"The Library,"

"Wait here," Peter says as he gets down from his horse and approaches the farmhouse. The property is huge with a small garden at the side while the other has some hay.

PETER knocks and after a few seconds, the door opens and a plump man is seen. Serena watches them converse—the man looking at them after Peter points and he nods.

Peter runs back and nods. "We can go in, empress,"

Serena thanks him and Judy leads the horse forward and they both alight. Stepping into the patio, Serena wipes the water from her eyes and removes her shoes.

A teenager comes out of the house and Serena smiles at him. His eyes widen and stammer out a 'hello'.

"This is my boy, Daniel," the man introduces him. "He'll take care of your horses,"

"Thank you so much," Serena replies, but the man shakes his head.

"It's my pleasure, empress. Please, come in,"

Serena steps aside for Daniel to pass through and her smile widens when she sees his pink cheeks as he rushes down the stairs and leads the horses to the shed. They go in and Serena sighs when she feels the warmth radiating in the home. Looking around, the home is of an average size with the living room when you first come in then two doors—one to their right while the other one straight ahead.

"Empress,"

Serena snaps her head to the voice and sees the man bow his head in respect. "My name is James and I'm honored to host you,"

"Thank you, James," she responds. "You have a lovely home,"

James grins. "My wife did all the work,"

Serena grins back. "Then she's very talented,"

"Is it alright if you can lend some warm clothes to the empress?" Judy abruptly asks and Serena nudges her arm.

"That's disrespectful," she whispers, and Judy apologizes.

James shakes his hands. "No. It's alright. I'll call my wife to help you,"

He then opens the door to their right and Serena can hear the sound of a fire furnace and the sound of a knife hitting the chopping board. She starts walking closer to the chimney but stops when she hears footsteps. Turning to them, she sees a short plump woman smiling at them, wiping her hands on her apron before bowing her head.

"It's my pleasure to meet you, empress," she says.

"The pleasure is all mine," Serena responds.

"This is my wife, Mandy," James tells them, and Serena nods. He then turns to his wife. "Mandy, please help the empress with whatever she needs,"

Mandy nods and tells Judy and Serena to follow her while James sorts out Peter. They go up the wooden stairs that creak as they step and enter a bedroom.

"This is our bedroom," she says. "I'll bring you some towels to dry yourself off then go ahead and take a bath,"

Mandy heads into a bathroom, and Serena looks around the room. It is neither big nor small but is very comfy with the wooden walls and floor, a furnace on one side of the wall, a bed in the middle, cabinets on the other side, and a window that looks over to the field.

"Should we send word to the emperor that we are fine?" Judy asks.

"No. It's raining," Serena refuses. "And anyways, who will we send in this terrible weather?"

Judy agrees. "You're right,"

"Here,"

Serena sees Mandy approaching them with a few white towels and holds them out to them to take. Serena grabs one and Judy does the same then dries her hair, forehead, and neck.

"May I freshen up?" she asks Mandy who nods.

"Feel free, empress,"

Serena hurries to the bathroom and shuts the door, a little hard. There's a basin with some clean water below a small mirror hanging on the wall, and she uses it to wash her face then takes a bath.

Mandy gives her extra clothes to wear and then takes care of her precious wet clothes. She waits for Judy to finish up so they can go downstairs together in the room as she looks at the pouring rain that doesn't seem to end anytime soon.

This would be a perfect time to snuggle in her bed comforters, with furry socks on her feet and her novel in her hands. The thought of her novel makes her sad because she is almost finishing it. She felt terrible for the main character because she had gone through a lot and Serena could relate to her in a deep sense.

She wished that Xavier would have fallen in love with her but he kept breaking her heart-

"Wait a minute!" she says, out loud. "Why are the names so familiar?"

"Empress?"

Serena whips her head hard to Judy and laughs a bit. "Yes?"

Judy wants to say something but shakes her head instead. "Nothing,"

Serena smiles and walks up to her. "Let's go eat,"

She then interlocks their arms and drags Judy down the stairs. Daniel meets them halfway and his cheeks turn red again when he meets eyes with Serena. Who wouldn't?

"This way," he tells them and walks ahead.

They follow him to the kitchen which is huge with one side that has a dining table fit for eight people—perfect for all of them.

Serena sits down in the middle of Peter and Judy while Mandy and Daniel take their seats in front of them and James in the head chair.

"I hope you enjoy the food," Mandy says.

"I know I will," Serena flatters her, and Mandy blushes.

"So," Serena starts, grabbing a plate and taking a scoop of white rice then pouring some of the beef soup on it. "Why do you have this amount of chairs yet you're only three?"

"That's because of my daughter's family. They usually come over during the weekends with their children," James answers her, and Serena nods.

"How many children does she have?"

"Two boys, one girl. The boys are twins at the age of thirteen while the girl is fifteen,"

"Wow," Serena reacts. "You must be happy being grandparents,"

Mandy nods, taking a sip of her water in the glass. "We are. I love my grandchildren,"

"Would you want to expand your family?" Daniel asks out of the blue, and Serena almost freezes at the question.

No.

"Someday," she lies, with a big smile on her face.

Mandy giggles. "Your children will be beautiful,"

Serena rubs the back of her head and joins in. "I guess,"

"No. I am sure. If you get a girl, she'll have your eyes and nose then her hair will be the same color as the emperor, and if it is a boy, he'll probably be a reflection of the emperor," Mandy continues.

"I see that you know how my husband looks from your description," Serena jokes.

"Yes. I do. The emperor comes to town once in a while,"

"Oh,"

Everyone goes silent apart from the cutlery hitting the plates as they eat.

"Uh...

Everyone looks at Daniel who keeps his eyes on his plate before slowly looking up at Serena. He then bites his lip and reverts to his plate.

"Empress,"

"Hm?"

"Is...is it true that you have lost all your memories?"

"Daniel!" James says, informally trying to stop him from talking but Serena doesn't mind.

"Yes. It is true,"

Daniel quickly looks at her, shock all over his face. "Oh! I thought it was rumors,"

Serena shakes her head. "Unfortunately, it is true,"

"I'm so sorry, empress. It must have been difficult," Mandy says, but Serena gently dismissed it, saying that it is okay and that Xavier is taking real good care of her which works when she sees a pout on Mandy's lip and her hand over her heart.

"That is so sweet," she awes.

Serena just smiles, not saying anything. As she stares at the broccoli on her plate, her mind shifts to the letter the mysterious man gave her. She has to read it. Tonight.

"May I be excused? I feel exhausted," she says, and Mandy nods, standing up.

"Let me show you to your room,"

Serena follows her and then thanks her.

"If you need anything, please, feel free to ask me for help," Mandy offers.

"Thank you," Serena says.

"I already placed clean clothes on the chair," Mandy says, and Serena turns to the right and sees them. "You can wear them tomorrow morning,"

When the door slams shut, after Serena thanks her, she sighs and takes a seat on top of the small bed pushed to the wall. The room is much smaller with a desk pushed to the window and a cabinet on one side of the wall. It doesn't have its own bathroom but that is the least of her concerns.

She grabs the lit candle from the side stool beside the bed and puts it on top of the desk then sits down and stares at the letter.

She is nervous and doesn't know what to behold when she opens it. What does it contain? A death note? Someone professing her love to her?

She snorts at the last question because that is impossible. Who in their right mind will want the emperor's wife?

Serena ignores the thoughts and tries to open it as gently as she can but her impatience overrides her mind and her fingers roughly open the flap, tearing it in the middle. She slides out the white textured paper that is folded three times and unfolds it.

In it, is a letter based on the first sentence—dear Serena. She brings the candle closer to the paper and starts reading.

Dear Serena,

How are you fairing? It's been such a long time since I've seen you face to face. I'm sorry that I can't be with you at the moment. It's not that I want to but because I cannot be there.

I heard the news—you lost all your memories. I was heartbroken because I couldn't be there for you. I don't know what they did to you but all I can say is that you shouldn't trust that family—especially Xavier's father.

I can't get into detail because what you should know must remain hidden, otherwise, we will all be executed. I'm sure you're wondering what this thing is and that is why I'm writing this letter—to help you jog your memories.

You love writing. You told me that you wanted to be an author and when you were just a teenager, you showed me an excerpt of your new story. I loved it but I'm sure you can't remember it. For that reason, I bought you a journal—brown with a leather texture. It also has a lock on it but I don't know where you kept the key.

I suggest that you look for it. Maybe, it will help you remember a portion of your story. A part that is very crucial to the events that happened that day.

All I can tell you is that you love the library. You would always go there in your free time and that was also the only place where you jotted down your thoughts—for a story or personal matters. You will always sit at the end of the room near the huge window that faces the back of the chateau.

But, you never come out with it when you leave the library. I don't know where you place it but take the time to look for it. Maybe, it will help you.

I love you so much my daughter, and I hope that we meet again.

P.S: Remember to burn this letter immediately after you finish reading it. Walls can hear.

Yours sincerely,

M.G

Serena leans back on the creaking chair and places a hand on her mouth. So, the man in the restaurant was her father. It all makes sense.

She goes back to it, and all that her father mentions is a diary. Maybe the diary has some content that she needs to recall so that she stops being gullible. And to add to that, it seems as if the same diary is in the library among the books on the bookshelves.

Serena hasn't gotten the time to venture into it but at the mention of the diary, her feet are burning to walk back to the house and rummage through it but she has to be discreet about it.

What did she write that had to be hidden? Does it reveal how Xavier's mother died? Who did it? It doesn't make any sense that her father killed Xavier's mother because if he did, why would he tell her to look for her diary?

Serena wants to continue playing detective but the day's activities have tired her out so she folds the paper and places it under the pillow. She gets in after, pulls the heavy covers to her nose, and sleeps.