Is the day of the former Princess Consort Sofia`s execution for the murder of her husband, Prince Gabriel. The 26 years old ex-princess glares, with her fierce green eyes, at the executioner who roughly pulls her long brown hair over the noose around her neck. Once he steps to the side, Sofia is faced by the enraged crowd below. She scoffs at the sight, despite being an unfaithful rake, her late husband kept a benevolent public image. 

The Princess-turn-criminal`s eyes then move to the King and Queen in their seats. Queen Ana has her face covered by a dark veil, depriving Sofia of the sight of her grieving face. King Rafael keeps a stern neutral expression masking his emotions. Sofia smiles, he was most likely hiding his worry, Prince Gabriel was his only male heir. The king`s daughters, having married into foreign royal families, painted a grim future for the national identity of the kingdom. 

Even though Sofia laments her fate, she does not regret her actions. After 8 years of marriage, she just could not stand Prince Gabriel anymore. Were it the ladies of high society, or the Palace maids, she was surrounded by her husband`s lovers.

It was when Sofia was scowling, thinking about the late prince, that the executioner kicked the stool she was standing on. Her body dropped and the noose, falling to break her neck, strangled her. Damn you, Gabriel! I wish you were never born! Were Sofia`s last thoughts as she lost conscience.

*

Instead of dying, Sofia awakes coughing in a bed. Initially she wonders if it was all a dream, but, instead of her palace bedchambers or the cell she spent the last month in, she is now in a room unknown to her. Also, she has bandages around her neck and is wearing an unfamiliar nightgown. So not only did I survive my execution but, someone brought me here, dressed my wounds and changed me out of the rags I was made to wear. She sits up from the bed and looks around, taking in the room, and realizes, by the quality of the furniture, that this is most likely a bedroom in a noble`s residence.

As Sofia is wondering how she survived, who brought her here and by what reason and means they did it, someone opens the door to the room. It is a startled looking maid, who instead of entering, quickly closes the door back. Sofia hears the hurried steps of the maid fading outside the room. Some moments later, comes the sound of two sets of steps. In enters the aforementioned maid opening the door for a young gentleman wearing spectacles. He has a face which Sofia finds strangely familiar but fails to identify.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, walking into the room.

“W-who are you?” Sofia speaks, her voice rough and throat hurting with the effort.

“What do you mean?” he stares at her with shock in his green eyes, “I`m your brother, Miguel.” 

That statement confuses Sofia. What does he mean, he is her brother? She has no siblings. And he is claiming to share the same name as her father. Perhaps this man just so happens to also be called Miguel and he had her mistaken for someone else. Sofia concludes that what she needs right now is to learn more about this stranger's identity and how she came to end up in this room.

“Stop messing around, Monica.” He runs his hand across his brown hair in frustration, “I had all that trouble to find you after your carriage accident, and now you pull this on me?”

“M-Monica?” Sofia mumbles in disbelief.

“What? Are you going to tell me that you can't even remember your name?” The so-called Miguel glares at her, “How far are you going to take this amnesia act?”

This man truly has me confused for his sister. Sofia wonders what to do in this situation. Somehow she survived her execution and ended up here. At this moment the Royal family is most likely in her pursuit, it would be dangerous to reveal her true identity to this man. It would be safer, for the time being, to impersonate his lost sister. Since she has no information, it is best to commit to the amnesia narrative.

“M-Monica, is that my name?” Sofia puts on her best bewildered face, “And you are my brother?”

“Ugh, I can't believe I have to deal with this!” he removes his spectacles and face palms in aggravation, “Yes! That is correct. You had a carriage accident and I had to spend the last week searching for you. You were found yesterday unconscious in the woods with bruising around your neck.”

Sofia is once again astonished by one of Miguel`s statements. How did she went from the Capital Square, where the execution took place, to the middle of some woods?

“I went through all the trouble to keep this incident quiet so it wouldn't damage your reputation and when I find you, you are amnesiac.” he complains putting his spectacles back on, “How are you to wed the Prince without your memories? If the Royal family learns of your condition they are going to find fault with you!”

“W-what Prince?” Sofia asks, surprised. Prince Gabriel is supposed to be dead.

“Prince Rafael your Fiance.” he responds.

“But that`s the King`s name!” Sofia shouts. What was this Miguel talking about?

“You are truly out of your mind.” he concludes, “The King`s name is Gustavo II. you are engaged to his son, Prince Rafael.” Everything Miguel tells Sofia is so strange to her. Gustavo II is the late king, Rafael is the current one, whose son, Prince Gabriel, was Sofia`s accursed husband that she murdered.

“A-and who are we supposed to be?” she apprehensively asks.

“I`m Duke Miguel Oliveira and you are my twin sister Monica Oliveira. We are 21 years old.” he sighs. 

That cannot be. Sofia is in disbelief, this Miguel is claiming to actually be her father. He may resemble Duke Miguel`s old portraits of his younger years, but how is this possible? If Sofia were to believe all of his statements so far, that would mean that she is now currently in the past, before either her or Prince Gabriel were even born. It would also mean that her father is mistaking Sofia for her aunt, Monica, who, by what she knows, went missing after suffering a carriage accident, never to be found again. It is true that she resembles her aunt, she has seen Monica`s portraits. It is also true that King Rafael, apparently still a prince, was once engaged to her aunt, only to eventually marry someone else, due to her prolonged disappearance. 

This was all too absurd, is Sofia actually supposed to believe that, as she was being hanged, she somehow traveled back in time? It cannot be real. It is far more believable that this is all a delusion she is having as she dies from the hanging. But if it is all in her head, how long is it going to last? There is no way for her to end the hallucination, and if she did, where would that leave her? Back at the hangman`s noose? There is no future for the former Princess Consort Sofia. Be her truly in the past or in an hallucination of her own making, her only option is to play along. With new found determination, Sofia decides to impersonate her assumed dead aunt, Monica Oliveira, twin sister of Duke Oliveira and Fiancee of Prince Rafael.

*

After checking in on his assumed sister, Duke Miguel leaves to deal with other affairs, leaving Sofia alone in the room. Now that she has the time to take in on her surroundings, and considering this is supposedly the past, Sofia realizes she is on her own bedchambers in the Oliveira Manor, the furniture is just different. It seems it used to be her aunt`s room. 

Sofia stands up from the bed and walks to the mirror. She scoffs at the sight, one month in the palace dungeons took its toll. She has lost weight, her once smooth skin is in rough shape, her nails are cracked and her hair is a mess. Sofia stares at her reflection for a couple minutes before picking up a shawl and exiting her bed chambers.

As Sofia is taking a walk through the estate, she stops by a painting. She looks at it, it is a portrait of Monica Oliveira and the resemblance is truly uncanny. Checking the date, it was painted last year, when she was 20 years old. Is Sofia supposed to impersonate a 21 year old Monica? I suppose once I recover, I will have to go fierce on the skin care. She hopes 5 years is not going to be too much of an age difference.

On her walk, Sofia notices a commotion at the manor foyer, someone important seems to be returning. A blond young woman wearing a fancy dress, enters the estate. As Sofia descends the stairs to take a closer look, their eyes meet. Unlike Sofia and Miguel, with their thin sharp green eyes, this Lady had big round brown eyes glistening with life. The face now meeting Sofia`s gaze, was one she only knew from portraits. The Lady was no one other than Duchess Alicia, Sofia`s late mother.

“I see you are awake, Lady Monica.” the 22 year old duchess smiles as she ascends the stairs towards a speechless Sofia.

“It was a terrible thing what happened, I`m glad you are back with us now.” she caresses Soifa`s face. It is a blissful touch, one which Sofia never knew, for her mother was to die in childbirth. Sofia weeps, Alicia`s consolation, which was directed at Monica`s misfortune, was comforting the criminal former Princess Consort Sofia in all her plight. It made the unknown daughter wonder that, if she had her mother by her side, things might have been better, maybe she wouldn`t have felt so alone and degenerated into a murderer. 

“Hush now, you have nothing to worry about. Just focus on recuperating” Duchess Alicia holds Sofia`s hand, “let`s take you back to your chambers, how about a nice and warm bath?”

The Duchess takes Sofia back to Monica`s chambers and has a maid draw her a bath. “I will go get changed, I will see you later, Lady Monica.”

Sofia enjoys the bath, something she was deprived of for the last month. As the maids wash her, Sofia`s mind wanders. That was her mother, she never would have thought she would have the opportunity to see her mother alive and well. Eventually she will get pregnant with another Sofia, what would that be like? Now that she was in the past impersonating her aunt she would be able to see and hold a baby version of herself. It hits her that she would have to also witness her mother passing away. No, that could not happen, she could not lose her mother, but what could she do? Alicia was a duchess, she already had access to the best doctors, was she destined to die? What about the other Sofia? Was she going to have to marry Prince Gabriel and live through all that sorrow? Wait, but now that she is here impersonating her aunt who was engaged with Prince Rafael, the future king will not marry Lady Ana. So, as long as the time traveling Sofia keeps impersonating Lady Monica and marries Prince Rafael, the accursed Prince Gabriel will never exist. At that realization Sofia`s lips warp into a wicked grin, maybe being at this time would not be so bad after all.

*

Later that evening, Sofia attended dinner with the ducal couple. Due to her recovering throat she had a light soup.

“At least you didn't forget your manners.” Miguel comments observing Sofia`s table etiquette. 

“I-I supposed it is ingrained in me.” Sofia says, remembering the arduous hours of lessons she was put through.

“Oh, yes. His Grace has told me you are suffering from amnesia.” Duchess Alicia interjects, “I recall you kept a diary, so it could be a good Idea to give it a read. Maybe it will help with remembering things.”

“T-thank you. I will ask the maids to look for it.” is Sofia`s answer.

“You better recover. Once you are reintroduced into society I don't want you to commit any mistakes.” the Duke demands.

“I-I will strive not to disappoint.” Sofia automatically responds.

The rest of the meal proceeds. The Duchess makes light conversation, she talks about the tea party she went to earlier in the day and recounts anecdotes shared by the ladies in attendance. The Duke`s responses to her stories are curt and inattentive, a clear display of disinterest and lack of consideration for his partner. 

Observing the couple, Sofia realizes that her mother is stuck married with the same man who, in Sofia`s time, groomed Sofia into the flower of high society to marry into the Royal family. With that, Sofia resolves, regardless of how long Alicia has left to live, to portray a Lady Monica who showers her sister-in-law with attention and affection.

“Um, I don't remember how close we were. But would your Grace be agreeable to the two of us having tea together tomorrow?” Sofia asks the Duchess.

“Oh, yes! I would love that.” The Duchess shines with a big smile. “And you can just call me Alicia.”

“A-alright, A-Alicia.” Sofia says awkwardly, finding it is strange to call her own mother by name.

“Monica!” the Duchess grins cheerfully.

“Ahem, since one of you will be a princess soon and the other is a duchess, it would be preferable to already maintain a certain decorum.” Duke Miguel interjects.

“Oh, perhaps you are right, your Grace.” The smile disappears from Duchess Alicia`s face. Sofia clenches her fist under the table in irritation. The rest of the meal proceeds with the duke giving a dry lesson, for the supposed amnesiac, of the aristocratic houses of the kingdom while the two ladies remained in silence.

*

On Sofia`s second day impersonating her aunt Monica, she headed to the garden gazebo to join Duchess Alicia for tea. 

“Hello, Lady Monica.” the duchess greets.

“Hi, Alicia.” Sofia`s informality startles the duchess, who was assuming the two of them would follow the Duke`s instruction, “I was thinking it would be fine when it is just the two of us.”

“Right. Hello Monica!” the duchess smiles in delight.

“Hello Alicia.”

The two sit and enjoy tea with refreshments. Sofia lets her tea cool down before drinking.

“So, since I don't have my memories, I was wondering if you would be so kind as to inform me about the goings on in high society.”

“Oh, yes. I would be happy to.” Duchess Alicia proceeds, then, to excitedly recount all sorts of stories and gossip. She talks for hours and Sofia enjoys every second of it. 

“Oh, look at the time.” the Duchess notices as it gets darker outside. “I babbled for way to long”

“Not at all. I enjoyed spending time with you.”

“...” Alicia`s eyes get wet with tears.

“W-whats wrong? Was it something I did?”

“No, no, it is just that I`m happy to finally be starting a friendship with you.” the Duchess dries her eyes with a handkerchief. “Look at me assuming things.” she chastises herself.

“No, I would also like to form a friendship with you.” Sofia corrects.

“So, are we friends now?” 

“Yes, let's be friends.” the Monica impersonator affirms. Alicia smiles happily. Sofia is also happy but recognises the oddness of the situation. My first friend is my mother and she thinks I am my aunt. Stifling the urge to reveal her identity, Sofia invites, “Why don`t we make this a recurrent thing?”

“Yes!” Alicia almost jumps at the suggestion, “Ahem, yes I would like that.” She agrees, calming herself down.

After Sofia retires to her chamber and gets ready to bed, she opens Monica`s diary, which was found by one of the maids, and reads it all through the night.