III
"Step backward. Let the lady speak further. I think she knows what she's doing." The prince, who were standing at the back, step in front of the two knights and speak. "I will take this as a brave action of a little deer, not knowing it's a hyena it was talking to, should I, Lady....Avariche, you said." His dark and cold aura resonates on his voice.
'This is my first time talking to him. The very first time from the past and now in the present. And I never knew that this cunning, cold and ruthless man will be thrown like an excess baggage that isn't needed in the future.'
"Well, you can think whichever you are comfortable. Since this will never be our first and only encounter." She managed to answer despite the sweating on her hands.
She admit, she's nervous. The man in-front of her is known for being bloodthirsty.
'I think it runs from their blood.'
Though I wanted to sympathize, I can't.
"Is it long?" He asked with a crumpled face full of curiosity.
"No, I should make it simple."
"Then, tell me."
"At the debut party, the celebration for you and your soldiers return will be held at the day of full moon. I will be your partner."
***
The air was suffocating on the carriage on her way home. She never felt suffocated like this way even before. She got a lot of thoughts running through her head. She knew she succeded on letting Prince Lucas ride on her plans but she thought it wouldn't be this easy.
"Why aren't you asking?" Though she mumbled but she knew she heard it. Jinnie is not your usual maid. She was trained to protect her master, she was born to be this way. A family of well trained 'assassins' who only served one family. Though in her past, they were brutally killed by his husband, Emperor Lastard.
"Should I?"she answered confidently without emotion. Katrina, at that moment felt irritated, she should get used to it. No she's used to it, but then, it still irked her knowing she would answer her master like that.
"Should I increase your salary?"
"I got a lot of question since you change tremendously but I trust you, my lady." She answered without a hint of emotion again.
"You just want an increase, right? Hmmm...."
'Well she's not even wrong even a tiny bit. I change tremendously. The past Katrina is a spoiled brat that whined every single tiny bit. But then, the Katrina now, is far more dignified than the past. If my aura can speak, it will only blabber 'ELEGANCE'. I think I can't act the past Katrina anymore if I want my revenge to be perfect. The heck with surviving and letting the royal family run amok. My child will be the last royal blood remaining in the future! I will make it happen. Those who would be against me and those who trampled me in the past and in this future along with my people will taste their own shits!'
She clenches her teeth and hands as she plans to destroy satan and his kingdom.
The carriage stops while I imagined my past and the future.
"We arrived, my lady." Tramor said as he opened the door of the carriage. There, I was welcomed by the servants making lines, starting from the butler to the maids and male servants working in the area.
"Did you have fun on your way to Solera?" A deep voice of a man asks. A man on his thirties, a red shining hair, black deep eyes and a pale skin. He is still as handsome that even young maiden's eyes for marriage, his riches and the power he holds is just a bonus. Luckily, I was a copy-paste of this man. Though my mother's beauty can fall a nation, with her golden hair and bright green eyes, which the eldest son got, no one can deny, that the beauty of an Avariche were being hailed and appreciated even by gods.
But she always wondered, why they were abandoned by the gods in her past life if there family were being loved by those gods? Did they offend them, perhaps? Or is it because, they were cursed?
"I did." I walk alongside with my father who is heading inside the mansion.
"Have you been well lately?" He stops his tracks as he nears his office room. Door that is well-built, with carvings of a phoenix, accentuated with gold; it was now wide open after the butler pushed it, bowing his head, while waiting for his master to get inside.
"I am."
"Do you want to have a tea with me?"
'I guess he won't let me scape now. I bet that he's very curious as to what I am up to. A child he knows that is full of violence since birth. Whose from his wife that everyone calls as a 'saint', pfft! What a drag, she was killed by a poison given by a god due to her wickedness.'
But then again, no one knows except the Avariche. People thought that she died because of sickness. She was branded as a 'Frail and Sweet' woman by the people of the empire.
"Are you that curious why I'm quite this past few days?"
He only gives silence while eyes darted on mine. I can't deduced what his thinking. But I know he's trying to know what I'm planning. I also want to know everything. Why,....he was killed. Why,...the dukedom collapsed. But then, I am only the person who can answer all that.
"You seem...." I darted my eyes unto him, waiting for him to continue. But no voice came out after as he turn his back on me.
"I seem what, father?"
"Nevermind." A sigh was broke from him. I got curious much more.
"Father." A small voice came out in my mouth, not knowing why his back looking too familiar. Like there is a memory, that was deleted, abruptly.
"You seem to look like your mother."
That last remarks, made my whole body shiver as the door closed. How come? I was never even looked like her. Her demure and class is nothing like mine. My physical appearance were the exact copy of an Avariche. So, why did he say that? With a voice full of wary and suspicion. I was standing there without moving. Did I perhaps, in the past, became 'her' without me knowing? Is that why I got killed? So why, I was returned back if I was really wicked? Why?
Big cold sweats are forming in my face as I wandered my eyes at the hallway.
Blood was covering the area, as if it was done just now. The stinch of blood, the gasping and cries. I covered my ears in an instant, it felt suffocating. I can't breathe. Then darkness shifted my vision.