Chapter Four

Lyn tried not to gape as she stared at Amely with incredulity.

'She looks like she wants to cry.' She thought. 'She's even trembling.'

"Y-your highness, are you certain?" Amely questioned, as if trying to sense if she was playing tricks on her. "You have forbidden everyone from speaking of the event. It is an unwritten law, but if her majesty wishes it, I shall tell you."

'Oh, so she was afraid of being punished.' Lyn nodded. It was a valid concern.

"Tell me, and I give you my word that no harm shall come to you if you do so." She decreed, hoping she sounded as regal as she thought. Amely seem to think so, as she had bowed her head and continued to speak.

"On the day of your fifteenth birthday, your highness orchestrated a revolt against your father, his highness king Frecio, and overthrew him. You had your entire family executed the day after." She explained, her eyes on the ground. With both her hands clasped in front of her, she looked exactly like a proper maid.

Lyn couldn't speak; she was too shocked. 'Executed her entire family? Overthrew the king? What?'

Amely waited for her reaction with bated breath. Lyn steeled her nerves, hoping her voice didn't shake when she spoke.

"And why did I do that?" She questioned. She was thankful that her stoic mask didn't disappear; she still had to maintain the queenly image after all.

"Ah, you s-see, your h-highness I'm not c-certain..." Amely stuttered.

She mentally scowled. 'She obviously knew, she just don't want to tell me.'

"If I am to regain my memories, you will have to be honest with me. Leave nothing out. I promise no harm will come out of your honesty. I swear it." She said, putting as much conviction as she can into her words. Lyn feels silly saying it, but she had a feeling Amely wouldn't budge if she didn't assure her safety.

"Her highness..." Amely paused, taking a deep breath. "Her highness wanted the crown for herself. His highness, the former king, wanted your little brother, prince Wrin, to ascend to the throne. The queen agreed. Her highness was mad and decided to overthrow the king for his decision. He was executed along with your mother and little brother at the Mountain of Executions. You wanted to make them pay for going against you."

'What...' Lyn was horrified. 'What a selfish reason!'

She breathed in slowly, trying to calm her heart. So this queen, this Lyn Amber, is a murderer? Was she really tricked into helping a psychopath?

"Y-your highness, forgive me!" Amely suddenly exclaimed, bowing low. "I have forgotten my place!"

'She's so afraid of me. Now that I think about it, so were the others earlier. They looked like I was about to kill them on the spot.'

"Don't apologize." She spoke aloud. Amely hesitatingly looked up, eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I promised, didn't I? From now on, you will only tell me the truth. I have to remember, and that wouldn't happen if you hide things from me."

"...I understand, your highness. By the light and guidance of the prophecy and the wisdom of the immortal tree, your wish shall be my command." Amely looked relieved, but there was also some apprehension mixed in. Was she afraid of being convicted of treason? The queen—the one who actually owned this body—told her in the nothingness that she and Cladius were the ones to kill her. But if so, why were they still here? Shouldn't they escape since they failed?

And what is up with her reciting those silly words?

'Argh, too much questions.' Lyn mentally complained. Any more and she might just fling herself off the window. She will have to take this slow to avoid a mental breakdown.

"By the way, why am I confined in bed? What happened to me?" Lyn already knew they tried to kill the queen, but she wanted to know how. There were no wounds in her body, and the pain she feels was, according to the doctor, just her magic returning to her.

"An assassin tried to kill you with magic, your highness. The perpetrator had escaped before we can catch them." She answered. Lyn watched her, trying to read her body language. She can't tell if the nervous twitches she does was because of fear of being found out, or plain fear of Lyn's presence. "You have been bedridden for three days."

'I'm actually surprised you didn't kill me in my sleep.' She mentally mused. That's how assassinations go, right? The queen was vulnerable, they could have easily taken her out. So why didn't they? They could have succeeded in assassinating her if they just visited her bedroom in the middle of the night and slit her throat. They had high positions, and they were the queen's personal servants (she will have to do more research about this 'personal servant' thing later on. It sounded important), so why? All this information doesn't add up.

Right at that moment, her stomach grumbled.

"I-it seems your highness is h-hungry! I'll fetch you something to eat immediately!" Amely said as she bolted out of the room. Lyn stared at her retreating figure.

'How embarrassing!' She covered her face with her hands, heat creeping on her cheeks. Lyn's expression sobered as the embarrassment died down.

Amely's departure gave Lyn time to process her current situation.

This place has magic. Like real magic, things that can only exist in video games and movies, and based on what the physician said about her "pathways" she might actually be able to use it. However, the excitement of being able to do so was drowned out by the fact that this body belongs to a mad woman.

What kind of a person executes her entire family just because she wants to be in charge? She thought back to the kneeling woman in the empty place. Lyn Amber didn't look remotely mad; in fact she looked rather pitiful. Those regret in her eyes and the sadness she exuded couldn't be faked, and Lyn had always prided herself in being able to somehow read other people's emotions. The queen had been genuine. So what is she missing?

'There must be more to this. I have to find out more.' She sighed, looking up at the ceiling and at the engraved tree.

"This is so annoying." She complained out loud.