Royal Ascension: TheLady's rebirth

I couldn't sleep.

Alistair's words lingered in my mind, circling like vultures. Trust no one. Stay alive. The heaviness in his voice, the look in his eyes—it all felt like a warning, one that refused to be ignored. But how was I supposed to prepare for something when I didn't know what it was?

I tossed and turned in my bed, but it was no use. Finally, I threw the blankets off and got to my feet.

Pacing back and forth, I tried to piece together the puzzle. The pendant. The council. The looming unrest at the borders. Alistair leaving the palace. It all felt connected, but the threads were too tangled for me to make sense of them.

And then there was the system. The cryptic warning about hidden agendas. It hadn't steered me wrong so far, but its vagueness was infuriating. Why couldn't it just give me clear answers for once?

A soft knock at the door broke through my thoughts, and I froze, my heart leaping into my throat. It was the middle of the night—who would be visiting me now? For a moment, I considered ignoring it, but the knock came again louder this time.

Taking a deep breath, I moved to the door and cracked it open. Standing in the hallway was a young maid, her face pale and drawn. She looked terrified.

"My lady," she whispered, glancing over her shoulder as if someone might be watching. "You must come with me. Quickly."

"What?" I asked, frowning. "Why? What's going on?"

"There's no time to explain," she said urgently. "You're in danger."

The word sent a jolt of fear through me. Danger? Was this what Alistair had been warning me about? I hesitated, torn between following her and staying in the relative safety of my chambers.

"My lady, please," the maid begged, her voice trembling. "They're coming for you. If we don't leave now, it'll be too late."

Her fear was undeniable, and something in her eyes told me she wasn't lying.

Swallowing hard, I nodded and stepped into the hallway, closing the door quietly behind me.

The maid led me through the dimly lit corridors, her footsteps quick and silent. I tried to keep up, my mind racing with questions. Who was coming for me? And why?

"Where are we going?" I whispered, glancing around nervously.

"To a safe place," she replied, her voice barely audible. "I overheard some of the guards talking. They've been ordered to arrest you."

"Arrest me?" I repeated, my voice rising in disbelief. "Why?"

"I don't know," the maid said, shaking her head. "But you can't stay here. They'll—"

Her words were cut off by the sound of heavy footsteps echoing down the corridor behind us. My heart stopped as I turned to see the glint of armour in the moonlight.

"Run," the maid hissed, grabbing my arm and pulling me forward.

We sprinted down the hallway, the sound of the guards' footsteps growing louder with each passing second. My lungs burned, and my heart pounded in my chest, but I didn't dare slow down. Fear drove me forward, sharper and more insistent than any physical pain.

The maid led me down a narrow staircase and into a hidden passageway I hadn't known existed. The air was damp and cold, the walls close enough to brush against my shoulders. The further we went, the darker it became, until I could barely see a foot in front of me.

Finally, the maid stopped, pressing a hand against the stone wall. A section of it shifted, revealing a small, hidden room. She pushed me inside and followed, closing the wall behind us. The sound of the stone sliding back into place was deafening in the silence.

I collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath. "What… what is this place?"

"It's a servant's passage," the maid explained, her own breathing uneven. "Few people know about it. You'll be safe here for now."

I looked around the small, cramped space. It was little more than a hollowed-out corner of the palace, with barely enough room to stand. But it was better than being caught.

"Who are you?" I asked, finally catching my breath. "Why are you helping me?"

The maid hesitated, her eyes darting to the floor. "My name is Elise," she said quietly. "I work in the kitchens. And… I owe a debt to the late Lady Angelica."

The words took me by surprise. "You mean… the real Angelica?"

Elise nodded, her expression sombre. "She helped my family once, a long time ago. I never had the chance to repay her. When I heard what was happening, I knew I couldn't just stand by."

I stared at her, guilt twisting in my chest. She thought she was saving the person who had helped her, not some impostor who had taken over her body. If she knew the truth, would she still have risked her life to help me?

"Thank you," I said softly, the words feeling inadequate. "I don't know what I would've done without you."

Elise offered a small, nervous smile. "You don't have to thank me, my lady. Just stay here and stay quiet. I'll find a way to get you out of the palace."

She stood and moved to the wall, pressing her ear against it as if listening for something. I watched her, my mind racing. If the guards were looking for me, it meant someone in the palace had ordered it. Someone who wanted me out of the way.

Hidden agendas.

The system's warning came rushing back to me, and a sinking feeling settled in my stomach. This wasn't a coincidence. This was part of a larger plan, and I was caught in the middle of it.

"Elise," I said, my voice trembling. "Do you know who ordered my arrest?"

She hesitated, her expression darkening. "I heard the guards mention the council. They said… they said you were accused of conspiring against the crown."

"What?" I gasped, the accusation hitting me like a blow. "That's ridiculous! Why would they think that?"

"I don't know," Elise said, shaking her head. "But someone wants you out of the way. And they're willing to do whatever it takes."

Before I could respond, a faint sound reached my ears—the distant clatter of armour. My blood turned to ice as I realized it was coming from the passageway.

"They've found us," Elise whispered, her face pale. "We have to move. Now."

She grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet, leading me toward another hidden door at the back of the room. My heart pounded as the sound of the guards grew louder, echoing through the narrow walls.

Elise pushed the door open, revealing another dark passage. But before we could step through, a voice called out from behind us, sharp and commanding.

"Stop right there."

We froze, turning slowly to see a figure emerging from the shadows. It wasn't a guard—it was Kieran. His silver eyes gleamed in the dim light, his expression unreadable.

"Elise," he said calmly, his gaze flicking to her. "Leave us."

Elise hesitated, her grip tightening on my arm. "But—"

"Now," Kieran said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Elise glanced at me, her eyes filled with worry, before nodding reluctantly and slipping through the hidden door. It closed behind her, leaving me alone with Kieran.

"What's going on?" I demanded, my voice shaking. "Why are they after me?"

Kieran stepped closer, his expression dark. "Because you've become a threat."

I stared at him, my heart pounding. "A threat to who?"

"To everyone," he said quietly. "Including yourself."