Chapter Seven:

Chapter Seven:

“I am prince Stellan of Quelle.”

Collete switched her gaze between her friend and the man who proclaimed himself as a prince. Baffled and unable to process the information.

“You are aware that you can be executed if you just proclaimed that in false purpose?” Was what she said to him. Slowly letting the information sink in. It was a lot!

Collete never wanted to meet another royal in her life because of her bad experience with the Mindu royalties. Her mother was the late informant of the same kingdom she is in, but unlike her, her mother is the royal dog of the Mindu royals. Giving them all the information, she can get her hands on in exchange for some kind of false sense of security and a title. Her mother was promised of protection for every information she trades them and a position as a noble. She watched how her mother whisper things into the king’s ears. She watched her mother write letter upon letter, containing all the information she knows. Giving the young Collete words of assurance that she will soon become a noble’s daughter. That good light of life will shine upon them, tomorrow.

“We will be nobles by tomorrow. I’m certain of it. The king promised me.” She heard how her mother mumbled that to herself every day. Repeating it to her before going to sleep. It was a false promise, a false hope that never came. It was when Collete turned 12 that her mother became completely enamored by those lies. The king sent gifts upon gifts to their house with a letter saying that their noble title is within their reach. Just one more information and they will have the best days of their lives.

She watched her mother leave their house and comeback with bruises all over her body. It took three weeks for her mother to obtain the information the king need. With a smile on her crazed face, Collete’s mother bid her goodbye to see the king, saying that tomorrow they will be nobles. Just as she always tells her. Five days passed, her mother never got home. Not a word from the king. Collete was young, but she is not naïve. She knows that her mother may be or is dead. As soon as she turned 13, Collete took the role of informant in their kingdom and hid herself to where she is now.

“I am aware. We royals made that rule to justify the people who were fooled by some pretenders.” She stared up at the prince’s eyes. She is still skeptical about all this. Mainly because Eastern Kingdom does not travel much. They stay neutral to every war and just kept their own peace. Never have they decided to travel this far and to Mindu at that! Massaging her temple, Collete searched for Ivan inside the room. The piles of paper blocking some of her sight.

“Ivan.” She called the man.

“Need something?” Ivan emerged from behind a pile of paper, eating meat.

“HOW DID YOU FOUND THAT MEAT?!”

“In your secret stora--- what the monk?!” Ivan barely dodged the knife flying in his direction. His eyes wide open from surprise.

“I’VE BEEN STORING THAT FOR WINTER, YOU PIG!”

“AND I COULD HAVE DIED FROM THE KNIFE YOU THREW!”

“IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF YOU DID! COME HERE!” And again, Stellan watched the interaction in front of him. Collete started chasing Ivan around the room knocking tall piles of paper, messing the room up. He sighed and sat himself down back at the chair behind him.

“AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!” There was silence after the agonizing shout coming from the male informant. He watched as Collete emerged from a knocked down pile of papers dusting her hand with a satisfied glint in her eyes. She walked towards him and stopped in front of the prince and stared once more in his eyes.

“The thing what you’re trying so hard to find will cost you more than what you intend to loose. There will be payments along the way and it will not be in gold nor any materialistic things.” Her words are laced with warning, staring deeply into his eyes. She saw a flicker of hesitation in it. That flicker is what convinced her to help the man.

He was not the first person to seek that thing. Countless of men and women reached the very room they’re in, asking for the same information they want. And every time she tells them the same thing. ‘You will loose more than what you will gain.’ And every time she will see no hesitation in their eyes. She always believed that the eyes will show you a glimpse of what that person is inside. They may have come in her place with sweet smiles and pleasing personality, but they’re just wolves in sheep’s skin. Hiding their true intentions.

The prince looked away from her gritting his teeth. ‘Loose more than what you intend to loose’ kept ringing inside his head. He came with loyal knights and missionaries, he promised himself to bring them all back to their families. He pondered on his thoughts. There are risk he’s willing to take, but this is not one of them.

“I’ll help you avoid that lost, but you must follow my every word, understood?” Collete said after some time of watching the prince think with gritted teeth. She saw it in his eyes. ‘He’s different’. He was unlike all of the other royals that came to her. There was no greed in his eyes, not a spec of it. All she saw was hesitation and determination. I guess a true ruler is born in a good country. She turned her back to the prince and clapped her hands twice, making the knocked down papers return to their proper state.

Stellan stared at the informants back while she walked back to her desk. A very petite woman with strong yet sad eyes. He can see how deep the sadness is in her eyes. He understood her. All locked up in this room, keeping the secrets of everyone along with hers is quite a big task. Collete sat back down in front of her desk and began rummaging inside a drawer on her left.

“You --- you vile wo --- woman… Ow! Ow! My head hurts! Hoy relics, I think two of my ribs are broken…” Face palming, Stellan watched Ivan slowly stood up in the middle of (now arranged) tall pile of papers, clutching his right side with a pained look on his face.

“No… I think ALL my ribs are broken! And my head… Oh, my head! I fear it will split into half! My dear prince! I think, this is where we part… The journey we’ve had will be my treasure that I will bring to the other world…” Ivan over exaggerated his every actions. Slowly limping towards the prince and stumbling halfway. Reaching out his hand towards the prince with teary eyes.

“Quit whining.” Collete said to him as she threw a small vial to Ivan. The vial broke and Ivan’s body glowed for a fraction of second. The male informant raised his head immediately and stood up in one swift motion.