For the first time since this whole thing started, Alicia was standing outside Princess Tyra's chamber door. It had been a few hours since the assembly ended, so she guessed Tyra should be awake now. There was just something about her that made Alicia confused. Something was wrong somewhere.
Before Alicia could knock on the door, the door opened, making her halt with her fist in mid-air.
A maid stepped out and almost did a double-take when she saw Alicia there.
At this point, Alicia was used to it. From Harold's chamber to Tyra's, she had received different kinds of wary stares from maids and guards as they all tried to stay away from her path. She didn't know whether it was because of the rumours about her being a witch or because they were scared of Harold. Either way, it didn't bother her as much.
"I want to see Princess Tyra," Alicia said to the girl, who was still looking at her warily and standing calmly by the door.
"The Princess needs not to receive visitors at the—"
"Move," Alicia ordered, and immediately the girl moved out of her way as if an invincible force had shoved her off.
When Alicia entered, she saw Tyra sleeping on her side in the bed with the quilt covering her whole body except her head. She had her eyes closed, and even her breathing was even, but Alicia kept moving forward and carried the little stool beside the dressing table to the side of the bed where Tyra was sitting and sat down, looking at her.
She had to admit that Tyra looked paler than she remembered. No one was having it easy in this palace.
"I know you are not sleeping," Alicia said softly.
Tyra opened her eyes slowly and looked at her before she turned to lie on her back, looking up.
"How are you?" Alicia asked.
"..." Tyra continued to look up without saying a word or blinking.
"I... didn't stab you, did I?" Alicia persisted. She had to get something out of Tyra today.
Tyra looked at her in annoyance and sat up as she asked, "You think I'll just make up lies to put you in danger for no reason? Why? What would I gain by doing so?"
"I don't think I did," Alicia said confidently.
"Do you remember what you did that night, then?" Tyra challenged.
Alicia had never seen her look or act this way before, especially towards her, so it made her a bit flustered.
"I guess you don't. You may lie all you want, but I know that you are a witch, and only I know what happened that night."
"There is a witness, remember?" Alicia reminded her, even though she also knew the "witness" was a fabricated one. But at least there was a witness, so Tyra couldn't just assume she was the only one who knew what happened that night.
Tyra scoffed. "A witness? Do you believe her?" Tyra asked, making Alicia ponder what Tyra was thinking.
Did she know that the maid was not the person that night?
"Then why didn't you deny it when you knew the maid lied against the queen?" Alicia asked.
"It was for Prince Harold." She said it in a serious tone. "I know he is doing a lot to save you, and I didn't want to go against him. I will... do anything for him." She said seriously.
Alicia didn't say anything. She didn't know exactly what to say. Why was this whole thing messing with her head?
"You should stay away from Prince Harold. You are only going to hurt him if you lose control again. No one knows what you will do next." Tyra warned.
"And you think I will be able to hurt Prince Harold?" Alicia asked her.
"You have hurt him before, haven't you?" Tyra asked back.
"Wh..."
"You were able to stab him. I also didn't want to believe it then because I didn't think you were capable. But learning now that you are a witch makes everything make sense."
Alicia sighed.
"I do not have any reason to hurt you or Prince Harold. So as much as you claim it was I who put you in that condition and killed Beth, I will never believe it."
"It's fine if you don't believe it. I will tell everyone and Prince Harold that I cannot remember what happened that night, just like I did before to save you. I could say I was bewitched or that I do not remember, just like you. I will say anything Prince Harold compels me to say. Does that make you feel better?"
"Do you... have something against me?" Alicia asked in confusion. Why was she suddenly so hostile toward her? It was unlike the meek Tyra they all knew.
"You almost killed me!" Tyra exclaimed. "You expect me to embrace you and laugh like nothing happened?"
Tyra paused and then added, "The palace has been a mess since you arrived. Look at the king! Look at Princess Luciana. Look at Williams, Susan, and Damian. What about Beth? What about me? Do you... know how much I have suffered?" She choked on a sob as she continued. "Even Prince Harold... he... almost lost his life." Tyra was crying now.
"Do you... know how scared I was that I was never going to see him again?"
Alicia could only watch as Tyra cried her eyes out. She seemed genuine, and her whole body shook as she cried.
She could only watch. Because there was nothing she could do.
She believed she didn't do it. Paulina believed it too. Harold believed her. And every one of them who had joined her on that trip outside the palace had believed her.
Maybe she had been too calm for too long.
She stood up with determination. Whatever was inside Amber's diary, she was going to decipher it. If she had to summon Amber or Anne's soul to explain what had happened that night, she was going to do so.
*****
A/N
DEAR PEOPLE, THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET INTENSE. IN ALL ASPECTS.
WINK WINK.
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