Kingdom of Lies (The Fifth Element Chronicles)

Chapter 12 [part 1]

In the morning we returned to the yellow house. 

Cara was waiting for us with a portentous breakfast. It was just what we needed. We ate until we were full, or at least until someone brought up the subject we had been discussing a few hours earlier. Nobody told her anything about the discovery in the cave. It had been my explicit request that we not say anything for a while. I was not ready to present myself in front of everyone as the heir to the throne. Much less before a possible war or worse, our extermination.

'Even with a full belly I still believe that going to the old Crescendo is a stupid idea, more than anything else an assured suicide,' said Rich, as he finished his plate.

I looked up at him and then turned to Cara.

'What do you mean, son?' Her confusion manifested itself in her words.

'He is joking mother,' Russell tried to hide our intentions.

He was the only one who had not objected. Something had changed since he knew who I was, as if the resistance to approaching me had vanished and nothing stood between us. As if he was willing to do anything to help me.

The dream I had a few days ago came to me. What if he was really capable of giving up his life for me? How much did I mean to Russell?

I didn't know, but I hoped it was as much as he meant to me.

Cara took a deep breath and pulled the chair back.

Those of us who weren't her blood children didn't understand her expression, but the others did, and it seemed like it wasn't good.

'You left for three nights without telling me where you were going, Milaia disappeared, and then you did. You come back one day to devour my food and really expect me not to ask you anything. Since when did I stop being your mother? Since when do you disrespect me like this?'

All the Laochs lowered their heads and received their mother's reprimand without responding. Cara had done so much for me, it wasn't fair that she knew nothing. I took courage and spoke up.

'It was my fault, Cara, none of them...'

'Oh, I didn't even get to you. Since you appeared, everything has gone out of control. I can be tolerant, but I won't let anyone endanger the lives of my children, much less a girl who ran away from her own home to come and ruin mine.'

Every single word of hers hurt me. But she was right. I had only brought trouble, and now I would continue to create it. If I forced them to come with me to Crescendo, I would put them in danger. I was not going to let anyone hurt them, not even myself.

'Mother, you can't talk to her like that,' Russell surprised me, putting down his fork and staring at his mother.

'Russell, I know you have feelings for...'

Russell got up from the table before she could finish the sentence that would confirm my suspicions that something was going on between Russell and me.

I didn't want to think about it at that very moment, witnessing the mess I had made.

'Mother, you are in the presence of Gaia, daughter of Gelon and Sheba, princess of Crescendo and heiress to the sign of Crey.'

Her gaze dissipated, as if she had been hurt from afar and could not yet process it.

The twins ran out of the room as they heard their brother's words. It seemed strange that they were not present, but it was clear that Cara had ordered them to stay away from the possible argument.

'I don't understand. It cannot be.'

'It's true, Mother,' each of her children confirmed it.

Cara took her face in her hands and the twins ran to my side to begin bowing as they called me "her majesty and our princess."