It's that girl again.
But who does the voice belong to, it sounded so familiar, like a beautiful song etched into my very bone. Never to be forgotten. It was warm and sweet. It was so sweet that it made my skin crawl.
Who are you?
The voice sounded like the voice of the man in that room yesterday, yet nothing like him. His voice had been cold as the Atlantic Ocean. This one felt warm like being surrounded with sunlight. I placed a hand on my chest in an attempt to keep my beating heart quiet. I really need to find out who that girl is.
"My lady," the maid called.
I blinked, pulled back to the present. The maid stood near the door, head politely bowed, her hand ushering me towards the door.
"Yes" I answered, forcing my voice steady.
"Shall we, my lady"
"Kathy and Eve haven't–"
"I'm sorry, my lady," she interrupted gently, "but the Queen only requested your presence."
"How did you know it was me she requested to see?" I asked.
"She described you as…the lady with the white strands of hair. Lady Selene, I presume you're lady Selene"
A smile tugged at my lips. "Easy description"
"Enough with the interrogations, Selene. Just go" Kathy said from behind me, already holding one of the new dresses against her body.
I glanced at both of them one last time before turning towards the door. My pulse quickened with every step I took. As we walked through the wide corridors, whispers rose like fog around me.
"Who is that?"
"She is pretty"
The maids walking past whispered among themselves, heads turning towards me like curious cats. I clutched the sides of my gown, breathing slowly as those eyes pierced through me. We stopped before a towering oak door guarded by two iron armored men who stood proudly on each side like statues. I swallowed as the maid pushed the door open with a soft creak.
My breath hitched, chest rising and falling too fast.
Inside the Queen, my mom's sister sat at the head of a huge table, regal and composed. Beside her were two people close to my age—-a girl with sharp, assessing eyes and a boy with calmer and more curious expression. Both of them burning holes into me. The maid bowed with deep curtsey and slipped away, her skirt brushing the marble floor.
The Queen's black eyes looked at me from head to toe and nodded her head in approval, I think.
"Come here, Selene," the Queen said. Her voice was surprisingly soft this morning, almost warm. Nothing like the cold voice she had used last night. "Have a seat."
I moved forward on stiff legs, feeling more like a malfunctioned robot than a person, and l lowered myself into the chair at the far end of the table. "Good morning mm—"
"You may call me Aunt" the Queen gave a small nod of approval. " You're my niece, after all."
"Yes," I muttered softly.
"I've heard so much about you from my mother." the girl across the table leaned forward slightly. "Oh! Forgive my manners. My name is Princess Elrian Aelyn."
"And I'm Prince Eugene Aelyn," the boy added with a polite smile.
Siblings.
I swallowed. "My name is Selene Aelyn. It nice to meet you"
Elrian's lips curved into a smile that didn't reach her brown eyes. "We don't know about that yet."
"Elrian will you—"
"What?" she shrugged slightly, still watching me. "I didn't say anything untrue, brother."
"Enough,'' the Queen cut in, her voice firm but not harsh. "Both of you. Especially you, Elrian." she turned to me with an apologetic expression. "Don't mind her, she doesn't bite.''
It doesn't feel that way, I thought, forcing a small smile while my stomach twisted into knots.
"Now Selene" the Queen said, the tone of her voice sharper than blade and her face grew serious. "Where have you and my sister been all this time?"
The question landed like a stone in still water. I fidgeted in my seat, hands clenching and unclenching on my lap. My palms were already slick with sweat.
"I…In another world" I mumbled, barely audible enough for them to hear.
"Hahaha" Elrian burst into a sharp, mocking laughter. " Another world? Do you truly expect us to believe that? Do you take us for fools?"
"But I'm telling you the truth." I insisted, my voice cracking. I knew convincing them wouldn't be easy at all,yet I pressed on. "I came from a world where horses can't be found easily in the streets. There were no knights, the houses were almost reaching the skies, carriages that wasn't moved by horses and —"
"Enough with your lies—-" Elrian snapped.
"Elrian." The Queen's single word, cut through the air like a whip. Elrian swallowed her protest in a huff, though her eyes were unwavering.
The Queen turned her burning gaze back at me. "Are you telling the truth, Selene?"
"Yes"
"You would swear on it," Eugene added, folding his hands neatly on the table.
"Yes"
The room went silent. Too silent for my liking.
The Queen slowly rose from her seat, and turned toward a very old portrait hanging on the wall behind her. It was a painting of a very old man, his hair was completely gray and a gold crown rested on his head. Even though this was just a painting, his eyes carried an intimidating intelligence as if he could still see through anyone who dares look down upon him, even in death.
"My father used to tell Mariam and I stories of ancient scriptures and spells lost a thousand years ago." She paused, her fingers tracing the back of the chair." One of them happened to be a teleportation magic—but not the ordinary ones. It was time-travelling magic."
"Is that really true mom" Elrian asked, disbelief clearly thick in her voice.
"My father never lied about such matters, and they were records to prove it." The Queen held the chair. "It seems like my sister discovered one of those lost spells."
"What are the odds that your sister could discover something lost for a thousand years?" Eugene asked, trying to assess the situation.
The Queen pulled her chair back with a soft creak, and lowered herself gracefully into it. "My sister has always been one of a kind. She was never the type of princess that just sits like a doll and drinks tea."
I couldn't even picture my mom as a princess. It seems harder every time I try, it was like forcing two puzzles that didn't belong together. Yet listening to the Queen speak about my mom, I caught a glimpse of the kind of woman she was–the woman I had never truly known in the past eighteen years of my life.
"Selene," the Queen continued, her black eyes locking onto mine. " You were the one that threw the guards against the wall."
My heart hammered against my chest.
That wasn't possible.
It didn't make sense.
No matter how I think about it.
Or try to come up with a logical explanation why it couldn't.
But everything that has happened to me so far.
The voice.
This place.
Made it impossible for me to deny.
So.
"Yes, it was me."