The Forgotten Princess

Chapter 9: Regaining Composure

                How can I believe anything when my life was a lie?

                My mind instantly flickered to me storming out of the house and away from Catherine. I regretted shouting at her and telling her that she wasn’t my mum as soon as those words tumbled out of my mouth in a moment of anger. Catherine would always be my mum. She raised me as her own all her life without a complaint. She taught me to read and write. She came to every concert or competition I was in without hesitation. She was there for me in the moments when I found life tough or I just needed a shoulder to cry on.

                Catherine was a mother to me in every way. Yes, she may not be my mum by blood but she will always be a mum to me. The fact she isn’t my biological mother doesn’t take that away from her. I have too much to thank her for and I have too much love for her to discard her just because of that. I really couldn’t have asked for better for a mother. My best memories are always with her and that means the world to me.

                I know decided to go over everything that had happened. I needed time to comprehend and understand. I needed to understand all of the details so I could comprehend the situation that I was in. Going through my memories, I shortened them into short clear facts. It seemed the easiest way to understand everything that had gone on and all of the new information I had learnt.

                It was clear that I was a werewolf. I could shift whenever I wanted by simply thinking of it. My wolf was a beautiful and pure white colour. I shifted two years earlier than normal because I am deemed as being “special.” Ok. I could deal with that. It seemed like this was normal in the supernatural world that I was a part of and that was a huge network and a huge number of werewolves. Breathe Anna. That is normal and I was a part of that.

                Wait! No. Scratch that. I was a major part of that. I was the fricking princess of the European Kingdom. I was heir to the throne. What the hell do I know about ruling? How can I lead people when I quite frankly have no idea what is going on? Breathe… My parents are king and queen, Nick and Isobel. Those were my parents and I was named Annabella Maria Rosetta by them at birth.

                Ok, I didn’t know about my full name but it is rather pretty even if it is a little snobbish in sound. I could get used to that. Anyway, the European Kingdom has been in civil war for the past seventeen years, this was why I have been sent away and hidden because if the opposing side (Cameron) knew of my existence it would be like having a massing target pinned to my head, screaming kill me. Well, that is a nice thought.

                I was clearly powerful. I could sense it now. It was only now that I was beginning to tell the little things. I could feel the power flow from my body with ease. It was dominant and commanding. You could easily tell that I was a person of power. When I looked at Catherine, I could sense some power from her but it wasn’t half as much as mine. I almost felt sorry for her because I bet I was a little overwhelming.

                That wasn’t the only thing I had noticed. Every single one of my senses was heightened. My hearing was sharp and I could hear even a twig snap from a good distance away. My eyesight was that much clearer and everything seemed to be much more vivid and in focus. It made everything seem more beautiful especially the forest which was the place I loved to be the most. I loved all of this especially. It was all a little overwhelming and I knew it would take some time to get used to all of this but I knew that I could do it.

                However, my mind eventually wandered over to the topic of my real family and my parents. Already, it seemed to me to be a touchy topic which I could feel tugging at my heart strings. The feeling of pain and hurt flitted angrily through my mind. I had a father that loved me which was something that I never believed to be real. For as long as I can remember I was told that my father left Catherine and I before I was born. Well how wrong was I?

                What were they like? How much did they look like me? Would they still remember me? Do they love me? Would they even approve of me? I may not be good enough for them. I may not be suitable to be a princess. I can’t lead people. I have two close friends and that is it. Seriously, I wouldn’t know where to start when it came to being a princess. I didn’t know the etiquette or correct way to do things. Already in my mind, I could see the disappointment of my parents if they ever get to see me for the first time. I wasn’t good enough to be a princess of anything. I was completely and utterly ordinary.

                I sighed, once again frustrated and annoyed. Running my hands roughly through my hair, pushing it back away from my face, I thought this situation was a mess. Everything I thought was real has been a total lie. I didn’t even know my real name. What the hell is that? Not just Anna Rose. Annabella Maria Rosetta. I could feel that festering anger bubble beneath the surface and I knew I needed to keep a lid on my anger. Shifting right now wouldn’t solve anything.

                Placing my hands against the forest floor, I pushed up so I was now standing. Sitting down was doing my bubbling anger no favours at all. I began to pace back and forth following the same path. It was soothing after a while. It was in this period of calm that my mind flicked to something else which Catherine spoke of. A mate.

                A soul mate.

                That idea made me smile. It sounded so romantic. One person who was made for you. Your other half. The only person in the whole world which would make you feel complete. At least there may be some good to come out of all this. That idea of complete love and adoration to someone was comforting. Somewhere out there would be someone who would make me feel complete and safe. It almost seemed too good to be true. I really hoped it wouldn’t be because somewhere out there was my mate. Someone just for me.

                My heart once again went out for Catherine who spoke that her mate was already dead. I didn’t know how it had happened. Her comment about still feeling the pain of his death now was something that really got to me. Obviously, a soul mate was really for life. I don’t know what it was but the idea of him dying in the civil war sprang to mind instantly.

                To be honest, another thought that was crossing my mind was the seriousness of the war. Catherine seemed to tone down the severity of the war which was clearly obvious. They have been fighting this war for the past seventeen years. I can understand the length with having to protect the secrecy of the race but even so it was an unimaginable length of time. I dread to think or even comprehend the amount of deaths and fighting.

                Wait! Were both my parents both still alive? Had any of them died in the war? My heart began to pound at that thought. I couldn’t find out about my parents and them both being alive and then hear that one of them is already dead. No. No. Surely Catherine would have told me about that already. I hope she would have especially after everything else she has hidden from me until now.

                Subconsciously, I turned back towards the house and began to head back. I needed to apologize to Catherine. I had too many emotions and I had vented them at her which was the wrong thing to do. She had looked after me for so long and had given me a great childhood so I could resent her. In the end, she was only following orders for my protection. The less I knew as a kid the better and safer it was for me.

                At least I was calm now and my head was in a better place. Reaching the edge of the trees to the back garden, I had already thought of what to say to Catherine and thought about how much grovelling I would need to do after being such a brat to her but I think she would definitely understand why I was so messed up. As I reached the back door, I took a big breath before entering.