"What happened to his majesty?" she asked menacingly.
"W-we do not know much, your majesty. The emperor suddenly collapsed after reading a secret letter. He is currently being examined by the palace physician in his quarters."
A secret letter? Could it have been from the prince? Ugh! This conniving little…Despite being so far away, he continues to be a thorn in his father's side. How long will he continue to hold this childish grudge of his? He's already seventeen years of age, yet he acts as though he's merely twelve.
*Knock Knock*
"Pardon the interruption, your majesty. Her highness princess Yurivera requests a private audience with you."
*Sigh* What sort of antics will she bring to my attention this time?
"Let her in and escort these maids out."
"As you command, your majesty."
"May the glory of Alkaraz shine upon her majesty. Good day, mother." She gracefully curtsied.
++++++
I somehow managed to dissuade him from the idea of stopping by the Human Rights office. Hence, we are now headed straight to the royal palace. My heart was pounding loudly with each gallop that drew us closer to our destination.
"The streets of Ecchelon sure are lively even at night."
"This is called a night market. An event that is held every weekend by the merchants in an effort to sell off straggler products at half the normal price. That is why it is so crowded here."
"Interesting…" he pondered.
At our last respite, he decided I would once again ride with him, to which I reluctantly agreed. I suppose he got over our incident earlier. Honestly, interesting things always happen whenever we're together. It's almost as if we are meant to be. Haha!
"As expected, you know so much about Ecchelon."
It's that smile again. The one that makes my heart flutter like never before.
"Say, Fati. Since we may never see each other again after this trip. How about a tour tomorrow?"
He's right. This may be the last time we are together like this. Once I arrive at the palace, I'm going to speak to my parents and clear up the misunderstanding. Then I will ask them to keep my existence a secret until we find the culprit behind the assassination attempt. Since I'm the crown princess, it'll be easy to organize a court and start a thorough investigation. And with my sister's help, it should all go smoothly.
"A tour sounds lovely, your highness." I replied with a smile.
Hopefully, you won't hate me too much when you find out who I really am. A coward who can't muster the courage to tell you the truth despite the many opportunities I've had.
++++++
Upon arrival, they presented us with the most grandiose of greetings. There must have been over a thousand servants lined up on both sides of the entrance. Our luggage was promptly taken care of, as well as our carriages. And we are now being escorted to the dining hall.
The royal family's portraits covered both sides of the walls, and I couldn't resist glancing at them as we walked by. As I paused to look at a particular portrait that seemed rather familiar, I was left bewildered. At first, I thought there was no way they could be the same person. My eyes must have grown weary from the long trip. I tried to convince myself that I must have seen wrong. That was until…
"Our late Princess Charlotte-Rose Fatima Vicksburg D'Ecchelon, peace be with her." informed our escort in a sad tone.
"Her highness was the first royal to become the crown princess before she even came of age."
Those blood-red eyes, and that haughty smile on her face. I've seen her silver hair unraveled before, though never to this degree. However, in this portrait, anyone from the delegation could easily tell that she is the Fatima we know. Even the knights who were following me were starting to pick up on it, as they were also staring at the portraits in disbelief.
"My sincere condolences to the crown."
Welcome home, princess.
+++++
I cannot believe I got lost. This place used to be my playground, for goodness' sake! If Eleison were to find out about this, I'd never hear the end of it. Let's see, right now they must be hosting the crown prince, which means their quarters are likely to be vacant. Perhaps I should have disguised myself as a maid, which would have made things a lot easier.
While I was busy peeking into the maids' quarters, I failed to notice the large silhouette that was looming over me from behind. When I glanced up, I was met with none other than…
"You scared the living life out of me, Sir Raulin. I thought someone dangerous came after me. What a relief it was just you. How have you been? It feels like such a long time that I've seen you."
"You can imagine my surprise as well, princess. Who would have known you were alive? Pray tell, your highness, where have you been this whole time?"
"Ah well, I was…"
"Have you seen the crown prince of Alkaraz?"
"I caught a brief glance of him earlier and good heavens, he's so handsome!"
Raulin had long managed to hide me from the chattering maids in the corridor. I suppose it would cause a commotion if they were to see me now. However, his grip on my mouth is strangely tight. I can barely breathe.
"Stay in your room, princess, and do not come out or open the door for anyone other than myself. I shall report to Princess Loraine right away." He said with a bow before striding away.
"Sir Raulin?"
He halted in his steps and turned his face around, revealing a rather disturbing smile.
"Yes, your highness?"
"Thank you. I always appreciate your help."
"It is always a pleasure, princess." He replied while facing the hallway as he shut the door behind him.
I am finally home.
++++++
In Ecchelon, nobles greet their guests with a peck on the cheeks, which differs from Alkaraz where we mostly shake hands. I was greatly taken aback when the princess suddenly kissed my face. Had I come into this knowledge before, I would have teased Fati to no end. What a shame.
"I am truly happy to see that our selection for tonight's impromptu dinner has met his highness' standards. It seems I was worried for naught." Chimed in the princess with her glass raised.
She was sitting at the head of the table, which is a spot that is usually occupied by the monarch. If such a figure were to be absent, then the chair would be removed, preventing anyone else from occupying the spot. There is also this lofty spread that looked more like a celebration feast than anything else. There were more dishes than we could ever have hoped to finish. Delicious as they were, it was simply too much. Especially for a country in mourning.
"My sincere apologies on behalf of the king and queen. With your arrival date being tomorrow, they had decided to take a day trip to Bassup."
"It's quite alright, Princess. I'm sure they could use the fresh air." I responded calmly.
There was something odd hiding behind her superfluous grin. Is she trying to show hospitality by concealing her sorrow? Should I tell her that the princess is alive?
"Prin-"
"Pardon the interruption your highness, I came bearing urgent news of his royal highnesses the king and the queen." said a knight from behind the doors.
Her smile instantly disappeared, and a vicious scowl erupted on her face as she halted from cutting through her steak. My knights, who were already feeling uncomfortable in her presence, were now staring at me. As though they were begging me to end this farce as quickly as I possibly could.
"You may speak!" she commanded loudly.
"But your highness…" stuttered the messenger.
"How dare you undermine my command! You peasant!" she yelled even louder than before.
"My deepest apologies, your highness. I shall do as you command."
What a big difference from earlier. She wasted no time in showing her true colors. Does she think I condone such a behavior?
"It is with great sorrow that I announce the passing of his royal highness, king Barthelemy Vicksburg D'Ecchelon and queen Leticia Bel Vicksburg D'Ecchelon. On their way back from Bassup prison, they were ambushed by a group of assassins, and unfortunately did not survive the attack. Their corpses are currently being transported to…"
"Noooooo!" she shrieked as she sprung off her seat.