Crownprince

Two- Danielle

I only have one word to describe my reunion with my supposed to be family.

Disaster.

After hearing all the crap my father told, I never went out my room. I locked myself in and starved myself just so I can think straight. But lets be honest here. Who can really think straight with an empty stomach and a bucket full of mixed emotions? So to relieve myself from this unexplainable emotions. I finally decided to go out of my room and feed myself. Fortunately, after the disastrous evening, Michael, my so called brother suggested that both my parent, or so I thought, should give me some time and let me be. I know because Michael texted me, I dont really know how he got my number but he did so he texted me and told me so. After that its been about two days and half. I haven't heard anything from my mom nor from my dad. Which is a good thing for the time being.

I skipped from my room to the kitchen down below, I know that my mom has work so she's probably at the palace right now but I still need to be sure so I didn't make any unnecessary noise. But to my total dismay, I wasn't really alone.

¨What are you doing here?¨ I sighed

"Well for starters, you should learn how to actually answer your phone and second, who locks themselves up their room and not face the problem head on? What are you a child?¨ I rolled my eyes to my one and only best friend Lori, we've been close since birth because both our moms work inside the palace so when we were young we were always together up until university days, we were inseperable.

¨Did you even hear the whole story this time?¨ I asked in an annoyed tone but nevertheless, I joined her in the living room where she was watching reading some of her work.

¨Ahm! Don't give me that tone and Yes I did hear the WHOLE story, a story that you actually didn't dare finish to hear¨ She pointed out ¨Your mother was crying her eyes out when she met up with my mom, apparently, you were too hurt to even let them finish the whole story. I was there when she was telling me mom what happened and then she asked me to come here and accompanyy you just incase you decide to come out and actually feed yourself¨ Lori rants. Heres a thing, Lori has always been straight forward, she doens't like lying or sugarcoating things, once she decides on something she goes for it and when she sees that someone is in the wrong she doesn't hold back just to make her point. So because of that, she not really the kind of person who would comfort you but she will brutally show you the truth behind every story. Thats why her job is really suitable for her personality, she works as one of the writers in some magazine where they feature all the flaws and wrong doings of the council serving the royals.

¨I dont care if theres a whole story. I don't even know who I am anymore Lori, they've been lying to me all this time and they expect me to just sit back and agree to everything they say¨ I wasn't beng selfish to my mom, i just don't like the whole idea of lying and pretending that everything is going to be cookies and rainbows.

¨Listen, I do understand that you felt betrayed. But you also need to see that your parents did what they did to protect you. There is more to the story that you already know. If you don't want to talk to your dad then atleast listen to your mom¨ Lori squeees my hand but then I remembered that my mom wasn't my real mother.

¨She's not even my real mom¨I cracked and Lori saw that. She pulls me in for a hug and she didn't say anything else. ¨How could I even face her now?¨

¨She is still your mom Elle, she is not someone else¨ Lori pats my back. ¨Plus, she loves you more than anyone else. Isn't that enough reason for you to listen to her?¨ Lori faces me and there I say my concerned best friend, she never lets anyone see that side of her except for me and her family. She may appear strong but she is still a gentle person to the people she really cares about. ¨You will never get pass this situation if you don't face it now and you know that¨

¨I guess you have a point this time¨ I sighed ¨I'll talk to her, she atleast earned herself that¨

¨Geez, stop being so dramatic with your mom. Shes your mom, she've earned more than that¨ Lori pushes me but we were both smiling. ¨Plus if you do end up marrying a prince, Girl you are saved! You don't have to worry about anything and just be pretty and proper¨ She taunts which she like to do often.

¨Shut up, we both know I hate being like that¨ I answered back. My phone suddenly buzzes and Lori rolls her eyes eyeing the phone that is already in my hands

¨Its good to know your phone actually works¨ I pushed Lori and look to whoever it was that texted me this time

¨Its from my lovely step brother¨ Lori suddenly turns to me with a michievous smile on her face.

¨Oh you mean, the hot kind of a brother you have. Who was very handsome and very kind but mysterious at the same time?¨ She smiles from ear to ear which is really creepy then she turns to my phone ¨why did he say?¨

¨You met my brother?¨ I raised my eyebrow

¨Oh, he brought some food this morning, no biggie¨ She avoids my stare and knowing her, she doesn't usually get this excited to a guy. I didn't push her to spill for I already have so many on my plate so this topic shall rise again when the time is right.

¨Well he is just asking if I'm fine already, like the thousand times he texted me¨ I blurted out. Michael has been really consistent, even though I wasn't texting him back he would still ask me and check if I'm still okay. Though in my opinion, I feel like he is just very guilty so he is just trying his best to calm me or somehow.

¨You should probably thank him for the food, its in the fridge. I put it there just incase you actually decide to nourish yourself¨ Lori points out which brings me back to the actual reason why I went down. After being reminded about food my stomach started making weird noises. My hunger was taking over me and the next thing I know was I was in front of my fridge and grabbing the first thing I could bite and that was some frozen pizza. I heard Lori laughed at my sudden enthusiasm for food but she didn't say anything else, she just let me eat whatever it is that could satisfy me. I would probably feel weird later after eating frozen food but I dont really care all that matters to me now is that I'm eating.

Evening came and Lori already went home, after making sure that I was good and that I won't run away anymore she left. I prepared some soup for dinner and waited for my mom, she usually get off work late but I was hoping she'll come early today. I knew that I can't keep turning my back from this issue, even I do reject their plans, I still need to know the whole truth. Lori was right, there is always an explanation to everything.

The universe must also think so because after a few minutes of waiting I heard my mothers car pulling over and her steps on our porch. I heard the doors opening and slowly closing and after a few seconds my tired mother was standing besides the kitchens doorway. She didn't speak for awhile but when she realized that she was seeing real and not just a delusion. She smiles warmly and puts her things on one of the counters.

"You prepared dinner. Thats nice of you" She starts while I kept my head low still thinking of a good  way to avoid the growing awkwardness inside the room.

"Its the least that I could do" I bit my lips then offered her the chair in front of me. She didn't say that anything and jusat looking to the soup that I prepared. She smiled a little before glancing back to me.

"You must have a lot of questions?" she speaks softly. Like how she would always do whenever we need to talk things through.

"I do, I have tons. But I would love for you to tell me everything first" My mother breathes out.

¨You were just two when your mother died. She was involve in an accident that only left you as a survivor. It was your father who found you and decided that keeping you hidden is much safer than exposing you to the world. Your father and I, we used to be lovers. But when his duty weighed more than what we have, he had no other choice but to leave me. He didn't have anyone else to trust and I was lonely because of how things ended between me and your father, so I adopted you¨ Mom pauses to see my reaction but I was just listening, absorbing as much as I can ¨Your father was next in line as a leader of the West country, they don't have a monarch like we do, they were civilized people with only nobles and high bloods leading the country" That part I already know "Because of that they only have little rules unlike our country. The royals back then, the royal regent now, have this system where they rank the nobles. I was a low rank noble and because of that, I was never see fit to be with your father. Although I could just go in the West and be with your father,  to protect his position and  the people, we had to break up and we were so young. But your father had other secrets too, he said that in order for him to forget about me he went to see multiple noble ladies until he met your mom.  No one knew that he was seeing your mother and that time he was already obliged to marry Michaels mother¨ Mom sighs ¨But you were conceived, although your mother lived in the West, her family was under the protection of our royals, so that makes her a one of the subjects of this country and a low rank noble. Your mother wanted to give a life that is good and abundant so she revealed that you are Samuels daughter. That time Marissa, Machaels mother,  was already carrying him. In every eyes, Michael was the rightful owner of the title firstborn, he was a man born from both high ranking nobles. But you, you post a threat. Even though Sam was willing to accept you and your mother, and Marissa was a dear, she didn't want you or your mother suffering, the west council members says otherwise. They petitioned for your mother and you to return to the North, here, under the royals law and to be stripped of your ranks. They classified you and your mother as people who betrayed their own country. Even with your Fathers support and Marissas, they can't fully control the west council but they kept fighting, so the petition took two year to deal with. You wont be considered as the first born and in return the royals will protect you and your mother. They could only settle for this agreement so your father had to let go both of you¨ Mom was getting emotional by now, so I was.

¨What happened then?¨I slowly speak up

¨You and your mother were travelling back here but misfortune followed you. The car that was sent to you and your mother exploded, everyone thought that you were all dead but in some ways, or by the heavens grace, you were able to survive the explosion. Your father was the first one in the scene when he received the news of the sudden explosion in the bridge connecting both the North and West country. He saw you crying and bleeding from the glass that scr.a.p.ed your skin. You still have that scar in your back, the only wound that left a huge scar. A reminder of what happened to you eighteen years ago¨ She was right, for as long as I can remember, I had this scar but I never knew where it came from only that my mom said because I was too naughty so I got scr.a.p.ed and it never healed back. ¨Your father was furious and he couldn't trust anyone else so he came to me. Thats how I became your mother and how the royals have always favored me. You are a miracle to anyone who knows your real identity. After your father entrusted you to me, he swore that he wouldn't give his council any other thoughts about you. Thats why he never came to visit you nor accompany you to anything. The royal regent would always check how you were doing and she would always tell your father about it whenever they are alone. She took a liking to you and thats why you are well protected now¨ My mother explains more. I still dont get why she took me in. I was the child of someone who replaced her, someone who took her spot next to my father. Although in every sense, my real mother was like a mistress, a concubine but still.

¨I still don't understand why you took me in, i get that you love him, but I was a child of someone who replace you¨I dared myself to ask, my mother looked at me in the eye and she slowly smiled.

¨I didnt, at first, but you look me in the eye and called me mama. You thought I was your mom, you even went down from your fathers grip and ran towards me. You were crying and you kept calling me mama¨ moms tears flowed down remembering how I was back then ¨I couldn't deny you because of that. Thats how we knew that you forgot what happened to you and your father, he couldn't b.a.r.e seeing you suffer from an awful memory so he decided that it was best if you just totally forget about the incident and just live a confortable life. I took you in and treated you like my own because you are you. I wanted to love you the way your mother would love you. You were just a child you didn't have to suffer so much because of what the a.d.u.l.ts think, so I made a decision and accepted you. I swore that I will protect you and I did. With the royal regents help and your father, I was able to raise you. And you are wonderful Dani, you have always been¨ I was crying and my mother was too ¨No matter how things are going on now, you are still my child and no one can take that away from the both of us. You are my child¨ mom goes to my side and hugs me tight. Its the kind of  hug that I would recognize even with thousand hugs from other people. Its the kind that she can only give me and no one else.

¨I'm sorry mom¨I cried out ¨I'm sorry for being imm.a.t.u.r.e and not listening to you¨ I held onto her tightly and we both kept crying.

By the time that we both calmed down, my mom took my and led me to our living room. She pulls me to sit on the sofa and she wiped my tears.

¨There is something else you need to know too¨She starts ¨The reason why I agreed to your fathers suggestion about the marriage was to protect you. Your fathers council found out that you still live, and although your brother is a good kid and would do anything to still protect your identity when he takes his fathers position. Someone has to make sure that you become untouchable. The Royal Regent is getting old, she wont be able to protect you long enough, even with our current King and Queen supporting you, they could only do so much. Being married to a prince secures your protection. Attacking you means attacking the nation. That is why this is a very crucial moment for you. Someone maybe plotting to kill you again. Your father was suspecting this for a very long time and he would do everything to protect you¨ So that means

¨My birth mothers didn't die because of an accident, it was plotted?¨

¨Your father thinks it was, but up until now. There was no evidence that points to that direction¨ My mom explains

¨If I were to be wed with a prince? To whom will it be?¨as far as I know, our country has five prince. Prince Jude and Prince John, Sons of Lady Anne, the Kings sister. They are a little bit younger than I am as far as I can remeber. Prince Luis is the son of the Kings late Concubine Lady Rizelle, she died from a disease and his son is actually a little older than I am. Then theres the two Princes, Prince Matthew and the Crownprince, Prince Luke, Sons of King Julius and Queen Tatiana. They used to be three sons, but the older prince who was the crownprince, Prince Mark, died a couple years ago. Prince Matthew is a little too young for me, and its impossible that I get to marry the Crownprince, only a Princess or a high ranks officials daughter can marry the crownprince. Thats a rule and no one is an exeption to the rule.

¨You'll know once your father brings you to the palace. For now I can't tell you anything about the wedding except that being wed will protect you¨ My mom touches my head then she turns behind her, she clicks something on the side table then something pops out. "The last time your father was here, he told me that its time for me to give you this" My mom raises a silver necklace that looks really old, it has single crescent moon shaped pendant. "This belongs to your mother, your real mother. As you can see, theres an initial behind the pendants, its your mothers, this proves who you are" My mother hands me the necklace. I felt my tears slowly falling my eyes again. Its was a simple necklace but the feeling of having the only thing that connects me to my real mother, warms my heart.