Plot Twist

Princess Hailey

AHHH IT'S ALREADY THE LAST CHAPTER!!!

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I'm squeezing the queen's hand, looking up at her eyes. Those eyes were so familiar and so warm. They were a mother's loving eyes that were looking down on me. Her hand seemed firm, but I knew she was just trying to remember me. It was just like when she used to hold my hand when I was an infant.

On my other side was a tall man who looked majestically regal. His brown beard shows signs of aging. His face is formed solidly into a look of determination. But when he looked at me, that smile came back. That made me smile even brighter than I already was.

My adoptive family was behind me, my dad holding my mother around the shoulders and Jacob leaning against my mothers side. They looked like such a happy family. They all looked like each other.

"This is crazy." I laugh as I hear a roaring crowd from outside the balcony.

"Yes," the queen says, "But it is exciting. You will do amazing, I promise. I know you can do it, Haylie Bear."

"Thank you." I whisper.

My real dad nods to a guard standing at the doorway to the balcony. My heart races as light shines into the room, and I almost want to step into the shadow to escape it.

"I still can't believe I'm doing this." I gasp as I see millions of people standing below me. It's a surreal feeling that I am, no doubt, going to cherish forever. This feeling will live in my heart and I will never let it go.

I feel arm and bubbly and I almost don't hear my name being called. My parents (eek) push my forward lightly and I force a smile. At that moment, I did not feel like smiling. No, not one bit. I wanted to turn around and escape back into the shadows. At least they were comforting.

I remembered what Logan had told me. We had been sitting in his room eating pudding and he was teaching me everything about Earchenkin. That had been a great day, for what I can remember. Was it really only a week ago?

"So are royals here like... just a figure? They have nothing to do with government?" I asked, licking my spoon clean.

"Not really. Our family has the final say on everything. We do have a government but if the royal family says something is to happen, it usually happens after they talk it over at government council meetings." Logan explains.

"Oh." I respond while snuggling deeper into a bean bag by the window. "That's cool."

I had loved my week with Logan. I felt so alive and free. We spent a whole day running and playing in one of the forests. I met fairies and animals. Logan even said we might have been able to spot a unicorn, but they were rare and never came out during the daytime.

"Tag?" Logan asks mischievously.

I walked over a tree stump that was covered in deep green moss. The sun was trying to force its way through the clouds, but it was a cloudy day. The air was chilly, not warm how I had hoped.

"Sure." I say. "You're it!"

I squeal as he starts running toward me. I leap back over the stump and weave in and out of trees. The ground is still wet with morning dew and dampens my converse. I turn my head, just fast enough to see my brother barely a foot away.

I growl at him and then face forward. The tree in front of me is coming fast. A row of trees, with barely enough room to squeeze in between. I do the only thing that comes to my overwhelmed mind. Climb.

It was risky, sure. I grab the lowest branch which was conveniently at my arm reach and hoist myself up. I do a pullover over the branch and jump into a squat on. Logan grabs the branch but I grab another branch up above me and climb up it.

"That's not fair!" Logan whines. "Get down! Cheater!"

"You never said there were any rules." I smirk down at him, laughing at the image of him puting with his arms folded in front of him. "So technically, I can climb. Would you like to defend yourself?"

"Yes, you could fall!"

"Then you'll catch me!" I shriek as I lose my balance. My foot comes in contact with the branch below. Before I can even lift my foot, Logan jumps up and grabs my foot.

"HA!" He laughs. "TAG! You're IT!!"

Then he runs off deep into the forest. I grumble under my breath and drop to the ground.

My mind returns to the moment and my feet step forward farther into the lights. That memory still burns in my mind. It gives me confidence, remembering that memory. Logan was so much fun to be with this past week.

It was that feeling I only experienced when I would get a really good score at a meet, ace a test, or be snuggling with my family during movie night. It was happiness and pure pleasure.

My eyes scan the area below me, filled with those shouting people. Happiness rose from the ground up into the sky and it increased as I walked onto that balcony.

"People of Taitailuai!" A man dressed in the finest fines yells. "On this day, we gather to welcome back the long lost princess!"

People cheer and shout, and I smile so big my mouth could break. "ALL HAIL HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, PRINCESS HAYLIE D'AMBROSIA OF TAITAILUAI!"

I stand at the edge of the balcony, waving my hand just how the queen taught me throughout the week. The sun shines bright almost blinding my eyes, but I look downcast on to all of those enthusiastic people.

Not just people, I realized. I saw other royal families, fairies, elves, dwarves, and all of the in between. I started to cry. The queen- Mom- wraps her arms around my shoulder. Dad- the king- does the same.

"Are you crying?" She asks.

"Tears of joy, Mom, tears of joy." I whisper. "I'm just a living plot twist, aren't I?"

"You sure are, no arguing with that logic." Dad laughs quietly.

When the ceremony is over, we all gather in the dining hall with other royals and government leaders and, of course, my two families. The food is scrumptious and I had to eat at least two plate fulls. It was nice, well, better than nice. Amazing. Any other words to describe that feeling works.

"It's a new start, isn't it?" Logan says to me later that night.

"Yes, it is new. But I still have my life on Earth. You know I need to spend more time there, right?" I respond.

"Yeah, I know." He frowns. "You still have cancer."

"Logan," I say wrapping him in a hug. "Cancer is hard. It'll take a while to beat. Until then, I need to stay on Earth to heal. I'll visit! Don't worry. Don't forget my gymnastics. The gym and my team are like my second family, er, third family."

"I understand." Logan laughs. "I'll visit too. I like Earth! I'll see you soon, Hayley."

"You too." I whisper, before walking out of the room and leaving Taitailuai. "You too."

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That was it! The story is complete!

-Kilikani