43 You're His Child?

"The great holy council," I greeted as I curtsied before the oldies in this dark hall, I wonder why they fancy such a dim place.

"Enough with the pleasantries, we know how much you hate us," the man in the middle spouted, "We'll go straight to the crime you committed."

I sighed as I look around.

Regin isn't here, he must've gone so mad that he left.

"You disobeyed your knight's words about the Prince's orders," an old woman read in a paper with her thick glasses and toothless mouth.

Then, it's Regin who sent me here. If he just waited for me to come back, then I wouldn't be here.

But, it's his job to report to the higher-up, I won't have any grudge against him.

I just want him to be more open and considerate of the things I do.

"Are you listening?" A tiny old man's voice thundered around the hall which sent me nodding my head.

A tall old man with a long white beard stood, "What can you say about your case? If you do not provide us with good reason, you know that you'll be thrown back in the human world without any memories of this place."

I bit my lip as I look on the tiled ground.

The reason why I wanted to stay in this world was Prince Forest, but it was before I found out who I am.

But right now, my priorities are made straight.

I have to find out the truth about my parents, and about the Queen's death.

If my father knew something about that, it means, Prince Forest can someday receive justice for his mother, and I can find out why I was thrown in the human world in the first place.

"I..." my voice was faint, I don't even know if these old people will listen because obviously, they don't have any sympathy for me ever since the first day.

"I knew that if I don't find someone who can teach me how to hunt, I'll lose as a bride. And somehow, it's already similar to being disqualified, that's why I insisted to go out to meet Mister Untzer, to ask him to be my tutor," I knew it was the other way around and Aiven offered to be my tutor, but I have to use him as a scapegoat for this one, "I apologize for going against the Prince's orders. It was not my intention to be disobedient."

I looked at them with the most sincere face I can make, I don't even know if I look honest with a smile or should I pout or maybe cry?

"What are you doing with your face?" I heard a chuckle beside me, and that voice, it's the Prince.

I turned my head and I saw his smile, he looks rather pleased with how I tried to make everyone believe me.

"Your highness," everyone greeted him and bowed.

"If you are here to make your final judgment," an old woman with large hair of pinecones commented, "We'll gladly accept your words, Your Highness."

I looked at the Prince who nodded with a serious cold look, as if he wasn't smiling earlier, "Yes, seven councils," he walked towards the old people and he faced me with a dark expression.

"Amelia Snow, you have disobeyed my words, and ignored your knight's warnings," his voice echoed around the hall like a shadow casting darkness all around.

Does he want me out? Is he tired of me? Is it because Regin was being suspicious of my relationship with Aiven? Or because I almost died yesterday?

Why does he sound like he's not siding with me?

Is he finally in love with Princess Tellusia?

What about Prince Marin, he loves that cheeky brat, doesn't he?

"Amelia? Are you listening?" I heard the Prince asked while I realized that I had my eyes closed with my lips sucked in while my hands are interlocked like a beggar praying for some mercy.

"Yeah," I forced a laugh then I continued to glue my eyes on the ground, I can't look at him if he's that distant and cold.

"You are to catch three boars on the hunting test, or else, we'll have to send you back. Let's see how good your tutor is," Prince Forest said followed by his heels clicking on the floor as he leaves.

That's it?

I mean, three boars are hard, but he won't disqualify me, right?

I turned my head up, but he's nowhere. I don't even know how I'll look at him if he was that serious.

I was sent back to my room and I immediately launched down on my bed.

My face was flat on the pillow while I struggle to breathe, but inhaling and exhaling this way makes me feel relaxed.

Sometimes, I forget how to breathe.

I was too occupied by what has been happening around me the past days that I forgot why I really stayed here for the first day - it was to have fun.

But I guess even in this world, fun is a world that we only describe saying that there is a short glimpse of light that comes through the sufferings.

First, I ran away from the mansion, then I met the ex-residencias, found out the truth about Princess Tellusia, and I almost died after I found out I am not a human.

I turned my cheek to the pillow and breathe in the cool air coming from the window.

Where is my life headed?

I was only kidnapped to be a bride candidate, but it turns out, a lot of secrets are hidden under that simple statement.

"Miss," I heard Lulu knock on the door, "Prince Marin is here to see you."

Without another word, I hurriedly ran towards the door and I immediately pulled the blue boy inside, leaving the maids outside the room.

"Why the hell are you here?" I asked him.

"Is that how you treat your savior, Amelia?" Prince Marin asked as he fixes his suit while he glances around my room.

"Now Regin will tell me that I'm in a relationship with you," I groaned as I pointed the chair for him to a seat.

"Do you know pedophilia, Amelia? That's a serious crime," Prince Marin looked at me with disgust.

I just shrugged as I sat on my bed, "Why are you here? I saw Princess Tellusia having tea with the others in the garden."

"I came here for you, do you remember what I told you about the Alpha Kingdom? I had a copy of the reports about their family and I thought you might want to read it."

He kept on staring at my hair while he brings out a booklet out of his pocket, which I took and read.

It says that the Alpha Kingdom has been the most secretive amongst the other empires, they said it's for protection of the country.

"Can you stop staring at my hair," I turn my gaze to Prince Marin who was pretending he's not even staring at me.

I went back to reading, and I found the recent family reports of the kingdom.

The current King, Sorin Hayes Fevier, was the second child of the former king, and it was said that his big sister, Rose Claire Dawn, was supposed to be the heir to the throne, however, she suddenly disappeared the day of her coronation.

"I was just amazed by your hair, Amelia. It was... epic," Prince Marin suddenly spouted with his eyes full of amazement.

I chuckled with his words, it was weird seeing my hair change color like a fire, but still, I love my current hair color.

"About Rose Claire Dawn, do you have any information about her?" I asked as I return the booklet to Prince Marin.

He shook his head, "She vanished like a ghost. Some said the king killed her, other said she fell in love and ran away, others thought that she can't bear to reign over a kingdom that someday will put an end to the world."

I creased my brow when I heard that the Alpha Kingdom will put an end to the world, Prince Marin seemed to understand my reaction with his nod.

"Uh-huh, haven't you heard, Alpha kingdom's been terrorizing the Echo Kingdom for so long, that any time now, they'll be under the Alpha Kingdom."

Prince Marin said those words nonchalantly as if that won't bring any harm to people. That basically means that war will happen, doesn't it?

"Do you know that we've been receiving threats for the past days, we don't know who sent those," I whispered as I lean forward for this kid to hear me, "Maybe it's the Alpha Kingdom?"

Prince Marin nodded, "I know the history of every kingdom, and I love their secrets, and since I saved you," he wiggles his brows at me as if he's the one who's in depth with me and this is some sort of payment, "I'll tell you everything I know about the Gathrin Kingdom, and their relationship with the Alpha Kingdom."

I nodded, and I ran towards the chair next to him and pulled it near him.

I sat down and I leaned towards Prince Marin who's looking like a detective with eyes gazing around the room, searching for anyone who might be spying around them, and when he was sure that no one's around to eavesdrop, he started.

"King Ludovic and Queen Elena gave birth to your Prince Forest, but since the Prince was too strong just like his father, everyone said that if the Queen will give birth to another royalty, their family might be able to destroy the whole world, which means they can be much powerful than the Alphas" Prince Marin used his power and he collected water from the water vases and created a figure representing the people in his story while they float on air.

The King and Queen looked exactly like the ones in the painting.

"That's why there were tons of attempted assassinations, but their Knight, Sir Atticus, protected her all with his life even if he has a family of his own. While the Prince has faced trouble in his life, when his fiance, Miss Kristina, was killed by unidentified men."

I stopped Prince Marin with my hand waving in his face since he's too busy playing with his water, "Wait, you mean Kristina was his fiance? Nobody told me that."

Prince Marin nodded, "Yeah, it was a secret engagement with the most intelligent lady. But, they later revealed it during her funeral, but guess who cried like a baby during the burial?"

"Aiven."

"Yes, Mister Untzer. They said he loved the lady scholar more than the Prince. Anyway, back to the main story..."

Why didn't Aiven said that Kristina was Prince Forest's fiance? He should've said it, it won't hurt me if he did. She's already dead, and they're still kids before. And I'm a hundred percent sure that it was he who loved her not Prince Forest.

"Wait," I stopped Prince Marin once again, "Why did they kill her?"

This brat beside me rolled his eyes and groaned, "Isn't obvious? Because they don't want the Prince to get married and have a family. That's why, whoever gets to win this bride candidacy game you play, will also win a trip to death land."

My brows creased deeper than the trenches, "What?"

I didn't sign up for any of these, and I still have tons of plans I have to do.

But, I still want to win. I want to be with Prince Forest to fight his battles.

"Back to the story," Prince Marin once again made his water dance on air, "A year after Katrina's death, the Queen's assassination happened."

The Queen's representation before me slowly dripped on the carpet, like a teardrop falling down.

"The Knight was with her, but the brave young man has to protect his family first."

"What do you mean? What does it have to do with his family?"

"The Queen was visiting Sir Atticus' home when it happened, and as a Queen, she ordered the knight to protect his family. What happened was unknown, but they said that she cast a spell before she died to protect the family."

I stood up after hearing the story, but something bugged me.

"What if..." I started as I walk around my room, "What if the Queen wasn't supposed to die that day? What if the killers wanted something else?"

Now that I've heard that the Queen was in our house that day, I can have conclusions, but this one is the first thing that popped in my head. As if I just remembered it, like a lesson I took a long time ago.

"What do you mean? The Queen has received multiple threats before she was even killed."

I turned around and faced Prince Marin, "What if she was protecting someone and it caused her death?"

Thoughts after thoughts came rushing to me.

The possibilities of what might've happened are beginning to pile up.

"We can't say what happened in the house, only the Knight's family can answer that, but anyway, the Queen will die eventually."

"What?" I was shocked by his words. If the Prince heard him, I don't know what he'll do.

"She's supposed to be assassinated, and you can't stop the time from ticking unless you catch whoever wants her dead."

I took a deep breath and sighed Prince Marin's right.

The only way to find out what really happened is to find my father, and find who wanted to kill the Queen.

"But the knight left, didn't they?"

"Yeah, to the human world to-- wait," Prince Marin's eyes widen as he turns towards me with a booming surprise on his face, "Don't tell me you're his child?"

I stared at him with a frozen gaze.

He's really a smart young lad. He got everything stitched up, and now he's asking me.

I should've known this, what am I going to say to him?