Three days later.
Today in the Diamond Kingdom, everything seems fine. The weather is very sunny, this time the dry season is not severe. Some days it rains.
And today, Luciana returned to the palace. The girl looked tired and not too eager to do other activities.
"Hey, how are you?"
Hearing the voice, Lucy immediately turned to the doorway of her bedroom. Royce came to Lucy's bedroom. Of course he wanted to say hello to his sister.
Lucy snorted softly. "There's no point in asking how I'm doing. You can tell the answer to your question just by looking at the look on my face. I'm tired, you should just go!"
Instead Royce was getting closer. The man chuckled and clutched his chest. "Lucy, didn't Mother allow you to relax today?"
"Yeah, but I'm so sick of everything. I'm tired of the situation I'm in every day. I'm so tired of being here. If there was any other place that could cheer me up, I would definitely go there. But it's a shame, I don't have a destination like that." Lucy said. The girl spoke with pouting lips.
Then Royce gently stroked Lucy's head. The man could only show a small smile when he heard his sister complain. "Do you hate being in the palace?"
"Yeah, I want to be an ordinary person. I want to play with a lot of kids my age out there. I want to play in the rain, mud, run for mushrooms in the forest, sail in the ocean to catch fish, and I want to be free to ride and shoot. I want to sit here in silence just wearing a pretty dress like this. Especially, the crown we don't wear, except when we sleep and take a shower. Brother, I'm so tired and bored. I don't like studying." said Lucy.
The girl took all her complaints to Royce. Her face looked really tired. Usually Lucy always smiles, laughs, and looks fierce when interacting with people. But today the girl really felt hopeless.
"Hmm, but you don't really hate this palace, do you?" Ask Royce.
And slowly, Lucy shook her head. "I don't hate this palace, but I hate myself living here."
Those words left Royce speechless. The pressure of being a royal family is like that. The flow of life every day is always monitored and regulated by the right hand of the king and queen.
Royce also hated the truth that he was a crown prince. He hated being watched by Helen and the others. He hated not being able to go in and out of the palace freely. And he hates what is happening now, that his love affair is not approved by his mother.
These few days Royce was still silent in the palace. He went out only when there was an urgent need to visit a diamond mine. In addition, he chose to stay in the palace first. Maybe next week Royce will see Jane.
The truth about Jane that Victoria had told, Royce still didn't believe. As long as Royce had known Jane, she wasn't like that. Jane is a good girl. Was it possible that Jane had such bad intentions?
Seeing her brother daydreaming, Lucy who was still sitting on her dressing table chair. She gently gripped Royce's right hand. "Do you hate being here too?" Lucy asked.
Royce stopped his thoughts and he looked down at Lucy. "Sometimes I think that too. But this is our destiny, Lucy. If you hate being here, do you hate mom and dad too?"
Lucy shook her head. "Not."
"That's the right answer. We hate being here. But we can't hate mom and dad. No matter how they treat us, their intentions are very good. Mom is too hard on you, but her aim is good, which is to make you smart and understanding about all the knowledge in this kingdom. I just don't want you to look stupid in front of everyone if you attend a big gathering, someday when you're an adult. And you will surely thank mother."
"Is it really like that?"
"Yes, of course. Father said our grandmother had complained too. In the past, Ariadne's grandmother had ruled this kingdom alone since the age of ten. Just imagine how hard it must have been. Then now you complain like this. If Ariadne's grandmother knew, she would surely very disappointed in you." Royce said.
Lucy smiled and took a deep breath. "Hmm, am I a coward?"
"No, you're just tired. And the cure for fatigue is rest."
"But I want to get out of here even if it's only for an hour. Where's Athena?" Lucy asked who immediately thought of Athena's name.
Royce gently stroked Lucy's head. "Do you want to go out with Athena? If so, I'll get Mother to let you go with Athena."
Of course Lucy immediately nodded her head. The girl also immediately stood up and looked very excited. "Yes yes!! Of course I would!!"
***
"Don't you want to come with us?" Lucy asked Royce.
Lucy was sitting pretty in the carriage. And Athena was also sitting beside her.
The carriage door was still open, so Lucy could still talk to Royce who was standing at the door of the royal hall.
Royce shook his head. "I have to help father with some paperwork that needs to be checked. Go have fun with Athena. As per your request, there are only two bodyguards to escort you."
"Okay then, I'll go first." said Lucy with a happy smile.
Royce nodded, then his gaze turned to Athena. "Athena, please do what I talked to you about earlier."
"Sure, Prince Royce. I'll bring information when I get back here." Athena said.
After that, the horse carriage began to move until it passed through the palace gates. Lucy wanted to go to Athena's house and have lunch there. And the girl wants to get acquainted with some of her age.
Royce ordered Athena to find out a few things about Jane. And Athena was about to do that while Lucy was playing with some of the country kids.
*****