The libraries at Buckingham Palace are enormous, even before living here I would spend hours and hours reading these books. You can find pretty much anything: Literature, Mathematics, Science, Medicine, Anatomy, Arts, History, Geography, Philosophy, Psychology and more. Exactly, I never really had friends, only Patea enjoyed spending time with a bookworm like me. When you are in the higher class, the middle and lower classes don't really see you with good eyes. And at the same time, when you are a woman and they can't keep you down, then the higher class starts whispering behind your back while they smile when you look. It's hateful, but it's in the human nature to lie. Another thing, this one is funny, I did read today's newspaper and on the first page you can see "Young child assists police in solving a crime using her sixth sense." There was no photo, so people wouldn't know it's me, also, given I spent most of my life inside, while anyone knows my name due to me being close to Queen Victoria, not many people would be able to recognize me outside. Anyway, it proceeds, "An extraordinary development unfolded yesterday evening, as a young witch assisted local constables in identifying a murderer in Whitechapel. According to some witnesses, the child used a sixth sense to spot hidden clues, not even the agents could understand how she knew everything. She just arrived and seemingly already knew all there was to know. After further searching, they found the clues the witch described them further more proving her supernatural abilities." Now, the thing is, the police is useless when it comes to solving crimes and that's why they think I used some sort of magic. Your average officer isn't trained to think, they're trained to obey. I believe the upper class doesn't really need police that solve any crime; it needs more agents that do what they say and that is able to make sure to solve the crimes they tell them to. I said solve, but a lot of times, when they can't find the real culprit, an innocent is arrested. It serves to save face, people will perceive the police as useful and they'll feel safe. It's never a matter of what the truth actually is, but always a matter of what truth they want you to think it's true. In addition, they have nothing supporting their lack of skills, say technology for example—it barely serves any purpose. The best available is autopsy but it doesn't find the culprit alone and, most importantly, if the officers had enough knowledge, they could come to conclusions, such as the cause of death, by simply observing the corpse. These are the reasons why they rely a lot on witnesses, it makes their job easier, but it's wrong: Reason number one, people can lie; Reason number two, even if they are telling the truth, they are telling the truth based on their perspective and experience, and unless the witness actually watched everything playing out I have my doubts they would be able to say something meaningful given their lack fo experience in criminology. Technically, there are detectives, but from my personal knowledge they still can't conclude crimes most of the time, not only because they might lack the skills, as the profession is newborn, but there are other factors to consider, say corruption for example. They won't spend time working for the poor; the higher class wants protection and, well, they pay more, though this leaves many crimes unsolved.
Today's reading session was exhausting, not because biology is hard to understand, but because... I can't really explain it but I kept seeing roses here and there. When I turned a page... a rose was there. When I took a break from reading and raised my eyes... a rose was on the wall. Actually, I already experienced this, it was months ago, when my parents died. I remember that night clearly, I spent the entire day here at Buckingham Palace, where I currently live. Aunt Victoria needed my help so I wasn't at my past home. When I came back my parents didn't seem to be around so I went and checked their bedroom just to find the door locked. I knocked, again and again... No one answered. I initially thought they must be sleeping, it was weird for them to go to bed that early but maybe they were just tired, it was possible, so I went to sleep myself. The next morning, though, they weren't coming out and the door was still locked. I shouldn't have done it, but I felt something was weird, like anyone in the same situation would, I used a hairpin to unlock the door; I somehow regret doing it. Their bodies were on the bed, the blanket was completely red, it was blood and it was coming from their wrists... Those same hands were holding each other's, a knife was between them. Their positions were unnatural for sleeping, both laying on their backs with arms and legs stretched, their eyes were closed. And while I was petrified, roses started to grow around them... I was sad, I started to cry, I didn't know what to do... In that moment a thought crossed my mind, it was so frightening that the tears suddenly stopped. I went to check the window and noticed the hook was locked from inside; there's no way to move it from outside and therefore they must have locked themselves inside, the door was locked too and the key was inside the room... I... I couldn't move... Did... Did they suicide? I fainted on the spot, my eyes closed as I was falling down... I couldn't endure losing people I love... Again... Because of suicide... Again.
I opened my eyes exactly after 1 minute and 47 seconds. I was laying on the floor, it didn't seem I hurt myself much, I just felt some pain on the temple. From that position I could notice a piece of paper under the bed. It was around the size of a letter envelope and it had some dry blood on it, the same as my parents. I crawled under the bed and took it; I didn't bother waiting to crawl out of bed, I directly observed the paper. There was "凤" in the centre, it's Chinese, it's read Feng and it's translated to Phoenix. Even today I can only guess what this means. Maybe my parents died to be reborn? Anyway, I stop replaying this painful memory, I put the book aside and stand up.
"Miss Nathae, Her Majesty the Queen desires to speak with you, if you please." The voice came from outside the door of the library.
"Oh, I'll be there soon."
I eventually walked to Victoria's private room, I didn't bother much and entered without knocking, she wouldn't get mad at me anyway.
The room is big, the walls were draped in crimson velvet. Golden mirrors and family portraits in ornate frames covered that spending color. There was an oak table at the centre of the room with some high-backed chairs; I can see Victoria waiting for me, sitting on one.
"Did you call me?"
"Oh, Nathae, you are here." She is currently 69 years old. She is a second mother to me. Since my mother died Victoria took me in with her but even before that we were very close, she always assured me the best education she could give me and I inherited my love of reading from her. My mother is Victoria's younger sister. Even though she is the Queen, she never pretended any formality from me, she always treated me very friendly, even more than her actual children.
"So, how is it going, your studying of magic?" I sigh, closing my eyes for a moment. I knew she might have figured it out. I sit on the chair next to hers. "My sixth sense works perfectly fine, thanks for asking." "Glad to hear that... Why were you in a crime scene? Don't you think it could have been dangerous?" "The wrong person could have been arrested, it's your fault for keeping the police and detectives incompetent." She looks at me with a soft smile. "Maybe it is, did you have fun at least?" "Honestly? Yes, you know I always liked puzzles." "I'm aware, I remember when you played with Patea, you were always trying to see who was smarter, I was worried seeing you two weren't fitting with the other kids." She then pauses for a moment, closing her eyes. She wanted to say something but her motherly worries kicked in. "Are you ok? You are always alone." "It's fine, I have my books." "...Understood, then I have a favor to ask you." Then she gives me a piece of paper with an address on it. "A detective here seems in need of the help of a powerful witch, an important noble died, I can't let it remain unsolved." "I'll see what I can do." "I'm sure you'll manage."
Then I jump down from the chair and run to the door. "Later!" Admittedly, I'm more excited than I thought I would be. It's the same sensation I felt when I knew I was going to meet Patea to see who could solve the hardest enigma.
With that, I see a rose growing from the paper Victoria gave me.