Twenty-third chapter

Everyone stood there in shock. I was looking at Alex with widened eyes and I couldn't even interpret what he said earlier. I heard from a distance that someone was starting to running, and someone was shouting after the person to stop and that person was gone too but I couldn't focus on anyone just him. I stepped back one step.

"Say this is not true!" I said slowly.

"It's the only truth. William isn't your father." He said.

"No. No. No." I grabbed my hair and started to step backwards. I tried to not cry. Alex walked towards me.

"Stay there!" I screamed and started to cry. "It's just a joke. It must be a joke." I mumbled while I looked at the ground.

"Please!" He said pleadingly. "Let me explain!" I shook my head.

"You lie." I screamed.

"Honey. He isn't lying." The old lady said. "I confirm." I just shook my head and I ran away. I have no idea where I wanted to go, but I failed. Alex hugged me. I couldn't move. I just cried endlessly. When he thought I was no longer going anywhere he let me go and stood in front of me.

"When? Why? I don't understand anything." I said in a trembling voice.

"I will explain everything later. Please calm down now!" He said. It is easy to tell when such facts are communicated to a person.

"Who else knew this fact in the castle?" I asked.

"Please don't discuss this here!" He said. I tossed one with my foot.

"I want to hear!" I screamed. He sighed.

"Your mom." He said.

"My mom?" I asked in disbelief.

"Please! Let's go out of here." He wanted to grab my arm, but I stepped back.

"Tell me now!" I screamed.

"You can't talk to me like that." He said in a raised voice.

"Because it turned out that you were my father who had been there near me all my life and who hadn't told me the little fact that he was my father all the time." I said angrily.

"I couldn't tell you." He said sadly.

"Why?" I asked.

"It's a long story." He said.

"You have enough time to tell me because I won't move a foot from here." I folded my arms and I looked at him seriously.

"You inherited this stubbornness from your mother." He smiled.

"Don't deviate from the topic." I looked at him with narrowed eyes. He sighed.

"Your mom and I met in the castle about twenty years ago. I got a job there as a waiter. I never really knew your mom. We only saw each other sometimes. I have always considered her beautiful, but I couldn't tell her that because she is a royal sprig and I am only an average person. I took breakfast to her room every day. One day she wasn't in her bed. I put the breakfast on her table, and I heard that someone closed the door. Then she confessed that she loved me. I wanted to go out because I thought maybe she drank too much the last night or something else. She was too stubborn, and I was too stupid. Then we met constantly every day. Three months later she told her parents that she was pregnant. Her parents became very angry and asked who did it with her. She said nothing. They found out somehow that I had done it and fired me. I felt very bad and wanted to apologize from them. However, I read in the newspaper that she was going to marry a prince and I never wanted to see her again. She sent a picture of you secretly every month after your birth. I didn't even want to look it for a long time. Once my mom took out the letters from the mailbox and accidentally opened my letter because she thought it was an account. Of course, she questioned why I get pictures of a baby. I told her the truth about why they fired me. She listened to my story crying and handed me the pictures. You were so small and resembling me that I decided I needed to see you. I tried to get close to you for ten years. It didn't work. I told my family that I was moving to Florida to start a new life. James was very understanding. My mom tried to stop me, but eventually accepted my decision. I couldn't live there knowing you were close, but I still couldn't see you. I met with Marissa at my new job. She somehow pulled the truth out of me during one of our dates. So, I found out she has kids too. We moved in together. I tried to get along well with the kids, but Liz always knew I didn't belong to their family. About two years later I got a phone call. James said your mother's parents had died. I didn't go to the funeral, but I got a letter from her which I didn't open it. Marissa found the letter and read it. She said it was a job offer that I should accept. She was so supportive in getting to know you. Thanks to her I came to the castle. I was nervous to finally met with you, but I was more nervous about how your mother would behave. She behaved and talked completely differently as before. She grew up for the tasks and accepted her fate. We both saw the situation differently than we used to. The point is to get to know you which I wouldn't exchange for anything else." He finished his speech. I stared at him in shock. I even forgot to blink or took air. I just stood like a column.

"Please say something!" He pleaded.

"Wow!" I said slowly a few minutes later. My brain didn't work. It was unable to grasp this much information at once.

"Please don't blame her! I'm the only one who you need to blame." Instead of answering, I just hugged him. He was shocked because he hugged me back later.

"I'm sorry to break the family idyll, but Liz is disappeared." James appeared next to us.

"What?" I asked and let Alex go.

"By the way, your car also disappeared." He said to Alex.

"Because of me. She ran away because of me again. James, we have to find her!" I grabbed his collar with my hands desperately.

"Calm down! It isn't your fault. None of us." He touched my hands and I let him go. "I'll call her." He pulled out his phone.

"I'll call Jewels." Alex said and he walked farther so James could make a phone call.

"Please pick up!" He said. "Fuck!" James lifted the phone from his ear. "She pushed out the call."

"Do you have got Aaron's phone number?" It came to my mind. I hope she didn't go there. He shook his head. I walked over to Alex nervously who was talking to someone.

"I see. Thank you. If you will hear anything about her call me." He lifted the phone from his ear. The others walked towards us.

"Is there any news?" James's wife asked. Alex shook his head.

"Her friends don't know anything where she is. I tried to call her boyfriend too." He said.

I walked away with folded arms. I feel more helpless now than ever before. I wanted to disappear. I looked at the stars.

"Where are you Liz?" I whispered and a tear rolled down my face. I heard someone to approach me and stood next to me.

"Are you okay?" Noel asked. I wiped my eyes and looked down at him.

"Honestly? I have been better." I said and looked back to the stars which really makes me smile in memory of our morning conversation.

"The stars show the way." He said.

"Hmm?" I looked down again.

"A few years ago, we went to the Star Park with our mom every day. While I was on the playground Liz and our mom were talking about things, but they never told me what. They said I can't understand a girly topic because I'm a boy. Everything has changed since she didn't live." I looked at him in shock.

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"Liz never showed if something hurt for her. At nights I heard her cry. She didn't tell me what was wrong, and I think I just figured it out." He sighed.

"Can you tell me about that park more?" I said after a while, not even looking at him.

"It's on the High Street. It close to the mall. In the middle is a small lake. We always wanted to go in, but mom wouldn't let us because we don't how deep is the lake and we can't climb out." I heard he smiled. "We didn't go there at night, but supposedly the big stars on the columns light up to show you where you can go if you get lost." He sighed. "If I were Liz I would go there."

"Oh my god! Noel!" We looked into each other's eyes. "You're a genius. "I quickly hugged him and walked to the others.

"I always known." He said and I heard he followed me.

"I know where she is." I said to James. Alex were talking with someone on the phone again.

"How? Are you sure?" He asked.

"I'm not sure but it doesn't matter now. Do you know where the Star Park is?" He nodded. "Can you take me there? She may be there."

"Then don't waste the time. Let's go!" He said. We headed for his car.

"Where are you going?" Alex asked.

"Maybe I know where she is. Noel talked about the Star Park." I said.

"You are right. I'm going with you." He said and headed for us.

"No!" I said. He stopped and frowned. "I want to do this alone. Please!" I pleaded.

"But…" He started but I interrupted him.

"Please Dad." I said. I still have to get used to this. He was surprised but nodded.

"Can we go?" James asked and I nodded. We got in the car and left the place.

"I wanted to find her alone." I said while he was driving.

"I don't think that's a good idea." He said.

"I'm not afraid of anything." I said firmly.

"Dangerous people are walking outside at such times." He said.

"I'm the princess." I said in a raised voice.

"And I am your uncle." He said seriously. "I'm sorry! I couldn't miss that." He smiled. "I am responsible for my brother's child."

"As a future queen I tell you that James. Let. Me. Do. This. Alone." I said each word with emphasis. He sighed.

"You are very stubborn." He said. I rolled my eyes.

"I know and thank you." I said.

"If anything will happen…" He started to say.

"Nothing will happen." I looked at him seriously.

"I will watch you from a distance. You cannot prohibit this. For your safety's sake." He said.

"And he said I'm stubborn." I murmured. He laughed.

"Welcome to our family." He said happily.

I continued to look at the lighted street and prayed that Noel was right.

"Ten meters distance." I said threateningly.

"Ok. Ok. Princess." He raised up his hands.

"Don't be naughty! You are still working for me." I scolded him.

"You make my job very difficult, don't you know? I nodded and walked into the park. Noel was right. There is a lot of stars.

"Wow!" I stopped and looked them. "Focus." I said to myself, shook my head and started to walk again. I need to find the lake. This park is very big. When I almost gave up my search, I suddenly saw someone was sitting on the bench. I saw her long blonde hair. Her legs pulled up and her head rested on her knees.

"Liz." I whispered. As if she felt someone watching her, she looked at where I stood. Maybe she didn't see me well enough because she put her head to her knees. I walked softly towards her not to frighten her. I sat down softly and hugged her quickly. She raised her head in shock.

"Let me go!" She screamed and begun to hoe.

"Shh! I am Amanda." She stopped and looked at me.

"Let me go!" She pushed my hands away and she stood up.

I lowered my hands and turned forward. I felt like I was going to cry again and buried my face in the palm of my hands.

"Did you know right? You knew this all along. Why did you come here? Go back to where you belong. Leave me alone!"

"Shut up!" I screamed and stood up. I looked at her eyes. She shocked. "Everything you say is all you can figure out. What if you thought of someone else not yourself? What do you think how I feel myself? I had to come to a strange place among strangers and now I found out that my father was not even my father." I stopped in front of her. "What do you think how Noel or Alex feel, who has been there all along and couldn't say anything?" I leaned closer. Not many inches separated us. "Why can't you think before you act? Why are you so…" I couldn't finish my sentence because she slapped my face. Not strongly, but I still had to grab that part of my face. She looked at me in fright. James suddenly appeared and caught her. Liz tried to break free, but James was stronger.

"I got you and now you are coming with us." He said. "Amanda are you Ok?" He asked. I nodded but didn't looked at him.

James didn't even accidentally let go Liz and she sat down next to him to not to escape again. She objected but preferred to fold her arms and say nothing. I tried not to cry behind her seat. We went back to Alex where he rebucked her well. Liz just rolled her eyes and declared she was tired. James and his family promised to come over one o'clock tomorrow because they were tired of flying. It was already evening. I just laid and thought what happened and started crying.