While I do feel pity for Amber, I need to have someone to walk me through this until the fog clears. I did single her out like that on purpose, but even I’m surprised at just how terrified she is. She’s shaking so much you’d think she’s having tea with death itself!

The two ladies are sat across each other in a suffocating blanket of silence, the aroma of a pleasant green tea contrasting the tense atmosphere. The cold gaze of her young lady remains still, adding fuel to the burning fear she had towards the young lady. Trembling hands tend to the steeping leaves, her mind convinced she had met certain doom. The lid clattered against the pot breaking the silence as adrenaline clouded Amber’s mind further. Amber was treating Verina like a time bomb that could explode at any sudden movement. The maids had quite obviously noticed her oddly passive behavior, the only conclusion they could reasonably come to is that this was the calm before the storm!

With a feeble clatter and a strangled gasp, Amber set the cup of tea in front of Verina.

“Pour yourself a cup and sit down.”

Maybe that lead character wasn’t overreacting when they said the original inhabitant was a villain, just what did she do? Amber started tearing up after I gave her that order as if I threatened her life. Perhaps I underestimated just how evil the original soul was, am I actually doomed?

Like I’d accept that. I have common sense and critical thought, I can obviously create a solution to this problem. I have no clue who I am and context clues aren’t enough, I need someone to give me a tutorial on being Verina and I need a reason to act insane for a while. Amber is quite apparently scared out of her wits because of me, but this gal is a perfect fit for my right-hand man. I need to fill the plot holes and get the story back on track, and I must get this person on my side to do so.

Verina takes a sip from her teacup while composing herself further. She looks up from her ceramic glass and meets the wide, teary eyes of the young lady across from her. She takes a deep breath, releases some tension, and finally starts speaking.

“I want to speak to you as another woman, not as the young lady you serve. Please hear me out.”

I think she’s still just as scared, yet ten times more confused. I suppose she’s gone from flighty to completely frozen. Apologies to this innocent soul, but I do not have the time to let her process. Knowing the usual set up in these tropes, this anxiety I’m feeling is completely irrational, there’s no use in dwelling on potential failures. Right now, I need to garner as much sympathy as possible. She’s more guarded than I could have expected, this will be more difficult than I had hoped.

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“I had quite an upsetting dream last night. I have no desire to share the details, but it left me with some worrisome thoughts.”

Her brows furrowed as her gaze drifted back down towards her half empty glass, a fabricated sorrow was cast onto her face. After a tasteful pause, Verina glanced upwards to assess the girl across from her. She was met by a pair of startled brown eyes. Yet, it seems as if they’ve softened slightly. Verina only needs a split second to create an opportunity out of this.

“Truly, I want nothing more than to be loved. I fear that I may have been blinded by my own emotions and…” She averts her gaze meekly, constructing a pitiful expression to hide her rising doubt. “Please tell me honestly, does he love me back?”

Amber has yet to recollect herself before being thrown into the worst possible outcome she may have foreseen: her boss’s relationship problems. Although she obviously isn’t calm and collected, the weak expression Verina wears implores her to try her best. The raven haired girl begins to stammer out a passable response.

“Well… I don’t- I mean, is this about the rumors? I’m sure his highness would never be anything but faithful to our beautiful lady! There’s no better fit for the empress’s shoes than you!”

She’s obviously not being honest to spare my feelings which went against everything I asked of her…but how lucky am I? I was worried that I had misunderstood my situation at first, but Amber, the angel she is, babbled everything I needed to know right now. This is going much better already.

“I appreciate your reassurance, really, but I don’t want to be self-absorbed right now.” She finishes her glass, revealing a floral pattern of red anemone painted at the center of the ceramic. “Because I have realized that I cannot make someone love me, pushing this feeling any further would hurt everyone involved…I want to find true love. I want to be loved in return.

Please tell me, do you think my feelings will get through to him?”

Her troubled words ring through the room, shaking the maid’s heart. Amber’s inner conflict is more apparent than ever as she stutters short of a coherent sentence. Taking sip from her previously untouched drink, she finally dares to speak her mind.

“If the crown prince hasn’t fallen for Lady Verina yet, then… Well in my opinion, he’s not the person who will cherish my lady properly.”

After sharing these thoughts, she cannot bring herself to meet Verina’s eyes, but she cannot bring herself to look away out of sheer politeness. She settles with squeezing her eyes shut in anticipation.

“Thank you, I appreciate your honesty.” Verina meets her eyes as she faces her fear of her boss, “I needed to hear that, yet…”

Predictably, Verina puts on a woeful display to gain another shred of sympathy. The tears that fall are intentionally manipulative. Even so, this is the most honest she has been. To both Amber and herself.

“I have some reflection to do, you are dismissed.”