That morning, I hummed to myself and did my chores at my own pace, grinning like mad, replaying the scene where Captain Kenny had finally proposed me and the engagement ring shone beautifully on my pale finger. I wonder what should I call him which into my dilemma, to call him by his name, to call him with sweet calling or to stick with the current addressing. Someone abruptly embraced me from my back and I knew quite well who it was. I gave a slight, rather cheerful scream of joy.
“Stop it, it’s embarrassing,” I grumbled lovingly.
“You should say that when we kissed back then,” He replied.
“I’m shocked on how early you woke up today,” I mocked, without looking backward.
He took my right hand and kissed it, saying a bit sarcastically, “As if that certain someone could sleep from yesterday’s event.”
I could feel my face was hot from embarrassment, “It’s your fault that I couldn’t sleep!”
He laughed slightly and turned me around to face him. My face became redder and redder. I felt like burying my face in a pillow or somewhere he couldn’t see it. I couldn’t look at his eyes or his face for like at all!
“What’s wrong?” He asked, noticing that I was a bit troubled.
“Actually, I’m troubled. What can I call you since we’re now fiancés? And are you sure we need to go back just to get back the throne? I mean, my brother can rule it and he knows it very well compared to me,” I looked at him in the eyes and he was still hugging me.
He kissed my forehead and said, “You can call me anything that you see fit but since you’re still in this crew, just stick with the current call, okay. And we’re not coming back for the throne. We’re coming back to declare that you’re still alive and you can do whatever you want with the throne and there’s one thing that you need to seek at your mother’s chamber. Mammy told me to bring you there when we arrive there. It was from the letter I’ve got this morning from Mammy.”
“My mother’s chamber?” I repeated.
“Yes,” He nodded.
“LAND AHOY!” A voice startled us which we quickly released our hold as he quickly raced towards the deck to see the land which we were now finally arrived at Ele Kingdom. That morning became as busy as the buzzy bee. Captain kept giving orders and to ‘turn’ the pirate ship into normal sailor ship. I wondered if that peculiar ship could deceive anyone since that the mermaid carving just made it obvious that it was a pirate ship. But then I wondered why no one had ever doubted it for one for even once! And finally, we safely arrived at the nearest harbour.
“Greetings the Devil’s crews,” A fine young lad greeted us right after we got out of our ship.
“How did you know it was us? Aren’t our identities supposed to be a mystery?” Henry asked rather puzzled.
“I am Ale deFloid, the royal highness princess Eleanor’s escort. I was sent by the king himself to greet her ladyship towards the main palace after he had been notified by our former wizard about your arrival here,” He bowed courteously upon us.
“No need for that,” Captain Kenny stepped to the front. “Just take us there and she needs no escort. I alone am enough for her.”
“I’m sorry but the king will not accept any other escort other than me, Sir Kenneth Rogers,” He answered sharply.
“I have my right as her escort since she’s my fiancé,” He replied triumphantly.
“Fiancé or not, the king’s order is absolute. Let there be no war among us and be peace with each other. Come now, the king wishes to see his princess,” Ale didn’t look back and guided us all the way towards the palace.
I was dismissed from the crew and was escorted towards my ill father’s chamber where the route had always been taken by me back when I was a little girl. Everything remained the same and even the rows of armours were still on their spots.
“Your majesty, her ladyship has returned as you are to see her,” Ale bowed in an honourable manner which portrayed excess loyalty towards his dominion.
“Young youth, leave me and the lady in private.”
Coughs were heard throughout the atmosphere right after he finished his sentence that made the knight agitate to leave his king.
“No worries, let us be alone my dear loyal subject,” The king repeated again.
“Yes, you highness,” After he gestured his right hand in his left chest and bowed slightly, he finally left the chamber.
Silence played its game on us and the atmosphere was completely awkward for a little conversation. None of us spoken for ten minutes until my father finally break the intense silence.
“The ring on your hand, have you..?”
“Yes, I am engaged,” I retorted hastily without a second thought.
“My future king?” He frowns a bit, to make sure that I made the right decision.
“The well known Devil of the Sea, Kenneth Rogers,” I answered.
Father didn’t say anymore words instead of giving me a horrified look, “May god save you my child. You are the child of the sacred queen, how could you betray your mother’s trust?!”
“I did not betray any people and in fact, I am betrayed! For fifteen years, I’ve been living in hell, not knowing my past for fifteen years! And in those fifteen years, people were looking for me to assassinate or either to take me under their wings for their own selfishness. Do you even know how I feel right now?” I let out my tantrum at him.
“Do you know how miserable I was to lose my own flesh and blood and not- coughs- not knowing where she was whether she’s still alive or not? Do you know how desperate I was back then and how many people I had sent just to find you somewhere out there?” Tears fell from his violet eyes, as upset as I was.
I hugged him swiftly and said, “I missed you so much. Why must this happen to me? Why must this happen to us? Who did this? Why are you on bed? Please be healthy again. Please be the king that I has always looked up to ever since I was a girl.”
“I can no longer rule. My era has come to an end my dear. You must take the throne,” He persuaded.
“Why not give it to my little brother whom I’ve never met?” I asked.
“Prince Airill Lieselotte has made allies with James to conquer the world. James is merely using him without him knowing it. The coronation is next week and I’m glad that you managed to get here in time.”
“Wait, you mean my Fiancé’s step-father is using my brother to conquer the world?” I retorted rather astoundingly.
“What’s with the –coughs- bond?” He muttered.
“Family complex,” I answered stiffly.
Soon, I left him and went rushing towards where Captain Kenny would be. Thank god, he was waiting patiently at the staircase, waiting for me to finish my conversation with my father. I quickly grabbed his hand and shrieked, “We must meet my brother! He’s in grief danger!”
“What danger would possibly happen towards the prince my dear?” He asked rather monotonously.
“Your step-father is using my brother to take over this kingdom and then, conquer the world!” I answered briefly.
“What kind of relationship is that?!” He frowned.
“Just like I said, it’s family complex!” I retorted angrily. “No more time to be wasted and let’s go!”
Later then, we finally arrived in front of my little brother’s chamber. I knocked as politely as I could.
“Prince Airill Lieselotte, I wish to see you right this instance!” I demanded.
A voice from the inside finally answered rather menacingly, “Just who are you, dare to demand me, a prince?!”
“It is me, Princess Eleanor Lieselotte, your long lost sister.”
I could hear him heaving a low sigh and soon, he finally unlocked the door and let us entered his chamber.
“Are you trying to mock me? I know I have not yet reached the official age limit to become a successor of the throne but that doesn’t mean I am not suited to be one!” He roared fiercely. “You don’t know how hard I’ve been trying to persuade our father to make me a crown prince and yet you, who are almost nineteen, come out of nowhere just to take what which I have worked so hard to gain.
“I don’t care about the throne! What I care about is the fate of our people! Don’t you dare make allies with James! You know how greedy he is!” I retorted.
“So?” He raised one of his eyebrows. “Whoever I’m allied with has nothing to do with you.”
I had it enough. I took his collar and chocked him hard, “Listen! If you care for the throne, if you care for the fate of your people, if you care of YOUR own fate, please oh please break up your alliance with James! He’s merely using you!”
“Do you think that I do not know his attention? I am not that stupid. I’m trapping him with his own trap,” He answered with a large scowl carved on his face.
“What’s going on here,” A middle-aged woman got out in the middle of our argument and Captain Kenny was just standing there silently, witnessing the whole scene.
“What on earth are you doing to my son?!” Queen Arabelle quickly took my hand and tossed me aside harshly. “My baby, are you hurt anywhere?”
“Don’t treat me like a child, mother!” The young prince shoved away her hands away from touching him.
“I’m sorry my dear. And you! Who are you two?!” The furious queen asked, gesturing his fore-finger towards me.
“I have come back. It is me, Princess Eleanor Lieselotte,” I proclaimed myself.
“Ah, no wonder. That face and that hair belong to that Lady Arianette. But, the eyes are not the right colour. Hers were red, as red as her hair and you, just whose eyes you have there??” She muttered, rather sarcastically.
“Who else would have the same eye colour as me other than your own husband?” I answered angrily, biting my lower lips.
“Ah, yes. Yes... I haven’t been able to see him much recently. Too many conferences need to be attended since he is no longer powerful enough to walk on his own let alone ruling this land. I wish either of you will be crowned quickly. I want my freedom as soon as possible.”
“You don’t even care if your son won’t be the king?” Captain Kenny deliberately asked, kind of astonished.
“Even if he has the talent and such, I don’t want to burden him with something that he cannot handle. I’m not the kind of mother who would force her child to do something that he doesn’t want. Oh and even if I’m a bit sarcastic, that doesn’t mean I don’t care about your well being Eleanor. I see you both fair and square as my children but I oppose violence against each other if you know what I mean, princess,” Her eyes were glaring at me.
“I understand, my lady,” I was facing down wards towards the marble floor.
“And so, I’ll have my way towards the next conference. I wish you two all the best for the coronation,” Finally, she left.
“Wait, if she has no objection in Eleanor being crowned, then who was behind her assassination?” Captain Kenny’s jaw dropped.
“Wait, someone’s trying to eliminate my sister?” The prince shrieked in disbelief.
“You’re just a fifteen year-old teenager who knows nothing. Stay out of adult’s business,” Captain Kenny murmured.
“How did you know that he’s fifteen?” I asked.
“I don’t know, a light guess.”
“Yes, I’m fifteen and you have problem with that?” He asked grimly.
“Nope. Nothing at all,” We answered simultaneously.
My brain was working like mad. If it wasn’t my step-mother who planned for my assassination when I was three fifteen years ago, then who else would? Could it be James? My mind messed up. What did my mom wanted me to see in her chamber? What was the truth behind all these messed up family complex? What was this drama all about?
