The Lost Princess

She was sitting up in her bed looking out the window at the sky as she waited for her breakfast. She thought quietly about her words yesterday evening and wondered if she had gone mad, why she would say something like that and to Robert of all people made no sense to her.

"I must be coming down with something. Yes, I am sick that's why I told him that." She whispered.

She hoped he didn't show up at her room today. She had not met him for the tea they had planned to drink together yesterday evening, because she feared she would say something even more embarrassing.

"I should remember he tormented me when we were younger. Yes, we never got along as children he'd always find a way to make me cry." She muttered to herself softly. "It could be that I am not getting enough sleep. Maybe that is why I am saying gibberish or it might be a fever, yes, that could be possible. I was standing out in that storm. The air was chilled a bit and being wet while the wind blew would bring someone to become ill."

Suddenly a soft knock came to the door and she jolted up straight. She looked over to left and saw her robe and covered herself with it as she softly spoke as she answered the door.

"You may enter."

"Princess I hope you are doing well this morning." A chambermaid said cheerfully as she entered the room.

In her hand, the maid held a tray full of food and she set it carefully onto the small table by the window. Turning the upside-down teacup upright, she prepared tea for Loraz all with a cheerful smile.

Loraz looked at her as she climbed out of bed and wished her cheerful smile could return to her one day. Pausing at the window Loraz looked at the baby birds that waited for their mother's return. A tear escaped from her eye as she watched them moved about and cry out. She no longer cried out for her mother, but how deeply she needed her right now. She missed her old house and all her friends, she would not ever get used to the royal life that she had lived for so long.

"Princess, are you ill? You look a bit pale, should I fetch the doctor for you?"

Loraz blinked the tears away; brought back from her brief moment of daydreaming she looked at the sweet girl and smiled a forced wary smile.

"I am okay you needn't worry."

"Oh, I almost forgot to give this to you, Princess."

The maid had pulled out a small square of paper and handed it to Loraz. As Loraz unfolded the note the servant smiled.

"What is this, a note, from whom?"

"It is from Prince Robert, Princess."

Loraz looked at the paper quickly and read the small sentence that was gracefully written.

I will take mine with two sugars and cream, please.

She looked at the table and saw that it had two sets of silverware. Robert must have planned to have breakfast with her.

"You sly fox prince," Loraz muttered to herself.

She was unable to reject his offer seeming as he had already invited himself to her room. As she sat down to sulk and scold herself for letting her guard down she heard a sharp tapping at her door. The maid quickly ran to answer the door while Loraz frantically fixed her robe. She heard a familiar male voice recite a few greetings and ask to enter the room. The maid looked back at Loraz and she nodded her head once giving permission for him to enter. It was Robert, of course, dressed in casual clothes.

"You disappointed me when you never showed for tea." He said a sly smile on his face.

Loraz blushed at the sight of his smile and quickly averted her gaze.

"I wasn't feeling quite myself so I made it an early night." She said.

He walked towards the table and reached for the other chair to be seated.

"Oh, you felt ill? How do you feel now?"

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye as he readied himself to eat then looked down at the table when their eyes met; she began to get nervous.

"I am well."

"That is good to hear."

After the maid was done serving them breakfast she excused herself and informed Loraz she would return shortly to help her dress. They were completely alone now and she wasn't sure if this was a good thing. Her heart was racing as she secretively watched him sip his tea and her palms began to become moist with each time she glanced at him while he bit into a small muffin. She could not understand what was really happening to her, she obviously knew it was morally wrong to harbor such feeling for her own brother adopted or not. Her face flushed red when she realized what was going on, she had not felt like this since the day she met her childhood crush from her home village.

"No, no, no, this isn't right. We couldn't possibly."

"We couldn't what exactly?"

"We couldn't do this. I am your sister whether you wish to acknowledge that or not it doesn't change the fact that our father took me in as his daughter." She said mostly trying to convince herself of this more than anyone.

"We both know you are not my blood sister. We both know that you have no ties to my family bloodline what so ever. I don't know your true story, how you came to be the Princess of my kingdom is a mystery to me, but I one day hope to find out. Plus father seems to approve of us." He said his voice now serious.

He slid his hand carefully over the table and took her hand in his. His eyes were intense as if he were trying his best to tell her his feelings with just looks alone.

She slowly removed her hand from his and looked away from him, her face beet red. She kept repeating to herself that it was wrong to be in love with your brother.

"You won't ever find out the answer to your mystery. I can't let anyone know of my story not even if I could allow myself to admit that I loved you. We can never be." She said almost in a whisper.

Robert jumped up from his chair annoyed and quickly walked over to her. Spinning her around the chair and all he placed both hands on either side of the chair, clutching the armrests tightly. Staring her down he looked as if he were a predator who had captured his prey. He slowly leaned in and she gasped in a short breath of air. He paused, his face extremely close to hers and he glanced at her beautiful pale lips.

"I believe I have already mentioned this, but I have never, not one time since we've met, thought of you as my little sister. You are no kin to me, but you are my life and I hope that one day I can capture your heart completely." He said and then kissed her passionately.

Surprised at first she pushed up on his c.h.e.s.t then slowly she began to give in to the feeling that was spreading throughout her body. She slipped her hand up his c.h.e.s.t and slowly began to wrap her arms around his neck. They kissed on as he fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around her slightly thin waist pulling her closer to him.

Her mind raced with thoughts that didn't seem to make any sense at all and she realized they were all about him. What had happened to her in only one night? She couldn't understand; maybe subconsciously she had always been looking at him in a different light and she couldn't bring herself to admit it. She remembered how disappointed she was when he left for Royal High the day after his eighteenth year and how she was secretly excited to see him after one year when their father had sent her to Royal High. She pulled him in closer wanting to feel his body against hers, she slid further and further off the chair and they ended up both kneeling on the floor in front of the chair. Just then Robert went to lay her down on the floor they heard a light knock at the door. They paused and parted for a moment to look at the door.

"If you answer the person will enter and this moment will end here," Robert whispered.

"Unfortunately we will have to end it here," Loraz whispered back.

"You understand now that there will be no go back?" He whispered.

"I hadn't planned on retracing the steps of our past. I won't run anymore, I've done nothing but run all my life." She whispered.

They snuck one more kiss and returned to their chairs. Fixing her robe she looked over at the door and spoke,

"You may enter."

The young female servant from this morning had returned to help Loraz get dressed. Robert excused himself and went to walk out the door. He then turned around and looked at Loraz her face was extremely red and she looked as if she didn't want him to go. He walked back over to her and pulled her into him. The servant saw this blushed and looked away quickly. Robert gently kissed her forehead.

"I will see you later, I hope." He said.

She nodded once and he smiled a boyish smile. He walked toward the door and exited the room.

"I think I may be damned for doing what we have done," Loraz whispered.

"Excuse me, Princess." The servant said puzzled.

"Nothing let us begin. What will I be wearing today?" Loraz said and smiled.

The servant stood a little dazed at the sight of her smiling face. She couldn't believe her eyes; Princess Loraz smiled for the first time ever since she arrived here. This was most certainly big news. Yes, big news indeed.