Bad Blood

Chapter 38: Amelia's parents

Louisa and Alden nodded before looking at the Crown. "We're here because Amelia could identify the two people who murdered her, and those two people confessed that they were paid to murder her," They then looked at Piers. "By him!"  

"Me?" Piers chuckled nervously. "That's ridiculous! Why would I get my sister and niece murdered?"

"Because you wanted the throne," Louisa said calmly, knowing very well she needed the Crown's support. "Cassandra confided in us when she visited us in the past, she was worried."

"Why?" Lord Ernest asked.

"Because she knew Prince Piers would do anything to get the power," Louisa said as she looked at Lord Ernest. "She, unfortunately, lost her life because of it."

"And Amelia almost did as well," Felicity said, arms crossed. "But thankfully she fought for hers."

"Where is the princess?" Lord Ernest asked, looking at Felicity. "How has she been?"

"She has been better than ever," Felicity said. "She's healed up and is perfectly healthy now."

"So she can rule again?" Vincent asked, making everyone look at him. "She was born to rule this kingdom, it's her birthright."

"She is still a bastard," Piers said, making everyone look at him now. "Even if she survived, she doesn't have the right to rule. And she wasn't a good ruler anyway."

"Because none of you let her rule!" Vincent exclaimed. "Everyone's judging her based on her mother's decisions. How is that fair?"

"Nevertheless, Amelia is indeed a bastard," Lord Ernest nodded, to which the other lords seemed to agree. "It's good that she's back, but maybe we'll leave the birthright out."

"She was Cassandra's only daughter," Louisa said, desperately trying to convince the Crown. "She inherited the throne from her mother who, we shouldn't forget, was murdered by her brother because he wanted to claim the power."

"All accusations based on nothing." Piers simply said.

"We've got a document here which was signed by those two guards who murdered James, Cassandra and almost Amelia," Alden said as she put the document in front of Lord Ernest's face. "They said they were paid by Prince Piers to do those crimes which makes him a traitor to the kingdom."

Lord Ernest looked at the document and then started whispering to the other members of the Crown. They seemed to wonder about the validity of the document.

"We also have Amelia with us," Louisa said which made them all look at her. "We can get her."

"Really? Is she here?" Lord Ernest asked.

"Yes," Louisa then looked at Felicity. "Go get her."

"I don't know where she went," Felicity got up slowly. "Where would I go?"

"Follow me," Vincent said as he got up too. "I know where she went."

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Amelia had gotten up again. She was going through everything in the room, since she didn't know what was in every drawer, in every closet, in every box. She wanted to know everything her mom had kept in this room.

In her search, she had found more portraits of James. Portraits which, looking at the state they were, clearly had been held a lot by someone, assumingly her mother. Amelia never knew her mother was so heartbroken and so lost without James. If only her mother would have opened up...

When she went through pretty much everything, she sat down on the bed again. She looked at the bedside table, she had kept that one for last. She knew that whatever was in there was important. People usually tend to keep the things in there that they would need during the night or the things that were most important to them.

Amelia opened the drawer slowly. She then took the things out, one by one. Upon doing that, she found several portraits of James again. But, this time, she also found portraits of Louisa and Alden, and Carl and Chandler. Amelia realized her mother missed them dearly despite never going back...

She found a ring, a beautiful silver ring. It wasn't in a box so Amelia didn't know what the meaning was of this ring, or if it even held a meaning at all...

Then she found a book. She opened it and stopped. On the first page was written: Cassandra's diary.

Amelia gulped, knowing that this single book would explain everything she needed to know about her mother.

_____________________________

Vincent took Felicity up to Amelia's room. On their way over, Vincent wasn't looking at Felicity, not once. Though he had a lot of questions for her regarding Amelia, and their engagement.

When they arrived at Amelia's room, Vincent stopped and looked at Felicity. "How did it happen?"

Felicity looked at him. "What?"

"Everything," He then turned to Felicity, forgetting Amelia's room for a bit. "How did she end up with you? How did she survive? How did you two get engaged? How did she find the courage to come back here?"

Felicity raised her eyebrows. She didn't expect so many questions, though she knew he cared a lot about Amelia. And she appreciates him because, thanks to him, they discovered the truth. "It all just happened, and I'm happy it did."

Vincent simply nodded before looking back at the door. "They lock the doors of the royals that die."

"Why?"

Vincent shrugged. "It's a tradition," He tried getting in the room, but failed obviously. "Which means Amelia can't be in her room."

Felicity sighed. "Where would she go?" She looked around a bit until she suddenly had it. She looked at Vincent. "Where's Cassandra's room?"

Vincent nodded. "Follow me," They ran to the room. "I can't believe I didn't think of that," Then he gave it more thought. "But that room's locked as well though," He said as he slowed down, realizing this wasn't where they should head to. "She can't be in that room either."

Felicity, knowing Amelia really well, shook her head. "She's there, let's go," They ran to Cassandra's room and, when they arrived, noticed the door was partly open. "See," Felicity smiled as she pointed to the door. "I know my baby."

"How did she even get in?"

"Does it matter?" Felicity then gently opened the door and, indeed, spotted Amelia on Cassandra's bed. "Baby."

Amelia didn't look up, she was too concentrated on the book she was holding.

Felicity walked closer and eventually sat down next to Amelia, she wrapped her arm around Amelia and pulled her closer. "What are you reading?"

Amelia gulped and closed the book, she then looked at Felicity. "My mom's diary," She said as she spotted Vincent as well. Normally, she'd smile at him but she couldn't, not after what she had just read. She looked back at Felicity. "She wrote in here what she went through, up until her last day."

Felicity pulled Amelia closer, as if showing her support this way.

Amelia looked in Felicity's eyes. "She did marry James," A gentle smile accompanied with some tears appeared on Amelia's face. "I am not a bastard."