Yivanna took a long deep breath, standing in the washroom. "Washrooms are always useful to me." She spoke loudly for the first time after she arrived in Meliheniya and smiled sadly, looking at her beautiful but dull eyes. Those eyes lost their colour with the self suppressing and forceful obedience.
"Before, I used to hide here and work on my dreams and now I have to hide here my whole female existence. The thing we discovered just to fulfil my dreams, now became my entire truth. And now I just hope that Edward's sacrifice don't go waste. But, how will I fulfill my dreams now? My all artworks are in the sea and I am stucked in the wrong place!"
Yivanna huffed in sorrow. Her life sucks. But, she would not give up. She needed to do her work.
Taking a long deep breath, she looked at the inviting shower stand. "But first, let me calm down." After taking a long cold shower. She also washed the wig and then blow-dried both her real hair and wig.
She changed her dress, wore the wig and went back to her male identity. She again looked at herself through the mirror. "Now, let's go back to your fake world, Yivanna." She plastered a smile on her face and walked out of the bathroom, while closing the door behind she also closed her real self inside it. Her darkest truth was prisoned inside the Meliheniyan washroom.
The moment she came out, someone knocked on the door and in second one guard went inside.
Yivanna was a bit startled at first. Being a princess, she always has guards and maids who would only get inside if she asked them to. But, here it's not the case.
'Calm down, Yivanna. This is not your place, nor do you belong here. These people are just having mercy on you. So, do not expect too much from them.' She relaxed and then looked up at the guard.
The guard looked around and then his eyes stopped at her. Suspicion was clear in his eyes. However, he did not bother so much and said "His highness is asking for you, follow me."
Yivanna nodded and obliged the order of the king, by following the guard.
*****************
Victor watched the little boy looking around the room leisurely. He has kept hidden cameras in the rooms on the fourth floor. Those cameras has never been used before. He never knew why he kept the camera on that room. But, when he decided to let this boy keep in the Palace he send him to that room. Maybe he was not being too soft hearted as others were thinking.
He watched him go inside the washroom. Of course, there was no camera in the bathroom. This boy seemed from a poor family and he has no idea how royalty work. So, there was no point thinking that he would know if there was any camera or not.
In the room, he would stay alone. If he has an ulterior motive, he would take some action when he was alone in the room. And that was the reason for those cameras.
"Bring him here." He ordered and Maria nodded and ordered a guard to bring the boy. She was standing beside his desk.
A few minutes later, Yivanna was standing in front of Victor and Nicolas along with their assistants. The environment was very tense and cold for Yivanna. She was nervous, but there was no sign of losing patience. This thing was always on her and she was proud of that. Yivanna has tons of patience. Maybe it was because of the demand of her princess life, but it worked for her in every way whenever she was in need.
While they were kept staring at her with their cold and suspicious eyes, Yivanna stood straight keeping her calm.
And after a long period of time, Victor finally spoke "What's your name, little boy?"
Yivanna "....."
'Little boy! Seriously!?' In her country, her parents wanted to marry her off and here this all grown up man mentioning her as a little boy!? What a devastating change of life!
Yet, she did not let her expressions come out on her face and smiled slightly, taking the note pad given by Maria.
She smiled inwardly. It was good that Edward managed to make her passport a day before she escaped from home. She has two passports. One was real and the other was with her male identity.
After learning what their father and aunt trying to do, he decided to send her far away from home. The male identity would be safest choice for that. But, her passport was needed too. So, with a help of his loyal assistant, he made the new passport of Yivanna's male identity in one day.
At first, Yivanna thought that was unnecessary, till to-day when she has been standing in front of the Meliheniyan king, in his palace and he was asking for her name. She was grateful towards her brother who did that for her. Now she even could show them her passport!
She wrote *Yivan Belicosta* on the note pad which appeared in front of Victor's screen. The name was also made by Edward.
He looked up at the boy "Yivan Belicosta" He pronounced her name as if he was tasting it. His pronunciation brought a slight shiver inside Yivanna. She has goosebumps because of the way her name sounded on his lips. 'How would my real name sound in his lips?' This thought appeared in her mind and she again got goosebumps.
"Where are you from?" He asked, looking at the copy of her passport. Maria managed to bring a copy of it. Though Yivanna didn't know about it, still she didn't have to bother because the passport copy was real and she knew what to answer.
*I am from Zerobia.* She replied with the sign language.
Victor: "What about your parents?"
*I am an orphan.* Her heart clenched tightly with the lie. She wanted to scream the truth. She wanted to tell them about her family. Her father and brother. But she couldn't. She has taken her steps and she couldn't do anything now. Or, she could not keep the promise she made to her brother. Yivanna felt sad.
Victor nodded his head. He did not find any suspicious thing about the boy. He looked at him for the last time and asked "How did you end up in my kingdom?"
Yivanna sighed inwardly. She was now pissed off at him. 'Didn't he already know the answer, then why again? Does he have problems with his memory?' She mocked him in mind.
Yet, she answered *I was travelling to Siyerendell but on the way in Meliheniyan sea I faced an accident and fall in the sea which led me in your private property. I didn't even know where I was because I came there at night and at morning, you caught me.*
Victor didn't reply. He stared at the little boy a few more times and then looked at her passport. The age mentioned was twenty years old. He again looked up at him. But, he was not grown up as he should be at this age. He seemed more younger and still in his teenage time with those clean face and baby fats.
Victor: "Why are you going to Siyerendell? Does anyone live there?"
Yivanna shook her head *no, I don't have anyone with me. I am an artist and I was going to Siyerendell for the job. Can I go back there?*
He arched up his brow at her. "Why? Can't Meliheniya give you a job?" Somewhat it hurt his pride. Though, there was no difference between Meliheniya and Siyerendell, as both were running by the same blood after their father decided to take down the throne. Still, it somehow hit him.
However, the most surprising thing for him was he never felt that way till now. Others were a bit surprised too with his question. Victor didn't know why he asked that. He just said what he felt.
Yivanna didn't know about this. She just felt she hurt the pride of the king. She innocently answered. *It's not that I didn't want to come in Meliheniya. I have applied for a few jobs in different countries and only get selected by the Siyerendell art gallery. Seeing my artworks they invited me to work for them. But...* She paused sadly. It was the sadest part here which she kept suppressing till now. *But, in the accident, my all artworks were destroyed.* This time she couldn't control her sad emotions and her eyes turned teary.
"You are an artist?" This time Nicolas spoke. He was curious now. He always has weaknesses in various artworks. And his wife was also great talent in art. Even, his daughter daughter had Victor's mother, Daniela had opened an art gallery in her mother's name.
Yivanna nodded *yes.*
Nicolas turned his gaze to Victor. And of course, he understood what his grandfather wanted.
He looked at the boy "Can you show us some of your talents?"
Yivanna's jaw dropped. Did he really ask that to her! She could not believe her ears. However, she smiled brightly this time with a vigorous nod. *Of ofcourse, I can.*
In a few minutes, the setup was ready for her by the King's order. Yivanna watched the valuable necessities with gleaming eyes. Back in her country, she couldn't have all these because of her aunt. So, Edward came up with the gender change plan and used to accompany her in the secret library in his room. Elizabeth always appreciated and respected his privacy, so both siblings never had to fear inside that library. In Zerobia, that was her little studio, where she used to make all her paintings at night time.
No one has ever seen them rather than Edward, till he decided to show those works to the world, ofcourse hiding their real identity. That's when one Siyerendell gallery wanted to work with the painter. Though it was never their intention.
And exactly that moment, the marriage incident happened. Which gave Edward the idea and Yivanna could take step ahead towards her dream.
However, when she accidentally appeared in Meliheniya, Yivanna thought, this might be the end of her dreams. But, seeing her dreams in front of her, she was mesmerised and overwhelmed.
She didn't know after showing them her art, what would happen to her. But, this was the only thing where she could express her inner self. Here she did not find any discrimination. On the canvas, she could paint her every emotion.
She looked at the white canvas. This canvas felt like her life. It was all white. And the colours reminded her those dreams she has seen for herself. When she was front of the canvas, she felt like a Goddess, who could do anything on her own wish. No one to come and dare to ask her. She's the only creator of her own work and only one to bear the responsibilities, if she was wrong. And Yivanna love it.
Yivanna took the colour palate. She always paints thinking, this might be her last day of art and at the end, she ended up pouring her best with all the mixed emotions. And today it could be her last day.
She closed her eyes. And the first thing she could see was her brother, who has always been supportive of her and her dreams. Her beloved brother, who always protected her from every danger and stand beside her. The brother, whom she loves the most.