The Abandoned Empress: A Queen in hiding

Chapter 2: Another False Prophecy

A day earlier at 1 past midnight...

"[Things would've been better if I didn't exist. I don't want to die but what reasons do I have to keep living?]" Aristia thought so after bursting out on her maid.
"[If I stay here, I'll be treated as if I didn't exist at all but if I run away...... I don't even know how to live like a commoner. I may have come into contact with some for my charities but I don't even know how to live like them]"she lamented.

"[If I stay here, I'll be treated like a nuisance anyway but aaaarrghh!]" Aristia was confused but then remembered the time when she first rode the carriage towards the imperial palace and saw many children on the streets playing and commoners laughing despite not having much wealth compared to her. She saw how many girls in the cities are smiling so brightly despite not having any fancy dresses. While she herself wasn't even allowed to play the games that commoner children plays and can't even express herself to prevent herself from becoming "unlady-like". She sacrificed much of her childhood just to become the "perfect" empress, only to be replaced.

"[If only I was born as a commoner, I may have nothing to loose at all. The former emperor made life better for the common people around the empire so I could've at least enjoyed my own life without conforming with the expectations of the aristocrats. I could've just allowed myself to make mistakes and learn from them instead of trying to be a perfect empress. I may have had a loving family instead of a cold father.]".

"[No. Even if I was still born into the house Monique I can at least live quite a care-free life if it wasn't for that oracle since father doesn't care about anything I do.]"

"[Well, how cruel is the fate am I destined to? Fate? Prophecy?? The Temple!!...]" Tia exclaimed in her mind as the idea appeared in her thoughts.

"[Should I at least see if there was something wrong with the oracle or was it really a set-up?]" she mumbled in her head as she still had a glimmer of hope of regaining the Empress' position. "[I have to find out myself without the knowledge of the imperial family]".

With just her nightgown and her worn-out shoe, she immediately got up and went through the window. Her room isn't that high up the palace so she was able to jump with ease. Now the only obstacles for her are the guards and the fence. Thankfully, the Queen's palace isn't as heavily guarded as the main palace so she easily went through them without a hitch. Now the only thing that lies ahead is a fence that is low compared to the once in different parts of the palace.

"[I never climbed before but its low. I can do this]" Tia thought optimistically. Just as she started climbing the low wall, she felt a slight pain on her abdomen and noticed some bloodstains on her white linen nightgown but she didn't care about it. She immediately climbed over and then successfully went through a narrow woodland and into the streets of the dark but densely packed residential area.

She walked down the streets and with her bloodstained nightgown and found a boutique that sells cheap dresses for low-ranked nobles and commoners. Since she managed to bring a few silver and bronze coins, she then bought the cheapest outfit that she can find and got changed.

Aristia was surprised of how comfortable the cheap clothings were. After the quick stop at the boutique, she then found a coach that was parked nearby and hopped in. "To the Great Temple please!" she commanded the coachman and there they went.

It was at dawn when she arrived at the temple and was greeted by one of the monks.
"May you be blessed with life, please state your name and the purpose of of your visit"
"Aristia la Monique. I have come to read the past oracles"
"Then allow me to show you the prayer room".
"Thank you".

She then grabbed a book that contained all the oracles throughout history and went to the one that was made 17 years ago.