So it turns out that Auntie- I mean mother, was the one who wanted a daughter named Valentine and that's why father named me Valentine when he gave me away.
As mother was cursed and chained up, every night, father would often come by in the secret room to tell mother about his day. Although she's had become a hostile beast who was unable to reply to him, she was able to keep in her memory, all of the stories she heard from father.
It also turns out that Papa had been watching over me all along. It was wrong of me to think that he's the kind of king who does things without reason...
Mother is okay now. Yet we all agreed that she'll stay hidden in the secret room to keep the Calozai clan from being alarmed by this, in case that it is in fact their plan to get rid of me and her.
***
{THIRD PERSON POV}
"Penelope. Promise me that no one may know that Valentine is your sister okay?"
"But Father why?"
"Because I'm worried about you. I only care about your future. If it comes out that Valentine is also a princess, she'll inherit half of the fortune that rightfully belongs to you." his majesty said. "I don't know if Pokey is being used by Calzolai clan, but I have to lie to her. It's better this way. It's better to be safe." He thought.
"But father..." Pokey began
"Promise me!"
"Yes... father."
In another land, an old wizard listens in to Ijekiel and Pokey's conversation through a magic ball.
"Hmm, I thought that his majesty has already figured out everything the moment he took in his true child, but it looks like I have nothing to worry about... because even though he found the true princess, Penelope is still the one he favors." said Elder Makoto. "As I've told you, everything is going as planned." he smiles maniacally.
A bag of gold was dropped on his sorcery table. "Good. What's the next step?" asked the man wearing a uniform with an embedded design of snakes on the cape. Under the design, 'Calzolai clan' was written in bold letters.
"We wait for Penelope's debut, and when that day comes, you're free to kill him." Elder Makoto replied.
"How long do we have to wait!?"
"Patience is the key to success. Once Penelope debuted and the King was killed. We'll have full control of Penelope. We'll control the land through her." Elder Makoto explains.
"And what if that child refuse to cooperate with us?"
"She won't be able to.... because the only purpose of her existence is for our revenge. Revenge was planted in her soul the day she was born. We will use her just as how we use her to get the informations we need from the palace. My magic is the reason we hear all the things she can hear."
***
{Valentine's POV}
I am currently playing with Pokey in her room, I really want to visit mother, but I can only do so at night. We can't let Penelope know about it. I do feel bad about keeping a secret from her, but we can't let her know just in case that the Calzolai clan or Elder Makoto is indeed using her to spy on us.
Pokey took the princess doll and I took the Prince doll. "Why hello there my Prince!" she said pretending to talk as the princess doll.
"Oh hey, what's up?" I say, pretending to be the prince.
Although I am playing with her, I'm still lost in my thoughts. The Calzolai clan and Elder Makoto are like, fake allies. They pretend to help papa in front of him, yet they spy on him and tries to ruin his family. What do they want out of this? Wealth? Power? Will they take over once papa's gone?
"Come have tea with me." Pokey says, still playing princess.
"Nah I'm good bro, I prefer milk. A fresh milk. As in, straight from the cow's udder type-of-milk."
"Oh, I see..."
Suddenly, the door swings open. It was papa. "Valentine, I've prepared your room for you."
Right. I forgot to tell you that I've been sleeping in Pokey's bedroom ever since I moved in here. Which is not a bad thing because her room is big enough for more than the two of us.
"But Father! I want Valentine to sleep with me!" Pokey cried as she clings onto my arm.
"Okay then, I'll leave the decision to Valentine." papa said.
Pokey looks at me with puppy eyes, so I looked away from her. "....sorry Pokey, I've always wanted my own room." I say even though the real reason I wanted a separate room is so that I can visit mother at night without having to be careful not to disturb her sleep.
Pokey, sadly let go of my arm and looked down at the floor.
"But I can always go to your room whenever you want me to, and you're always welcome to visit me in my room." I told her.
Pokey slightly brightened up. "Okay..."
"I have another surprise. This time it's for the two of you." Father said.
"What is it Father?" Pokey asks.
"I've invited playmates for you. They'll arrive tomorrow morning."
"Really!?" Pokey said excitedly. "Thank you father!" Pokey rushed over to hug him.
"Ugh I have to deal with kids?" I thought to myself. But I appreciate papa's effort to give us some company. "Thank you papa!" I said smiling as I come over to hug him as well.
~End of Chapter 10~