Caroline winced as she stood, her hand supporting her midriff. She was not sure, but it felt right to be standing as the door slowly opened and a hooded figure stepped into the room, for sitting or not, she was vulnerable.

It took a while for her to recognize the color of the cloak.

Green.

"I was afraid you will be asleep," the voice said. Neither did it sound formal nor was it friendly.

Caroline blinked against the darkness, focusing on the color of the woman's hair, the little that was showing through the opening of her hood.

Red.

"Who are you?" she croaked, hating herself for sounding so weak.

"I was sent here to guide you to the Palace," the voice replied. Finally raising her hands, the woman pulled down her hood.

Like everyone else she had met thus far in this place, this woman was a stranger. She blinked, realizing she was staring at a rather beautiful face. The woman's intense gaze hid many secrets, but it also told Caroline that she could be a comforting presence. Her curly red hair might be considered too vulgar, but it complimented her rather pale skin.

"My name is Gabrielle," the woman said, stepping closer. "Lady Arielle has requested that I escort you to the Palace."

Caroline frowned. "The Palace?"

The woman nodded. "Yes, but not the one you have in mind. We have one in Belcourt and it is home to the Court of Arms. Will you be able to walk or would you need assistance?"

Caroline looked around. "But... why are we leaving at this time of night?"

"Lady Arielle does not want any chance of anyone else seeing you."

She stepped back, feeling the pain in her abdomen, when Gabrielle took another step toward her. "Why should I go with you?"

The lady smiled and it completely changed her face. "Because you are with a Soldier."

Caroline did not know what that meant, but the way the woman said it, the way her voice filled with conviction and pride, told her she was in good company. She may be a fool by nodding her head, but what else could she do?

If she refused, what good would it bring her?

Should they ever be planning to hurt her, could she survive with her injuries?

No, definitely not.

Gabrielle nodded, needing no further answer. She went to the door and opened it widely for Caroline. "A carriage is waiting outside."

⠒♣◆♣⠒

Belcourt, as one of the women in the blue cloaks had told her, was a beautiful place.

But it was too dark for Caroline to judge the very moment she stepped out of the gates.

"Drive slow," Gabrielle ordered another woman in a black cloak driving the carriage before she helped Caroline climb inside. Once they were settled, Gabrielle tapped the ceiling of the carriage and they slowly rolled away from the building they just exited.

Caroline stared at the place for a while before it disappeared behind a line of tall trees.

"How many edifices such as that one does Belcourt have?"

Gabrielle met her gaze from across the carriage. "Quite a few."

She nodded. This woman was not like the one in the black cloak that had been bringing her food. That one was very willing to talk, but she also asked questions that Caroline could not give answers to. As much as Caroline wanted to know more from the cook, she could not summon herself enough energy to match the woman's willingness to exchange information.

"If you cannot tell me much," she began, her voice gaining strength, "would you care to tell me why you all wear different cloaks?"

A hint of a smile formed on Gabrielle's mouth. "All ladies of Belcourt are assigned to different courts. Each court has their own color."

She nodded, looking out of the window. "And what is behind that wall?"

"That is where the women in the black cloaks reside." When Caroline threw her a questioning look, she added, "The Court of Service."

Caroline let the silence fall between them from then on as she curiously followed the line of brick wall, until it was over, replaced by another line of trees. Her eyes widened when she saw it, sparkling under the skies, reflecting the moon. "Is that a lake?" she asked in awe.

"Yes."

She started to laugh in disbelief, never imagining to find a lake here.

"You are the first ever woman to have stepped into Belcourt without passing through the Common Court."

Caroline blinked and turned to Gabrielle. "The what?"

"The Common Court. The orphanage where the children are placed."

"Am I considered an outsider then?"

"Perhaps by some, yes."

"And you?"

"If Belcourt deems that you should be here, then I have no reason to think otherwise."

If it was someone else, Caroline would not have believed her, but again, Gabrielle appeared to be very loyal to Belcourt that anything made Caroline think that the woman would die for this place.

Gabrielle studied her in the dark and asked, "How are you feeling?"

"It is painful, but it is bearable. If you are talking about how I am coping with my memory loss, I cannot truly say for certain. It is odd, really."

"How?"

She shrugged. "It is the confusion, I believe. I forgot my memories of everyone I know, but why have I not forgotten how to speak, how to interact? Doctor Kemp says the brain works mysteriously, and I quite agree."

Gabrielle was staring at her with open awe and curiosity. "I cannot imagine how you must be going through."

Caroline sighed. "I simply hope my memories return. It is difficult to feel lost when you do not know where you belong in the first place."

Something flash in the woman's face but it quickly disappeared. "Some will argue that it is harder knowing you belong somewhere you are not."

"Hmm," Caroline uttered. "That may be equally horrible, I must agree."

It took them quite a while to reach the Court of Arms, or the Palace as Gabrielle called it, and Caroline realized that her head was starting to ache again, and so did the wound on her midriff.

The Palace was not similar to the Court of Library, the building she came from. This one was by far bigger and undeniably deserving of its moniker, the Palace. She wondered why it was so. Did that mean that being a Soldier was better than being a doctor?

She had no time to ask her questions as Gabrielle ushered her through a series of marbled halls and finally, into a large waiting room. At that point, Caroline was certain that she may never survive the maze she just went through if things were to turn out bad for her tonight.

"I will see you later," said Gabrielle, giving her a small bow before leaving. Soon, the other door at the end of the room opened and Arielle entered, graceful as always. Her lustrous brown hair was gathered to one side and over her shoulder. And this time, she was not wearing her purple cloak, rather she was in a silk dress that trailed behind her.

Caroline then thought that the woman was borne to fit into this place.

Caroline wondered if the woman was in her nightdress, and if she was, how did she intend to sleep comfortably in that?

"Good evening, Caroline," greeted Arielle with a smile. "Please, do forgive the late hour. It is necessary that no one else chances upon you here in Belcourt."

"I do not mind." She moistened her lips and asked, "If this is Belcourt's Palace, does it mean that you are its queen?"

Arielle laughed, taking the seat beside her. "No, Caroline, of course not. There are six other Maidens like me residing in this Palace."

"Then you all rule Belcourt?"

"No, not at all."

"Who does?"

Arielle just smiled. Her next words were far from an answer Caroline was expecting. "I am certain that you are wondering why I called for you."

"I was hoping you will finally be answering my questions."

Arielle's smile widened. "I will and I shall start with your full name."

Caroline nodded. "I have been preparing myself for this. Please, do go on."

"You are Lady Caroline Comhar, eldest daughter of the Duke of Remington who is cousin to King Louis."

Caroline huffed, blinking at Arielle with disbelief in her eyes. "Well, I did not expect that."

Arielle laughed. "You are taking it quite as gracefully as you were reared, Caroline, fret not. You are part of the royal family, after all."

Again, she blinked, frowning as she asked, "Do I have a brother?"

"No, but you do have a sister. Her name is Camila."

She nodded. "And anyone else?"

Arielle's smile was gentle as she said, "You are betrothed to Trent Durham, Earl of Chalbarth, and future Duke of Whitton." As Caroline said nothing, Arielle reached for her hand. "Do you truly not remember them?"

She shook her head. "No, but I do hope they will come back to me as Doctor Kemp hopes."

"We also hope the same." The Maiden paused, squeezed her hand, and added, "Caroline, your family and your fiancé must be looking for you."

"I have been gone for weeks. I truly hope they are."

"And we shall not stop you should you wish to go home, but..." Arielle's voice wavered as she waited for the perfect time to add, "but we also fear that someone else must be hunting for you."

She stiffened. "My killer."

Arielle nodded. "Perhaps I should start from what we believe might have happened to you?"

"Please."

Arielle gave her a good look before she spoke. "A woodsman and his dog found you nearly dying in the woods and took you here, the nearest place he knew who might give you immediate help. We are not aware how you came to be in the woods, and that mystery can only be solved by you once you regain your memory. But as you may have learned by now, Belcourt is not just an orphanage as many believe outside. We do other things to provide help to those who need it."

Caroline nodded, eager for the woman to continue.

"We did our own investigation and we have come to a conclusion that whoever tried to kill you are members of the Royal Circus. They are a group of men whose identity are mostly unknown. Their goal is to destroy the current monarchy as they have always been loyal to the Stanhope line, the previous monarchy dethroned for their many crimes."

Caroline frowned. "But why would they want to cause me harm?"

"Before your disappearance, you went on a party in Birth with your fiancé. The party was hosted by the crown prince, and the Royal Circus must have been made to believe that you were gathering information against Prince Albert."

"Why would I do that?"

Arielle shrugged. "We are not certain if this is true, Caroline, for these are merely information that we have gathered on our own. We believe that prior your attendance in Birth, the princess gave you a visit."

"And you believe that the princess ordered me to go to Birth?"

"Again, we cannot say for certain," Arielle patiently replied. "But whether that is true or not, we believe that the Royal Circus has found out about your trip and may have wanted answers. Or mayhap you were simply a target all along as your father's connection to the king is not a secret."

"Be that as it may, I do not think I would personally do something close to treason. I refuse to acknowledge your theory that I came to Birth upon the princess's request. I do not remember her, but do you not think it is rather odd for her to ask just anyone to spy on her brother?"

"Caroline, I am afraid that these royals do not play the way we believe they should," Arielle said, eyes and voice hardening at the same time. "They can be very cunning. Princess Renee, most of all."

Caroline closed her eyes, her head throbbing as she thought. "I am utterly confused. I do not know these people."

"I understand your frustration, Caroline, but you must understand one thing: it may be possible that the princess is working with the Royal Circus."

She scoffed in disbelief. "Why?"

"Prince Leo Reginald Stanhope is still free somewhere and a threat to the crown should his father, the previous King Reginald, regains his throne. Princess Renee can never be queen in this lifetime."

"But if she marries Prince Leo..."

Arielle nodded. "Yes."

Caroline shook her head, thinking everything was absurd.

"But no matter, whether or not she is working with the Royal Circus, the fact still remains that the people who tried to kill you have someone in Belcourt."

Caroline narrowed her eyes. "You mean a rat?"

"I am afraid so."

Caroline's jaw tightened. "Then I am not totally safe here."

"Yes, but as a Belle, you shall have enough protection, long enough to catch whoever is working with the Royal Circus."

"A Belle? Whatever do you mean?"

Arielle smiled. "Caroline, I am proposing that you stay with us for a while and help us catch whoever tried to kill you so they will no longer be a threat to you and your family."

⠒♣◆♣⠒

The last thing Trent wanted was for Remington to panic. And that was exactly what the duke did. It took Camila and the duchess to subdue the man who almost made it halfway to the door when Trent caught up with him.

"We need to take her out now!" the duke cried out, but the duchess was the one to step in and say, "Do not be a daft, Laurel."

Lady Anne Marie Comhar, Duchess of Remington, never called her husband by his name in the presence of others. And never had she ever spoken such horrible a word as daft. It only meant one thing: she was at her wit's end.

Seeing how the news affected Caroline's parents and sister, Trent found it his obligation to be the one with the best logical mind, despite his strong urge to go and get Caroline out of that place by himself, whether or not she wanted to.

Very much later, as Caroline's family found a moment to deal with the unexpected information, Trent told them of Darcy's instructions.

"Darcy cannot always protect my daughter should anything happen to her," the duke gritted out.

"Darcy is correct," said the duchess. "We need more information on what happened to her."

"Did she truly lose her memory as you said?" Camila asked, speaking for the first time. Her wary eyes met Trent's, her jaw tight, trying to appear strong.

"Let us hope it is not permanent," was all he could say.

At that moment, the duchess finally folded. A whimper escaped her lips and her hands flew to her face while she bent over her lap, her shoulders shaking. Gone was the strong resolve, replaced by the fear of a mother. Her husband was fast to gather her in his arms as he met Trent's gaze. "Everything Darcy tells you, whatever you discover, every little detail, you tell us."

Trent's jaw tightened and he nodded.

⠒♣◆♣⠒

That night, Trent came home to his villa, his mind excruciatingly impatient.

What could be taking Darcy long?

How long did he have to wait to get to Caroline?

He climbed up the staircase and did not realize he had reached his bedchamber until he noticed that he was not alone there.

She was in his bed, completely naked, her red hair flowing over her breast, her entire body perfectly positioned against the beam of the moonlight streaming through the open window.

She broke into an innocent, timid smile.

"I missed, you darling. Wherever have you been?" Jade asked.