Layla and Elaine were studying in the castle's library. The library itself was huge. Two floors, tall bookshelves, and sliding ladders everywhere.
Layla's grip tightened around the pencil she was holding above a sheet. She groaned loudly, shaking her head. "Ugh! I don't want to do it anymore!" She grabbed Elaine's shoulders, shaking her lightly.
Elaine smiled, not saying a word.
"You have already taught me how to read," She looked away. "And can also write a little bit." She muttered under her nose and glanced back at her. "But the point is that I am capable and I don't need things like history or manners!"
Layla looked down at her dress and pressed a hand against her chest proudly. "I am an adventurer! Just like Ellie said, Adventurers are not showing off themselves."
Elaine chuckled, drawing a couple of circles with her pencil. "Oh~? Hmm..." She leaned her cheek on her hand, smiling mischievously, teasing Layla. "I have talked to Orion a couple of times during the escort. He can write, he can read, he has manners, he can keep his cool, and he knows how to avoid uncomfortable subjects in an elegant way." She paused, flicking her nose softly with her other hand.
"You have a cute face. You have a nice figure. You're basically a perfect woman. But you can always be better. Not in looks," She poked her forehead a couple of times. "But here in your head, no?"
"If Orion is feeling the same thing that I do, then I'm alright!" Layla yelled, insulted.
She bit her lip softly. "Love is not about changing yourself to become whoever the one you're chasing wants." She closed her eyes, taking a huge breath. "It's about loving someone and them loving you back for who you really are! I don't want to act like someone different. I don't want the perfect me to be loved. I want my real self to be loved!"
"I have said it multiple times before, but I'll say it again!" She hit the table softly. "I love him for taking care of me when I was bad towards him! I have done many horrible things to him in the past, but he never gave up on me, risking himself to protect and keep me alive! I hate his stupid heroism, but not because it annoys me, but forces him to constantly risk himself!"
She looked down at her lap, fidgeting with her fingers. "But it's also what I love most about him... The fact that he'd do everything for me makes me envy him... No... The truth is, I have always been jealous of his ability to care for others... I wish... I could feel compassion." She said, her voice weak and full of shame.
"Politics. History. Etiquette." Elaine waved her hand softly. "They're all important when it comes to adventuring." She sighed softly. "You didn't even know that my father is one of the most important Dukes in Riverford."
"Okay, okay! That was just a one-time thing! It won't happen again, I swear!" Layla groaned, leaning back in the chair.
"Do you even know that Riverford may just be a Brotherhood by its name, but it's a matriarchy?" Elaine asked softly.
"Matriarchy? What is that?" Layla perked up in the chair.
"To make it short, a Matriarchy is when the Queen is in charge. That's why it's Princess Morgana who's gonna get the crown one day, and not Prince Gareth."
Elaine has finally gotten Layla's full attention.
Layla stared at her with a big smile. "Oh! I remember how back in the orphanage, Big Sister Almyra used to tell us stories about King Uther!" She paused for a moment. "So why does the Queen have more power over the King?"
Elaine froze, too stunned to speak. She looked down at the ground, a lump in her throat.
"Sweetie, the rules were changed because my husband died." A soft female voice said from behind Layla.
Elaine's eyes widened. She immediately git off her chair, falling to her knees in respect. "Your Majesty!" She said with respect, looking at the woman behind Layla.
Layla turned her head around, also looking at the woman.
She had long, flowing, wavy silver hair with a delicate crown braid around the crown on her head, accompanied by small crystal pins.
Her eyes were pale silver. There was softness in them, but they were mainly calm and commanding.
She was around Orion's height, if not slightly taller than him.
She wore a high-collared silver-trimmed midnight blue gown that reached the floor. Her sleeves were long.
On top of her head was a thin silver crown shaped like intertwined branches, set with blue and silver gemstones.
She had many silver rings and wore two silken slippers.
"Wait a second... 'Your Majesty'...?" Layla thought to herself.
Then she got on her knees and bowed to the woman. "Your Majesty!"
The Queen looked them up and down, her expression remained stoic. "Raise your heads, children, don't make a scene out of meeting the Queen of the castle you were in for a couple of days." Her eyes locked onto Elaine. "Especially you, Lady Caer. You've already been here a couple of times."
Elaine raised her head, nodding in obedience. "Understood, Your Majesty!" She stood up, smiling softly as she sat down on the chair.
The Queen looked down at Layla and took a step towards her. She placed her hand on her head, examining Layla's hair.
"Raise your head, child." The Queen said calmly.
Layla raised her head just like she was told. She looked into the Queen's eyes with both excitement and fear. "Y-Yes?" She asked nervously, her heart thumping in her chest.
The Queen raised her eyebrows. "Hmm." She looked her up and down. "I have never seen anyone with black eyes and hair before." She scratched her chin softly. "It's fascinating... A dark beauty..."
Elaine's smile widened as she watched how interested the Queen was in Layla. "I knew she'd be a good person to bring in... She really is..."
"Special!"
Layla's cheeks reddened as she stared into the Queen's cold eyes. "T-Thank you, Your Majesty." She smiled nervously, and her hands started shaking. "I'm f-flattered to hear that..."
The Queen grabbed Layla by the chin and softly raised it. "Morgana mentioned that Gareth was chasing after a girl. You must be that girl, right?"
Layla nodded a couple of times. "Y-Yes! My name is Layla..."
Elaine was amused by how nervous Layla was, but she didn't dare to say anything.
"Now that I look at you, I can't blame my sometimes-stupid son. In fact, I wouldn't mind a couple of brown or black-haired grandchildren running around the castle." She paused. "Especially with such beautiful foreign genetics."
Elaine's eyes widened. She instantly knew what Layla would say, but she was afraid of how the Queen would react.
Layla's blush faded, and her eyes turned sharp. "I'm sorry, but I wouldn't ever marry Prince Gareth, Your Majesty."
The Queen raised a brow, confused. "Hm? Why? Wouldn't you want to live here in the castle? It's better than the Greyhollow Slums, no?"
Layla was taken aback by the fact that the Queen knew where she was from, even tho she and Elaine tried their best to keep it away from the Prince and Princess. "H-How...-?" Layla uttered.
"My father informs our Queen about every, even the slightest, most subtle detail. She literally knows everything there is about you." Elaine said softly, a small smile on her face.
"That's right. I know everything about you, Layla. I know where you're found, where you grew up, what people you've met, and who you are with all the time." Her icy glare became even colder, her eyes turned almost luminous. "I also know everything about Summoner. What jobs has she completed? Who had she killed? What can she do? Everything. Even the thing she tried to hide the most- The fact that she had gone through a second Soul Core Awakening."
The Queen released Layla's chin, taking a step towards the table and sitting down with her legs crossed.
Layla looked at her, and after a moment of uncomfortable silence, she sat down on the chair she had been sitting on earlier.
"Your Majesty... Why didn't you say anything about Orion?" Elaine asked softly, a hint of curiosity in her voice.
"Well, Lady Caer, that's why I came here." The Queen said coldly.
"I-I don't understand... What does Orion have to do with all of this?" Layla asked, her voice weak and quiet out of fear.
"I... We... No," The Queen paused in frustration. "No one knows anything about him. The only thing we know is that he was the first child in the Fitonwich Orphanage."
"And that he was the one who protected you from the monster attack on the orphanage ten years ago."
Layla went pale in terror and disbelief. She clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white. "Stop..."
"Tempest was the first one on the scene. She took the two of you to her house and treated your wounds-"
"Stop... please..."
"That's impossible! I don't remember! I was always with Orion! Only the two of us for the last ten years!" She roared furiously, not accepting the fact that he was lying to her all along.
"Because you couldn't remember. When Tempest wanted to check on you in the morning, you and Orion were already gone without any trace." The Queen looked into Layla's eyes. "The Order of Knights was only enlarged two times! And the second time was because someone had managed to kill a Tier 5 Adventurer."
"Stop... please... don't..."
"Managed to kill Almyra!"
Layla's eyes were full of tears. She fought to keep them in there, but some drops managed to run towards her cheeks and chin, dripping from them.
"I-... I..." Layla mumbled under her nose in despair.
Elaine felt bad for Layla. She also didn't know anything about Layla's past. "I talked with Orion from time to time... He didn't seem to have any evil plans... If he's hiding something, then I'm sure it's to protect Layla... After all, she's like a precious gem to him."
"Leave me alone...!" Layla screamed weakly, running out of the library in tears.
"Ahh!" The Queen sighed. "I should have gone softer on her. That was to be expected."
Layla ran throughout the long hallways, crying. "He's been lying to me! My entire life! I need to speak to him! Right now!"