After the plane landed, I took a deep breath to steady myself. At a signal from one of the men, Mike stood. I followed him down the ramp out of the plane.
As soon as I saw the view outside of the plane, I stopped walking and gasped. The runway the plane landed on was at the base of a hill.
Upon the hill was a large estate house, the size of a castle, surrounded by a tall stone wall. I could also see a forest and what looked like gardens and a hedge maze.
I was brought back to the present moment when a hand grabbed my arm. Mike turned around and had grabbed me.
"Let's keep going.", he suggested.
I walked with him to a car parked not far away.
"Get in. You are keeping their Majesties waiting.", one man said.
It was a short drive up the hill to a large gate embedded in the tall stone wall. After a short exchange between the driver and the gate's guard, we continued driving toward the estate and around to the back.
After the car came to a stop, Mike and I got out. We were herded to the back door. Our belongings remained in the car's trunk.
We walked through the door, and even though I readied myself to expect opulence, I was still surprised by the grandeur. It wasn't only one aspect either; it was everything.
Gold gilding on mirrors, murals on the ceiling, intricate wood carving, rich jewel-tone rugs, and in the distance, a marble staircase.
One man gestured to a doorway that I hadn't realized was a doorway.
"This way. You can wait in the Green sitting room."
We went inside, followed by two of the men. The man who ushered us in, closed the door behind us. Once it was closed, I could hardly tell where it was. The door was designed to be invisible, and blend seamlessly into the wall.
The Green sitting room, as he called it, was a bit plainer and understated compared to the previous hallway. But the furnishings still looked high-quality and were probably expensive.
While Mike sat in a French-style armchair, I was hesitant to sit. I felt too jittery to sit.
Our wait felt like it took an hour, but in all likelihood was only fifteen minutes. I turned my head as the door in the wall opened and a woman walked in.
Her clothes were plain, but neat and her hair was pulled back into a bun. Her black, low-heeled shoes clicked on the floor as she walked.
"So. You are the ones I am to interview regarding the whereabouts of the missing princess?", she inquired with one eyebrow raised.
"Yes.", answered Mike.
The woman looked me up and down. "Take a seat.", she said in a tone that wasn't a suggestion.
I gingerly sat on the edge of a nearby chair.
"My name is Ms. Margaret. I already know who you are.", she nodded towards Mike. "But who might you be?"
"My name is Liz.", I said.
"What is your last name, Liz?"
"I don't have…I mean, it's just Liz…"
"Hmm." Ms. Margaret said with a frown. "Tell me, Liz, do you think you are the missing princess?"
"Yes, I do."
"What makes you think that exactly?"
"Well…many little things. It would make more sense if I told you everything from the beginning."
"Well then, why don't you do that."
So, I told Ms. Margaret my life story, leaving out the unimportant bits and sticking to the things that made me suspect I was the princess. At the end I told her about the birthmark, the one I believed matched the one of the missing princess.
Ms. Margaret would be a good poker player. The entire time she kept her face neutral, hiding any thought or feeling.
Once I stopped talking, she asked a few questions, which I answered. Then she stood up.
"At the estate, we have a resident doctor. He's been with the family for many years. He delivered the princess when she was born and knows what the birthmark looks like. Would you agree to let him examine you?"
I glanced quickly over at Mike. He didn't look at all surprised.
"Yes, I will."
"Very well, wait here for a few moments, please."
Ms. Margaret walked to the edge of the room and exited through the hidden door.
"Do you think it is okay?" I asked Mike.
"What I can tell you is Ms. Margaret is suspicious of me and my motives. But if she didn't believe any of what you said, she wouldn't get the doctor involved. She would have shown us to the door, and we would be escorted off the property."
I mulled that over while we waited for her to return.
When Ms. Margaret entered the room again, she looked directly at me and said, "Come with me, please, Liz. I will take you to another room to meet the doctor."
I stood up from my seat and crossed the room to her. Wordlessly, I followed her out of the room and into the hallway. I didn't pay attention to the way we went. Everywhere I looked there were interesting things to see.
I looked upon objects like a person searching for a life-raft; I had a vague idea that if I had seen these things before, surely, I would remember them. But nothing seemed familiar.
"Here we are." Ms. Margaret announced.