Chapter Twelve: The Path She Chose
Side View: Aisha
“WHAT do you mean?! Do a better job searching!”
My brother would never return to Rienbul without letting me know, especially not at a critical time like this. Our success or failure here would determine our standing.
“There was nothing out of the ordinary until yesterday, but you’re saying he all of a sudden was so unwell he had to return to Rienbul? That can’t be right.” I touched the lapis lazuli ring he’d given me, trying to eliminate the unease squirming in my heart.
“I understand, my lady, but we only know what we’ve been told,” said the lady-in-waiting sent to tell me Ismail returned to Rienbul, and I glared at her. I didn’t like how cocky she was acting despite being just a servant. She looked down on me because I was born out of wedlock.
I don’t like it. I don’t like any of this!
“It’s a plot against me! Wait…a plot? Could it be…” I trailed off.
“My lady!” cried the lady-in-waiting, trying to stop me, but I ignored her and ran to find Shaghad.
That bastard. This couldn’t be anyone else’s doing.
“Shaghad! What did you do to Ismail? He was perfectly healthy up until yesterday. It’s hard to believe his health suddenly failed him, not unless you did something,” I demanded. The nerve of him to elegantly enjoy a cup of tea despite having just done something to my brother!
“It’s not uncommon for people to feel unwell when they travel to an unfamiliar country,” he said calmly. “Particularly when their attentions are diverted.”
“How dare you. Do you think Father will stand idly by if you did something to Ismail?” I snorted with laughter at him in my anger.
“What could he do? You, the granddaughter of a viscount, have barged into my room without permission and insulted me by addressing me without my title. Do you really think Father would protect you even when you do that?”
“Of course. Because, unlike you, he loves me.”
“It seems Ismail was more aware of reality than you. Maybe you try your best not to see it,” he said.
“What are you mumbling about?”
“Nothing important. You’re allowed to believe whatever you want. Go ahead and believe love will solve everything.”
“Urgh.”
How dare he smile. Not long ago, he was terrified of Ismail and incapable of doing anything.
What can Shaghad even do? The only person on his side is our grandfather, and he’ll grow old and die someday. And Father would inevitably become king when Shaghad lost Grandfather.
After all, we don’t even know for certain that Shaghad has royal blood in his veins, while Father is, without a doubt, the son of the king. When he becomes king, he’ll chase Shaghad out of the palace.
Wait. I don’t need to wait until that happens. If Prince Evan falls in love with me, I’ll be the next queen consort of Astra. Then, I can use Astra’s might to get rid of the arrogant boy.
There’s no need for me to deal with him anymore. I have to find Prince Evan and capture his heart.
I left Shaghad’s room to look for Prince Evan. “Now, where is he?” I murmured.
“Oh, look. It’s Prince Evan and Lady Violette,” said a maid carrying a basket of laundry, her cheeks pink as she and another maid giggled and peered out a window. “Those two are like a beautiful painting together.”
What’s beautiful about her? She’s average. I’m more beautiful. The blood in my veins is nobler than hers.
“I know Prince Evan hasn’t chosen a fiancée yet, but it’s going to be Lady Violette, don’t you think?”
“She is the lady he’s closest to at the moment.”
You’ve got to be kidding me. Are these two idiots? I’m the one who will be the next queen of Astra. What do they even see in that vixen? She’s just the daughter of a duke.
“She is. But, you know, Miss Alaban, that granddaughter of Viscount Alaban, has really been on the offensive.”
Yes, I have. Unlike her, I’m putting in effort. I’m a better match for Prince Evan than some girl who makes no effort and has nothing but her status.
“Yeah, but she’s just a viscount’s granddaughter.”
What?! Do they think I’ll allow maids to mock me like that?
“Though, she does sort of have royal blood, doesn’t she?”
“Not that’s officially recognized. His Highness could never marry a girl born out of wedlock. Besides, she pales in comparison to Lady Violette in terms of manners and education.”
“That is true. She’s just like that crude commoner who strutted around.”
Why do I have to listen to them saying such things?
“Oh, but what if Miss Alaban got the crystal?”
The what? Crystal?
“You mean the jewel only the queen consort can wear? There is that rumor that whoever wears it will become the queen, no matter what their status is.”
“Yes, that’s the one. They say the crystal is a magic stone, and it selects the queen of Astra, right? So, if the crystal chooses you, then your rank doesn’t matter.”
“It’s in the queen’s chambers, isn’t it?”
Anyone can become queen if they have that? I can be queen without bothering to seduce Prince Evan?
If that were true, I could be the person to protect my brother. I could support him so he could become king, and we’d get revenge on all those people who made fools of us. And if he was currently in trouble, I could save him if only I got my hands on that crystal.
I need that crystal to save Ismail. Hold on, brother. I’m coming to save you.
I headed towards the queen’s chambers to find the crystal. It was the furthest of the royal’s private rooms in the palace and heavily guarded, so I carefully avoided being spotted as I continued down the hall.
“Huh, this is easy,” I said, wondering if they didn’t actually care all that much about the queen. Maybe that was just what it was like being queen since Shaghad’s mother was also unloved by our father and eventually chased out of the palace.
Well, it would be different for someone as beautiful as me, of course.
“There are too many rooms; I don’t know which one’s the queen’s… Why does a palace have to have all these unnecessary rooms? Guess I have no choice but to open every door, starting from one end.”
But, you know, there really isn’t anyone down here. Isn’t it odd that I didn’t run into anyone at all? No, stop it. I can’t go back. Not when I’ve come this far. I can’t waste time when I don’t know what’s going on with Ismail. I have to keep going.
“The pressure’s on me to pull something off now that Ismail’s failed. Ugh, I don’t know what happened, but I’m going to have to give Ismail a piece of my mind when we get back and make sure he knows how hard I’ve been working. Oh, this could be the room.”
I opened a door to find a room far bigger than even mine and Ismail’s rooms back in Rienbul combined. The furniture was high quality and classy as well.
This had to be it. The biggest indicator was the necklace carefully stored in a glass case. That had to be the crystal. It matched the description that the maids mentioned earlier. I was certain that was it.
“The one chosen by the crystal becomes queen,” I murmured as I gulped, anticipation and unease warring inside me. “What happens to someone who isn’t chosen when they touch it? Nope, you’re not getting anywhere being a coward like that, Aisha. I will be chosen. I will be the next queen of Astra.”
And once I had Astra as my ally, I would return to Rienbul.
I readied myself, picked up the necklace, and placed it around my neck.
“It’s…not doing anything.”
The crystal just hung there. Which meant… I mean, it meant it worked, right?
“I’m the next queen of Astra.”
Me!
“Arrest that thief!” came a shout.
“What?”
Simultaneously, I heard Prince Evan’s voice, and guards came into the room, grabbed me, and pushed me to the floor.
“What are you doing? Unhand me!” I shouted. “Do you think you can get away with this? I’m the next queen of Astra!”
I’ll have all their heads removed for disrespecting royalty.
“You’re just a thief,” said Evan. “You could never be the queen of Astra.”
“But, the crystal—”
“Isn’t for selecting the queen. It was a gift from the current king to the queen as a symbol of their marriage, nothing more.”
“…You’re lying,” I said. I didn’t understand what was going on.
“It’s the truth. The crystal is a magic stone, but it neutralizes all poisons. It doesn’t have any ability to choose a queen. It’s not like you can have a rock picking a country’s queen, anyway.”
“But, the maids, their rumor…”
“Oh. That. It was all made up.”
“M-Made up…?”
Wait, what? What’s going to happen to me? What’s going to happen to my brother? Who’s going to save him? He’s waiting for me to save him.
What do I do? What can I do? How do I get out of this?
“Didn’t you think it was odd you easily got in here even though a palace is usually heavily guarded?” Evan pointed out.
It was all a trap.
“Why would you do something so horrible?” I asked.
“You made your choice, Miss Alaban. You could have chosen not to come here, but you didn’t. This outcome is the result of your choice. I will immediately submit a formal complaint regarding your actions to your home country. You’ll await a decision in your own land. Get her out of here.”
“You won’t get away with this. You won’t! When I get back, it’s my father and mother who will be sending a formal complaint. I have royal blood in me! You tricked me and treated me like a criminal, and you won’t get away with it.”