<Truth>
Still stunned by the fact that Erica's getting married at age 18, I asked "You mean Ethan will also be married by age 18?" in disbelief. That was so young! I have always wanted to get married at age 25 and to be married at 18 for the royal family seems like the norm. No wonder Queen Annie looked so young.
Erica just nodded her head. "Geez Ellie, yes. All Royal Princes and Princesses get married at 18." Ethan replied sounding annoyed and I imagined his perfect green eyes rolling but I knew he wasn't actually annoyed.
We finally reached the room, which turns out to be a dinning room and the three of us were talking about marriage. The Fairytale I knew was that the Prince or Princess would get to stay in their palace forever. Seems that I was wrong. Or was I too naïve? I had always love fairy tales and royals, now that I got to see the full picture, I found it hard to believe.
"Unbelievable." I said and stared at the both of them when we stopped walking. I let out a breathe I seems to be holding and let the shock settled down. I huffed and wanted to slip my hands into my pocket because I was too engrossed in digesting the information when I realize I didn't had one. "Oh no." I said after a second. They both looked at me with the exact same expression and said "What?"
I nearly face palm myself hard but I managed not to and said "I forgot to bring my phone out of Erica room. I'll go get it." "I'll get it." Erica said but I shook my head and asked her to sit down. I felt bad for asking her about her marriage and leaving this palace so I should go back myself. She sat down and told me the directions so that I wouldn't get lost. I set off in search of her room. I was careful not to knocked anything or stained the beautiful dress Erica had lent me.
I remembered walking down a lot of corridor but not this particular one. It was slightly older and it gave off a very vintage feeling. Am I lost? I panicked and wanted to ask somebody but not a single soul was around. I continued walking aimlessly and that was when I walked past a slightly ajar door and heard familiar voices.
I stood beside the door against the wall so that whoever inside couldn't see me. I heard "What do you meant?" Said a voice. I think I am rude. I am actually eavesdropping on the Queens. But I was born curious so I couldn't help but stood there plus I am really lost. After all, curiosity kills the cat but satisfaction brought it back.
"My daughter." another voice said. I think it was Queen Nina. But her daughter? Why would she suddenly talked about her daughter? Was she even married? She looked so young to be married. But then again, she was a Queen and they married early. That's besides the main point. Just who was the lucky girl that Queen Nina thinks was her daughter?
"She is my daughter. I am sure of it." The same voice came and this time with determination. I tried not to do the unthinkable but I peeked through the gap and saw Queen Annie's worried face and Queen Nina's expression trying not to explode into anxiety.
"Her? How could it be Nina? Are you sure?" Queen Annie asked and her motions seems to be like she was turning towards the door so I quickly held my breathe and turned back outside with my back to the wall. My heart was racing. Did she saw me? Was she preparing to close the door?
"Yes. Positively sure." Queen Nina spoke again. Who was she? why was she so determined that the girl was her daughter? "Look at this." Queen Nina said again and I peeked in through the gap between the doors. That instant, I regretted because the next thing I saw took my soul away from my physical body. And I was too stunned to move.
It was my baby photo. The exact same one where dad gave it to me when I was 5 and that was the day that Mom and Daphane had shut me out. It was the day that dad had promised to be my secret angel, where he would protect me no matter what happen and how far apart we were. I held onto that promised since forever and dad had never broken that promise.
It was the same photo that Daphane had ripped apart from my desk at home because she said it was annoying to see it hanging around. But hers was more perfect than mine. Hers did not have a tear right beside dad and I. But how did she got it? And why isn't it torn?
"This is Ellie?" asked Queen Annie. I saw Queen Nina nodded her head calmly. There. she nodded her head. I gasped but was too dumbfounded to do anything. She confirmed that the baby in the photo was me and it was just too coincidence that I had the exact same one.
But it all happened so suddenly that I couldn't differentiate reality and dreams anymore. It couldn't be. I felt big fat tears falling onto my arm as I clutched my dress. I'm a princess? Just how many surprises are there in a day? First it was Ethan being a prince, and now I'm a princess? It couldn't be true. I must be dreaming...... It couldn't be right. The more I think, the more I heaved and I felt my vision blurring. Not sure from the crying or panic attack. Everything was spinning. The earth is spinning. That was when darkness came to me.
~~~~~~~
"Ellie, wake up, Ellie." someone shook me and I opened my eyes slowly. Brightness descended on me and I squirmed from it. Am I dead? Where was I? Am I in heaven? Hearing angels calling out my name? But I couldn't remembered what happened before I was dead?
It took me awhile to slide out of my frozen state and figured out that I was in a room. Or rather, still in the castle. I saw 4 figures and they are all staring at me with concern on their faces. Who are they again? I closed my eyes again and opened them more slowly this time. I realize I was in my own comfortable skirt and tank top with Ethan's jacket wrapped around me, the beautiful dress was no where to be found.
"Ellie, are you okay?" I saw Ethan moving towards me and asking. Concern flooded his face and he seems as if he would break. He tugged and smooth my hair behind my ears and his hands lingered on my face a little longer than usual, sending chills down my spine. I nod my head at his direction and gave a weak smile.
"What happen to me?" I asked and my voice creaked. Lack of water and I bet I looked like crap now. Not only looked, I felt like crap. But bits by bits of what had happened came back to me. I didn't knew what to feel now. Angry? more like shocked. Or was it sadness?So confused. But all that happened, I was glad Ethan was here.
"You fainted because you had.... Well, too much shock. At least that's what the doctor said." Erica answered in a serious tone but hesitated, choosing her words carefully. She searched my face while I just blinked and stared. I grimaced a little after that and Ethan let out a smile.
I shrugged and sighed when "Ellie......" Queen Nina started but Queen Annie stopped her by saying "Rest well." and they walked away. Just like that. They walked away from me. Did they knew I overheard their conversation? Did they? I felt that Queen Nina was ready to share. Ready to tell me what was going on and what on earth was happening.
"So, what did you heard?" Erica asked after her mum and Queen Nina left the room. So she knew. No wonder she stared at me like a prey. Ethan looked at me with curious eyes and I wondered if he knew too. But what I was most curious was how she knew I heard something rather than see.
I swallow and took a breathe "They..... I......" I started but found it hard to continue. It was like a bubble waiting to be burst but there wasn't any needle around to poke it with. I took a deep breathe again and looked from Ethan to Erica which they just stared at me, patiently, waiting for me to tell them. "This will sound crazy. But I am not crazy. Queen Nina said I'm her daughter, which means I'm a princess, she got my baby photo." I said in a rush and relieve that I actually said that out loud. They didn't seems to catch me at first and they frown. But even when I said it out loud, it sounded unbelievable.
Ethan suddenly jumped up from beside me and stared at me with wide eyes. I nodded slightly and Erica seems to get it too. But they looked more concern than skeptical. But if she knew why was she acting all like she did not know anything? Was it for Ethan's or my sake?
Silence filled the room and I was too tired to think. My mind was blank and for the first time, I wished I had no existence in this world. The silence got heavier but I could hear their mind churning and processing the information. "Oh my god. So that means you're the girl she sold away?" Ethan blurted out and Erica smack her hands lightly on Ethan's head. Which Ethan held it with his free hand and the other one covered his mouth.
Wait what?! "Sold away?" I asked in shocked. Now it's my mind that's churning. Trying to balance my sanity. I think I am going crazy. like those crazy till I need a trip to the mental health hospital for a health check. "But I was all along the Swift daughter. How?....." I continue and let my sentence trailed off. Because I was too afraid to face the truth. Maybe part of me knew but the other part did not want to admit it.
I looked from Erica to Ethan and back to her with a look on my face that made Ethan regretted he spurt out that sentence. Ethan was looking at me with a sheepish smile and he was trying to regret his actions. "There's something you need to know Ellie." Erica said when Ethan kept quiet. Seems like she could not handled her silence anymore.
I nodded I am ready for whatever was being thrown my way. I turned towards Ethan while Erica left the room in search of something. I tried my best not to lean forward to hug or touch him but I wanted to feel him. He just kept quiet and occasionally giving me sideways glances. It's obvious that he's nervous about something but I couldn't asked him.
The door to the room we were in, opened. "Please don't faint..... again." Erica said when she walked in, but this time, she was holding onto a file with my name on it. I could see my name because it was facing me, in bold and did Erica just stole an important file? But whether she stole it or she found it did not matter. What matter was the contents in it.
"You are adopted by the Swift family since birth. At age 5, your foster parents stopped loving you because your real parents stopped giving them money." Ethan said when Erica handed him the file. I gaped at them trying to registered what he just said. Adopted? Stopped loving? Even dad? Was dad protecting me all an act?
So if Elise was my foster younger sister and mom and dad are her biological parents, than who are my real parents? Queen Nina and ? And who? "Who are my parents then?" I asked in a whisper, looking down at my hands and I felt tears trying to force through. But deep down, I knew I had half the answer. Ethan sighed a little and sadness filled his eyes when he lifted my head to faced him and he looked at me but I felt that it was too much to handle. "We don't know. It was not written here." Erica said silently and not meeting my eyes.
Now I got it. No wonder my parents and Elise treated me so badly. It was because my real parents didn't gave them money to support me. No wonder they hated me so much... I pulled my legs towards me under the blanket and I realize that I was alone. Very alone in this world. Queen Nina might not even be my real mother. She might just said that because she happened to have the exact same photo as me. Maybe she was being threaten to say that I was her daughter.
"Ellie. I'm sorry." Queen Nina voice broke my train of thoughts and I stared at her. When did she came in? I have no idea. Told you there's magic involve. sudden appearing and disappearing. But seeing her standing there, I felt betrayed.
Just like that, everything clicked inside my head and it did not need to take a maths genius to figure it out. "You are my..... Mom?" I asked her in disbelief. And I had no idea if I should believe her or my insane mind. She didn't answer my question but more like addressed it. "I..... I'm sorry, Ellie. We should not have done that to you." Queen Nina said and she wept silently. We? for 16 years, She sold me away and never came looking for me. And she still dares to say We?! So she was blaming my biological dad also? So what am I to her actually? a ball to be kicked around when she wanted to?
Anger, fear, disappointment, shocked gripped me but I was more of devastated. "I need..... I need to go home." I said and got off the bed. Ethan didn't tried to stopped me but Queen Nina and Erica did. But because Queen Nina was standing by the door, she had to excuse to let me through.
"Ellie, please....." She started, her make up was ruined a little by her tears but I shot Queen Nina a look and she backed away a little. Erica didn't let go and I turned towards her. Anger showing on my face and now she wanted to lecture me on not being rude? "Ellie, don't you get it? You are the next throne Queen." Erica said. Gripping my arms, hurting me a little but I did not wriggle away.
Anger faded away and I am so dumbfounded that I was unable to comprehend what she had just said. It couldn't be true. I need to hear it from my parents. I need to get home. I am going insane. Why was I the next Queen? That means Queen Nina only had me as her child? But I was angry. Angry at my foster parents. Angry at everyone in this room and angry at everything. "Why? You don't get to be throne, why did I get it?" I snapped at Erica. The bubble of anger burst and Queen Nina looked shocked at my outburst.
"Because I had a sibling." she shouted at me. Ethan tried to pull her away from me but she slapped him away. "I can't be throne in this country because Ethan is a guy and he is my brother. That was the rule of the Royal. If you had 2 child and one of them is a guy, the guy gets the throne." Erica lowered her voice after each sentences and she sat on the floor releasing my arms.
Tears flowed out of her eyes and she sobbed. Once again, the anger faded and I felt sadness. My heart aches for her. She wanted to be a queen of her own palace but she couldn't because of Ethan. Ethan kneeled down beside her and hugged her tightly. I guess my words were a little too harsh on her. I sighed and looked at Queen Nina.
I gave up. Gave up on my life and my brain. They're too tired to think "Why now?" I looked away from Ethan and Erica and asked Queen Nina. She stared at me and now I realize that she did indeed looked like me. Her turquoise eyes and tanned skin. But her hair was more golden than brown. She seems to looked older and tired than just now and the dress she was wearing was nice. Every part of her was truly an image of a Queen and nothing less.
She held my hands in hers and said "Because it's time to crown the Princess.". I stared at her, unable to said a single word. Now?! just when she found her long lost daughter?