"So... Mrs. Adler was right?" Emmelyn asked the queen to confirm. She was actually dying to know who were the women she saw in her dreams, but she didn't want to be presumptuous and asked again. The queen didn't answer her the first time when she asked the question.

Queen Maude raised her face and looked at Emmelyn. "Yes. You are invited and if you travel there, you will be able to see their land. If  you were not invited, you might have to wait for a long time or find someone from Myreen to open the access for you."

"Oh.. that's a relief," Emmelyn pressed her chest and smiled. She was happy because her journey was not in vain. "Maxim told me you lived there for several years. Is there anything we need to know so we don't unintentionally break any rules or do things that the people of Myreen don't like?"

The last thing Emmelyn wanted now was to offend anyone from Myreen while she was on their land.

Queen Maude shook her head. "I don't think so. The people are very peaceful. Just don't create trouble or incite fights while you are there. The rest, you just use common sense and common decency."

Both Emmelyn and Maxim were royalties who were raised to have manners and use their brains. So, the queen didn't think she would need to elaborate on those issues.

"I will discuss the technicalities with Maxim and prepare to go there," Emmelyn said, started feeling hopeful.

Maxim nodded. He said to his mother, "We will take Aslain to go there so we can save time."

"Will you bring Renwyck with you?" Queen Maude looked at her son questioningly. "He would be useful just in case…"

"Yeah, I do," Maxim said. "I already talked to him last night. He said he actually read some stories about Myreen in Archelius Library. That's why I will take Emmelyn to go there later today."

"Very well. That's a good idea," Queen Maude nodded. She smiled at Emmelyn and touched her arm. "Maxim will take care of you. I think I need to excuse myself now. I suddenly get a headache. I need to rest."

Emmelyn and Maxim immediately stood from their chairs to show respect to the old queen. Queen Maude nodded and then turned around. She left the grand dining room and went to her private chamber.

When she closed the door behind her, the queen closed her eyes and started crying in silence. 

"I miss you so much, Catalina. It's been eighteen years," she whispered. "Is it time to send my son?"

"Please come to my dreams, just like you came to that girl's dream." The queen's voice was hoarse as she kept pleading to someone that was no longer alive. "I miss you... I really want to see your face again."

Queen Maude started sobbing and finally broke down in tears.

***

"Did your mother experience headache a lot?" Emmelyn turned to Maxim and asked him after the queen was out of sight, "I am sorry... I think she got sick because of me... She looked unwell after I told her about my dreams. Do you think she knows who the person I saw in my dreams is? Is she from Myreen?"

Maxim assumed the same. However, he didn't want to speak on behalf of his mother, so he shook his head. "I don't know, Em. She doesn't talk about Myreen a lot and hasn't gone there for eighteen years."

"Your mother said she lived in Myreen for several years and her family had a good relationship with an influential family in Myreen. Has she ever brought you to visit Myreen? If she still had a good relationship with them, isn't it odd if she never goes back there?"

"No, she lost her best friend in Myreen eighteen years ago and she never wanted to go back because it will break her heart," Maxim explained. "And she used to bring me to Myreen when I was very little. But that was a really long time ago. I barely have any recollection of those trips."

"Ahh... so you did go there?" Emmelyn looked at Maxim again and couldn't help but think this man was the only connection she had to Myreen.

Did something happen to Maxim in Myreen when he went there that have an impact on him in the future?

"Yes, now that you mentioned it, my mother did take me there," Maxim replied. "I just never thought about it since it was an awfully long time ago and my mother also didn't talk about it a lot. I feel like, Myreen reminds her of a very painful memory."

Maxim's words made Emmelyn feel curious. What actually happened to Maxim's mother in Myreen that she felt this sad, even after so many years? Maybe she was just really close to her friend?

"Yeah.. I notice she seemed very sad when I told her about my dreams," Emmelyn looked at Maxim deeply. "I believe, she really knows the woman in my dreams. Maybe she was your mother's best friend?" 

"She already died," Maxim reminded Emmelyn. "I know powerful witches can send messages through dreams to people. But my mother's friend already passed away. I don't think she was the one who invited you to come to Myreen."

Emmelyn knew Maxim was right. If Queen Maude's friend died, then she couldn't possibly be the one to send Emmelyn the message through her dreams. But, if not her... then who?

"By the way... your mother didn't explain to us who are the Leoraleis and how did she know them," Emmelyn said to Maxim. "Aren't they the Myreen royal family?"

"Yeah... she was unwell. Let's give her a break. I will talk to my mother later and let you know what I find," Maxim coaxed Emmelyn. "I promise."

Maxim knew his mother was hiding something and decided not to ask her a lot of questions during lunch with Emmelyn. There might be some secrets that Queen Maude would want to share with him without Emmelyn present.

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