I really cannot understand what's going on... and...
"This is?"
"The noble palace of Emerald Kingdom," Ai turns to the palace.
"Huh? What does this have to do with me?" I turn to them, grandpa looks away but Ai just gives out a small, sad smile.
"Just what's going on?" I'm still confused by the situation I'm currently in until a woman's voice came from my back.
"Finally, after all those years... ... Our long lost princess, have finally returned!" I turn to see a woman in a purple cloak.
"You! You're the lady in the purple cloak from just now!" I exclaim. Just how fast did she managed to slow those strangers down?"
"Indeed I am, Your highness," she says with a smile. "Now please come in, it's time to meet your father,"
"Huh? My... ... father?" I've never meet any of my parents since I was little. Every time I ask grandpa where they are or what do they look like, he always changes the topic.
"So... my father is..." I mumble under my breathe. The king of Emerald Kingdom?
"This way please," the lady in purple cloak leads us into the palace.
At the same time I have tons of questions to ask, but the air of the situation seems too tense to make any noise, so I just keep my lips tightly sealed. Not for long, we're all in front of a huge door.
"Please wait here for a moment," then the lady go into the room. Later she comes out and tells us to get in"The king now wishes to meet you all," the lady opens the door for us. As I walk in, I can see that the king of Emerald, is coughing heavily on his bed. From his pale skin, it tells you he has been suffering from his sickness, so the rumours about his health were true.
"Greetings, Your majesty." Grandpa and Ai kneels down, but as I am going to, the lady in her cloak stops me.
"No, you have no need for that Your highness," she pulls me by my arm.
"But I-"
"Is... is that you... ... Queen? Please come here," The king looks up, meeting my gaze. I do as told.
"Your majesty, may I know what's going on?"
"After all those years... ..."
"Um, Your majesty?"
"I'm sorry Queen, but I should've tell you earlier, but you're my daughter," the words "you're my daughter" echoes in my head as I'm trying to process what have I gone through.
Looking at my confused and puzzled face, the king says,"Purple, please tell her the truth she didn't know," then closes his eyes to rest.
"Yes, Your majesty," the lady in purple cloak, who turns out to be "Purple" as her name, starts telling me the whole story.
"As you see, well... ... " After a short hesitation, she continues,"Your highness, according to the royal family of Emerald, all members of the family must have a birthmark when they're born. Some have them while they're born, naturally. But some who doesn't have, needs to use our magic to make them have it. These birthmarks doesn't only means you're part of this royal family, but it also gives you magical powers which you'll have to discover it yourself. If I'd recall, you have your birthmark while you're born in a natural way, which will give you stronger and unique powers. I remember your birthmark is a pink diamond-shaped one located on your right hand, yes?"
"Yes."
"And Silverheart told you many times not to let anyone see it, yes?"
"Yes."
"That's because you're part of Emerald's royal family, so you need to hide your identity from the villagers."
"Well, if I was born here, then how come I'd end up living in Sakura Town?"
"That's ... ... quite a long story... you see, Your highness, a month after the day you're born, the king and the queen of Emerald throw you a party. At first, we didn't think anything will go wrong. But we're wrong. After half an hour, several suspicious looking men in black were seen sneaking into the palace. Those men... ... such cruel men... they're planning to attack the king while he's somewhere by himself. Those men didn't only grab all the valuables in the castle, they even killed the queen, and set the castle on fire. Your mother, the queen, managed to get you to Silverheart, before she's killed. She told him to raise you up and get you back to the castle when the time have come. Only the king and several servants were able to escape the nightmare. But I see they're coming to get you again after hearing that our princess has not die in the fire."
"So... ... I'll never be able to... ... meet my mother... ... again?" I start to cry, I never meet her before, but I'll never meet her again? Tears fall down from my cheeks, it feels like it's stinging me. Ouch...
"I'm afraid not. I'm sorry for your loss, Your highness."
"Um, it's ok." I sniff several times and try to look alright.
"Now, we need to let all of Emerald knows that our princess is back, so I'll leave that to you and Silverheart, alright, Purple?" The king now has his eyes open.
"Yes, Your majesty." They both say in unison.
"Queen, so do your best too,"
"Yes, I will, Your majesty."
Later, we all walk out from the room. Purple just turns to us,"I may now take my leave, for I need to get a list of things ready for you, and also the preparations and meetings for the ceremony. Would you please show her highness her room as I do my stuff?"
"I will, go now."
"Thank you very much." She turns on her heels and leave.
"This way please," Silverheart shows us down a long corridor and after turning several times, which makes me confuse where I am now, we finally get to "my room".
As the doors are push open, my eyes are viewing the huge furnitures in the room. Everything here's so huge! They have a white grand piano the one that looks so expensive placed near huge curve-shaped windows. Wait, how did they know I play piano? Then on my right is a huge bed, the bed looks high too, because it's so much different from the old mat I used to sleep all those years. I don't think I can get used to these things once at a time. They're all so large, and glorious.
"Uh, where's her closet?"
"Oh, for her closet, it's actually a room," Silverheart opens a door, and all we see is a huge empty room.
"This is where you'll keep your clothes, which our tailors will be making them soon for you."
"Um, thank you for showing us around, but can we all sit down for a while and talk?"
"There's no problem for that."
We soon sit down on nice chairs around mahagony table. "So... "I try to ask something from what I've been thinking about just now, but my mouth is dry, nothing comes out, not even a sound.
Silverheart clears his throat and starts to speak,"Allow me, I am actually a butler of this castle, so is Purple, the lady you've seen just now. We've been serving this castle for many years."
"I see. Well, who should I call you as for the rest of my life? After... you're not my... ... grandpa... anymore."
"Silverheart. It's alright, I'm fine with that."
"Mr. Silverheart?"
"Well, that's alright for me too."
"Well then. Um, Mr. Silverheart, although I am now a princess, I still want to go out and steal treasures in the night. So can I go out on heists with Ai, please?" I pleaded him, I really still want to go out and have fun, plus, Ai is my partner in phantom thieving. I can't probably let her do something on her own, right?
"Of course you both can."
"Really? But what if Ms. Purple finds out?" My eyes glimmer with hope.
"Yes, as long as you accomplish what she asked you to. Plus, she and I will be training your combat lessons in secret, especially when we're here."
"Huh? Do you mean that... ... she knows I'm a phantom thief too?"
"Indeed."
"That's going to be great then!" I say as my mind shows me her moves when she slowed those strangers down just now. That's so cool! I want to learn it too!
"So, do we have a heist tonight?" Ai asks Mr. Silverheart.
"Yes you do, I've sent out your advanced notices before coming to the castle."
"Great then!" She exclaims happily.
"Alright! So, what's the treasure that we're targeting?"
"The Autumn fan of Emerald Kingdom, it's your mother's creation."
"Really? Now, where's it located at?"
"In Botan Town, it's going to be sold out in a black market."
"We're on it!" We both exchange our looks, ready for tonight's heist.