What If?

29

Athy POV

Last night, I don't understand why she is crying. Just a little while ago she was smiling happily with Claude. Her auntie said he has been neglecting her and everything but that doesn't seem to be the case. It seems nothing has changed from when I left. Many time I've seen the same scene before. Jennette smiling happily with Claude.

For some reason it made me really upset seeing them like that. Happy without me. Maybe it was because he now knew she wasn't his daughter and yet they still continued to have such a relationship. I was his real daughter and yet I wasn't even able to. Geez, I'm having such bratty thoughts! I even couldn't help but watch them, like a jealous child! It's always been like that and I've seen them like that before. It also made me upset seeing them like that, I even cried. How embarrassing and bratty! But why did it suddenly seem like Claude was looking right at me. It scared me for a moment but he just remained there, only staring at me. It was probably just my imagination, I was quite far.

It doesn't seem like that much has changed since I've left. I don't understand why they are looking so hard for me if they are doing just fine without me. Frustrating.

"You leaving?" Lucas asks. "Yeah, I should let everyone know I'm back." I scratch the back of my head. "It's irritating." Lucas groans. "I'll be back later, maybe." I tell him, before teleporting inside the Ruby Palace. Yay! I'm getting better. I walked around to the main the main room where I saw everyone gathered.

Nobody realized I was here yet. All their attention was on Hannah whose birthday was today. Everyone suddenly began singing to her. I missed them all so much! After everyone finished singing they all cheered as Hannah blew out her candles.

"Happy birthday Hannah!" I cheered making everyone go silent as they turned to me. They all stood and just stared at me. "I missed you all." I smile at them. Lily was the first to grab onto me tightly. "Princess!" She pulled away clutching my face in her hands. "Lily!" I giggled. As she grabbed onto me again. Then we were smushed all around turning it into one big group hug.

I'm glad I came back. It was an intriguing idea Lucas had to just continue to be on the run and never return but I couldn't leave all them here. They were here since I was a baby! I also wanted to see Claude. Even before I regained all my memories back it still repeated in my head everyday Claude begging me not to leave.

"Aren't we going to have some cake?" I gasp, I was smushed. "Just a little more." Hannah says, making everyone laugh before letting go.
Hannah begins to cut up the cake the serving it to everyone.

***

"You should go see His Majesty, Princess." Lily suddenly whispers to me. I turn to look at Lily, surprised. I figured she wouldn't let me go. Well she hasn't. She hasn't let go of my since I got here and it's been a few hours now.

"He hasn't been so good. He drowns himself in his work all day and night. Only every once in awhile he goes to sleep but it's not long before he is up again. Felix is really worried about him. He's trying desperately to find you too." Lily shakes her head sadly.

Is he really that bad? I know how much he was trying to find me but I don't think he is that bad. Just yesterday I saw Jennette and him both happily having tea together. But I did plan on seeing him today. "I was going to see him today." I tell her.

"Well you should go now. Felix said he convinced His Majesty to at least go for a small walk around the garden today." Lily says.

"Okay." I nod getting up from the sofa. Lily gets up with me letting go of my hand and kissing the top of my head. "I'm glad you're back, Princess." She smiles at me. "Me too." I giggle. Everyone was so caught up mingling and dancing I decided to not bother them all. So I teleported successfully to the Garnet Palaces garden. Well sort of. I'm actually pretty far from it. Still not great at magic.

I look around for any sign of Claude only to see him slowly strolling towards the garden with Felix in tow. He does to seem have gotten thinner, pale too. You'd really think that he was worried sick for his beloved daughter.

I slowly began to walk towards them. After just a few steps Claude turned and looked towards me. He stopped at just stared at me. I froze where I was. What is he going to do? Why is he just staring at me? Won't he say something?

He didn't seem surprised or anything. Just tired and indifferent as usual. Claude then rubbed his eyes turning away from me and began to walk again. Well, I wasn't expecting that.

He tried so hard to find me and when I appear he doesn't say or do anything besides walk away? What was I expecting anyways? For him to have some happy dance with me?

"Princess!" Felix suddenly yells making Claude stop. I was still frozen where I was. Claude turned to look at Felix who was looking at me. Claude then turned towards me once again and stared. Why does he look so shocked? He saw me just a few moments ago and didn't care.

Either way, I stood where I was and smiled at them. Claude then began to walk over to me. He took long and quick strides. What is going to do? Scold me? Yell at me? He isn't much of one to ever raise his voice. I've never seen him look like this before. I don't know what to expect? What is he going to do or say?

My mind is so jumbled! He came closer and closer as I became more anxious. As he got closer he reached out his hand towards me and before I could even understand what was happening I was wrapped in Claude's arms.

Maybe this is an imposter? I was gone for a long time. But either way, I should really just enjoy this moment. It's nice to be embraced by my father for once, for the first time.

Slowly I wrapped my arms around Claude too. My vision then began to blur as tears welded in my eyes. But then Claude suddenly became a lot heavier as I felt I was holding all his weight. Im going to fall! Did he really fall asleep?

"Felix!" I call out for him as I begin to stumble back a couple of steps. Felix grabbed onto Claude's arm and wrapped it around his hand as Claude just swayed sleeping. "Did he really just fall asleep like that?" I ask Felix wrapping Claude's other arm around my shoulder as we began to walk Claude back to his room.

"His Majesty has been suffereing from terrible insomnia ever since you've disappeared. Now that you're back he must've been so relived that all the tiredness and stress must've just caught up to him finally." Felix explains to me.

He was really this worried? I did my best while I was gone to just ignore everything. It was just easier that way. When I was to return I didn't know what to expect, maybe just things to return to what it used to be like before trial. That he acted out like this because he was bored, perhaps. Maybe he was testing to me out to see if I was worthy enough to stand next to Jeanette.

Countess Rosila. Duke Alpheus. Lucas. That day Lucas said that His Majesty declared that she was no longer a Princess. Lucas isn't the one to lie and those two didn't deny it either. Yesterday, I saw them together, having tea. She was smiling happily then. I swear she was. But when I visited her she was crying. So that means it wasn't what perceived earlier. I don't truly know what happened that day. But if everything truly is like this. Jeanette is in trouble. I have to help her. She doesn't deserve this. What should I do?

"Here one second." I tell Felix as I drop Claude's arm and go to his bed pulling down the sheets as Felix places Claude on the bed. "You sure he is okay?" I ask Felix as I pull the blankets over Claude, who was asleep.

"Yeah, but I'll the royal doctor to check. But what about you, Princess? Are you okay? Are you better now? When did you come back" Felix asks, grabbing my shoulders and examining me. "I'm just fine, Felix." I giggle, before hugging him. I missed him too. I missed everyone so much. I'm happy to be back.