3 Learning About the Past

Soon the meal ended and I went back to my room in a hurry. I sat down on my big bed, still wearing my plain white dress. I released a breath that I didn't know I was holding.

I need to think clearly. What do I remember from the book?

Oh that's right, it was called "The Lost Princess".

In the book, the heroine was named Anastasia. She was the long lost daughter of Earl Abbott. 17 years ago, there was a fire in the Earl's home and the whole mansion had gone up in flames while she was just a baby. People made it out alive, but Anastasia's maid who had taken her out of the mansion during the fire was nowhere to be seen and since then neither was Anastasia.

On the first day of the academy, Alex (my fiancé) was taking a walk on the streets when he saw the beautiful Anastasia. He was enamored by her kindness as she gave food to the poor children. He also discovered she had a gift for magic and brought her to the academy.

This is where the trouble starts. Anastasia was revealed as the long lost child of Earl Abbott. Elaine Castelle was the villain of the story and always tried to separate these Alex and Anastasia from being together. She was jealous of the love Anastasia received and plotted against her.

Alex came to hate Elaine and her evil ways. Once he was crowned prince as the current king had no children and he was next in line, he persecuted Elaine for all the evil deeds she had done and killed her in public.

As I remembered the story I held my hands towards my neck and sighed with relieve that it was still intact. Unlucky enough, since Elaine was the villain in the novel, I do not have much information about her life. I walk towards the table in my room and looked in the mirror. She was beautiful as all villainesses usually are, just not in an innocent way like Anastasia.

Elaine has beautiful straight long scarlet hair that went all the way to her back. She has a sharp nose and beautiful lips. Her eyes were a dark hazelnut, as smooth as coffee. It is a shame that she had to die in the story, before I really hated her as she was the antagonist, but now since I am her I must she is quite pitiful. To die a lonely death with no one by her side is a tragedy.

Though I am not sure what must happen now. Do I run from my role as the villainess and hope that the story goes a different way or do I follow the dream and hope I do not get killed for my doings? The storyline in the book only continues one year from now when I enter Prestige Academy with Alex.

I still can't believe that I'm really here. Reincarnated as Elaine Castelle, the daughter of a Marquess. From what I remember the order was; Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, then Baron.

I was lost in my thoughts when someone had come inside my room.

'Where were your manners Elaine? You know better than to space out during the meal with Duke Magnus,' my mother, I guess, said as she looked down from me. She was not in a good mood, her hands were held together in front of her body like a proper lady and her whole demeanor was stiff.

I did not want to get in trouble so I simply apologized, 'My apologies mother, I was still dizzy from the fall.'

Hopefully I did not do anything suspicious or act weird in any way. After all, I don't know how the real Elaine Castelle usually acts.

'Very well. Just don't do it again. Now onto the matter at hand. You must know what it means to be the fiancé of Duke Magnus's son. It means you will become queen one day and you must act like one. Your etiquette lessons will begin tomorrow. Do not disappoint me.' With that she left the room, her dress seemed to sway and followed her every movement.

No wonder Elaine was such a grumpy person. She must've gotten it from her mother. After her visit, I actually do feel a bit dizzy, I changed my clothes and moved to lay on my bed. This has been a rather short yet tiring day. I stared at the ceiling wondering where my life has gone.

First I died due to a mugging, which ended my not-so-wonderful life and now I was a whole different person entirely. I wonder what happened to the real Elaine Castelle. Or maybe I am her now....

I decided that maybe I can do both, break up Alex and Anastasia while doing so in a manner that won't get me killed. It's possible to have it all right? Hopefully.

Feeling tired and worn out I closed my eyes and let the darkness take me.

ᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢ

I woke up the next day. As I look towards the mirror, I realized that I was still in Elaine's body. A small part of me hoped that the voice would come to me again in a dream telling me what I needed to do, but it did not happen. At least not last night.

I opened the curtains and looked outside to the garden. Even the garden of the Castelle house looked villainous. Everything did indeed look beautiful, but in a scary dangerous way. I sighed and moved towards my dressing table. I started brushing my hair when the door to my room opened and the maid from yesterday showed up.

'Oh so I see you've finally learned how to get yourself out of bed! At least now I don't have to take care of you anymore,' she came in holding a bucket of cold water.

'Here is your bathwater. Clean yourself up and go to the dining room. Hurry!', she glared at me.

I'm really starting to hate this woman. I know you shouldn't treat servants like slaves, but you certainly can't talk to your boss that way.

I walked towards her and slapped her on her cheek. Her eyes were wide with shock and rage, she then raised her hand at me, but I stood still looking at her daring her to slap me back.

'Do not speak to me that way again or that slap will be the least of your worries,' I said with hard eyes. It feels weird to order someone around, but I was certainly not a push-over.

'Leave me,' I told her not wanting to see her face any longer. She left while mumbling something, I have to keep my eye on her in case she does something to harm me, two-faced people like her are annoying. Nice to the head of the house, but not to her child.

Which leads me to question, why does she act that way? Is there something about Elaine that I do not know about that her own maid would treat her with so much hostility?

I kind of feel bad about slapping her, but at the same time a little happy that I fought for myself. But what I really need to know right now is what I'm going to do.

I definitely don't want to die and that dream told me to live I have to break up Alex and Anastasia.

To break Alex and Anastasia up, first thing I need is more information. Let's find out what caused Elaine to fall. I have a feeling it will explain the maid's attitude towards me as well.