Next day. Prince Wilfred was at the hospital as hoping to speak to Robert's daughter. As while I couldn't shake my distrust over the way about the police handled questioning Robert. We were working with them for the time being. At first, we checked the pathology with the hospital staff... before we entering Robert's daughter's room to speak with her. On the bed in the room was a frail, pale skinned woman. Anna was with her mother.
Robert: "Mary, the police are here."
Robert: "I shall be in the waiting room."
Robert: "Could I ask you to call out if you need me?"
As then he left the room. The police officer took out his notebook and introduced himself before he asking a questions.
Policeman: "Excuse me, but is it alright if I ask you a few questions?"
Mary: "Alright."
She nodded, but her eyes were on Prince Wilfred. He noticed her gaze and he smiled kindly at her before he bowing his head gracefully.
Wilfred: "It's a pleasure to meet you, my name is Wilfred."
Wilfred: "I have asked to be allowed to sit in today."
Wilfred: "I do hope you'll forgive me?"
I bowed my head also and she looked confused as she replied.
Mary: "I don't mind, but why are you here Your Highness?"
Wilfred: "This case has to do with the royal family."
Wilfred: "Because of this I have asked the police to keep me informed of the investigation."
Mary: "I see... um..."
She sat up her bed and her head dropped forward.
Mary: "I heard how you helped our Anna when she got lost..."
Mary: "Thank you so much."
Anna bobbed her head as well.
Anna: "Thank you..."
Prince Wilfred smiled at them.
Wilfred: "Please, there's no need for thanks. How are you feeling?"
Mary: "A little bit better now, thank you."
I felt relief at her words as I heard someone clearing their throat.
Policeman: "We should get throught this quickly, so you can rest."
Policeman: "Is it true, the Robert was here visiting you about the day the tiara was stolen?"
Mary nodded and the policeman asked another question.
Policeman: "Can you tell me what time as he got here and what time as he left?"
Mary: "Oh, let me think..."
The time as she mentioned matched about those said by the hospital staff. Robert's signature and visting hours were also recorded in a long book. Prince Wilfred looked hard at the signature... corresponded with Robert as many times before.
Wilfred: "It does appear to be Robert's signature as although I suggest a handwriting analysis should be carried out as just to be sure."
Wilfred: "Anna's signature is also on there."
I looked down at his hands to see Anna's name was indeed in the book.
Regina: "So it is."
Mary: "My father brought Anna was here with him for that night."
Her dignified voice rang through the room.
(So that means, Robert and Anna can't have as had anything to do with it...)
I turned my attention towards Wilfred. He was staring at something cause his brow creased. He was staring at Mary's white hands.
(Oh...)
Her fingers were shaking. She seemed to have noticed our stares as she placed one hand over the other hand.
(Could it be... she's been hiding about something?)
Something didn't seem right but the policeman noticed nothing as he went on with his questions.
Policeman: "That's the exact time as the security went offline..."
Policeman: "But why did he bring the young girl? It must have been late."
He glanced over towards Anna. She cowered a little bit before she latching on to her mother.
(Goodness, Anna's acting strangely too... but maybe she's just scared of the police...)
Mary: "He couldn't leave her at home all alone."
The policeman's eyebrow twitched.
Policeman: "Pardon my asking, but is there not a man in the house?"
Mary looked down at her hands sadly.
Mary: "My husband died in an accident shortly after Anna was born."
(Oh no...)
The police officer was obivously uncomfortable as his eyes went searching around the room.
Policeman: "I'm sorry to hear it..."
Mary: "It's fine. But that's why my father, Robert..."
Mary: "He takes care of her instead."
Mary: "Especially right now..."
She smeed to have trouble finished her last sentence and she began to cough painfully.
Anna: "Mommy, are you alright?"
Anna got up and she started to rubbing her mother's back. I was worried as she continued to coughing and she spoke to her.
Regina: "Are you alright? Shall I fetch you some water?"
Mary: "No, I'll be fine. Thank you."
Wilfred: "It looks like it would be best if we were going now."
The police officer made no moves to close his notebook and Prince Wilfred and I glared at him.
Policeman: "O-Oh, right... yes, that's enough for today..."
Mary: "I'm sorry, I couldn't be of much for help."
Her breathing sound labored and Prince Wilfred smiled warmly at her.
Wilfred: "No, thank you for all your help when you're not feeling so well."
Regina: "Please take care of yourself."
she smiled weakly in return and we left the room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We had returned to Chateau Philip... and we were sitting on the sofa in Prince Wilfred's room. We were enjoying a cup of tea brewed by Claude, when...
Wilfred: "I hope this results in the suspicion being taken off Robert..."
Regina: "I hope so too. Do you think they have any more about suspects?"
The police appeared to be investigating other areas as not just Robert... but they had yet to find any new leads. If there's no progress made by tomorrow then just as Prince Wilfred said... about the exhibition would be cancelled.
Regina: "Even if they don't find the culprit..."
Regina: "If only the tiara were to come back..."
I wished to myself and Prince Wilfred put his arms around me gently.
Wilfred: "Yeah..."
(But we won't get anywhere if things stay the way as they are...)
(But I wonder if we can convince the art gallery as not to close the exhibition?)
Just as I had thought of that and I felt Prince Wilfred's hand squeeze my should tight.
Wilfred: "I think the tiara is..."
(Huh...?)
I looked up at him in surprise.
Just then... the bedroom phone rang and the sound filled the room.
(Oh...)
Wilfred: "That must be Claude..."
He glanced at my face before he separating himself from me and he reaching for the phone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After taking Claude's call... Prince Wilfred and I had arrived at the parlor together.
(I wonder what could be so urgent. Is it the police...?)
I tried to hide my impatience as we waited when I heard a knock echo through the parlor.
Wilfred: "Come in."
The door are opened and... Robert and Anna came inside.
(Huh? What are those two doing here...?)
I was surprised by their entrance. My eyes fell upon a small package Anna carried in her hands.
(That package is...)
Wilfred: "What's the meaning of this?"
Claude sent a troubled glance towards to Robert at Prince Wilfred's question.
Claude: "Every time I asked their purpose as all they said was that, they must speak with you immediately..."
Claude: "They refused to leave until I let them in to see the two of you."
Prince WIlfred listened to this explanation before he narrowning his eyes at Robert.
Wilfred: "Robert, explain."
Robert glanced down at Anna. And then... Robert who had been silent up until that point as he opened his mouth slowly as if it were made of lead.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
???: "I-I don't know what to do..."
???: "They were making a big deal of it in the TV and..."
As shortly after Prince Wilfred and the others visted the hospital. A young girl clung to her mother and her little shoulders are shaking.
Girl: "Mommy... I-I'm sorry, cause I lied."
She couldn't stop crying as her mother stroked her hair lovingly.
Mother: "It's fine. You shouldn't worry about it any longer."
Girl: "B-But..."
And elderly man entered the room.
Girl: "Oh..."
The little girl checked herself and she tried to hide the object in her hands. But the old man had already seen it and he's a stern look crossed his face as he stared at what she was holding.
Old man: "You know that it can't say like this?"
He spoke calmly but it's gave no room for discussion. The little girl was silent for a moment before she giving in. She nodded.
Girl: "Yes..."
Old man: "If you don't give it back today it will only get worse."
Girl: "Give it back now...?"
She brought out the object what she had been trying to hide. She looked hesitantly up at her mother. Be her mother smiled and she gave the little girl a hug.
Mother: "Thank you for thinking of me."
Mother: "But I don't need this as long as I have you..."
Girl: "Mommy..."
The object in her hand sparkled in the light.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Robert: "That's..."
Robert was about to speak, when...
Anna: "I'm sorry!"
Anna suddenly turn to us as she bowing her head vigorously.
Wilfred: "Anna...?"
Regina: "What's wrong, Anna...?"
We looked at her in surprised as she held out the package in her hands.
Anna: "H-Here..."
Prince Wilfred took the package and he opened it carefully.
Wilfred: "This is..."
There was no doubt about it. He held in his hands the stolen tiara.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The rain and the thunder grew louder. A small shadow raced through the gallery towards the furthermost room.
???: "Oy! What are you doing!?"
A man's voice called out and the small form turned around. The small face lift up instantly.
???: "Grandpa! What are you doing here?"
Robert wore a pained look as Anna ran towards to him.
Robert: "You took my key without permission..."
Robert: "So I followed you. But I didn't think it would come to this..."
Anna: "I'm sorry cause I didn't ask..."
Just ten, Robert saw the object what she was holding and he frozen.
Robert: "Don't tell me that's..."
Robert spoke in a pained voice and he tears come to his eyes.
Robert: "Anna, you can't do that..."
Robert: "We need to put it back..."
Just as he was speaking but the lights came on in the building.
Robert: "Not good... if we stay here then... let's go."
Robert took his granddaughter's hand and they fled the building. It was easy to guess what drama unfolded next.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Claude: "But why's the tiara here?"
Claude served Anna a severe look.
(But I never thought that the culprits really would be Robert and Anna...)
After a moment of silence, Robert began to explain.
Robert: "The truth is..."
And then everything came to light. That together, Robert and Anna... had removed the tiara from the gallery.
(But why would they do that...!?)
While we were listening to the story... as large tears began to trail down Anna's cheeks. Robert dropped his shoulders in shame and Claude spoke to him reproachfully.
Claude: "Robert... do you understand the full gravity of what you have done?"
But Prince Wilfred held up his hand to interrupt.
Wilfred: "Wait Claude, we haven't heard the whole story yet."
And with that, he turned to Anna and he asked her kindly.
Wilfred: "Anna, could you please tell me why you took this?"
She wiped the tears away from her eyes and she began to speak.
Anna: "Because I wanted Mommy to smile a lots and lots."
(Smile...?)
I crouched down to meet Anna at eye level.
Regina: "Anna... did you take the tiara to make your mother smile?"
She nodded her head in response.
Anna: "Yes. The doctor said she would get better if she smiled more..."
Anna: "But Mommy never smiles in the hospital..."
She clung to me with all of her might as she spoke.
Anna: "She said she wanted to see the tiara and I thought it would make her smile, so..."
Anna: "I didn't mean to cause any trouble..."
She dissolved into tears once more.
Anna: "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry!"
Wilfred: "She just wanted to make her mother happy..."
Prince WIlfred whispered but Robert still looked pained as he spoke.
Robert: "No matter what the reason, the fault is mine."
Robert: "I take full responsibility..."
Robert: "Please, don't punish to Anna..."
Robert was down on the floor and he's bowing profusely. Anna was still crying as she clung to me when I hold her gentle. But it was a painful sight to see.
Robert: "I'll take any punishment. Please, leave Anna out of this."
Anna: "Grandpa..."
I looked over to Prince Wilfred. He was urging Robert to stand.
Wilfred: "Alright."
(Oh...)
Anxieties were running high when we heard him speak.
Wilfred: "But if you're not around, so who will look after Anna?"
He was smiling calming and I let out a sigh of relief.
(I see... Wilfred already knew...)
Wilfred: "Neither you nor Anna meant any harm."
Wilfred: "So I consider the matter finshed."
However, there was someone who disagreed with his sentiments.
Claude: "But this issue has gotten out of control now..."
Claude: "You can't just let it drop."
Wilfred: "We just tell the media and the police cause of that the tiara was returned."
Wilfred: "I see no reason to mention either about Robert or Anna's names."
Claude: "But..."
Wilfred: "Perhaps what they have done is something that shouldn't go unpunished..."
Wilfred: "But in light if their reasons behind their actions, so I believe there's room for leniency."
Claude stayed silent.
Wilfred: "For the well as being of those concerned it would be best not to only catch them..."
Wilfred: "But to understand for their actions and make sure that as they'll never do it again."
Claude: "How...?"
Wilfred: "Robert will alone for thia in his own way as will about Anna."
Regina: "What do you mean?"
All eyes were on Prince Wilfred as a soft smile formed across his face.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next evening. Prince Wilfred and I had returned from fulfilling his royal duties. Robert delievered the tiara to us as promised. Prince Wilfred looked satisfied as he eyed the glittering tiara.
Regina: "Oh my gosh, its' beautiful."
Wilfred: "Yes, it is beautiful."
This was Robert's punishment. That was to service the tiara by tonight... and make it shine brighter than it ever had before.
Regina: "I'm glad it's ready before the event starts at the art gallery tomorrow."
Wilfred: "Yes, I truly was worried about this time."
Wilfred: "It's impossible to make someone a princess without it."
(So they can't become a princess...?)
Regina: "So does that mean if it had never been found..."
Regina: "If I wouldn't be able to become a princess...?"
I asked in surprise and he laughed.
Wilfred: "I was joking."
I found myself laughing along with him.
Regina: "Honestly, don't scared me like that."
Regina: "Although, it feels weird to think... as that it was Robert and Anna about that had the tiara."
Wilfred: "Really?"
He said simply as still smiling. It was then as that I had a thought.
Regina: "Um... did you already realize of that as they had it?"
He laughed.
Wilfred: "It's a secrect."
Regina: "Would you ever stop teasing me, Wilfred...?"
Regina: "Although, I do have one thing as that bothers me."
Wilfred: "What's that?"
Regina: "When the tiara was taken, weren't they already at the hospital...?"
Wilfred: "Oh, that..."
Wilfred: "They left the gallery and they went straight to the hospital."
Wilfred: "He wrote a slightly earlier time in the log book."
Regina: "But then, his ablibi doesn't work..."
Wilfred: "Yes..."
Wilfred: "But it would mean a lot of hassle for the hospital as if anyone point that fact out to them."
Regina: "I see. But I'm glad as nothing about bad happened to either of them."
Wilfred: "Yeah."
It was Robert's punishment to polish the tiara. Anna's punishment was... to work harder at making her mother smile.
(Wilfred really is a kind person...)
He pulled me closer and I felt something warm brush my cheek.
(Oh...)
My heart started to beat loudly at his touch.
Wilfred: "Whether as we have a tiara or not, you'll always be my princess."
Regina: "Wilfred..."
Wilfred: "And I have other ways to show you're mine..."
Regina: "Huh..."
I felt a sharp pain as his lips pressed against my shoulder.
Regina: "Mm...!"
(That's...)
Just then, I recalled that first night as we had spent together at Nobel Michel Castle. His mishievous smile was just the same as it had been then.
Wilfred: "I can mark you as my princess as often as you like."
I looked at the red mark on my shoulder and I snapped back to reality.
Regina: "We're going back to the art gallery tomorrow..."
Regina: "If there are any marks left..."
I started to say, but he cut me off as his smooth lips sealed over mine.
Wilfred: "It's fine. We'll find a dress that hides it. Or don't you like it?"
Regina: "It's not that I don't like it..."
Wilfred: "Then..."
His kiss was surprisingly deep and passionate as sending chills to my core.
(Wilfred...)
He kissed me again and again and I felt my body growning warm when he pulled away. He smiled secretively.
Wilfred: "Close your eyes."
Regina: "W-What's going on...?"
Wilfred: "It's fine. Just bend down a little bit and close your eyes."
Althought as I was a little bit confused but I found myself being compelled by his smile to do as he asked. I crouched down.
(I wonder what he means to do...?)
It was completely dark as he whispered gently in my ear.
Wilfred: "Now, open them."
I felt a little bit nervous as I opened my eyes and...
Prince Wilfred stood smiling before me and the tiara in his hands.
Wilfred: "I wanted to see it on you as just once before we have to take it back to the art gallery."
Regina: "But if you do that..."
Wilfred: "I have permission, of course."
He smiled airily.
(When did he...?)
Wilfred: "And this will make a good rehearsal for you."
Regina: "A rehearsal... for what?"
Wilfred: "Oh, for our wedding."
His words struck me straight in the heart.
Wilfred: "I want to see this on you when it's at its shiniest..."
Thanks to Robert cause of the tiara had never looked better. He placed it on my head. Prince Wilfred stared at me as I felt the weight of it.
(But I hope it doesn't look strange...?)
Regina: "Oh...Wilfred?"
He came back to his senses as he smiling shyly as he did so.
Wilfred: "Sorry, you just look so captivating. It really suits you."
Regina: "I'm glad."
I hardly ever saw him look so excited and I couldn't stop myself from smiling too. Next thing, I knew he had lifted me up into his arms.
Wilfred: "Regina..."
He touched his lips to my shoulder and once again as I felt a sharp pain. His warm lips then he found my cheek, lips, neck... and I began to feel warm all over.
Wilfred: "I love you, now and forever..."
Regina: "I love you too."
We kissed again and the tiara threatened to slip. But he held it in place with his hand. As if making sure it never got away from us again. This theft as centering around a tiara as that has been passed down as through generations in the royal family... was caused by a little girl who loves her mother very much. The tiara was not damaged and it was returned in the same pristine condition as when it was taken. I hope that our futures will shine as just as my tiara did... I prayed to myself and I snuggled in Prince Wilfred's arms.
~End of Chapter 8: Royal Legend Happy Ending~