2. Revolutionary Awakening of the Blue Rose Princess
EYES fixed on the lace canopy above her head, Alicia assessed her situation as she lay alone in bed.
Heeding her wish to rest, King James and Lady Anri Fourier, chief lady-in-waiting, had left her chambers a while ago. Alicia sensed that she was the only one confused and buried her many questions. If she said the wrong thing, she could come across as ill or crazy.
Thus, it felt best to calm down in private and think things through.
First, and most important, was the fact that Alicia was now a ten-year-old girl. Her memories had been hazy when she first woke up, but now that she was calm and had time to think, she remembered that she was indeed still just a princess and had celebrated her tenth birthday last month.
What had she witnessed right before she woke up? If she’d told anyone, they’d surely tell her that it was all a dream and that she shouldn’t worry about it.
After all, a high fever had confined Alicia to her bed since noon yesterday. Her consciousness had faded in and out until she finally fainted and slept under the care of her doctors and maids. Naturally, they would believe that her mind conjured up that horrible dream.
But Alicia was sure of one thing: it was not just a dream. It was a memory from a distant past, of something that really happened to her.
It’s so strange…
Alicia glared up at the canopy, her cute face scrunched up in a frown.
In her dream, she had been the victim of a tragic incident. As a ten-year-old, it was hard for Alicia to recall the exact circumstances that led up to it. Despite that, she knew everything that had happened on the night of the revolution.
She knew, because she remembered it all. The intense memories were unforgettable. Her life bleeding out and her soul fading into eternal darkness were all too close, too real, as if it had all happened yesterday.
Summed up, she was sure that she had died.
And now, she was reliving her life.
…Argh, seriously! The more I try to remember, the hazier it gets.
Why was she still alive? For what reason?
Alicia had almost no information on what she decided to call her “previous life,” for simplicity’s sake. The circumstances that led up to the night of the revolution eluded her. No matter how she racked her brain, she couldn’t recall anything aside from what she’d witnessed and learned in her dream.
It was more than just an annoyance. She could be heading towards the same death once again.
If she had her memories from her previous life, she could systematically eliminate all threats and avoid the same fate. Unfortunately, Alicia only retained her memories from the night of the revolution. If she didn’t take action, she would die the same way.
N-Never again!
Caught up in thoughts of despair, she tossed and turned in her bed. A permanent death would have been better than facing such a tragic end again.
Did she have any clues to help her? Even a tiny one would do.
Just as Alicia tried to delve into her memories again, a soft knock sounded on her door.
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🌹🌹🌹
“YOU look much better now, Your Highness. You were so pale when you woke up this morning.” Lady Anri Fourier, chief lady-in-waiting, spoke in a relieved voice. She held a hand against Alicia’s forehead while her maids, Annie and Martha, prepared her meal to one side.
Lady Fourier was a marchioness and veteran of the royal court who once served as lady-in-waiting to Alicia’s late mother, the queen. Despite being less personable than others, she was a righteous woman with a heart for honesty and justice. Paired with her vast knowledge of numerous important subjects, she had gained the trust of the king and other ladies at court.
That said, Alicia vaguely recalled that she hadn’t spotted Lady Fourier anywhere on the night of the revolution. Was she still around and Alicia just missed seeing her, or had she retired from court? Alicia didn’t know. It irritated her when the memories flitted just out of her reach.
“I had a bad dream,” Alicia said. “Did I say anything in my sleep?”
“Your fever wouldn’t go down; even I felt afraid.” Lady Fourier nodded casually and dismissed Alicia’s subtle probing. She seemed to believe Alicia was upset due to her weakened state, unaware of her regained memories.
Alicia held her tongue and ate the bread porridge Annie had prepared for her. In truth, anxiety about the future weighed heavily on her chest, and she had zero appetite. However, forcing herself to swallow the food helped repress her memories of the dream.
Lady Fourier was a reliable person, but she was far from approachable. If Alicia told her about her future death, Lady Fourier would think she’d gone mad.
And it wasn’t just Lady Fourier. As she lay in bed, Alicia had made up her mind. She wouldn’t tell anyone about her memories. No one would believe her, and it was unwise to speak openly about things that she herself couldn’t explain.
Under the guise of calm, Alicia struggled to finish the porridge, which sat like lead in her stomach. Lady Fourier frowned worriedly at the sight.
“Your Highness, your fever may be gone, but you must still be tired. Let us give tonight’s ceremony a miss.”
“Ceremony? Erm, what is supposed to be happening today?” Alicia cocked her head in confusion, but Lady Fourier had anticipated Alicia’s response, for her reply came immediately.
“The ceremony to recognize the services rendered by the inspection squad that is returning from Erdal today. Only the nobles are invited, so His Majesty said that there is no need for Your Highness to attend if you are still unwell. And just this once, I agree with that judgment.”
That made sense. Alicia would never have made the effort to remember something like that. She had always been bad at handling crowded settings like royal ceremonies. The king had always doted on her since she lost her mother at a young age. He rarely required her to participate in ceremonies, except for diplomatic ones involving other nations.
“Then I’ll just take advantage of Father’s—”
Alicia’s relief was short-lived as her voice trailed off and her heart began to thunder. The terrifyingly handsome man, looking down at her with contempt, appeared in her mind’s eye.
“Your Highness? Is something the matter?”
“No…”
Lady Fourier’s eyes narrowed as she watched Alicia hug her trembling shoulders.
Who was that man? Her attacker with jet-black hair and violet eyes? Alicia didn’t know. Yet she recalled wondering if he was a member of the nobility during their confrontation in her previous life.
If he was a noble, she might spot him at one of the various court ceremonies. At the very least, she could glean more clues about her past from his striking appearance.
He was just like the god of death. Alicia’s fair skin crawled at the memory. Yet it would be more terrifying if she didn’t find out who he was.
“Please tell Father that I’ll attend tonight’s ceremony, after all,” she said firmly.
“Pardon?”
“Huh?!”
Lady Fourier’s famed “Iron Mask” slipped. Behind her, Annie and Martha both gasped in surprise before covering each other’s mouths.
“Is that really surprising?” Alicia cocked her head. “…Or is it too sudden, and I’m causing more trouble for everyone?”
“Not at all!”
The three women protested in unison, then exchanged glances with each other. After a moment, Lady Fourier cleared her throat and spoke.
“We are always ready to help Your Highness fulfill your role as the princess, any time you may wish. Please do not worry. It was just surprising, since this is the first time Your Highness has expressed a desire to attend…” Though her expression was once again guarded, Lady Fourier’s honest words betrayed her excitement.
It was true that up until now, Alicia had always come up with excuses to shirk her court duties, as much as her father, the king, permitted. Because of this, Lady Fourier had always advised her to attend the beginning of such events. It was the least Alicia could do, since she would be missing out on the balls later on anyway because she had not yet made her societal debut.
It used to feel like too much trouble, so Alicia had always ignored the advice. Now, Lady Fourier’s excitement made her feel even more ashamed.
“I just changed my mind,” Alicia said bashfully. “I thought that maybe I should make more public appearances and learn more about the nobility… Why are you crying, is it really that big of a deal?”
“No, no. I am just so touched to see Your Highness being so grown up. Queen Lisbeth must be so happy in heaven now,” Lady Fourier said tearfully.
The late Queen Lisbeth was Alicia’s mother. She and Lady Fourier had been close friends, even before the latter became a lady-in-waiting.
Perhaps that was why Lady Fourier promised to help her late friend raise her daughter to be a wonderful princess. Then again, it felt a little strange that she sounded so happy just because Alicia said she would attend some ceremony.
Soon, the strangely excited Lady Fourier and her equally enthusiastic maids bombarded Alicia with orders, eager to get her ready.
I should have called in sick after all, Alicia grumbled in her heart.