"You see, dear niece. Helen doesn't like being in the spotlight that much, the exact opposite of me and Regina," the Empress also joined us, her familiar pale red eyes sparkling as she reminisced– "During those rare times she attended one, she instantly caught my brother's attention. It was a whirlwind of romance, I tell you," and chuckled as if she just remembered something funny– "Mostly, it was just my brother being head over heels in love with her and had kept chasing her around..."

Dad chased mom?

I tried to imagine the formidable marquis in my head, earnestly wanting to gain a woman's affection and it just doesn't sit right with me. My father is a sweet man, alright, but not to the point of being showy. He's just like my brother Nathaniel, a tsundere. Honestly, they're just like two peas in a pod.

And hearing that he once chased my mother around...

I... I can't see it...

The empress laughed when she saw my baffled expression, "I know right? But it's true. I can attest to it. He showered her with gifts, though all of them are returned, he's still adamant about his feelings. He really did pester her a lot and he won't even give up even though our parents are against it. He valiantly fought for your mother so he can be with her."

He must truly love her. To even go against your family's wishes...

Now, how many are out in the world who have that kind of unconditional love? Especially in the dog eat dog society which is the nobility?

"But Helen is just as I told you, an elusive woman who hates complex things," the queen piped in– "So when she settled down with the current marquis, I was deeply surprised. I mean, she had been planning to leave the empire and settle somewhere remote on her own. I have no idea why she had thought of that but I guess, that's just how Helen always thinks."

"And she must be truly happy being with Leon that she even changed her mind," She then cast her gaze back to me, "I'm just sad that I didn't get to attend her funeral at the least. It was already too late when I heard about her death..."

Her crestfallen expression had also affected me in a way and the atmosphere turned dreary. Even though we are in the company of such beautiful flowers, how can one be happy with the sudden topic of death?

"Helen would be so happy to see that her daughter grew up to be such a lovely young woman..." The queen appeased me, smiling softly.

The sides of my lips quivered upward before I hardly stared at the cup in my hand.

"I really hope so..." I mumbled.

"I'm sure she is. Any mothers would be proud to have Nadia as their daughter. I would be happy!" The Empress cracked as to ease the heavy atmosphere.

The three of us moved on from such a depressing topic and to a more lighthearted one. It was mainly topics about mundane things and sometimes, the queen would ask me stuff about myself. The conversation would flow naturally from one topic to another until the heaviness from earlier is forgotten.

"You really look like your mom..." the queen suddenly commented.

"Hmm?" My eyes went to her, seemingly surprised by her sudden remark.

I found her staring at me, her dark alluring eyes scrutinizing every inch of my face.

"You got everything from her except for the eyes," she added.

"My eyes? Ah... right, she has a pair of blue."

I had only seen it from a portrait but it did strike me nonetheless. Her eyes were the first thing that caught my attention after all.

"Yes..." the queen nodded, "The most vibrant shade of blue that I've ever seen. It was really beautiful..."

For some reason, I cannot pull my eyes off of hers. It was definitely strange but I can't seem to do anything about it. I was just being pulled in as if I'm in a trance or something.

'Gosh... why is she so pretty?'

I'm very sure of myself that I am only attracted to the opposite sex but why, for some weird reason, can't look away from her?

The wind picked up and disturbed the resting birds on the trees. There were a lot of them today as well but I didn't even notice it right now. I was just having a staring contest with the queen who was smiling at me with both her lips and gaze.

The dark pools are like an endless abyss and tempt anyone that looks into them to jump in without hesitation. Is that what is happening to me? Am I jumping in? I don't know... But they are so mesmerizing.

"Is there an oncoming storm?" The empress asked one of her maids but her question swept past my ears. I didn't hear it properly.

My heart was pounding loud in my chest and it overruled every sound that existed around me. A hissing sound entered my head, like static and it sounded weirdly comfortable. What's more strange was that the phenomenon from when Lukas did something returned.

Something shifted inside me, like a wave, and it was cold. But not the kind that felt discomfiting. The hissing continued and the strange sensation reacted to it.

At that time with Lukas, it wasn't doing anything. But now, it was as if it's getting crazy. It kept rippling like a lake being disturbed. I was agitated, I know that. But why?

The queen's ruby lips lifted into a saccharine smile, coupled with her mesmerizing eyes, I most definitely got more lost and bewildered.

A piercing noise came from my right ear and I was being washed by emotions I couldn't comprehend. Warning bells are ringing yet I don't even understand it was that. The thing inside me is seriously sending me signals, but for what?! What is going on?

My hand went to my chest when I felt it hurt. It was as if I was being constricted by invisible chains, tightening around my heart, and my said heart was trying to burst out of them. I found it difficult to breathe, like seriously. Am I dying?!

"Say, Nadia? Was it?" The queen was speaking, right? But I can't hear her properly from all this stuff that I am being bombarded with– "Does your chest hurt? Is it hard to breathe?"

Now where is the empress and why isn't she saying anything? Aunt, your niece is suffering in front of you, can't you see?

And why does the queen keep on talking so loudly in my head? Or was that her?

"Hngg..." a groan escaped my lips as I frowned deeply, still clutching my chest as I tried to breathe properly.

"Ahh... This amount of mana... Just like hers... This is good, very good!"

A shrill voice hissed in my head. It sounded annoying like someone's grating a metal into another metal. As if someone is deliberately scratching a fork into a metal board.

'Oh, gosh make it stop! STOP IT!'