Chapter 40

“Has anyone seen two hand mirrors?” Marchelle asked in a panic state, knowing that if she does not offer it to the queen that Cerena will never forgive her for what she has done, and then she can forget about a royal pardon herself.

Marchelle walked out of the castle, defeated.
“Someone took them,” Marchelle said, her head hanging.
“I suggest you find them and bring them to me when you do,” Queen Reina said and got into her carriage, where Iris was already sitting.

When Queen Reina threw herself over Lady Nina’s body, she was not doing it because she cared for her but because she wanted to know if she found the mirrors.
As Lady Nina gave her last breath, she pointed under the bed and that is when Queen Reina saw the mirrors and when King Remington pulled her off Lady Nina; she managed to hide the mirrors between their bodies.
Everyone’s eyes were on their crazy Queen Cerena and didn’t notice what Queen Reina was up to.

‘Stupid woman thinks I will let her off the hook. I will end her along with her bother. Their sick behavior towards their subjects and each other has brought nothing but shame on my family. I will display their heads on stakes alongside the servant’s head in this same courtyard,’ Queen Reina thought, looking at Iris that was looking out of the small window.

Every day she would observe the route and every night she spent time getting to know the villagers, town people, or city people wherever they would sleep so that when she makes her way back she won’t be a stranger. Prince Remington spent as much time as possible with whom who believed to be Queen Cerena, making Princess Aisley grow more jealous with every day that went by.

The trip to the Spencer’s kingdom took them through King Evander’s first kingdom and Iris noticed how happy the people were. It was a twenty-one-day journey to the Spencer’s kingdom and Iris was surprised that their kingdom was so small and dull against King Evander’s.
Queen Reina was sleeping when they arrived and only woke up when the carriage door opened.
“Mother, we have arrived,” Prince Remington said.
Princess Aisely stepped into the carriage and helped the queen sit up.
Prince Remington helped his mother out followed by helping Iris out.
“Meet me later by our secret place?” Prince Remington whispered into her ear.
Over the journey, Iris realized why Prince Remington was selected to wed princess Cerena. If she was not already in love with King Evander, she would have easily been swept of her feet by him.
Iris could walk normally, as her foot was healed.
Iris just nodded her head, not sure how she was going to get out of this one. Prince Remington gave her enough clues as to what this secret place looked like where he and the real Cerena spent time together and, according to him, fell deeply in love, always trying to remind her.
“Remington, why don’t you go spent some time with your wife and I will see Queen Cerena to her room,” Queen Reina said, walking stiffly as she did not stretch enough during back-to-back trip.
“You go to the healer to sort out your old bones, and I will take her to her room,” Prince Remington suggested.
“Don’t test me, boy,” Queen Reina moaned and took a firm hold of Iris’s arm.
“Do as your mother says,” King Remington instructed, knowing that they need to get their son out of the way as they have no intention of taking the fake queen to a room. Prince Remington rolled his eyes and stubbornly held his hand out for Princess Aisley to take.
“You can at least pretend to still love me,” Princess Aisley remarked.
“Don’t be so jealous. You know I love you,” Prince Remington said as they walked into the castle.
“But you love her more,” Princes Aisley dejected.
Prince Remington did not respond, as he knew her words were true.

While Prince Remington took a bath with Princess Aisley, they took Iris to the dungeons.
“Where are we going? I prefer a room on one of the top floors so that I can have a view,” Iris requested.
“All in good time,” Queen Reina said and tightened her grip on Iris.
Iris looked back at the two guards that were walking with King Remington.
“Are we going to the dungeons?” Iris questioned, fear creeping up in her.
“Just a detour, dear,” Queen Reina lied.
“You are hurting me,” Iris said as she tried to pull away from the queen.
Iris stopped walking, bringing everyone to a halt, but queen Reina nudged her forward.
“What is going on?” Iris protested and struggled against Queen Reina’s pulling.
“Carry her,” Queen Reina instructed the guards and before Iris could try to run, one guard threw her over his shoulder.
“Let go of me!” Iris protested, kicking and screaming.
Iris got thrown into a cell.
“Why are you doing this? You said you are not monsters, but that is exactly what you are!” Iris yelled after them, wondering if Prince Remington was in on it all along.
‘I should have let King Evander break his word. I should have let him fight for me,’ Iris thought as she cried herself to sleep that night.
Iris refused to eat the slob that was given to her and after three days of refusing to eat she received a visitor.

“Hello Iris,” her own familiar voice rang in her ears.
“Cerena?” Iris questioned as she looked up and met her old self, looking back at her.
“Queen Cerena these days, right?” Princess Cerena corrected her.
“So, King Evander was right? They went to his kingdom to steal me away,” Iris hissed.
“Not prince Remington. He doesn’t know. His mother thought it best he remained in the dark,” Princess Cerena said.
“Then where does he think I am now?” Iris asked.
“Right here. His mother explained you tried to run away and therefore they have to keep his beloved queen locked up until she comes to her senses,” Princess Cerena explained.
“The mirrors are under your bed back at your kingdom,” Iris said.
“No, they are here. Queen Reina got them before they left,” Princess Cerena informed her.
“Then what are you waiting for? Let us swop back. You can stay here with your beloved prince, and I can go back to King Evander,” Iris pleaded.
Princess Cerena wanted to laugh at Iris’s words but kept her thoughts to herself. ‘Ha. She thinks I am just going to let the two of them have my kingdom and live happily ever after?’
“Servant,” Princess Cerna called out for the servant to bring her the mirrors and passed one to Iris.
“So, we make the wish, and I will be free?” Iris asked, hesitantly.
“Well, yes. I will be back in my own body behind bars, and you will be on this side in your own body,” Princess Cerena said. What princess Cerena didn’t tell Iris is that the moment they swop back into their own bodies, the guards will grab her and lock her up again.
“On three?” Princess Cerena questioned.
“Ok,” Iris said and counted in her head to three before making her wish.
"I wish to have my own body back,” they wished at the same time and both of them fainted.

“I guess it was all true!” Queen Reina exclaimed as she walked into the dungeons after hearing the wishes, King Remington right behind her followed by Princess, now Queen Cerena.
“Unlock the cell and take Queen Cerna to her room,” Queen Reina demanded.

After Queen Cerena was carried to her room, followed by her parents, King Remington took out his dagger and wanted to slit Iris’s throat.
“What are you doing?” Queen Reina questioned and stopped him.
“I am ending her. What else?” King Remington frowned.
“There is no way I am letting her have a simple death! She will suffer until she pleads for death,” Queen Reina said.
“Do you really want to waste time? I thought once we have prove that the mirrors work, we will trick two nobles and take their youthful bodies and kill our own bodies afterward,” King Remington reminded her.
“Now that we know the mirrors work, we have all the time in the world,” Queen Reina stated, not ready to give her crown up.
“Very well then,” King Remington said.

“My darling. I am so sorry that my parents locked you up. I pleaded with them, but they didn’t care,” Prince Remington said, cooping her hand in his when Queen Cerena woke up, back in her own body.
“Don’t be mad at them. They did what was best,” Queen Cerena said, smiling at him.
“The servants have prepared you a bath and princess Aisley will bring you some food. I hear you have not eaten in days,” Prince Remington questioned.
“Foolish and stupid of me but I realize it now,” Queen Cerena said, and tried to sit up.
Queen Cerena realized that her body was indeed weak.
“I will leave you so that the servants can bathe you. I will come to see you after you had something to eat,” Prince Remington said and kissed her hand.
Queen Cerena smiled sweetly at him and after he left allowed the servants to undress her and help her to the bathtub.
Princess Aisley thought it the perfect opportunity to end Queen Cerena and insisted she will take food to her future sister-wife herself. On the way she poisoned the queen’s food, ‘finally, I will have my husband all to myself.