Chapter Twenty Six - Out of love

„A visitor?" My mother raised an eyebrow questioningly.

„Who is it?"„I have never seen her before, my lady." She hesitated a little. „She looks... peculiar." I guess she feared commenting on someone who could be an acquaintance.

„Everyone knows we don't receive guests these days. Send her away." My mother decided.

„Excuse me, my lord, my lady... She told me to tell you that without her help you will never recover." She threw a quick glance at my father then looked down again.

„What?" Mother stood up so suddenly that she pushed the table and spilled some tea.

„Calm down, Anliliana." Father put his hand on her arm. „Sit down." She slumped back very unladylike, but no one cared.

„Escort her in." I was the one giving instructions at the end. There was no way I would have missed this opportunity. Any chance I get, I will grasp it. But if she plays with us... Well, I'll be the last of her problems as my mother will destroy her.

A few minutes later, a petite and slender girl appeared in front of us. She had long, curly black hair that hung loosely around her face, and dark-brown eyes that stared at us unflinchingly from the start. She wore a similar school uniform to the one I had in my previous life, which meant that most of her leg were visible, and of course that was scandalous here. That's probably why she was called peculiar, or maybe because of the air around her. She seemed nonchalant, but graceful and proud.

She stopped in front of us and bowed politely.

„It is an honour to meet you, Lord Poitaire, Lady Poitaire." Her words were respectful, but somehow tinged with mockery. Her eyes turned to me. „She must be your daughter. To think I could meet her..." She murmured barely audible.

„You said something outrageous to my maid." My mother went on the offensive.

„Yes, and I would be glad to elaborate...but only in front of family members." She glanced at the maid accompanying her.

„Thank you, Arnie. You can go now." The maid curtsied wordlessly and left. „You still haven't introduced yourself." My mother's gaze and words could even freeze an ice sculpture.

„Well, it's a bit difficult to say my new name." She took the only available seat next to me. I felt a little uncomfortable, but I tried to hide it. „It's really strange to see you after all these years. You look much older, but of course still handsome and beautiful. It seems you had a happy life. „ She sighed. „I don't know how I feel about that." Is she crazy? She talks like a lunatic.

„Princess Ealudianne... what kind of curse did you use to steal someone else's body?" My father spoke for the first time since this strange woman showed up. Both my mother and I looked at him in surprise, but the girl just burst out laughing.

„You've always been very intelligent. Or do you just feel the same connection that I do?" She pondered aloud. „The invisible tread between the cursed and the caster... Was it true?"

„How dare you show your face in front of us?" My mother jumped up and was ready to charge at her, but my father held her back.

He tried to pacify her. „We need to get as much information as possible." Mother took a deep breath and sat back down.

„Why did you come here?" I turned my full attention to her and she stared back without blinking. Then after a moment, she looked up at the sky.

„First of all, let me make it clear... I didn't steal anyone's body, it's mine. After I died, I was somehow reborn in another world. This is really beyond my comprehension. „She shook her head. „Perhaps there is some kind of connection between the two worlds or do they have same gods? Well, that's not important anyways." She shrugged and leaned back. She seemed like she didn't have any care in the world. I certainly wouldn't be so calm in her place.

„Why did you come here?" My father asked in a calm voice, looking at her cautiously. „Did you want to see the result of your actions?" I could see my mother squeeze his hand.

„I didn't plan to curse you, you know."

„Then why?" Mother asked, her heartbreak was visible on her face.

„I have always believed that whatever I do is right, that I can't be wrong." She laughed a little, but it was bitter. „Then when I saw my father's grief-stricken, pale and sickly face on the battlefield before our defeat, I realized it didn't matter who is right and who is wrong. Even if I regretted what I had done, I couldn't turn back. I have committed treason worthy of death. The only thing I could do was spoil their plans."

„Their plan?" Father raised an eyebrow questioningly.

„They wanted me to curse the royal bloodline if we lost." It was the first time she looked ashamed and guilty."

„How could you agree to curse your own family?" My mother's voice shook with anger.

„Don't act like you didn't threaten your own father!" She gave her a harsh look.

„Threatening and cursing are two entirely different things!" My mother defended herself.

„Well, I guess?" They were about the same age, but the princess sometimes acted like a cheeky teenager.

„Both of you, take a deep breath." My father sighed. „ I'm glad you decided not to curse the former emperor and His Majesty but... Why did you curse anyone?" His eyes pierced her, but she didn't seem shaken at all.

„They would have known if I refused to do it, so I had to figure out something. I had limited time to think, you know." She gave us a haughty look. „I was racking my brain when our eyes met, Damren and I remembered the news I got about Anliliana. The answer was love.

„Love?" I glared at her in confusion. How could love be the answer in that situation?

„Yes, little girl." Her attitude was starting to annoy me. No wonder my mother didn't like her. „Everyone around me was so full of love, but it was something hard for me to understand. My father loved his subjects, so he wanted the best for them and chose my brother as his successor, knowing I would think it a betrayal. Out of love, he accepted my resentment. My brother never wanted to inherit the throne and he always said he would support me as the next ruler, but then he met his current wife and he accepted the crown in the end. Out of love, to protect her from everyone and everything, he took my hatred. And you two..."Her face was distrorted by negative emotions. „You, Damren, were ready to throw away your life and everything to protect the country your lover lived in, and you, Anlilliana, you threatened almost the entire realm and raised an army to protect him. Out of love." She spat out the last words. „So tell me, little girl, how can something so glorified as love be the driving force behind my destruction?"

„Leave my child out of it." My mother was ready to start another fight so I smiled at her.

„Don't worry, mother." I tried to reassure her and then turned back to the princess. „It wasn't love that ruined you, although there's no denying that it played a role." I admitted. „Love can be wonderful and destructive. „I knew because I read a lot of novels. My lips started to curl up, but I forced them back. „But in your case, it was the freedom to make decisions that led you to this point. Everyone made a choice, including you, and what happened was the result. But we can all learn from our mistakes... well, unless your wrongdoings led to your execution. It's hard to come back from there." I thought she would react negatively, but she started laughing.

„Yes, that's true." She patted my arm. „I like your style." She turned her attention back to my parents. „Anyway, I realized on the battlefield that I was wrong, but I was still full of resentment and I was deeply hurt." This time she wore a sad smile. „Knowing full well that I was goingto die, I cast a curse on the condition that it would be activated if I learned to love. I believed it was impossible." She shook her head in disbelief. „But now I have a boyfriend." It was so absurd.

„Congratulations?" My mother asked uncertainly.

„Thank you, but I didn't say to receive blessings. I died and that should have been the end of it, but somehow I was reborn and given another chance. And that man managed to charm me and make me fall in love with him, so against all odds I experienced love. So I knew there was a chance the curse would activate."

„I don't care about your love life, just tell me how to break it." I agreed with my mother. If it was a story I read, I would have been interested in what happened to her, but this was my life and we didn't have much time, so I wanted answers.

„How did you get here? And why? You had nothing to do with us anymore." Apparently my father wanted to know more before anything was done. I just sighed.

„Well, I guess..." She usually looked at the person she was talking to, this was the first time she glanced away. „I wanted to see where all that love led you and this country." A content and peaceful smile appeared on her lips. „My brother is doing a good job, so the empire is flourishing, the people are mostly happy and he is still madly in love with his wife. My father retired and enjoying his time with his grandchildren, and you two built a family together and even had kids of your own." She exhaled slowly. „I'm glad that on my grave flowers are blooming." Suddenly her eyes found us again and stared at us intensely. „But I'm sorry, I can't remember how to break the curse."