How am I supposed to react to this? Laugh hysterically?
"It is you."
Because that's exactly what I'm doing. No, Your Highness, I promise you it's literally anybody here except me.
"I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this Your Highness, but I think your holy crystal is broken," I let out in between cackles, but the Prince frowns both in confusion and resentment at me for insulting his little toy.
He clears his throat, narrowing his eyes at me. "I am aware that this may be difficult to grasp, but I assure you that whatever the Crystal shows us is the absolute truth."
I clench my jaw. "I am a noncaster, Your Highness, so there is not way that I'm the one that'll get access to the Divine," I insist, putting air quotes around the last word.
Prince Zeo takes a couple of seconds to comprehend what I'm saying while slightly tilting his head quizzically. If he didn't look bewildered by me earlier, he sure does now, but he just shakes his head in denial, his eyebrows furrowed.
"This prank you are trying to pull here isn't entertaining Ms...?" He trails off.
"Freya Moon. I'm from a whole line of noncasters, but then again it would make more sense if you don't recognize the name since your people never paid us much attention," I snort disdainfully while looking him straight in the eye. Please accept that I'm not the liar in this situation.
"Well, even if that is true, then congratulations, you are the first noncaster to be the object of our attention," he says with a humorless smile since he apparently still doesn't believe me, but the gaze in his eyes remains dark and intimidating. So much so that I can't help but turn away from the Prince.
"This is bullshit," I murmur getting ready to turn back and leave the ceremony, but my plan is stopped short by the sound of Prince Zeo calling for his guards, who appear pretty much out of nowhere by my sides to restrain me.
The humiliation I feel causes my face to involuntarily flush and I clench my jaw to stop myself from pissing off His Highness further. Am I seriously being treated like a prisoner just because he doesn't want to accept that his precious rock might be wrong for once?
"Your Highness, I apologize for interrupting," Emrys suddenly stutters, hesitant to be speaking up, "but if it counts for anything, she isn't lying. I've known this girl for a long time and she is a noncaster. She's even exempt from all classes that have to do with magic at school. Maybe you should check the rest of the attendees just in case?" Throughout all the years I've known Emrys, I've never seen him as nervous as he is now with the Prince turning his glare towards him, making Emrys slightly shrink back, a contrast to the confidence he held ten minutes ago when he thought it'll be him getting appointed.
Prince Zeo inhales and exhales a deep breath, probably to calm himself down in front of the others here who probably idolize him. "That won't be necessary," the Prince goes back to his monotonous voice.
Remembering the presence of the others, I turn back to take a glance at Griffin and see how he's reacting to this plot twist. He has his arms crossed in front of his chest but when he sees me looking he turns away. What's he upset over? He's never been the competitive type...
His Highness makes his way back to the stage, except this time instead of having his guards tail him they remain to hold my arms so I can't run off. I just adore the treatment I've been receiving today!
"Ladies and gentlemen, my sincerest apologies for the scene caused," he announces into the microphone, feigning a polite smile, "I also apologize to those who never got to even get checked, but in return, we have finally found our Chief after having remained without one for the past thirteen years. Everybody please, a round of applause to our Chief for the next half-century, Freya Moon," he continues while gesturing towards me. I have to be held back while being the recipient of the slowest, most awkward round of applause I've ever had the displeasure of hearing.
At this point, if looks could kill, that crass excuse for a prince would be six feet under by now.
"That concludes this lifetime's Appointment Ceremony, I wish you all an excellent day. But please, on your way out, help yourselves to a piece of our delicious lavender lokums as well as an envelope containing a handsome sum of money. Just a simple gift for our precious citizens to remember the royal family by."
What a fucking joke. As if they really consider all their citizens precious. Just look at me, he believes that I'm the Chief yet I'm being treated like a hostage. He can't even handle a simple truth or cooperate for long enough to just check the rest of the people who are here. And it's not like the public is more sympathetic, with half the people here mindlessly starting to race to the gate to grab an envelope.
"We're doomed," I hear a girl whispering to her friend as they walk past while not-so-subtly pointing at me.
I did not sign up for this. I did not sign up to try to help the entire damned country. I have to figure something out, I have to figure out a way to prove that I physically cannot be the Chief.
I turn around to catch a glimpse of Griffin again, but much to my dismay, he already left along with most of the crowd. What, did he just want to date a noncaster because he thought she wouldn't be any sort of competition? I need to go see him as soon as the Prince and his guards let me go, this is all just one gigantic misunderstanding. Walking home all alone while trying to analyze what's going is not going to be fun.
Prince Zeo makes his way over to me as soon as everybody has cleared the square, leaving just me and my two unsightly guards.
"What now?" I glare at the taller male. Royalty or not, what could he possibly do to me that's worse than what today has already been?
"I will be dropping you off at your residence so you can let your family know of the news, and so you can get packed and set for moving to the palace to start your training in the Divine."
"See, this is where you're wrong, Your Highness. I won't be moving anywhere and I won't be training in anything. I can't even light a damn cigarette with magic."
"Ms. Moon, do not press me," he hisses slowly while taking a step closer to me with menacing eyes. I'm torn between taking a step back or keeping my confident front, but I can't do the former anyways with the goons by my side. "Even if you are a noncaster, then it looks like you are a miracle child since the Crystal does not lie. Regardless, you are the Chief, and you will fulfill your duties."
"You can't force me!" I snarl at the man, but instead of verbally responding, he gestures towards his men to drag me alongside him through physical force.
Unfortunately, no matter how hard I struggle, I can't wiggle myself out of their arms while I'm taken out the gated part of the square and over the bridge. Before I know it, we reach a large all-black automobile with fully shaded windows, and I'm thrown inside while Prince Zeo gracefully steps in to take the seat across from me.
"Use the directory spell so that the automobile knows where to move," he orders, and I realize that he's either testing me or he's just thickheaded. My eyes narrow at him, not knowing whether I should make a sarcastic remark or explain my lack of abilities yet again. When he sees my expression, though, he sighs.
"Right," he murmurs, "tell me the address and I'll cast the spell." I wish he just let me walk home, but at this point, I'm too tired to put up a fight, so I recite it nonchalantly.
The Prince takes a couple of seconds to shut his eyes before whispering a spell, and the wheels of the automobile turn themselves towards the direction I came from. I never understood how machinery has the mind to move.
"The air current outside pushes in the direction specified." Did I question it out loud?
"The Crystal Bearer is allowed part of the Crystal's clairvoyant and telepathic powers as long as he or she is holding it," he explains, taking out the same rock from the ceremony that he's been hiding under his sleeve, "that is partially why I've been telling you that you certainly are the Chief. It's because the Crystal of Ester recognized you, and without it, we would not have been able to do anything in the first place."
Hold up, let's go back to the part where he can apparently read minds. So that means he heard everything I thought of today? "So you know I'm not a liar." But he just looks away. As for my other thoughts... well at least he's still being somewhat respectful despite my hostility.
With the confusion getting to my head, I just turn to look out the window next to me and I see The Prince's guards flying behind us. Part of me pities that they don't get to enjoy an easy trip, but then again not so much since they did hold me against my will.
"Why are you taking me home? I could've just walked, you know," I decide to finally ask, partly because I'm curious and partly because the silence is deafening.
He finally turns away from the window to look at me with his piercing dark-brown eyes, "Curiosity."
My family. How are they going to believe this? If I can't bring myself to comprehend what's going on how will they? Maybe Kaia will give one of her genius explanations for why this is happening. Maybe Oliver will start fanboying once I tell him I took a ride with the Crown Prince. Maybe my parents will start freaking out over the prospect of their 18-year-old daughter moving to a damn palace. But nonetheless, what could he possibly have to see? We're not a zoo.
Suddenly, Prince Zeo lets out a loud exhale, rolling his eyes as he turns his face back towards the window. Right... the mind-reader thing. "You and your family have nothing to worry about," he finally tells me after another minute of silence but without even looking at me, and I just decide to sit back and shut up. It's not like understanding a situation I never even wanted to be in is going to make me feel better, nor is he easygoing enough to let me have my way. Who would care for the minority's requests, anyways?
***
"Freya's home!" my dad announces from behind the door before opening it, and I'm greeted with the sight of both my parents.
"Hey, baby. How was the ceremony?" Oh, mom. I have no idea where to even start.
"Is the Prince cute?" I hear my brother's voice shouting from his room while he runs over to the front door. Yikes. If even noncasters have heightened hearing then I'm certain Prince Zeo heard that.
"You're fourteen!" Kaia yells at Oliver while following him.
Okay, maybe we are indeed a zoo. I look back one more time to the automobile to see the Prince's reaction, and as expected, his eyes have widened and his brows furrowed. Well, this is embarrassing on several different levels.
"Who's your rich friend with the automobile there?" My dad innocently asks with his eyes following mine, but I face my father just as speechless as I was when he first opened the door.
"Isn't that the ribbon the royal family always wears?" Kaia mutters to our mother just as Prince Zeo gets out of the automobile, probably since he caught my family staring, and he raises his hand in a stop gesture to the guard who steps forward to announce him.
"Good afternoon sir, madame," Prince Zeo nods towards each of my parents once stepping onto the porch next to me, and I keep my head low, in no way prepared for what might happen. "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Zeo, Crystal Bearer and heir to the Esterdenese throne." I raise my eyes just high enough to see how my family is reacting, and although we're all quite pale, all the remaining color has drained from their faces. Especially Oliver, who looks like his life just flashed before his eyes upon meeting his celebrity crush.
"To what do we owe the pleasure, Your Highness?" My mom stammers.
"As I'm certain your daughter is feeling quite jittery, I wanted to announce to you myself that Freya Moon has been appointed the new Chief of Esterden. You should be proud," he continues with the same faux-polite smile he was wearing during the ceremony, except this time nobody's reciprocating it.
If I thought they looked shocked at just meeting him, his words pretty much turned them to stone, except for Kaia who's gripping onto her twin's arm to remain steady.
"I'm afraid I don't quite understand, Your Highness, I wasn't aware that noncasters are eligible," my dad lets out after a minute of collecting his thoughts. At that, Prince Zeo tilts his head narrowing his eyes to detect any sort of dishonesty.
He should believe me by now, both because of the mind-reading crystal, and simply, it's not like I prepared my poor, stunned family for this conversation.
"It looks like her energy is powerful enough for her to become a miraculous exception, then. Regardless, I wanted to let you all know that she has two days to pack, and then I will return here to take her with me to the palace to begin her Divine training."
"With all due respect, Your Highness, you are not taking my daughter anywhere," my mother suddenly demands in an intimidating voice which I've never heard before coming from the sweet, peaceful woman. Both his jaw and fists lightly clench, probably running out of patience for me and my stubborn family.
"I'm afraid this is not up for debate, ma'am. One random Esterdenese citizen is granted access to the Divine at birth, and since the Crystal believes it is your daughter, then there is absolutely no way this can be changed. That's how we've kept up this land for the past 500 years." I notice his usage of the word citizen rather than spellcaster, so he does believe that I know nothing of the magical arts now.
"Since your daughter is a special case, she will receive an accelerated training in the simpler spells first, hence you have nothing to be concerned about," the glare in his eyes doing nothing to match his civil words, "now if you'll excuse me," he finishes before leaving my mother with a nod and going back to his automobile, which heads off right away.
My mom clasps her right hand over her mouth and starts pacing around the living room with bulging eyes once we shut the front door. "Did you just accept the role with open arms at the ceremony?" She suddenly yells, turning her anger towards me, and continues before I can even say anything, "What were you thinking? You are a simple noncaster living with your simple family, you're supposed to just be worried about getting into art school! You are in no way, shape, or form cut out for that level of power!"
"Mom—"
"And it just had to be the careless daughter," my loving mother scoffs.
"Mom!" I shout, finally grabbing her attention, "I tried knocking some sense into him. For Ester's sake, even Emrys did! But he'd rather believe a purple rock instead of us so it really isn't my fault that the Prince has the head of a mule. If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears, otherwise this would be a lot easier without your shouting," I rant, storming off to my room and slamming the door behind me.