Once the group was on the road and making progress with their trip again, Adelaide felt her nerves beginning to settle much more quickly. The gate they had arrived through sat near the edge of the town of Colworth in the northwest of Absenwilde, roughly an afternoon’s travel by carriage from the castle near its capital city, Luxenna. It was busy despite its small, quaint size owing to the presence of the dual gates. They allowed for both incoming and outgoing travel unlike those within the capital cities, which were configured to only allow departures.

It meant that there would also be varying degrees of extended travel, but the use of the gates did shorten the journey enough that it made more sense to use them than not to. Otherwise, their six hour trip would have been a forty-eight hour trip. Still, Adelaide could understand why the old owner of this body had avoided it after her own experience going through the teleportation gate. It had been one of the worst things she’d ever gone through, even rivaling her hospital stay after her accident in her previous life. The only silver lining was that the effects seemed quick to pass, as she felt right as rain again half an hour later.

Adelaide watched through the carriage window as they left the city borders, rolling along the main road at a steady pace and passing fields where farmers were working the earth to plant hearty winter crops for the cold months ahead. Most of the leaves had fallen from the trees, which were shining in the afternoon sun in brilliant shades of gold and red, and much of the grasses and bushes had gone somewhat dry. The air was chilly but had not quite dropped to the typically frigid temperatures that were common during the heart of winter. However, it was easy to tell that the coldest part of the season was fast approaching.

As the road began to rise at a mild incline and they approached the first of many forests they had to pass through to reach the Absenwilde estate, Adelaide suddenly remembered the bag of items Ava had brought as well as the things she’d personally requested the previous evening.

“Ava.” The maid jumped slightly when her name was spoken. Adelaide smiled. “Did you bring that journal I asked you for?”

“Oh! Yes, of course!” Ava reached down quickly and grabbed the bag, rummaging around inside briefly before pulling out a small, dark brown leather notebook. She handed it to Adelaide, then fished about inside the bag again until she found a charcoal pencil. She gave that to her as well. “If you’d rather write in ink I can hold the inkwell for you, Your Highness.”

Adelaide laughed and shook her head, flipping the book open and examining the smooth, blank pages of parchment within. “No, that won’t be necessary. Thank you for retrieving these for me.” She lifted her gaze back up to Ava briefly and a playful glimmer shone in her eyes. “If you are still tired you should get back to your nap.”

Blushing, Ava murmured a small thank you. Adelaide thought she heard a snicker from Sir Kennig, but he kept his eyes focused firmly out the window.

Whether the maid took her suggestion or not, Adelaide didn’t much care. She had something more important to do now that she could dedicate her time and her mind solely to the task: figure out a plan to avoid death.

That involved recalling anything and everything from the book that she could leverage to her benefit. Every event, every character, every little secret hidden between the lines. Those things, in combination with Adelaide’s memories, would be her shield to Julius’ sword.

As far as major characters, there was of course Cordelia. She was a fairly weak person throughout the first book, but came into her own in the second and proved herself to be surprisingly sharp and crafty when put through the ringer. There was no way she could approach Cordelia right now, but if she could join forces with her in the future and help her gain power, she would be a wonderful ally.

There were also Cordelia’s other love interests: Emir, an imperial court mage, and Sir Vincent Rennir, an imperial knight. Both were instrumental in thwarting many of Adelaide’s plans and protecting Cordelia. They were also her closest allies when she began to work against Julius in the second novel. But that meant they deeply despised Adelaide. Normally, she wouldn’t expect them to trust her. However, Adelaide’s bullying of Cordelia hadn’t even reached its stride. She actually had a chance with them, but rehabilitating her overall image in society was something she had to do first.

A great first step for that, she thought, would be to work on my father and the staff at the family’s estate, and then the citizens of the duchy itself. Her name was recognized there, but she wasn’t nearly as infamous. After all, it took a while for gossip to make its way there from Surivan. Plus, her father’s reputation held weight there. He was considered a hero during the war, and was loved by many as a firm yet kind ruler. She could definitely make use of that.

Still, it wouldn’t all be easy. Changing the staff’s perception of her probably wouldn’t be too difficult, but for the citizenry as a whole? That would definitely take some work. If she wanted to change peoples’ minds, she’d have to do something big. But what was there?

Adelaide skipped ahead a few pages and started a new section to jot down major events. First, there was the discovery of a new magic crystal mine in Absenwilde. It was mentioned multiple times at the beginning of the first book. It had given Adelaide yet another thing to brag about, and she remembered there’d even been some mention that the impact was so substantial that the Emperor had been hoping to arrange a marriage between her and Prince Dario, the Emperor’s first son, to strengthen the Imperial family’s connection to the Absenwildes. But, that had never come about because Dario had refused. He didn’t want to force Adelaide to be with him when she very clearly loved Julius.

It had definitely broken her heart to read how much he had cared about Adelaide in his spin-off, and for how long. Hell, it’d been the same for most readers. She remembered the fan forums she’d been on had been full of threads about it for days, and there were more than a few fanfics from people giddily shipping Adelaide and Dario together so they could live happily ever after.

Thinking about him, she would have loved to add his name to the list of people she should be building better relationships with. However, she hadn’t a clue where Dario was or what he was doing at this part in the story. So, for now, he was a huge unknown.

Adelaide knew the general location of the crystal mine was off the Serpentspine Pass, a winding trail running northeastward into the mountains that crossed over from Absenwilde into the Kingdom of Fennigor. It was apparently close to a particularly large waterfall and an oddly shaped rock formation that looked like a troll’s head. But there weren’t exactly directions to the place. It would be a challenge to suss it out, but if she could find the mines and the discovery could be attributed to her, that would be a huge boost.

The second event involved an illness that began to spread through the Empire. Known as ‘The Wasting’, it slowly sapped the lifeforce from core mages - individuals born with natural affinities to using magic. Magic was something that existed in this world, but it was rare for people to be able to cast it without the use of a focus or rituals that used components.

Not many people truly cared about the danger that The Wasting posed throughout most of the story. Core mages had a pretty negative reputation and were generally feared by the populace. Few were born with the ability to control their power, which often resulted in dangerous and potentially fatal incidents when their abilities surfaced as they often went haywire. It wasn’t until Emperor Landor, the current Emperor, inherited the throne that things began to change at least a little. While he wasn’t a particularly powerful core mage, just the fact that he was one at all had an impact on the citizenry.

It was nearly impossible for people to ignore his effectiveness as a ruler and the impact he’d had since he took the throne. He had been the one to uncover the truth behind his father and two of his elder sibling’s deaths, and ultimately traced it back to a plot born through collusion between Cyprienne’s royal family and his own brother, the then Fourth Prince. It had lead directly to the long war between the Empire and Cyprienne. Now that Emperor Landor had successfully defeated them and absorbed their territory as a part of the Empire, his prestige was unrivaled. Despite that, prejudices still existed and it would be quite a while before there would be any substantial change.

The Wasting remained a problem well into the second book. In fact, it was hugely important because one of the most integral characters to the story had a sister who suffered from the disease, and it was her death that ultimately lead directly to Julius’ downfall. The cure was discovered, but it had come too late to save her. But it had involved the creation of a potion using primarily an herb called singweed, snow hornets, and energy augmentation with blue magic crystals.

If I can do something about The Wasting now, then that would be huge, Adelaide thought. The discovery of the magic crystal mine would be an important first step for that. Singweed, which was an imported herb, would be a slightly greater challenge since it was relatively scarce. Julius had restricted importing the herb in the second book once the cure was discovered. It had given him additional leverage over a number of people. But, she was sure the cure hadn’t been invented yet. While scarce, she could still get her hands on the herb. Actually developing the cure would be an entirely different story, though. Knowing the general theory behind how to make it wasn’t the same as having the instructions, and neither she nor the previous Adelaide knew anything about alchemy.

Adelaide went back to the first page and jotted down ‘Magic Crystal Mine’ and ‘The Wasting’. Then, she moved on to the next point: protecting herself. Self-defense was definitely a number one priority, and just being in this body and experiencing what it was like to be able-bodied again made her feel as if she had limitless potential.

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Things had been happening so quickly since she first woke up that she hadn’t really stopped to appreciate how she felt physically. She was used to constant pain. The traffic accident she’d been in as a kid had shattered her spine and ruined most of the muscles in left thigh, calf, and right forearm. It had been jarring, to be fit and running and jumping one day to being chair-bound the next. At one time, it was thought she’d never walk again. So, she had felt some hope as she slowly began to regain some of her mobility back in the years that followed. But, at some point she stopped getting better. Her body was too damaged and despair quickly overtook her when she realized there was no way she could ever be the same as she was before. And when she realized the the pain would never truly stop, it only got worse.

On her best days, she could focus on other things and ignore it for the most part. On her worst days, she couldn’t get out of bed.

But now, for the first time in forever, she realized she hadn’t thought about it because it simply wasn’t there. It was a privilege she hadn’t experienced in a long, long time and it felt almost impossible for her to really appreciate it.

Her eyes left the paper and lowered to settle on her legs hiding beneath her long skirt. She’d have to take some time to assess just how capable Adelaide was physically. Even though she was in decent shape and in perfect health, that didn’t mean she was strong. Plus, she had to find someone that could train her in combat.

She knew how to fight already. She’d boxed when she was younger, and often came back to the sport now and then when she felt her body could handle it, but she never stuck with it for too long because of the pain. But at the very least, her knowledge was a good start.

Beyond self-defense, finding a decent personal knight would also be a smart thing to do. She didn’t have to search Adelaide’s memories to know why she didn’t have one. She didn’t trust anyone well enough. But right now, considering she wasn’t strong enough to protect herself yet, it was imperative that she find someone that could be her literal shield against danger.

She stared at the brief list on the page, flipping back and forth between her goals and the more detailed notes on major events. It was all very brief, but it was a good start, and there were tons of other things she’d have to learn and recall from Adelaide’s memories in order to make progress. But keeping it simple, for now, was probably the best way to avoid getting overwhelmed. She ended up with:

1. Improve my reputation/ strengthen relationships with:

* Cordelia, Emir, and Sir Rennir

* Grand Duke Absenwilde

* Absenwilde Estate staff

* Citizens of Absenwilde (or maybe the empire overall?)

* Find magic crystal mines - Serpentspine Pass. Big troll-head rock + waterfall

* The Wasting - core mages. Singweed, blue holly, blue magic crystals.

2. Protect myself

* Assess strength, stamina, etc

* Learn how to find

* Appoint a personal knight

She pondered the list a moment longer before finally shutting the journal and setting it and the pencil down on the seat beside her. Just having her thoughts down on actual paper made her feel less anxious. Now, she just had to focus on actually accomplishing her goals and taking one step at a time.

Adelaide let her gaze drift out of the carriage window, relaxing in her seat while she watched the thick trunks of the trees pass them by and listening to the rhythmic pounding of the horses’ hooves carrying them along the roads. There was still a great deal of time left in the journey and with her mind at least a little more at ease, she allowed herself to drift slowly off to sleep.

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The remainder of the trip was uneventful. They made two stops along the way to give everyone an opportunity to stretch their legs, eat, and to tend to the horses. However, there wasn’t much chatter aside from basic check-ins between the knights and Witten inquiring about the progress they were making on the journey. Once everyone was well-rested, they didn’t delay in getting on the road again and continued following the path through the forests.

Adelaide found the territory of Absenwilde surprisingly beautiful. The forests were rugged and wild, yet strangely serene, and every now and then they broke through into open, rolling hills occupied by small hamlets and large stretches of pastureland. They would cross, break through the border of another forest and disappear into the trees once more towards the mountains looming in the distance.

Just watching through the windows at the landscapes they passed through was entertaining enough that it kept her preoccupied for the bulk of the trip. The only time she’d seen places like that had been in fantasy television shows and movies, or pictures travelers posted on social media sites of wilderness hikes and mountain climbing expeditions far away from modern cities. Plus, the books hadn’t talked much about the province at all, aside from general mentions that it was vast and spartan and how Princess Adelaide’s slender, delicate beauty was such a contrast for that kind of environment. But seeing it now, with her own eyes, Adelaide had to disagree. This place, with its crisp and clear air and hearty wilderness, suited her just fine.

She had been staring out of the window for at least an hour since their last stop when Sir Kennig spoke up. “Have you missed Absenwilde, Your Highness?” he asked.

She blinked and sat back, looking across the carriage to him. “Hm? Why do you ask?”

“Well, you’ve spent a great deal of time looking through the window. I thought perhaps you may have missed it. Though, I apologize if my curiosity is out of line.”

“No, it is fine. Actually, I am quite glad to be back.” Adelaide replied. She wasn’t lying, at least not completely. It was a relief to be there and not in Surivan, though perhaps not for the reasons that Sir Kennig expected. “Hopefully my return has not inconvenienced anyone.”

“Of course it wouldn’t.” Sir Kennig quickly replied. She couldn’t help but smile, her brows furrowing.

“I appreciate that you would say that, but an inconvenience is an inconvenience all the same, whether caused by me or someone else. The only difference is that no one would dare tell me that I have bothered them in some way.” Adelaide replied. She let her eyes drift out the window again, looking for the next break in the trees, and found it as they reached the edge of the treeline of the forest they were traveling through.

The open land there was less lush than the pastures they’d left behind quite some time ago. The hills were steeper and spotted with cliffs, with large trees growing along the rocky inclines. The road was slightly rougher than before, causing the carriage to jostle slightly as they began to climb upward along a winding path that carefully followed the easier slopes of the hills. It was just enough that Ava asked more than twice whether Adelaide was uncomfortable and needed to stop and rest. But, considering she was just being shaken around in her seat a bit, she was in no way intent on adding more time to their trip for something so minor. Fifteen minutes into the climb, she was able to spot the tops of some of the outer towers of the estate, their flags fluttering in the steady winds. She sat forward on her seat and every turn along the road allowed her an easier view of more and more of its intricate stone architecture.

The road eventually leveled out and widened as it ran forward into a large tunnel cut through a tall, wide rock formation running across the hillside and forming a natural wall against the land below. She felt her heartbeat quicken as the darkness swallowed them and the sound of hoofbeats echoed against the stone walls until they reached the curtain of warm light waiting for them on the other side. The sun had already disappeared behind the mountains and the sky was steadily darkening around them, but Adelaide still couldn’t help but shield her eyes when they exited the darkness of the tunnel and the world opened up around them yet again.

Her eyes quickly adjusted and she gasped as she peered out the window to see the tall gates of the estate towering ahead of her, the castle grounds looming in the distance. It looked as cold and imposing as it did regal and majestic, with its numerous towers and nested wards rising up to the main keep standing proudly amidst the smaller yet equally impressive buildings surrounding it. It’s incredible, she thought to herself, I can’t believe I’m actually in a place like this.

They passed through the gate without stopping, progressing through two more outer wards and through an outer garden to the main entrance of the first outer shell of the castle. There, they were met by a group of servants that had been awaiting their arrival as well as some additions she hadn’t expected.

Duke Absenwilde, alongside a female knight, stood at the center of the group of staff members, dressed in what Adelaide found to be surprisingly formal attire and tensely watching the carriages roll up. To their right stood half a dozen imperial knights stiffly flanking a tall, sturdy young man with dark hair and vivid blue yes, who was also dressed formally in dark attire.

She frowned and leaned back from the window so she could scrutinize the group from the shadow of the carriage’s interior. She hadn’t expected the Duke to actually meet her there at the front door when she arrived. He was typically quite busy. But, he was also her father, so it wasn’t totally unheard of. But the stranger? Who even was that? They had knights with them, so they had to be important. While dark and simple, the quality of their clothing was also quite high, so they had to be affluent in some way. And there was something about his features that seemed so familiar.

The carriage came to a halt. She squinted and wrinkled her nose, searching her memories, and was just about to look to the other pair and ask if they knew who he was when Ava gasped and clasped her hands over her mouth.

“What is the prince doing here?”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Adelaide asked.

“T-the prince! With the Duke!” the maid squeaked.

Adelaide stared at her for several long seconds before quickly looking out the window again at the young man, who was currently anxiously straightening the the collar of his shirt. It took even longer for it to finally click in her brain.

“Prince Dario?” she whispered quickly, looking to Ava again. The maid nodded. “Is he supposed to be here?!”

“I-I don’t know, Your Highness!”

“Why didn’t someone warn me? You’d think they would—“ Adelaide started, but suddenly stopped herself. They hadn’t given anyone time to warn them. Witten had mentioned sending notice ahead, but of course there wouldn’t have been time to receive a response.

Outside, the knights were dismounting and the staff exiting the rear carriage, quickly moving into place to pay their respects to the Duke. Witten, who appeared almost as bewildered by the prince’s presence as Adelaide, was making his way to her carriage. She would have to get out in a moment and greet them, and she hadn’t a clue where to begin. Ava, who seemed to have sensed her apprehension, sat forward on the bench a little.

“Your Highness? Would you prefer not to see them? It’s been a long trip, so I’m sure that we could ask if you could greet them a little later.” she said softly.

But Adelaide knew that wouldn’t fly. She knew enough about Dario that she was sure the prince actually wouldn’t mind, but his knights would see it as an affront to him. Plus her father would certainly chastise her for it later. Slowly, she shook her head and smiled as Witten turned the handle of the carriage door and pulled it open slightly.

“No, it’s fine Ava. It just took me by surprise.” Adelaide replied. She turned her attention to Witten, who was peering at her through the crack in the door, and looked to her like someone waiting for a signal to stall. Her smile widening, she reached out to offer him her hand. “If you would, please.”

Witten relaxed and took her hand. Then, pulling the door open wide, helped her out of the carriage.