Chp.13 : Joke

Present day in the Eastern Palace.

"I am so sorry your majesty, I tried waking you up last night for dinner, but I didn't put enough efforts." Lara said, as she was almost zoning out. She was pouring Regina a cup of tea and she was extremely tired.

"Why are you swaying like that? Are you tired? Or are you sick perhaps?" Regina asked as she sipped the tea calmly.

Lara was barely even able to understand Regina's question.

"Don't worry Lady Lara, please have a seat." Regina said in a polite tone. "Huh? How could I? I am sorry your majesty!" She said with a shocked expression.

"Oh no there is no need to worry. And I am not offering you a seat for free." Regina explained calmly as she placed her tea cup back on the table.

Lara understood what Regina meant and took the seat in front of her.

"So perhaps you may know what I want to ask, right Lara?", Regina asked.

"I won't dare to make a guess your majesty."Lara replied a little meekly.

Regina chuckled on this response and asked her what she had in her mind for a long time now - "Who are you all working for?" She bluntly asked Lara.

And Lara was left stunned.

Her heart almost skipped a beat as she heard Regina speak those words. Her face pale, and her expression was fear.

Regina took a really close look at Lara's face as her question stayed in the air for a little longer than she expected it to be. Silence took over the room, but Regina kept looking at Lara's face.

Perhaps she was actually enjoying the expressions that Lara was showing. But thinking as Lara was taking more time to express herself, Regina went ahead and said - "It is just a question Lara. If you feel you can't answer..."

"I am the odd one out." Lara said in a straight expression. A monotone sentence. As if she was programmed to say it, if someone asked her on whose side she was.

Regina took her lean offer back and proceeded to ask, "What exactly do you mean Lara?" Her voice soft, but also a demanding phrase.

Lara understood what Regina wanted to know and thus decided to tell her. She took a deep breath, Regina on the other hand picked her tea cup and saucer up once again. " Guess this is going to be a long chat. Better be ready to sip ny tea." Regina thought to herself.

Lara took a few moments and then started -

"Your majesty, " she said in a soft, meek ans tired voice. Much different to her original strong and imposing one. She proceeded, "First of all let me introduce myself."

"My name is Lara De Gonstroght, I am a person who is a shame to my family. I was already announced as a scandalous woman even before anyone got to know my side of the story." Her voice was shaking but her eyes looking straight in Regina's. Regina didn't do anything, she just sat there and sipped her tea. Lara continued.

"My father was almost close to abandoning me after I was labeled as the mistress of a noble when a letter arrived." She took a deep breath.

"I got to know that day, that my mother had applied for me to become a lady-in-serving for the royal family. I was saved. My father removed my name from the family register and send me to the palace.

I never intended to come here, I was actually not in my right state of mind when I came here but this place saved me. I was thankful that I was saved from that monstrous house.

But when I got here, I was suddenly recruited as one of the maids who will be forming a squad to serve the future queen.

I was left in dark regarding what was going on and moreover I had no idea what was expected of me. Until one day another letter came to me." Lara said. The tone of her voice suddenly changed.

"I was appointed by the empress dowager to kill the next queen." Lara jumped from her seat on Regina.

Regina quickly threw the cup aside and took out the dagger from her waiste belt.

She was especially trained to handle her weapons when she was in a situation wearing heavy noble dresses. It was five years at the mansion of the D'Azure after all.

"I deeply apologize lady Rachel D'Azure, but I must complete my task to live on." Lara said as desperation and hate reflected from her eyes.

Regina struggled a bit and changed Lara's position. She pinned Lara down on the couch and held the dagger on her throat.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, one night and you are already thinking that I'll be so weak?" Regina smirked at Lara.

Lara was almost lying in disbelief. Her hand struggling to break through Regina's stance even though she had a knife that could easily be handled unlike Regina's which took a set skill to even make a move.

Lara knew that she was almost close to losing to the woman in front of her, heavily panting and desperately trying to make her moves against Regina, but only one question clouded her mind -

"Why is Rachel D'Azure trained in the art of killing? Or if she isn't then who is this?" Lara thought.

Until she looked closely at Regina's expression. She didn't speak much, and she wasn't even panting heavily.

Her breath was steady and her stance was precise. Her gaze sharp and she only said one thing - "I knew you would poison me. Who is Desmond?" Regina asked.

Lara finally knew that she had messed up and dropped her knife. Regina still pinned her down. Her dagger close to the carotid artery in Lara's neck.

"I don't know." Lara said with a pale expression and scared voice.

"Is that so? Then you give me no choice but to-" Regina pulled her dagger back intending to attack with double speed but Lara said, "I know someone who might know Desmond. I can take you to that person." Lara almost scared to death but desperately wishing to live .

Regina looked closely in Lara's eyes, her dagger still in position to cut through.

"You make good jokes, you know?" Regina smirked.