It was all my fault

As we walked through the village, I noticed a little boy watching us. He was watching me with wide eyes. I was tempted to smile at him, but I kept my composure. I was supposed to be acting like a princess, not like some friendly person. And princesses don't smile at little kids and have friendly conversations with them.... 

I looked over at the little boy and I saw those wide eyes watching me. I suddenly felt very sad. I missed my three little brothers back home. They would have been about that little boy's age. I wondered what my brothers were doing right now. No doubt they were being cared for by my parents . But I still felt very sad....What happened to me when i got reincarnated as Margaret, is everything just a dream? Did i just disappeared from real life?.. 

I couldn't help myself... I smiled at the little boy and I patted his head. It was like my maternal instinct just took over. I couldn't resist his cute little face... 

As I patted the little boy, I noticed an old woman approaching us. I took a good look at her face and realized...it was Melinda. It was the maid from the Queen of the neighboring kingdom from the book. I couldn't believe it, it was really her..... 

I was trying to stay cool, but I felt a spark of excitement growing inside me. Robert had to be nearby if this was Melinda.... I took a deep breath and tried to stay calm... 

I tried to look as friendly possible "Hello Madam, I was wondering if you know where Robert is? ". Melinda looks surprised at me, she didn't expect me to know her adopted son. I wonder if she told Robert that he is Prince Alexander's twin brother 

Melinda smiles "Oh I'm flattered princess, I didn't expected that my clumsy son was a friend of yours.." 

I couldn't help but smile back. It seems like that no matter what i did, i keep running into these scenes from the books. The real Margaret had talked with Melinda, and now I was doing the same thing. And from the way she was talking to me, it seems like she still thought i was the actual princess. My God...I was really living out this book.... 

Melinda then sighs "Yesterday, he was patrolling and he didn't came back. We don't know what happened" 

I felt a jolt of worry go throughout my body. I couldn't believe that Robert hadn't returned last night. What had happened to him? Was he okay? Were there any enemies that captured him? No that can't be... He was a good fighter in the book so i doubt it. Maybe he was still lost. I just know that he and the real Margaret were really lost in the forest. But I can't lose Robert....I lost Alexander already 

The more i thought about it, the more I was determined to go after Robert. I couldn't just sit here and do nothing. Robert was missing and he needed my help to find him. I had maids and guards with me, so there was no reason why i can't go look for him. I had to be strong and brave... I couldn't let him be lost out in those woods alone.... 

Melinda takes my hands and she looks at me with gratefulness. I tried to stay calm, but inside my heart I wanted to rush into the woods instantly. I had to find Robert, my Robert. She was really treating me like the real princess. I wasn't sure why she was acting this way... But in a way, it actually made me feel good.... 

I heard one of my maids ask me a question that caught me off guard. "My lady.. I dont remember you knowing a... Peasant" 

 I wasn't expecting this, but I needed to act like the real Margaret. My maid was looking towards me with a confused expression, she was puzzled by the fact that I knew about Robert. I wasn't supposed to know about him because he was just a peasant... 

It seemed very cruel from my perspective. I couldn't believe Robert was considered a peasant. He was a very sweet and gentle boy...he was certainly not a peasant. But I guess that's the way things were in this kingdom. The nobles only considered the royals or rich people as important and the poor people were the scum of the earth. That was a cruel reality.... 

If everyone knew that Robert was actually the twin of the prince, they would probably treat him differently. He would no longer be considered a peasant, but a prince. Perhaps people would actually treat him like royalty, because they would know that he was royal blood. It seemed like a cruel world, to treat someone so different just because they were no royalty... 

I described what Robert looked like, having black coat, brown hair and blue eyes. It was the exact description of his appearance from the book. So far, everything seemed to be the same.... 

After 2 hours of walking through the woods, I heard one of the guards calling me. He was trying to get my attention. I looked towards him with hope, wondering if he had found Robert. 

I was hoping for good news, but the look on the guard's face didn't make me optimistic. He looked shocked and he seemed to be having trouble finding words.... What did he see?... I started walking towards him and what I saw made my heart break. 

I saw something lying on the ground, hidden by the tall trees. It was a black coat, his coat. And as I looked closer, I saw something even more gut-wrenching. Robert's body was lying beneath the trees and he was dead. I could not believe my eyes, this couldn't be happening to me.... No no no. This is wrong. I tried to hold my tears. Robert was dead because of me.If yesterday I would have listened to my father and left the palace ...Robert could be alive today. I'm so stupid. Why did I think that if I gave love to Prince Alexander, it would be a happy ending? I lost both princes now and that's all my fault. 

I fell to my knees and I cried harder than I had ever cried in my whole life. It was so devastating to see Robert's dead body. He was Margaret s Robert, her dear, sweet boy. He was her reason for living, her love, Margaret s everything and I took that from her 

I couldn't believe I had let that happen to him. It wasn't fair, why did it have to be him? Robert was so innocent and so pure. I just couldn't wrap my head around what had happened. I kept blaming myself for everything... 

I looked down at Robert's dead body and a deep sadness was sinking in me. I had seen death and grief before, but none of it compared to this. I felt empty and heartbroken. I wanted to be angry or to scream so much because my mind wasn't processing this. I just needed someone to wake me up from this nightmare.... But then I realized that Robert was really dead. This wasn't a dream, it was reality. And I could do nothing but accept it and feel the pain in my heart... 

I had changed the book. I ruined the story. I couldn't believe the ending had been changed because of me. The Robert that Margaret loved, her "sweet boy", was now lying dead in front of her and it was my fault... 

We went back to the village and Melinda was devastated. I couldn't stand seeing her like that. Robert was her adopted son and she loved him so much. It hurt me to know that I took him away from her forever... 

It was better this way, even though it didn't feel like it. There was a lot of suffering in what had just happened. But now at least Prince Alexander wouldn't find out that Robert was his twin brother.... 

... and he also wouldn't try to take revenge.... It would all be over and he wouldn't cause any more tragedies... 

It was too much for anyone to take. Melinda was sobbing hysterically, her tears falling onto Robert's lifeless body. She was holding his body, not wanting to let go...