7

"A transmigrator ?" The Lord questioned Anthonette as she explained her situation. The Lord looked like an understanding man so she didn't feel like making up a story. In the end if she died he won't remember this in the next life.

"Yes, it's kind of similar to a prophet. The difference is that anything I change now the future that was intended changes well, I can't see new visions unlike an actual prophet." The Lord looked intrigued.

They were both having a talk in the garden.

Anthonette wore a lemon green dress with a lot of flower prints while Lord Hivera wore all white with a blue pendant brooch. They oddly looked good together as father and daughter of course.

Even though they didn't match.

"So why did you end up in my daughter's body ? Do you get to pick bodies ?" Anthonette was amused by the Lord's question.

"I just woke up as Anthonette one day. I didn't have the time to pick someone to be transmigrated to, I didn't wish for this. If anything being a transmigrator is a nightmare." Anthonette sighed gravely but didn't let her mood ruin her image of the garden.

"How so ?"

"Well there's a possibility of dying again. Even if I managed to live out my life and die in my old age what if I get transmigrated again ? I just want to die and never come back..." Lord Hivera and Anthonette shared a glance. "I've lived as Anthonette more than once, this is my fourth try, I always keep regressing that I didn't even care to keep up with the way Anthonette act anymore. I'm going to die anyways..."

"Can I be selfish ?" Lord Hivera muttered.

"Go ahead..."

"I'm glad that it's you dying and regressing and not my daughter. Anthonette suffered enough and I'm the one to blame, she wouldn't have had to marry those bastards." Anthonette was now intrigued.

"I thought you'd be mad since I took over her body." Anthonette muttered as both party goes quiet.

They both come to a stop enjoying the afternoon breeze. "You loved Anthonette, how did you end up abandoning her ?"

Lord Hivera sighed. "You don't know the story ?"

"I didn't see anything about your relationship with Anthonette. I just thought you were faceless. The maids don't even talk much about it and they're supposed to be the ears of the mansion..."

"So I did a little digging, I... Anthonette has imperial blood. Why does she need a husband in order to avoid death ?" The original Anthonette refused to divorce Ezra for this reason. In the novel she spoke about how she didn't want to die. At first one might think it was her overreacting on her part, but with the little details left behind how were readers supposed to understand her situation.

"Because she has imperial blood." Just in time they came across a bench. Lord Hivera sat down wearing a grim expression.

Anthonette sat down next to him. He took that as his queue and began talking. "A hundred years ago, the imperial family that ruled the kingdom weren't the ones that ruled today. The current Emperor himself doesn't have imperial blood." Anthonette adjusted to her seat and paid attention.

"Just like Anthonette, the only way you could tell one was of imperial blood was their eyes resembling that of violet and hair that was blessed by the sun."

"The imperial family that ruled then were envied by people who wanted power for themselves. One day the imperial family was attacked, then the only survivor was the princess Charlotte."

"They found her body buried in a crib at the castle's garden. The throne was empty, she was still a child so her title as crown princess was stripped from her and the current Emperor's ancestor ruled the kingdom."

"What happened to her ?" Anthonette asked.

"She was put up for adoption and everyone had forgotten about the imperial family's origin by the time she was old enough. She married into a noble family and passed her story down to generations."

"My wife used to say she thought they were all fairy tales to her because no body in her family possessed the imperial features after princess Charlotte, well not until she had Anthonette..."

"What did your wife look like ?"

"Her hair was as dark as sombre, her eyes had more life than mine." Anthonette could tell, he didn't look that bright in any of his portraits.

"She was beautiful as well as cunning, I'm ashamed I turned a blind eye to her bad habits especially her greed." Lord Hivera looked to Anthonette. "Maybe if I didn't turn that blind eye, my daughter and wife might still be alive.."

"What did she do ?" Anthonette's eyes basked in curiousity. She didn't know Anthonette had this much of an interesting background.

Lord Hivera chuckled, it didn't express adoration. The strain in his voice was easily detected.

"She made everyone in the kingdom know Anthonette was going to be queen of Cordenia. Everyone thought Anthonette would be betrothed to the crown prince but that wasn't what my wife had in mind."

"She used Anthonette to poison the crown prince, she got caught and they were both ruled for treason...."

"My wife was killed right after she forcefully released the antidote to cure the crown prince. I had to appeal for Anthonette until her punishment was reconsidered."

"She still dies even if you tried to stall her death.."

"I knew." Lord Hivera muttered. "The men chosen to marry Anthonette's are animals after all they all were chosen to kill her if she got problematic in the future." Anthonette's eyes widened.

"So no matter who you choose you were still bound to die." Hivera said to Anthonette.

"What if I didn't want to marry them?"

"You'll have to answer to your crimes for treason." Hivera said

"But that was years ago." Anthonette basked her feet slowly, visibly confused. "Anthonette was a kid. Why do I still have to die for something she was barely aware of ?" Lord Hivera smiled at Anthonette. "It's simple, Anthonette has imperial blood. They're afraid and will do anything to get rid of you."

"what are they afraid of ?"

"I'll leave the rest up to you. Why will someone be afraid in the first place ? Think child." Hivera says resting his full body against the bench. "Who's afraid ?"

"The current imperial family."

Anthonette looked over the garden.

"Do their ancestors perhaps have a hand in the death of the original imperial family ? I have no interest in the throne so they should not be worried."

"That's not convincing enough, she has imperial blood, they took the imperial title from her ancestors and killed her mother. I even had to be banished in her stead, I could get killed if I'm discovered close to my daughter. They know what they did was wrong and are afraid she'll fight for the throne."

"But she, I'm not interested in that..."

"Maybe that's what you're doing wrong and that's why you keep regressing. Who ever sent you here had a purpose. You were destined to take back the throne.."

"Princess Charlotte wasn't even interested in the throne. If imperial blood were destined I wouldn't be in this situation..."

"You're right but Charlotte was hacked to death after bearing her first child that was after she tried to reclaim the throne. Even if you die another imperial blood will be born until one of you takes back the crown..."

"I have no interest in the throne but thank you for clearing everything up for me. At least I understand why I kept dying."

"You're welcome..." Anthonette turns to see blood dripping slowly from Lord Hivera's lips. "You're bleeding..." She screamed trying to get Hivera warned her sternly.

"I was told I was going to die if I came to see my daughter. I would never have come here if not for the rumors that you changed.

The only reason i lived was for Anthonette but knowing you're transmigrated in her body she's as good as death.." Lord Hivera grips hold of Anthonette's shoulders.

"I won't tell you to get revenge for me neither will I guilt trip you into considering the throne but live as Anthonette, be happy child and thank you, I got to see what Anthonette looked like before I die..." He sneaked a paper into Anthonette's hand and slumped to his death