ARIA

Chapter Fifteen (EDITED)

Author's note: I messed up Liliana's old name. It supposed to be Liam not Lyon. Lyon is her deceased younger brother's name. And I added some words so that this chapter connected with the old ones.

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A few days passed. Aria left the mansion without even saying goodbye to her father nor to her stepmother. She sat quietly in the carriage the whole time they were on their way to the palace.

Riana felt uneasy because she had never seen her sister being so mysterious. She remembered her talk with their father.

"Your sister... Did she ever called for a doctor before?"

"None that i remember." Riana replied. She felt uneasy because of her father's question. Why would her father asked that? He had never been this openly caring about her elder sister. "Is she perhaps sick?"

The duke remained quiet.

"She's not, right?" Her tone went up. The duke looked at her with surprise. He had never seen his youngest daughter to be that scared. Riana who realised her mistake, bowed her head down. "I'm sorry for earlier. I didn't mean to raise my voice."

"It's okay."

"If there is truly something wrong with your sister, quickly inform me." the duke continued.

Riana sighed heavily as she remembered the conversation. Aria who was looking at the scenery, turned her head to see her sister looking uneasy.

"Riana, are you okay? Perhaps, you don't like coming with me to the palace?" Aria reached out her hand to hold Riana's hands. Riana who noticed her sister's worries, smiled to assure her that she was alright. She was just tired because of the long journey.

Aria wasn't convinced. In her mind, Aria was thinking that Riana who was in love with the prince would not want to meet him again because she wanted her elder sister to be happy with him. But even if Riana didn't want to meet him, Aria would do anything to make them fall deeply in love like in her first life.

"I don't want to be hurt again." Aria mumbled to herself.

"What did you say, sister?" Riana leaned forward.

"Riana, sit still. We are in a carriage. You will fall."

Riana quietly obeyed her sister. She looked out to see that they already arrived in the palace. Her eyes could not believe the beauty of the palace. She had lived her whole life in the beautiful mansion but it was never as beautiful as the palace.

"I can't believe this isn't the first time I'm here." Riana murmured.

"So do I."

Aria's expression was not happy nor due to excitement. She was sad to be in the palace. To meet the one she loved in the first life again was not something she looked forward. The chances of meeting him rose up.

Noah could not stand doing his works anymore so he walked out to see if Aria had already arrived. On his way out, he already met with several ladies that were also his fiancée candidates. The ladies refrained him from leaving them for hours. Thanks to his cousin, he got out from the circle.

"Thank you for your help, Liliana."

"I would love to see how long you deal with the ladies but I saw that you were at your limit already." Liliana chuckled.

"You should help me as soon as you see me struggling with the ladies. Don't just wait until I reach my limit." Noah pouted. Liliana laughed aloud but immediately stopped as she felt the pain from the other day.

"It still hurt alot?" Noah's gaze turned to her stomach.

"It's getting better. Don't you worry." Liliana forced a smile so that Noah would not worry more about her.

"Even so, you still need to take a — "

"YOUR HIGHNESS!"

Noah surprised to hear that voice. He turned to look at the owner of the voice. She was Riana.

"Lady Riana? Why are you here?"

Riana took quick steps toward those two. She glared at Liliana for a few seconds before looking back at Noah.

"It's seems like my sister will be leaving the palace as your highness has already someone by himself. He is too busy with a lady that he even FORGET TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING TO ME."

"Wait, I can explain." Before Noah could explain the situation to Riana, Liliana already took the role.

"Lady Riana MacGregory, you don't have worry about me."

"Who might you be?"

"I'm Liliana Weinheart, the current duchess of Weinheart. Formerly known as Liam Van Roberski. The former ruler of this kingdom."

Riana knew so little about Liam Van Roberski but she definitely know that Liam was once the king before giving back the throne to King Alfred. But Liam was a man.

Riana quickly bowed down. "I am truly sorry for my bad behaviour to the former king." She looked up a bit. "But wasn't King Liam a man?"

Liliana chuckled. "Indeed, Liam was supposedly a man. But as you see me right now, I am a woman. Only some people knows about the truth of my gender. Most people knew me as a man."

"She's my cousin." Noah added.

"Now that I know, I am truly sorry for being so rude." Riana bowed her head.

"It's okay. Your father is a good friend of mine. Too bad I only get know you through stories. But the stories ain't some exaggerating stories. The daughters are truly beautiful. Duke MacGregory is one of the people who know about my true identity."

"Daughters? Your Grace knows my sister too?"

"We've met before. Aria recognised me in an instance."Aria knew Liliana's real name and gender because she overheard her father talking to Liliana before. But since Aria did not interrupted them before, she did not know Liliana's face until two years later, the meeting during her outing with her stepmother.

Liliana turned her gaze to her husband who was walking toward their direction. "Now then, please excuse me. I will be meeting my husband now." Liliana then slowly left the scene as she's still enduring the pain from the attack before.

"Her Grace seems to be hurt." Riana stated her opinion as she stared at Liliana who was walking out from the scene. Riana saw Liliana as a very beautiful lady that even she couldn't take her eyes off Liliana. Her beauty is on match with her sister, Aria.

"That's one of the reason why I couldn't meet you." Noah replied.

"You have your time now?"

"I do. I'll explain now."

End of Chapter Fifteen