The First Meeting With Prince Tylen

The room went quiet. Division among them hadn't been a secret. During King Andre's reign, their favors between the two princesses had caused disputes. No one dared to confess or to deny the knight's claims. It would only put them in peril, maybe even losing their parliament seats.

"My dear, would you let me look at you?" Rowan said softly, approaching Tylen and Aria.

Sir Jack dropped his dramatic antics and watched the Prime Minister. The rest followed his line of sight, hearing Rowan's voice. Hayden could hardly believe his ears. Did it mean that Tylen had been successful?

Then, what is this ominous feeling at the back of his mind?

Something was wrong about this situation.

Tylen looked over his shoulder and assured Aria with a nod. Rowan had been the person who always believed that Ariene was alive. Although several accounts proved otherwise, the Prime Minister hoped for it to be true. She moved away from Tylen, her hands still raised after she released his arms. Her hazel eyes landed on Rowan.

A tender smile stretched on the Prime Minister's lips as he reached out to touch her wrists. The pulse underneath soft skin made him whimper. Firming his grip, he gazed at her with utmost sincerity, "You look just like your mother."

Canna, a woman with a golden heart as Rowan remembered her. She slept in the outer wing of the palace during her stay. Ariene had refused to leave her mother behind when Andre announced her as a Princess of Aurae Kingdom. That woman always smiled. She never showed loneliness or displeasure.

He kissed the back of Aria's hand, memories replaying in his mind.

"Aren't you a little too early to jump to conclusions?" Elliot shot back at the Prime Minister. The same question had been used against him earlier, "Why don't we hear what the young woman has to say? If she is indeed Princess Ariene then, she would be able to supply her own account of what happened."

Aria froze upon hearing those words. The air seemed to suffocate her instead of letting her breathe. She never had an audience before today. The weight of their attention could crush a person's bones.

Rowan leaned back, straightening his posture. He patted her shoulder and squeezed it in comfort, "Don't be afraid, my dear. Just be honest. I would stand with you."

"I—I—" Aria stammered before him. Her legs shook under her skirt. She peeked at the parliament from the corner of her eye. Her vision blurred as she refocused on the Prime Minister. She gasped, panting for breath, "I—I only came here because of Sir Jack and Pri—Sir Hayden."

How could such a man side with her so easily?

Marquess Jenkins narrowed his eyes. Now, this seemed interesting, "You… won't offer anything to convince us that you are Princess Ariene?"

Aria looked at him reflexively. She shook her head, "I have nothing to say since I don't remember anything from before I woke up in that tower. I merely trust their judgement."

"You have… no recollection of your past?" Alkas raised an eyebrow, blinking in surprise. She scowled at Tylen, "You expect us to accept her as my sister when she doesn't even have her memories? I consider you as a friend, Hayden, but this just seems suspicious."

"Her Highness is correct," Elliot grunted. He addressed his fellow members, "Are we to believe that this child is Princess Ariene? Similar features do not eliminate the idea that she is someone else. Sir Jack's story is one-sided. It's easy to fabricate a false account when there are no others to contradict it."

Another round of discussion commenced. Tylen glared at the podium. What a cold tone…, he mused to himself. Was that the way a sister should act after learning that her sibling could be alive? Could be in this room? Alkas hadn't seemed surprised at all.

What could be her reason? Did she truly believe Ariene was dead?

Or did she undeniably know that Ariene was dead?

As if she could read his thoughts, the Princess smiled.

It sent a shiver down the Prince's spine. He quickly took the idea out of his mind. Cradling the side of his head. No! He objected strongly. Ariene wasn't dead! She was alive! And she was with him! Right here, in this courtroom!

While turmoil descended among the others, Jameson flickered his attention to Rowan, "What of the Prime Minister's opinion? How do you know for certain that she is the Younger Princess?"

A blanket of hushed voices enveloped the room. The Duke observed his mentor through harsh lenses. As the Prime Minister, Rowan had always acted objectively. He took the position as the neutral party in most arguments, mediating them. He showed his hand by siding with the visitors.

If he wasn't careful, he could lose their trust.

Rowan stepped forward, bowing low. He maintained that poise as he supplied his answer, "I had always wished Princess Ariene was alive. I remember the image of a little girl who ran to the forest vividly. She reminded me of no one but Ariene and I held onto that hope."

"I had accompanied her during her life at the palace," He added as he unbent his back and raised his chin, "I had also been there when King Andre went to pick her up. You can think whatever you want of me but I had always seen both princesses as my nieces. I only have their well-being at heart."

Marquess Jenkins exhaled with exasperation, "That is not the point, Rowan! Your ideals have blinded you to reality! This is unusual coming from you. You had only met her today!"

"I was the one who told Prince Tylen about Ariene's escape!" The Prime Minister confessed, shutting Elliot's mouth, "He had informed me of his plans on conducting his own search. Among the living, Tylen is the only one who never gave up."

He twisted his neck towards the doorway, "It's him that I trust. If he says this young woman is Ariene then, I believe it."

Then, he faced the podium where Hayden sat. He titled his head to one side, closing his eyes and nodding. He had almost slipped in his fit of passion. He hadn't said a word about his suspicions before…

… and he wasn't about to do so now.

"Then, let's hear it from Prince Tylen." Alkas lifted a hand towards her left. She offered an encouraging smile, "I hadn't known that you've been searching for my sister. It was the night of your engagement so I understand that you couldn't accept her death."

The Crown Prince rolled his eyes. Her innocent demeanor didn't fool him. Aria went back to his side and he grasped her hand. He wasn't about to let anything happen to her. Alkas could be plotting her next scheme as they speak.

"I have spent my days in this palace, Your Highness," Hayden sighed. He looked at his best friend, piercing him straight in the eye, "It's Hayden who had done most of the work. Let him tell it."

Tylen licked his lips. He gripped Aria's hand one last time as Sir Jack joined them. He let her go and walked over to the center, clasping Rowan's shoulder on his way. He stood with his feet apart and arms behind his back.

"Before I begin," he said, "I swear on my life that Aria is Princess Ariene."

"Bold words, boy!" Marquess Jenkins growled, "You could lose your life if she turns out to be a fake."

"I am well aware," Tylen responded, locking his jaw, "I could also tell you that no one else in this room loves Ariene more than I do. All these years, I never had the chance to prove it until recently. You could be skeptical of strangers and their accounts but mine holds value because I would not rest until I am certain if she's dead or alive."

Hayden sank against the backrest of his chair. Tucking his chin in, he watched his Prince through hooded eyes. The noblemen near him had caught the implication in his best friend's statements. He dared to glance at Alkas, wondering how she reacted.

He found a subtle curl at the corner of her lips.

"Then, out of everyone...," Jameson taunted. He rested his elbows on the table and laced his hand together. The tips of his fingers hovered below his nose, "You should be able to prove that she is your true fiance, Prince Tylen?"

"Without a doubt."

Anything Hayden held on to keep their secret slipped off his grasp. The admission triggered offense against the parliament, the monarch and the kingdom. All the nobles reacted bile displeasure. Fists slammed on the desks, shouts bounced off the walls and chaos hovered in the air.

Elliot stood up, boiling with rage. He lifted his cane and pointed it at the Crown Prince.

"Explain yourself, boy! Do you mean to say that you fooled the entire kingdom by having another pose as you? You let this—this imposter meet Her Highness, dine in her home and join this meeting?" The cane wobbled in his grasp, "Didn't you know this could mean treason?!"