Chapter 30

"What happened to his majesty?" questioned the empress menacingly.

"W-we do not know much, your majesty. The emperor suddenly collapsed after reading a secret letter. He is currently being examined by the palace physician in his quarters."

A secret letter? Could it have been from the prince? Ugh! This conniving little…Despite being so far away, he continues to be a thorn in his father's side. How long will he continue to hold this childish grudge of his? He is already seventeen years of age, yet he acts as though he is merely twelve. Is it not enough that he keeps everyone at bay?

*Knock Knock*

"Pardon the interruption, your majesty. Her highness princess Yurivera requests a private audience with you."

*Sigh* What sort of antics will she bring to my attention this time?

"Let her in and escort these maids out."

"As you command, your majesty."

"May the glory of Alkaraz shine upon her majesty. Good day, mother." She greeted with a curtsy.

++++++

I somehow managed to dissuade him from the idea of stopping by the Human Rights office. Hence, we are now headed straight to the royal palace. My heart was pounding loudly with each gallop that drew us closer to our destination.

"The streets of Ecchelon sure are lively even at night."

"This is called a night market. An event held every Saturdays and Sundays by the merchants in an effort to sell off straggler products at half the normal price. That is why it is so crowded here."

"Interesting…" he pondered.

At our last respite, he decided that I would once again ride with him, to which I reluctantly agreed. I suppose he got over our minor accident earlier. Honestly, interesting things always happen whenever we're together. It's almost as if we are meant to be. Haha!

"As expected, you know so much about Ecchelon." 

It's that smile again. The one that makes my heart flutter like never before.

"Say, Fati. Since we may never see each other again after this trip. How about a tour tomorrow?"

He's right. This may be the last time we are together like this. Once I arrive at the palace, the first i'll do is speak to my parents and clear up the misunderstanding. Then I will ask them to keep my existence a secret until we find the culprit behind the assassination attempt. Since I'm the crown princess, it'll be easy to organize a court and start a thorough investigation. And with my sister's help, it should all go smoothly.

"A tour sounds lovely, your highness." I replied with a smile.

I am deeply sorry Nathan. Hopefully, you will not hate me too much when you find out the truth. I am a coward who can't muster the courage to tell you the truth despite the many opportunities I have had.

++++++

Upon arrival, they presented us with the most grandiose of greetings. There must have been over a thousand servants lined up on both sides of the entrance. Our luggage was promptly taken care of, as well as our carriages. And we are now being escorted to the dining hall.

The royal family's portraits covered both sides of the walls, and I couldn't resist glancing at them as we walked by. As I paused to look at a particular portrait that seemed rather familiar, I felt bewildered. At first, I thought there was no way they could be the same person. I tried to convince myself that I must have seen wrong. That was until…

"Our late Princess Charlotte-Rose Fatima Vicksburg D'Ecchelon, peace be with her." said the butler in a sad tone.

"Her highness was the first royal to become the crown princess before she even came of age."

Those blood-red eyes, and that haughty smile on her face. I have seen her silver hair unraveled before, though never to this degree. However, in this portrait, anyone from the delegation could easily tell that she is the Fatima that we know. Even the knights who were following me were starting to pick up on it, as they were also staring at the portraits in disbelief.

"My sincere condolences to the crown."

Welcome home, princess.

+++++

I cannot believe I got lost. This place used to be my playground, for goodness' sake! If Eleison were to find out about this, I'd never hear the end of it. Let's see, right now they must be hosting the crown prince, which means their quarters are vacant. Perhaps I should have disguised myself as a maid, which would have made things a lot easier. 

While I was busy peeking into the maid's quarters, I failed to notice the large shadowy figure that was looming from behind me. When I glanced up, I was met with none other than…

"You scared the living life out of me, Sir Raulin. I thought someone dangerous was following me. What a relief it was just you. How have you been? It feels like such a long time that I haven't seen you."

"You can imagine my surprise as well, princess. Who would have thought you were alive all this time? Pray tell, your highness, where have you been this whole time?"

"Ah well, I was…"

"Have you seen the crown prince of Alkaraz?"

"I caught a brief glance of him earlier and good heavens, he is so handsome!"

Raulin had long managed to hide me from the chattering maids in the corridor. I suppose it would cause a commotion if they were to see me now. However, his grip is rather tight. I can barely breathe.

"Stay in your room, princess, and do not come out or open the door for anyone other than myself. I shall report to Princess Loraine right away." He said with a bow.

"Sir Raulin?"

He was already halfway through the door when I called his name. He then turned his face around, revealing a rather disturbing smile.

"Yes, your highness?"

"Thank you. I appreciate your help."

"It is always a pleasure, princess." He replied while facing thehallway as he shut the door behind him.

I am finally home.

++++++

In Ecchelon, royals greet their guests with a peck on the cheeks, which differs from Alkaraz where we mostly shake hands. I was greatly taken aback when the princess suddenly kissed me. Had I come into this knowledge before, I would have teased Fati to no end. What a shame.

"I am truly happy to see that our selection for tonight's impromptu dinner has met his highness' standards. It seems I was worried for naught." said the princess with a smile on her face.

She was sitting at the head of the table, which is a spot that is usually occupied by the monarch. If such a figure were to be absent, then the chair would be removed. Preventing anyone else from occupying the spot. There is also the loftiness of this dinner that looked more like a celebration feast than anything else. There were more dishes laid out on the table than we could ever hope to finish. Delicious as they were, it was just too much. Especially for a country in mourning.

"My sincere apologies on behalf of the king and queen. With your arrival date being tomorrow, they had decided to take a day trip to Bassup. They will return late into the night."

"It's quite alright, Princess. I am sure they could use the fresh air." I responded calmly.

There was something odd hiding behind her grin. Is she trying to show hospitality by concealing her sorrow? Should I tell her that the princess is alive?

"Prin-"

"Pardon the interruption your highness, I came bearing urgent news of his highness the king and the queen." said a knight from behind the doors.

Her smile instantly disappeared, and a scowl appeared as she halted from cutting through her steak. My knights, who were already feeling uncomfortable in her presence, were now staring at me. As though they were begging me to end this farce as quickly as I possibly could.

"You may speak!" she shouted from her seat.

"But your highness…" stuttered the messenger.

"How dare you disobey my command?! You filthy peasant!" she yelled while banging her fists on the dinner table.

"My deepest apologies, your highness. I shall do as you say." 

What a big difference from earlier. She wasted no time in showing her true personality. Does she think I condone such a behavior?

"It is with great sorrow that I announce the passing of his highness, king Barthelemy Vicksburg D'Ecchelon and queen Leticia Bel Vicksburg D'Ecchelon. On their way back from Bassup prison, a group of assassins ambushed them, and they unfortunately did not survive the attack. Their corpses are currently being transported…"

"Noooooo!" she shrieked as she sprung off her seat.