"Lady Cordelia, I shall be frank with you. As a daughter of someone my age, your parents were close friends with mine. You, know don't you?" Lyn said.

Cordelia did not reply right away and glanced at the Queen's expression. She wondered why she received this odd summon. Since arriving in the castle, oddly enough the Queen has not greeted her. Rumors state that it was because of jealousy. However, Cordelia doubted that after all the Queen was the one who invited her to the Mist Kingdom.

"I know."

Lyn smiled and nodded, "Are you getting along with Allen?"

"It is hard to say," Cordelia paused. Is it okay to say it? She shook her head, no need to hesitate. She explained, "--since these last few days since you got better hasn't come to see me."

The Queen facepalmed and murmured stupid, and turned to her with an apologetic look, "I apologize, he's trying to reconsider what he thinks is a stupid plan."

Cordelia did not comment but noticed the change in expression on the Queen's face.

"Queen Lyn."

"Yes?"

"Allen is my fiance now, but his heart will always be yours."

She seemed surprised at her words and sighed deeply, "Indeed," Lyn drawled, "But, I do want you two to get along with each other. This may be my selfishness talking. However, Allen deserves happiness; I could not give him that happiness."

"As I see it, even now you bring him joy."

"As a friend," Lyn clarified, "I cannot be there for him as a lover, a lifetime partner. Allen needs that, and I cannot provide him that. Allen needs a Queen. I couldn't be his Queen. But Lady Cordelia, I'm sure you can."

The woman in front of her spoke with such fondness in her eyes, such emotion. Since she was younger Cordelia has always remained indifferent to most things, no matter what the situation was. But the current situation she could not turn a blind eye too.

"Did you ever love him?" Cordelia asked the question she had wanted to know the answer to for a long time. But the truth is, deep down doesn't she know already?

"Yes."

It really was like that, "When we met at your engagement banquet."

Lyn nodded, "I was in love with Allen then."

"When did you stop?"

"A short while after I met Kazuya. I realized I could not win Allen's affections. I was under the impression that Allen did not like me in that manner," Lyn stood up and walked towards the window. "But I was wrong, and by the time I realized it. It was already too late for me to turn back. I fell for Kazuya so badly that I didn't even want to go through formal procedures to end my engagement with Allen. Even if I humiliated him publicly, I had to do it."

Cordelia did not reply right away and took the time to digest the information she just heard

She remained silent for quite some time before Cordelia finally asked, "Do you not regret it?"

"Sometimes I think I do. Allen treated me well, even though most times he would not tell me what he was thinking. He would always visit me first over my mother. Normally when you'd visit a country, you'd visit the Queen or King. But Allen always visited me; first, I could tell he cared, and our marriage to him wasn't just a political one. But I was too young to realize that his care was love."

Too young, huh? "But you fell for King Kazuya."

Lyn laughed, "I wonder how I fell in love so badly with that idiot," Cordelia immediately noted how the Queen's expression softened at the mention of the King. Cordelia saw plenty of people in love. Many people at home, all the other girls in the court. But even then it did not move her heart.

However, "Can you share with me? Your stories regarding the King."

"Okay!"

-------

When Cordelia opened her eyes, she found Allen staring at her, "When the maids told me you left your room, they were very distressed."

Cordelia sat up, "I simply wished to take a stroll."

"Alone?"

"Yes, don't you take one often during early morning?" Cordelia realized a second too late what she just said. Thankfully, however, Allen does not comment; his gaze landed on the surroundings.

"How did you come to know about this place?"

"When you showed me the secret pa.s.sage the other day, I figured there was more to explore," Cordelia replied.

"I see."

Sensing his tone, and noticing the nostalgic look on his face. Cordelia asked, "Do you have memories with the Queen here?"

Allen nodded, "Yes."

Of course, he does, she cannot make memories with him in this place. No matter which area in the Mist Kingdom they go to, Allen will have memories with Queen Lyn — creating memories with him? Cordelia wanted to laugh at that thought, her talk with the Queen must have poisoned her mind. Why is she thinking to do something so obviously pointless? Her gaze fell on the man who is to become her husband. Allen took his spot on the tree beside her and leaned against it.

-----

It surprised Cordelia how easy it was to talk to the Queen. Time quickly flew by and once she heard the chime. Cordelia knew it was time to go back.

"I apologize for keeping you."

Cordelia shook her head, "It was pleasant."

Lyn smiled, "I never told you why I called you out here. Well, the main reason."

The main reason?

"What do you suppose Allen would do if I died?"

Her eyes go wide realizing. Ah.

"Lady Cordelia, I want you to ensure that Allen doesn't die."

-----

Queen Lyn, already knew what Allen's response would be. Even if she were to get close to Allen, the bond the two share is something she cannot interfere with. She never wanted to. But a part of her feels sadness. She can never experience 'love' - the beautiful type of love one hears in fairy tales.

The man who is to become her husband is in love with another woman. If that other woman was just like all the other girls, then Cordelia would not feel insecure. But Queen Lyn differs from all the others; she is not fake.

This marriage is a political one, so Cordelia never expected love.

But Allen treats her well; he no longer shows his mask around her.