Chapter 3 02

Ivy Calleya

I ate, rested, and drank the various herbal teas those Urc temple priests gave me. It was many cups a day, and the bitter taste lingered in my mouth almost all the time, but even so, I kept drinking them.

A few weeks had passed, and I could feel myself becoming more and more revitalized. Then, on one of those cold mornings, a palace servant came to me. They were different from the servants in Lyra; their hair was always the same pale shade as if they were truly identical to the stories I'd been told as if they had all been bathed in moonlight.

"Princess... Her Majesty, Helena Calleya, has returned from her trip... She wishes to see you and has requested that you join her in the dining hall for breakfast." As usual, the servant avoided eye contact, and after hearing my response, she helped me dress in something appropriate.

"What is she like?" I asked casually. Everyone was aware of my complete memory loss, and I couldn't deny that this excuse was perfect. It was helping me smoothly pass as the quiet and delicate Ivy.

The empress hadn't appeared since my awakening. Victor had informed me she wasn't present, that she was dealing with some political matters in Opacham, a nearby kingdom rich in agriculture and full of fertile land. They engaged in many trades, which is why they maintained contact and made frequent visits.

"Her Majesty is a very serious, direct, and refined lady," she said, finishing the details of my makeup, adding a pinkish shade of lipstick to my still lifeless, pale lips. She continued, "So, Princess, don't think she doesn't care for you just because she doesn't speak much or doesn't show it. I believe you'll soon remember how much she loves you and will understand that it's simply her way." The servant finished, pulling my long hair into a cascading style that fell over my right shoulder.

I took a deep breath and left the room. I was guided to the dining hall, where I found an enormous table adorned with imported flowers and crystal pieces that sparkled as brightly as the stars. There was a lavish feast laid out, one that could easily feed twenty hungry soldiers returning from war-all this for my long-awaited meeting with my "mother."

The moment I stepped into the hall, an overwhelming presence terrified me. My body went cold, and as I looked around, I noticed that all the servants kept their heads bowed. That presence, that invisible force in the air-it was hers, Helena Calleya. And I knew instantly who the Alpha of this place was.

"Sit," her voice cut through the air, cold as a blade, and immediately, my body obeyed. I sat down, and like everyone else in the room, I looked at the floor. The wolf that woman carried within her was unlike anything I had ever seen.

I was curious-something inside me wanted to see who she truly was-and despite my fear, I dared to look up. When my eyes rose, I saw that she wasn't even addressing me as she spoke. The authority she exuded was just a small fragment of her essence, and that terrified me because if this was Helena Calleya, calm and happy to finally see her daughter, I didn't want to be around to witness her wrath.

" Your father informed me of everything. As soon as I received your letter in Opacham, I came as quickly as I could. " She was looking at something in her hands, seeming to read a letter. There were several scrolls and papers beside her on the table. When she finished speaking, she lifted her gaze and caught me off guard as I examined her.

" It's good to see that you're well "When she said that, I saw a brief smile on her face, but as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared, and she continued. " This was the first time you've been unconscious for so long; we were worried... " She said, rising, and I noticed how tall she was, how perfect her body was, a true example of pure beauty. She walked over to me and extended her hand, handing me the papers she had been scrutinizing earlier. I was confused, completely lost amidst her actions.

" When you were little, you always asked me to show you the news from neighboring kingdoms. You always wanted to travel, to see the world, and since it's been so long since you were awake, I thought you might like to know how the world is doing." She looked at me intently. Her eyes were like those of a predator, but unlike before, the fear I felt dissipated. That strength, that authority was not hostile; on the contrary, I felt protected, I felt safe, for just seeing her so close made me feel she would do anything to protect me, to save me.

Relieved, I smiled in response as I took the papers from her elegant hand adorned with rings set with precious stones. When my eyes fell upon the letter that was on top of the others, I froze. I didn't know if it was fate's cruel joke or if the Goddess was playing with me, but that letter, that seal, was from the kingdom of Lyra, my home.

I couldn't wait, and even in Helena's commanding presence, I unfolded the paper quickly. As I read the contents of the letter, I struggled not to crumple it, as my blood boiled and my teeth ground in anger.

It was a letter about my death, about the sacrifice that Empress Camille Larsen had made three years ago by giving an heir to her kingdom, a royal announcement of the loss of someone who had been important, but that wasn't all, no, it would be too good if it were.

"Three years have passed..." I thought, gripping the parchment tightly, nearly tearing it.

Right after the short paragraph of false praise, extolling Camille as loved and missed, there was another forewarning. That damned, despicable Adiel Viegas could not be left without a wife. The kingdom could not be without an empress any longer, and in the same letter where he falsely mourned my death, he also invited everyone to a ball. This was a ceremony held specifically for him to find a new companion and new allies.

I felt my hands tremble, my pressure drop, and I felt as though I would die again.