SELENE POV
And where is your home? Alford asked, his hand rubbing his grey beard.
"Washington," I said.
"Hmm, I have never heard of that place before," Alford said.
"Of course you haven't. I saw them in the
Red Zone woods being chased by the Air Eaters. They were wearing some strange clothes. And they said they were not from this world" Eve said.
"That's the longest I have heard you talk before," Alford said.
"We would like to go back to our home….to my mom." I said, desperately.
"To our world, please" Katherine begged.
"Let's suppose I believe you, but how did you both end up here?" Alford said, going towards his bookshelf.
"My mom brought us here. I don't know how she could do that but she did"
"Then your mom knows magic?"
"Y..yes" I said, my throat felt like a lump was stuck in it.
"Can you help us?" Katherine asked, a glint of hope in her eyes.
" I'm sorry but I can't"
"Why can't you help us?"
"It's not that I don't want to but I truly can't. For your mother to be able to do that she must be very powerful to be able to pass through space and time. And that spell has been lost and forbidden for a thousand years" Alford said, his eyes staring at me with pity.
My legs felt weak and my stomach hollow.
Katherine hugged Eve, her face buried in her shoulders. I'm sure the glint of hope in her eyes is long gone.
I touched my cheek. "It's wet" I mumbled.
I pulled out the paper that I hid in my dress. "Do you know how I can find the lady in this drawing?" I gave the paper to Alford.
"Oh mercy! Where did you get this" Alford said, his voice trembling and staggered.
"Is there something wrong?"
Eve rushed to Alford and glanced at the paper. "Where did you get that, you are not supposed to have a drawing of any member of the royal family without permission"
"What royal family? That's my aunt," I said confused. "The person in the drawing is my mom's twin sister."
"What!!" Eve and Alford shouted in unison.
Their eyes wide open.
"She is telling the truth, her mom asked us to find her twin sister" Katherine said, her eyes red.
" What's your mom's name?" Eve asked.
" Mariam Aelyn"
"Is Eve really… crying, right now?" I blinked my eyes.
I can't believe it, tears are really streaming down her cheeks. How come everyone is crying today?
"We will really appreciate it if you tell us what is going on," Katherine said, looking lost.
"You see, eighteen years ago. The heir to the throne, Crown Princess Mariam disappeared. The king searched every kingdom and village but couldn't find her." Alford said, his eyes staring a hole into me.
"Did you just say Crown Princess?" I said, my hand gently pulling out the locket on my neck. "Do you mean her?" I showed them the picture of a beautiful brown- haired woman in the little frame.
"The crown princess!!"
"You mean to say, Selene's mom is a royal princess. And she was also the heir to the throne" Katherine said, in disbelief.
"Which means your mom is from here and you…" Katherine swallowed the rest of her words and leaned to the wall for support.
That explains everything.
The noble air around her.
If mom is from here.
That …that means I have been living a lie.
Mom, you have been lying to me all my life.
"Why did she run away?" I muttered. I rubbed my chest, it felt stuffy.
"Nobody knows. She just disappeared and was never seen again," Eve said.
"How do you guys know my mother?"
"I once worked in the palace as the physician. She would always have a bruise on her body from her little adventures outside the palace. She might be a princess but don't be fooled by that docile appearance." Alford said, softly. His voice sounded hoarse.
"What about you?" I looked towards Eve.
"She was my benefactor," Eve said, her eyes staring blankly.
I think there's more that she is not telling me but I don't have the energy to ask.
I felt like the ground beneath my feet was crumbling.
"What's the name of the Kingdom my mom is from?" I asked, my vision blurry.
"Here.Camelot" Alford said
"I should have known since she sent us near here."
I felt so empty inside, I glanced at Katherine. She hadn't moved from the wall. She neither spoke nor twitched. Her face has gone pale like a sheet. "So what about my mom's sister?"
"She is now the Queen of Camelot," Eve said.
The word hung heavily in the air. My mom is a princess. And my supposed aunt is real and the Queen of Camelot.
I need to lie down.
Everything I have known is slipping away.
Ahh my body is burning up again.
"Selene" Eve called out my name.
Eve's voice is the only thing I heard before everything blackened.
* * *
"Your highness! Please stop running" a maid called running after a young lady.
My bare feet echoed on the white cold marble. The hallway stretched endlessly, white pillars blurred past.
"Hehe! Gwen, you have to catch me first" I said, without turning back.
"Sera"
I stopped immediately.
A young lady wearing long purple robes stood at the end of the hallway with her arms folded on her chest. Her black hair flowing behind her and her blue eyes kept me frozen in place.
"Sera! How many times have I told you to stop running in the hallway?" she said. "It's uncultured"
I opened my mouth to answer -
* * *
"Lady Selene" Alford worriedly called. "How are you feeling?"
"Ahh"
My mind felt hazy. I felt like I was forgetting something.
Your highness! Please stop running.
"Ahh" my head felt like a hammer slammed on it.
Sera!
Who was that girl? She and I are identical, the only difference is that she has long white hair and blue eyes.
"My lady," Alford called gently.
Who is the young lady at the end of the hallway? I think I have seen her before. But where-
We have been waiting for you.
"Ahh" I held my head in frustration, my head felt like it's going to explode.
"Selene!" Katherine and Eve shouted in unison.
Jolting me out of my thoughts.
"Are you ok?" Kathy asked, sitting on the floor beside the wooden bed I'm sleeping on.
My eyes darted to the six pairs of eyes on me. Those eyes looked at me with worry.
" I'm alright" I said slowly, and took a deep breath. I need to keep it together. That was just a dream. I don't have time to think about it now.
"How do I meet my mom's sister?" I asked, staring into Alford's eyes.
"That will be difficult, my la-"
"Please call me Selene"
" But you're the pri-"
"I'm not!!" I said, gripping the thin blanket on my body " I'm sorry for shouting but please just Selene."
" I-"
"Alford" Eve called softly, shaking her head.
Alford sighed, touching his grey beard, it felt like he had aged more in these past few hours. "Meeting the Queen is not going to be easy."
" Why not?"
"We can't just walk into the palace like it's your home, technically yes it yours but we-"
"Oh! For the gods, old man, can you once get to the point" Eve said in frustration.
Alford darted to the three of us and calmly opened his mouth. "what I mean to say is that it will take a lot of procedures for us to have an audience with the Queen".
"How long are we talking about?"
Alford swallowed. "A month or two"
"What" Katherine and I exclaimed in unison.
I quickly got up from the bed. " I can't wait that long. And why would it take this long to meet her" I said in frustration, pacing around the room.
"We are not the only subjects that would like to have a meeting with the Queen. And not just anyone can meet her".
"I'm not going there to see a queen. I'm going to see my mother's sister" I said, furiously.
Everyone went quiet.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned. My gaze met tired grey eyes.
Katherine stood in front of me, her hands on my shoulder. "We understand what you mean but they're trying their best to help us. Strangers they just met."
She was right.
I need to calm down.
I looked at Eve and Alford. "I need to get into the palace tonight, no matter how" I said, my voice firm and absolute.