Alicia was fed up with sitting there while knowing nothing and simply letting the physician examine her.
She knew that something was wrong, but no one was saying anything. If she had been unconscious the entire time, Harold should have been here by now, knowing she was awake. Even Susan would have shown up. Also, Paulina was too jumpy and had been avoiding eye contact with her.
Alicia had asked the physician if everything was alright, and he quickly said all was well and told her to receive her treatment with a free mind so she would get better on time. She noticed the man also seemed a little wary of her.
She didn't press Paulina for an answer. She simply took her treatment. She drank whatever she was given, ate whatever she was fed, and let the physician prick her skin with needles until he concluded that she was going to be fine and needed a little rest.
A little rest? Alicia snorted inside of her. As soon as the man left her chamber, she got down from the bed, taking a second to appreciate how effective their medical practice was because she felt alright.
"Where... are you off to?" Paulina asked hesitantly when she noticed that Alicia had picked up a dress to change into.
"If you are not going to tell me anything, I'll find answers myself," Alicia said as she pulled off the first dress she was wearing and wore the second over her head. She wanted something free and plain since she was very irritable right now, and this dress was just perfect.
"You should rest! That's what the physician said!" Paulina said in a panic.
Alicia turned to look at her and said in a serious tone, "Look at me, Paulina. I am not the type to sit back when I am anxious. If I want answers, I must get them. Even if you do not wish to tell me."
Alicia ignored her and turned to wear her footwear. When she was done, she picked up a hairband from the dressing table to tie up the front of her hair so it wouldn't fall into her eyes. If the hair she had cut had grown a few inches longer already, it meant she had been sleeping for many days.
As soon as Alicia walked past Paulina and reached for the door, Paulina blurted out, "Prince Harold is unconscious!"
That stopped Alicia on her track and she turned to look at Paulina in shock.
"What... happened?" She asked after a moment's pause.
Just what had happened while she was asleep?
Paulina's voice was filled with emotion as she said, "I don't know what happened. But he was with you before it happened. He... wasn't hurt physically at least. Alvin said he noticed the prince looked unwell that morning."
"He was with... me?" Alicia asked slowly.
"A... lot has happened, Lady Alicia... I don't... know where I am supposed to start." Now, Paulina was acting more like Paulina because tears were clouding her eyes.
She had been trying to act strong the entire time so as not to alert Alicia and stop her from getting treated properly.
Alicia, however, has noticed how Paulina has stopped addressing her as "my lady" but as "Lady Alicia" since she woke up. But that was the least of her worries right now.
"My... mistress came," Paulina confirmed it to her with a sad look on her face.
Alicia had suspected it earlier, but hearing it made her feel uneasy.
"She... killed Queen Darcy first. The court has been in an uproar since then because she was also last seen with Prince Harold before he collapsed. King Cedric is still locked in the dungeon, and so are his children."
Alicia's hand flew to cover her mouth when she heard what she thought was the most shocking news she would ever hear.
She didn't wait to hear the rest before she opened the door and ran out of the room. Panicking, Paulina ran after her.
Alicia found two guards standing outside Harold's chamber and ignored them to run inside, but surprisingly, the guards stood in front of her, stopping her from going in.
Or maybe it was understandable because they believed she had been the one to hurt them. But it had still taken her aback.
"We apologize, but we cannot let you in." One of the guards said in a serious tone.
"On whose orders?" Alicia asked curiously.
"Princess Tyra's." He replied.
"Princess Tyra?" Alicia asked incredulously.
Were they messing with her right now—
'What happened between you and Princess Tyra? Why did she do that to you?'
Alicia suddenly remembered that question and turned to look at Paulina, who didn't look surprised by the turn of events but she seemed to be scared.
"Can I... at least see him for a second?" Alicia asked the guards in a pleading tone.
"I... am sorry." The other guard said it in a sincere tone and put his head down to avoid her gaze.
Alicia was not unreasonable. She could tell their hands were tied. Why was everyone acting like this?
Paulina approached her and took her by the hand, quickly leading her away to a more private spot.
All this while, the wheels in Alicia's head were spinning.
"What is going on?" She asked Paulina, realizing that no matter what, she could not get the answers herself. Someone needs to give her a heads-up.
"Princess Tyra is in control of the palace now. The king is still ill. The queen and Prince Ivan are currently locked up."
"What?" Alicia breathed out in disbelief.
Was that why Tyra had tried to hurt Amber? Because she was taking revenge for her brother?
"Princess Tyra is not the same person we used to know. She has also arrested the children of the noblemen who refused her call to join the morning assembly yesterday, and this morning, a nobleman was dragged out of the assembly to the dungeon. And yesterday..."
Paulina hesitated before she said fearfully, "She... ordered for me to be beaten to death, but—"
"WHAT?!" Alicia exclaimed with wide eyes. That was just unbelievable.
"Sir Lance saved me! Nothing happened." Paulina quickly added to calm her down.
Of course, nothing happened because she was standing in front of her. But ordering for Paulina to be killed? She didn't even care what Paulina had done. That was just plain psycho!
She remembered how hostile Tyra had been toward her recently. She seemed like a different person.
"Where is she?" Alicia asked her.
"She is leading the morning assembly. I heard that my lady injured her face. She is not in a good mood. You should stay away from her... please." Paulina pleaded with her, unconsciously holding her hand tightly.
Alicia could not believe this. She even laughed in disbelief. Tyra must have gone crazy.
She walked away from Paulina and returned to the guards who were guarding Harold's door.
When they saw her, they looked uncomfortable again, hoping she was not trying to make trouble.
"I will not try to force my way in. But I want you to swear to me that Prince Harold is okay." Alicia said to them in a calm tone.
The guards exchanged looks before one nodded and answered, "The Prince is fine. The physician stated that the prince needed to rest and should not be disturbed."
Relief washed over her, and she nodded before her eyes dropped down to one of the guard's sword.
"Let me borrow it."
"Pardon?" The guard asked in confusion and followed her line of sight.
A few minutes later, Alicia was walking down the hallway with a stoic expression on her face, dragging a sword behind her.
While Paulina followed, looking as nervous as ever. She had thought Alicia was heading towards the assembly room to find Tyra, but surprisingly, Alicia was heading out of the main palace hall and towards the dungeon.
This made her even more anxious.
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