King Olive and his counsels swim out when they heard the girls screaming. Queen Analse swim out with Lekin, she wonder what the girls saw today. Is this their new way of discussion? She saw the girls outside and frown immediately.
"Why are you shouting? What happened?" Queen Analse inquired. She was still worried.
"What's wrong with you?" Lekin asked. She held her daughter's chin and brought her face up.
"What happened?" She added.
"Well...Mother.... She's....
"Speak clearly." Lekin yelled.
"What's going on here? I heard noise." King Olive queried. He just arrived. They bow their heads in respect.
When he heard the noise from the girls, he ended the meeting with his counsels and postponed it. Every one of them left before he went to the girls. He don't want outsiders to invade in his family's affairs.
"Sorry father, I didn't mean to cause you any pain." Celine said and bow her head.
"Yes, your majesty. It was a mistake." Julia replied.
"What is wrong with you?" King Olive asked.
"Well father, I.... Dior....." Celine stammered. She don't know how to explain what happened.
"Dior? Where is she?" Analse queried. She hope nothing bad happened to her precious daughter, she's the future of the kingdom.
"Well, she.....She.... She's..." Julia stammered. She started crying immediately as she can't hold herself anymore.
"She's what?" Analse asked. She was already impatient, what if something happened to her daughter?
Mira continued to point at Celine's room, she was scared and don't know what to say.
"Is she there?" Lekin asked, confused. She wished her daughter could speak to her.
"Guards, search that room and bring Dior out. I don't know what is wrong with these girls." King Olive yelled.
"Don't go there. Please don't go." Eva shouted and held the guard. Another one passed and she struggles to go after him.
"Will you keep calm?" One of the guards yelled. The one she held pushed her away and left.
"Please don't go." Eva whined.
"What exactly is wrong with you? What have you done this time? I'm sure something is not right. Tell me Celine, why are you trembling? Are you sick? Where is Dior?" Queen Analse inquired.
"Mother." Celine called and started crying.
"I'm your mother, don't hide anything from me. Tell me, what is wrong?" Queen Analse asked and held her hand.
"Your majesty, the princess is not there, no one is there." One of the guards said and bow his head.
"Where is she? Where did she go?" King Olive asked, aggressively.
"Eva, where is the princess?" Queen Analse inquired and let go of Celine's hand. Right now, she was more concerned about her daughter.
"Well, she....She's.....She....
"Speak loudly, stop this stammering. It's annoying." King Olive yelled.
"Mira, what happened?" Lekin asked. She hoped to hear the truth from her daughter.
"Mom, I don't know. Only Celine can answer that question." Mira replied, trembling. She can't reveal the truth, she can't even receive punishment for it. Celine will be blamed for everything.
"How can you say that?" Julia retaliated.
"What? She knows what she did, I'm just a victim of it." Mira lied. She will vindicate herself, no matter what.
"I know, I will answer every question. Go ahead and ask anything." Celine said. Julia was surprised, how can she say that? She don't know anything, it was a coincidence they went to the room.
"No, my princess. Mira and Eva should answer every question, they were with the princess." Julia said.
"What do you want us to say? The princess disappeared in Celine's room so she should explain how it happened." Mira blurted out.
"She disappeared?" Queen Analse murmured. She couldn't believe what she heard.
Eva looked at her and sigh deeply, what will she say? Should she just support Mira and put all the blame on the princess? Or just tell the truth? She knew everything was Mira's fault, she caused it but now, she is denying it.
"So, what if she disappeared there? You were with her, is this how you are going to betray her? I thought she was your friend but, it seems you were just following her so you can be popular in the kingdom. After all, what's so important about a mere maid's daughter?" Julia blurted out.
"How dare you? Who gave you the right to insult me?" Mira yelled.
"What? Are you not a maid's daughter? The fact you are not a maid doesn't differentiate you from me, we are the same." Julia replied.
"Sorry, your majesty. But, I won't let this little girl insult me." Lekin pointed out.
"I'm sorry." Julia apologized.
"But, Mira has to explain what happened to the princess. She was with her." She added.
"Why are you blaming me for it? I don't know why and how the princess disappeared, Celine should be questioned about it. It happened in her room." Mira blurted out. She can't accept this accusations.
"How can you address her like that? She's a princess. And yet, you keep calling her name. No respect." Julia accused.
"I'm not the only one who calls her name, why should I respect her? She's a curse to this kingdom, and every creature dislike her." Mira blurted out.
"How dare you?" Queen Analse yelled and slapped her.
"Who gave you that right? You have the audacity to insult my daughter." She added.
"Sorry, your highness. She's just a child, she don't know what she's saying." Lekin apologized.
"No mother. It's the truth, anyone can agree with that." Mira corrected. She was not scared of saying the truth. After all, the king and queen don't like her as well. But, why is the queen pretending about it.
"You are still talking. Guards, lock her up." Queen Analse yelled.
"Yes, your highness." A guard answered. He pulled her from her mother and dragged her along.
"Please, your highness. She's just a child, please spare her." Lekin pleaded. She don't want anything to happen to her only daughter.
"No, your highness. I didn't do anything wrong, you dislike Celine as well. Even, the king don't like her. You are just pretending so no one finds out." Mira blurted out.
Everyone was very surprised, no one knew the queen was pretending to like her child. Not, even the king, he don't know about it. Celine curled her lips, so someone else noticed. She never knew someone would noticed it.
"How dare you? You have the guts to talk back at the queen." King Olive yelled.
"I have been too gentle on her, why won't she insult me?" Queen Analse mumbled.
"Sorry, your majesty. Please, your highness. Forgive her." Lekin pleaded and started crying.
"But, I'm right. I heard you discussing with the queen and she said it. She was serious when she said she doesn't like Celine." Mira said, confidently.
"Will you keep quiet? Who are you to listen to my conversations? Spoilt child." Lekin condemned.
"Guard, what are you still waiting for? Behead her now." King Olive yelled. He can't take the insult anymore, it seem this maid has bitten more than she can chew.
"Please, your majesty. Please punish me instead." Lekin pleaded, as she held onto her daughter.
"Guard, take her away now." King Olive yelled.
"Please, your majesty. Please I'm sorry." Mira pleaded. She don't want to be killed. Now, she realized the huge mistake she made. She should have just kept quiet from the beginning, she wouldn't have interfered in the princess's life.
"Make sure you feed her to the fishes." King Olive pointed out.
"Yes, your majesty." Another guard answered and joined the first one.
They dragged Mira who was still pleading, even Lekin couldn't stop crying. She continued to plead for daughter to be forgiven.
"Stop. Leave her alone." Celine yelled.
The guards were surprised, they exchanged glances and turned to the princess. Even the creatures were also surprised.
"I said, leave her alone." She repeated.
"Or, maybe I should feed you to the fishes instead." She threatened. The guards quickly left Mira which surprised the king and queen more.
"You disobeyed me?" King Olive asked rhetorically.
"No, your majesty. Sorry, your majesty." One of the guard apologized and held Mira. The other followed swift.
"Will you let her be?" Celine yelled. The guards were confused, who should they obey? The king or princess?
"Are you contending with me? How can you order the guards to disobey me? Where are your manners?" King Olive yelled.
"Are you still holding her? You want me to behead you, right?" Celine queried.
The guards became more confused, who to obey became a problem. Queen Analse sigh deeply as she watched her daughter, isn't it too rude to disobey the king? Why is she behaving like that?
Mira was surprised, so was Eva and Julia. They wondered if the princess want to disobey the king. Why will Celine spare Mira, anyway? She's a pain in her neck and a venom she need to get rid off. Julia while away in thought.
Lekin wished and prayed the princess could spare her daughter, she don't want to lose her only child. She prayed the goddess answered her today.
"Child, what are you doing?" Queen Analse inquired.
"You can't disobey your father's order, it's a crime. And, you can be punished for it." She added. She don't want her child to make any mistake that will ruin her life.
"Why will she be killed? Is she lying?" Celine replied and scuffed.
The king and queen were surprised, just like other creatures there. Julia wished the princess could spill everything on her mind and taunt her parents for ignoring her.
"How can you say that? We are your parents and we love you very much. We have always been with you." Queen Analse replied.
"If you were telling Dior that, I won't be surprised." Celine blurted out.
Queen Analse was shocked, even the king wasn't left out. He wondered what had gotten into his daughter, who is telling her rubbish in the kingdom? Maybe, it's Mira. She's the only odd child in the castle, always picking on others and causing troubles.
"What are you talking about? What do you mean, she's not lying?" King Olive queried. He needs to be sure of her words.
"I don't know why you are asking, you should know better father." Celine replied.
"Guards, leave her alone. Do you want me to punish you, instead?" She said, turning to the guards who were still holding Mira. They left her and bow before the king.
"Your majesty....
"It's okay." King Olive interjected.
"I want to speak with my daughter alone, please leave us." He added.
"I will speak with her, too." Queen Analse said.
"Why should they leave? What's private here? The mistreatment or hatred?" Celine queried. She wasn't ready for any pretence now.
"What are you talking about? We want to speak with you privately, is that bad?" Queen Analse questioned. She felt heartbroken.
"Privately? Why privately?" Celine inquired.
"Everyone excuse us now." King Olive commanded.
"No one leaves, nothing is private here." Celine blurted out.
"What are you doing?" Queen Analse asked.
"Why? Why mom? Are you scared? Well, for your information there's no need for that. Everyone here already knows the truth, you are just pretending to like me. Nothing else." Celine blurted out.
"How can you say that?" King Olive asked. For the first time, he felt exposed.
"It's true, dad. I don't need to talk about your hatred for me, it has always been obvious. But, she's my mother. Yet, she pretended to like me. She pretend in public and hate in secret, isn't that awkward? Who would wish that from a mother?" Celine blurted out.
Queen Analse was surprised and angry at the same time, if Mira hadn't brought that up, Celine wouldn't had been aware. She cursed in her mind and wondered how to calm her child.
"No child, I would never do that. Mira caused this, how could she say that? She listened to my conversation with her mother and has the guts to speak of it. I will punish her dearly for this." Queen Analse threatened.
"Well, I was aware of everything from the start. I know you don't like me, I know father hates me too and I'm not surprised. Don't pretend today, at least not here." Celine said. She was determined to free her mind today, she need to let go of everything in her mind, especially the pain.
"How could you say that, child? I'm your mother, no one loves you better than me." Queen Analse pointed out. She felt bad.
"It's fine, I'm okay. I will look for Dior and leave this kingdom. I will make sure she returns home and afterwards, I will leave this kingdom. I will go faraway and never returns." Celine said. She has to tell them what's in her mind so when she leaves, no one will accuse her of anything.
"You want to leave this kingdom? Is that what you have been planning? And, you never told me." Julia complained. She was disappointed.
"I thought we shared everything with each other, you were busy hiding things." She added.
"Sorry." Celine apologized.
"Don't tell me, you are serious. You won't leave this kingdom no matter what, you will stay here. It's your home." King Olive stressed out.
"I can't believe she's saying all that." Queen Analse said and cried.
"My child has forsaken me." She added and cried more.
"Your highness, it's okay. You can't cry here, do you want the creatures to be blind?" Lekin asked, as she covered the queen's eyes. Queen Analse held her hand and cried more.
"It's okay, your highness." She added.
"Well, it's not the princess's fault. She has suffered so much, you don't like her and you treat her like a no body. You preferred Dior and she's treated better, why won't she feel bad?" Julia inquired. She can't be quiet anymore, the princess is not a slave so nobody should treat her like one.
"I agree with you, if the princess was treated nicely nobody could have disrespected her. Especially Mira, she was too rude and arrogant towards the princess." Eva pointed out.
"I tried to be respectful, I just couldn't." Mira blurted out. She wished it wasn't so.
"But, why didn't you? She is a princess and deserves all the respect, she isn't just any maiden in this kingdom." Eva corrected.
"I tried my best." Mira blurted out.
"It's okay, no need to cry over spilled milk. I'm fine with it, you weren't the only one." Celine admitted.
"Sorry, my princess." Mira apologized.
"The king and queen are highly responsible for this, they didn't respect the princess and never treated her like their child. They just chose princess Dior and abandoned her." Julia protested.
"Don't speak harshly of the king and queen, you might be punished severely for it." Lekin corrected.
"Yes, I won't." Julia replied.
"I just want them to know she's hurt, she feels bad about it. But, she didn't say anything. She just kept quiet and move on." She added.
"Keep quiet, Julia." Celine demanded.
"Sorry, my princess. But, I won't. She cried bitterly all day, she felt miserable. To make the matter worse, I was forced to flog her till she bleeds." Julia blurted out.
"You flogged the princess? How could you?" Eva asked rhetorically.
"How dare you? Who gave you that right?" King Olive yelled.
"I did, father." Celine replied
"Child?" Queen Analse murmured.
"Is anything wrong with it? You made me do it, you despised me beyond compare. Sometimes, I wished I wasn't your child. That made me more frustrated, I decided to be rude and arrogant because of your hatred." Celine admitted.
"I'm sorry, child." Queen Analse replied. She was very sincere.
"No need. I will look for Dior and bring her back." Celine said.
"Guards, search the entire kingdom for Dior. Make sure you find her and bring her back now." King Olive commanded.
"Yes, your majesty." Some guards chorused and swim away.
"Actually, she disappeared." Eva murmured.
"To where?" Analse inquired. She wants her daughter back no matter what.
"We don't know, your highness. The shell is very powerful." Mira replied.
"It's all my fault, I shouldn't have taken her there. I shouldn't have told her anything." She added.
"Which shell? What did you tell her? Where did you take her to?" Lekin queried. She don't know why her daughter is hiding things from her.
"Mom, I caused it. I was curious, I think my hatred for Celine has put Dior in danger. It's all my fault." Mira replied and cried. She felt sorry for everything.
"Tell me everything that happened, Mira. Speak, else I will hit you." Lekin said. She was furious already.
"I hate Celine, I hate her character. I hate her attitude, I hate her pride. I hate everything about her." Mira blurted out and cried more.
Everyone looked at her in awe as they wonder why. Is the princess too rude to deserve all that hatred? Was she that bad?
"When she suddenly became nice, I thought she was pretending. And the way she avoids everyone like a plague, I thought she was harbouring something dangerous in her mind." She added. She has decided to be truthful now. After all, she might not have another time.
"She wasn't pretending, she wasn't planning anything dangerous. She truly changed, she was tired of her behaviour so she moved on." Julia corrected.
"She made me flog her so she can change." She added.
"You shouldn't have said that, nothing will change anyway." Celine protested.
"The king and queen will change their attitude towards you, that's what I want." Julia commented. She was tired of seeing the princess suffer.
"Well, they shouldn't. It doesn't matter." Celine blurted out. King Olive was sad, he never wished to hate his child. He couldn't believe his hatred made her miserable.
"I don't know that I hurt you so much, I spoke to you, thinking you will stop your rude attitude. Every creature complained of it everyday. I was scared you will end up lonely if you continue that way." King Olive replied. He felt very sorry.
"I know, that's why I changed. And to make the change positive and effective, I told Julia to flog me till I bleed. Though she don't want to, I persuaded her. She has to inflict pain on me so I can feel sorry for everything I have been doing, especially to her." Celine explained.
"I'm very sorry." King Olive murmured.
"It's okay." Celine replied. No matter what they say, she won't change her mind of leaving the kingdom.
"I'm sorry, child." Queen Analse apologized. Celine smiled and nodded. Though, the smile wasn't real, she just need to fake it for the issue to die down.
"Please forgive me, your highness. I am very sorry." Mira apologized and bow her head.
"I told you to stop suspecting her, you didn't listen. If you haven't listened to their conversations or dragged princess Dior to her room, this wouldn't have happened, it's all your fault." Eva blurted out. Everyone was surprised more.
"You listened to our conversations, how could you invade in the princess's privacy?" Julia yelled.
"You truly don't have respect." She added.
"I'm sorry, please forgive me." Mira apologized.
"How could you do that? I didn't bring you up that way." Lekin protested. She was disappointed in her daughter.
"Please, what happened to Dior?" Queen Analse inquired. She wants her daughter back soon.
"I don't know it was magical." Celine replied.
"Magic? Who performed magic in the castle?" Queen Analse inquired. She will punish anyone who did. It was against the royal rules.
"It was a mistake mom, I'm sorry." Celine apologized.
"Mistake? How could you perform magic in the castle?" Queen Analse queried. She was now furious.
"No, your highness. She didn't perform any magic, it was all my fault. I took the princess there." Mira explained. She want to be truthful, Eva was surprised. How could she changed so easily.
"It was my fault, you don't know anything about it." Celine blurted out. Mira knew the princess is lying, how can she allow her take all the blame, she caused it anyway.
"No, it was my fault. I took her there." Mira protested.
"Where? Where exactly did you take her to?" Lekin inquired.
"To princess Celine's room, I showed her the shell." Mira explained.
Everyone murmured among themselves, what sort of a shell? Is there any magical shell? Where was it found?
"Shut up Mira, your princess commands it. If you say another word, I will punish you." Celine yelled. Everywhere was silent immediately as no one wants to make the princess angry.
"Sorry, my princess." Mira apologized and bow her head.
"I caused everything. If you have any question, ask me. I will answer it" Celine said. The girls were shocked, how could she lie to them? She's innocent of this.
"But, my princess. You....
"Don't say anything." Celine interjected.
"How did it happen? I didn't expect you to be careless with your sister. Is it your way of revenge?" King Olive queried.
"I'm still disappointed in you." Queen Analse said. Celine curled her lips, partiality has always ruled over. Her parents cared more about her sister, it will always be obvious.
"I went to Whale kingdom. I wanted to know if it's a nice place to live in." Celine blurted out. Everyone was surprised except Julia, they went together that day.
"You what?" Analse inquired. She was surprised.
"That place is dangerous, how could you go there?" She added.
"I was looking for a peaceful place to hang in. I saw a shell hooked in the middle of a pine, it was multi coloured. I like it so I tried my best to take it, but I couldn't. So I killed the pine." Celine explained.
"What? How could you do that?" King Olive almost yelled. Killing in Whale kingdom is very dangerous, those monsters might attack them.
"I'm sorry dad, I wanted the shell and then I did something grievous." Celine apologized.
"I brought the shell here, I hid it in my room but Dior saw it. She disappeared holding it." Celine explained further.
"It's all my fault dad, please punish me. Eva, Mira and Julia knows nothing about it. They came in when Dior was about to disappear." She added. The girls were more puzzled, she had taken all the accusations.
"I will speak to the seer. He needs to find your sister immediately. But, you shouldn't have killed any pine." King Olive said.
"I'm sorry, dad." Celine apologized.
"Do you know the consequence of what you have done? Whale kingdom is very dangerous, it's full of monsters. How could you kill there?" Queen Analse queried.
"Sorry mom." Celine apologized.
"We have to protect her, she's in danger now. She can't stay in this kingdom for long." King Olive said.
"Yes, we will call the seer and inquire about Dior's whereabout. I think Celine will go there and bring her back." Queen Analse suggested.
"Yes that's right, we will do just that." King Olive agreed.
"Before they returned, we will sort issues out with the king of Whale kingdom." Queen Analse said.
"Exactly, I just hoped they agreed." King Olive murmured.
Celine sigh deeply, she will finally leave the Kingdom. Once, she returned with her sister. She will leave again, putting her pains behind.