sorry for being late." I said bowing respectfully, after recovering myself.

But then Prince Noah gave a forehead flick on me.

"Ouch!" I shouted, surprised. "Why did you do this, Your Highness?" I asked, confused while rubbing my forehead with both hands.

"Did you just come to work like this?" Prince Noah asked, looking at me.

"W-What is the problem, Your Highness?" I asked, confused.

'Did I dress wrong?' I asked myself embarrassed, looking down at my clothes.

Suddenly Prince Noah touched my left cheek with his hand and said. "Tsk. Just as I thought, you are still sick. You have a fever again." Then he looked at his maids and asked, mad. "Didn't I order one of you yesterday to tell him to not come to work until he got better?"

Mary came closer to us and said bowing. "I am sorry, Your Highness. I tried to, but I couldn't find him anywhere yesterday. This morning I tried to look for him in his room, but he wasn't there."

After hearing that Prince Noah looked at me confused.

"Is Alex sick?" Prince Dylan asked after suddenly appearing behind Noah.

"I-It is j-just a common cold, Your Highness." I quickly said embarrassed, noticing that all eyes in the room were on me made me feel shy.

Prince Noah clicked his tongue and said to Mary. "Go call the doctor for him." Then he looked at me and said, mad. "And you, go to your room and stay there until I say so."

"Yes, Your Highness." Mary and I said bowing.

Prince Noah then just went back to his seat without even looking back at me.

Prince Dylan gave me a weak smile and said. "I hope you get better soon, Alex." Then he went back to his seat.

'Is he mad?' I asked myself, confused while looking at Prince Noah.

"Let's go, Alex." Mary whispered, calling my attention.

I nodded and then quickly we left the dining room.

Before the door was closed by the servants, I looked back once again and I was surprised to see the golden King's eyes staring at me.

I sighed relieved when the door got closed. But this relief didn't last long after I looked at Mary.

"Are you perhaps mad, Mary?" I asked.

Mary was frowning looking at me.

"Of course I am! I was scolded by the prince in front of the King because of you." She hissed, mad.

"I-I am sorry, Mary. I didn't know that Prince Noah had ordered you to look for me… again." I apologized.

Though I know that there was no way I could know that Prince Noah ordered her to look for me, still, I could understand her. Being scolded in front of the King is not something good for a servant like her and me.

Mary sighed, probably knowing that nothing would change with her venting her anger on me. "It is fine… Just go to your room as His Highness ordered you. I will call the doctor for you, so just wait there."

"Thank you, Mary. And sorry for all the trouble I've been giving you these days." I said, bowing apologetically.

"It's fine, Alex. Taking care of Prince Noah's whims is part of my job after all." Mary said before leaving.

I stayed standing frozen looking at Mary's back while she was walking through the corridor. I don't know why, but Mary's words shook me up.

"One of Prince Noah's whims… Is that how everyone sees me?" I whispered to myself, surprised.

I was still thinking about Mary's words in my room until I heard a firm knock on my door.

When I opened the door I wasn't surprised to see the doctor on the other side.

"Good morning. Thank you for coming here, doctor." I said, politely.

The old man just nodded and said looking at me. "It seems that you have a fever again."

'Is my face that red?' I asked myself, annoyed after remembering that Prince Noah noticed that I had a fever on the other side of the dining room.

The doctor entered the room and placed his heavy leather bag on the table.

"Besides the fever are you feeling anything else?" He asked me while opening his bag.

"Hm… I'm feeling kinda tired as well." I said.

'But maybe it's all because of last night.' I thought, after remembering what I've been through while helping Lena and Alice to run away.

The doctor just nodded without even looking at me, then he picked a small bottle of glass with pills inside of his bag and gave it to me.

"Take one of these pills twice a day, in the morning and at night before going to sleep, for five days. If the symptoms get worse, just call me again." He said, already closing his bag and holding it again, ready to leave.

"Alright… Hm, sir, may I ask you something?" I asked

He raised an eyebrow, curious, and asked. "Of course. What do you want to ask, boy?"

"How is the page boy that you treated after me yesterday?" I asked.

The doctor was silent for a moment, before saying.

"Ah, that boy… I remember about him. Don't worry, he is fine, he just had a superficial wound. It will heal any time soon." The doctor explained.

'Well, it is good to know that he is fine, but…'

"...Had he told you something?" I asked, curious.

The doctor seemed to be trying to remember for a moment, touching his beard. "No, I don't think he said anything after you left, actually."

I sighed, relieved. "I see."

'Just as I thought he didn't say anything about me.'

"Do you have feelings for him, perhaps, boy?" The doctor suddenly asked, curious.

"O-Of course not!" I said, embarrassed by the sudden question.

The old man chuckled after seeing my reaction. "I see... So, if that was all you wanted to know, I may leave now."

Soon after he left I quickly closed the door, annoyed. But, even so, I heard him talking to himself through the door. "How is it good to be young…"

"...As if I would fall for that boy." I said, annoyed.

Even though I had a fever I could feel my face getting even hotter and I knew I was blushing a lot.

'I'm still not used to this world, huh.' I realized.

'If someone had asked me something like that so openly in my past life I would feel so scared and anxious.'

I sighed.

"Let's take the medicine that the doctor gave me before I forget." I said, trying to distract myself.

I thought that just like the last one that pill would make me feel sleepy, but surprisingly it didn't.

But, even so, I decided to use this free time to rest.

Some maids even brought me some meals during the day by Prince Noah's order.

The night had come and I wasn't feeling like sleeping. I was tossing and turning on the bed, trying to sleep, but I couldn't.

'Well, I've been practically sleeping all day, it's no surprise that I can't sleep right now.' I realized.

I looked at the nightstand beside the bed feeling kinda tempted.

'I've been all day trying to ignore it, but…'

Not being able to control myself, I opened the drawer of the nightstand and looked at the key inside.

It was the key Lena gave me last night.

"No, I should wait a little more before going there, I'm still sick after all…" I said, trying to convince myself.

Yeah… That was what I should have done. But I was too curious to hold myself.

When I entered the room Lena told me belonged to my great-grandmother in the northwest area, I was surprised to see that there was nothing apparently missing there.

Different from my old room where the maids stole everything they could, this room they stole nothing.

It was the biggest room in the northwest area, but it had no sign that a Queen had ever lived here.

'Well, she was a criminal after all.' I thought while looking at the room.

The room wasn't bad at all, but it was pretty simple though. It was a big room but didn't have much furniture, so it seemed pretty empty.

I easily noticed the chest that Lena told me. It was in front of the bed and there was a silver lock on it.

Then I opened the chest using the key Lena gave me.

There were a lot of things inside. Like books, letters, diaries, and even a few jewels. But what really called my attention was a letter laying on the top of the pile written 'To Alexander' with red ink.

I quickly opened the letter and started to read it.

"Dear, Alexander.

You may be asking yourself why I had written this letter to you. You probably do not even remember about me anymore by the time you might be reading this letter, but, still, I wanted to write this letter to you.

You may know me as the 'Mad Queen', the crazy woman that freaked out and killed her husband, the King. You may know me as a criminal that I indeed am.

Since the day I killed my husband I have been locked in the northwest area of the royal palace. And, as the time passed I realized that it wasn't really that different from my whole life prior to becoming a criminal.

I realized that I have lived my whole life being a prisoner under my ancestors' greed and ambition. Since I was born a female I was doomed to live my whole life in the palace, never having permission to leave or choosing how to live my own life.

When I was chosen to be the one to marry the crown prince, I was so happy thinking that my life would change, that I would be able to leave the palace whenever I wanted, and see my parents and brothers not needing any permission. I thought that I would be able to visit the downtown and even travel the world and meet the places that I only knew through the books.

I thought that I would be free. But I was just naive.

When my husband became the King and me the Queen of this kingdom I realized that I would actually never be free.

The crown of a Queen comes with a lot of privileges of course, but it also comes with a lot of responsibilities and limitations. Even though I was the Queen of this nation I couldn't do anything without my husband's permission. I was just like a little child again, not even choosing my own clothes I could.

I realized that I was still the same young lady that I was before my marriage, just a tool doomed to serve and be used by the main family of the De Angeles House, always having to obey and serve the King.

But even so, I endured it. I lived my life to serve this nation as a Queen and to be a mother to my children.

My children were the only real happiness I had in all my life. Watching them grow, seeing their smiles, hearing their first words, and teaching them everything I knew was the world to me.

But, of all my five children only one of them, my oldest son, lived long enough to become an adult.

I still remember the pain I felt watching my oldest daughter slowly die. She was just nine years old.

My daughter was suffering from a mysterious illness that had appeared on some members of the royal family in the last few generations. It was a lethal illness that appeared during childhood and no child that had this illness ever survived.

I panicked so much when I heard that my daughter had this horrible illness. I have watched so many of the girls that lived with me on the west side when I was a child dying from this illness. I didn't want my daughter to have the same fate as them.

I ordered all the best doctors of this nation to treat my daughter, to find some cure for this illness, but even so, my daughter died. And since that day my life has become a nightmare.

One after another, all of my younger children had the same illness and died.

I tried all I could, I went days without sleeping while taking care of my children after they got that illness. I financed several doctors and academics to find a cure for this illness so my children and no other child would die from it.

But the cure was never found, and all of my children died.

I blamed myself so much. I thought it was all the fault of my cursed bloodline, that if I wasn't a royal they would never have died like this.

And in the end, I wasn't wrong. They would never die like this if they weren't royal. Because there was no mysterious illness, after all.

They were all poisoned by their own father, my husband.

He killed all of them.

My husband killed his own children just because they weren't born as he wanted.

All this mysterious illness was all a lie. It was all made up by the previous generations to keep the perfect image the royal family has, that we are all born being only light or lightning mages, just having the royal magical elements.

So, when it was discovered that my children weren't born like this, my husband made them and everyone that knew to keep it a secret, just so he could kill them without no one ever knowing which magic they actually had.

Only my oldest son was born as a lightning mage, and that is why he was allowed to live, and the others weren't.

When I discovered it I was broken. I couldn't believe that my husband killed his own children. Our children.

Was that why he didn't seem to be sad when they died?

Was that why he was never around while they were growing up?

Was that why he never reacted when he was noticed that they were sick and dying?

These were questions I have been asking myself all those years imprisoned here. I never had the answers, because I killed my husband before he could even open his mouth to justify himself.

When I confronted him about the truth and he didn't deny it, I didn't think twice before killing him in his own office.

And that was how I became the 'Mad Queen', a sinner, and a murderer.

So, Alexander, you might be asking yourself now why I had told you all this. It is just all because you were my light, Alexander.

Your arrival brought me so much joy and happiness that I had long forgotten.

I thought about killing myself so many times since I was imprisoned here in the northwest area. But, I forced myself to live. Because I believe that I should endure this lonely and guilty life as the sinner that I am.

But when I held you in my arms I realized that even a sinner like me could receive a gift from God.

I received another chance to nurture and care about a child just like I did to my own.

Even though it was short, these two years I had you in my life, watching you grow, hearing your laugh, watching your first steps, and hearing your first words, were the best years I had while living here on the northwest side.

I told you all about my past so you could understand pretty well where you are standing.

Don't take my words as offensive, but the royalty is not a place for a bastard like you, Alexander.

All royal members are like chess pieces, each one having its function, each one protecting and obeying the King.

But, you, Alexander, you are a piece that should never have existed.

The royals are cruel, Alexander, they kill their own just so they can keep the perfect image they have today.

I can't even imagine what they could do to you.

That is why I ask you, Alexander, please, leave this place as soon as you can. Take your lovely mother with you, and leave the palace.

I decree that all my belongs belong to you, Alexander, after my death. So, take the few jewels that I have, and run away. Start a new life out of this palace, out of this nation.

I know that it is not an easy task, but it will be even harder and more painful for you if you chose to live here. You don't deserve to live your whole life being a pawn like I did.

I hope you can be happy and have a good life, Alexander.

With love and hope, from your great-grandmother, Elizabeth."

I had to read twice the letter to believe what I had just read.

'They used to kill every royal child that wasn't born as a light or lightning mage?' I thought, surprised.

"These types of magics are the symbol of the Arhan royal family, but… Would they really kill their own children because they didn't have the type of magic that was expected for them?" I asked myself in disbelief.

But, then I remembered that indeed a lot of royal children died from a mysterious illness in the last few generations. That was one of the reasons why the royal rules about marriage and birth rate were changed, after all.

"...But, wasn't Noah supposed to be the first royal member born not being a light nor a lighting mage?" I asked myself, confused.

'If what Elizabeth had written to me is true, then my father, the King, decided to not follow his ancestor behavior?'

"If he did then Noah would be…" I couldn't finish the sentence.

I felt a chill through my body just thinking about it.

"It is better if I just go back, I'm feeling kinda nauseous being here now." I said, trying to calm myself.

'But what should I do with the chest?' I asked myself looking at the chest.

"It's not like I can carry this all the way to my room in the main area, it is too have for me. Maybe I should just leave it here."

'But… What if someone steals it while I am not here?' I asked myself, unsure.

I was staring at the chest, trying to decide if I would leave it here or not.

But then I had an idea.

The wooden chest was too heavy for me to carry, even if it was empty, but some of the belongings inside otherwise weren't.

I wrapped everything that I could carry with the bedsheet, that way it was way easier for me to take it with me.

'Actually it is not that easy… It's still heavy.' I realized after holding the improvised cloth bag.

But, still, I was determined to bring it with me.

I left the room and I was surprised to hear voices around. Besides the guards, only Flora was supposed to be here.

Curious, I followed the voices. Since I was invisible, I wasn't worried about people seeing me.

The voices were coming from the corridor where the maids' rooms were.

For some reason, I was feeling weird, as if something inside of me was telling me to not go to that room. But, I still forced myself to keep going.

'What is this smell?' I asked myself, grossed.

There was a horrible scent, that was just getting stronger while I was getting closer to the room where the voices were coming from.

I decided to peek inside but I realized too late that I shouldn't have done that. I wasn't prepared to see what I just had witnessed.

Inside of the room, there were Klaus standing there with some guards, but laying on the floor there was the bloody Flora's dead body.