6 Part of the Act

"Adrik!" he called out to the little kid.

He was just running some errands with the townspeople when his younger brother vanished. It took several minutes to find him in the fountain, sitting. He didn't even seem worried at all. It was as if the kid knew his brother would eventually find and fetch him wherever he went.

The little boy was still sucking the remaining lollipop and turned to his older brother who was stomping towards him.

He was furious, but the feeling of worry weighed more than the fury he felt. He thought he lost another member of the family again. That pain. He didn't want to relive it anymore.

"Hi, brother!" Adrik said cheerfully and ignored his brother's narrowing eyes.

"What were you thinking?" he asked as soon as they were finally face to face. He tried to mask his anger but only failed miserably.

When he noticed the shock in his little brother's eyes, he heaved a deep sigh and asked him once more, calmly.

Adrik wrinkled his nose and looked at him, "You're mad."

He shook his head and smiled, "No, I'm not."

"You are," his eyes welled up.

"I'm not. I'm sorry," he stammered between words.

He couldn't deny the uneasiness he felt when he saw his brother gone. Until now, he was still a bundle of nerves—afraid at what could happen a second time.

"I was worried, that's all," he reassured to stop his brother from flooding with tears.

Adrik's face lights up, but there was still a slight frown. "You're not mad at me?"

He nodded.

"Promise?" Adrik raised a pinkie finger in front of him.

"I promise," he said and coiled his around his brother's.

Not knowing what to do with the overwhelming feeling, he kneeled and hugged his brother, "Don't you ever disappear like that again."

Adrik was just silent and hugged him back. When they were finally out of the embrace, he grabbed his little brother's arms and pulled him away from the Royal Guards who were stationed just nearby. He had no idea what they were doing there, but he didn't care, nonetheless.

They walked with no one bothering to utter a word. A few seconds later, after passing the People's Park, Adrik broke the silence. "I have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I saw a princess," he said gladly. He was even proud to say it in front of him.

He stopped in his tracks, taken aback with what his younger brother just said. Ever since Adrik learned to read and write at the age of 3, thanks to his tutors whom they knew by blood, he already started teaching him the history of the country.

It wasn't normal for a kid of his age, but he had to tell him. He knew it was easier to educate him while he was still young than when he's older.

He told him how unjust the system were—that in 20 years ever since Faramond ruled, followed by his son, there were never much opportunities given to people like them, that the system only favored the rich and not the poor.

But maybe the royal family was too privileged enough to see that. Who wouldn't be? They were too busy living their extravagant lives in that utopian of a castle; they didn't even spare a minute of their time to see what was happening outside and how many of the people are already dying of hunger.

The laws, the rules that have been amended were useless as it only applied to the wealthy.

'The Aleshkovskys are nothing more than wolves covered in sheep's clothing.'

"Brother?" Adrik asked that stole his attention.

He looked at Adrik, who was now staring at him in confusion, "Did I say something wrong?"

He shook his head. "Where did you see her?" he asked.

Adrik just pointed to the place where they sat earlier. But she wasn't there anymore. When his eyes followed the Royal Guards, he saw a woman who looked in her early 20s or maybe younger based on her figure.

He couldn't see her clearly since she already turned away and wore her cloak. But he knew she was of royal blood.

It was odd to see a member of the royal family visiting these kinds of places. Usually, the King and the Queen were the only ones he heard of who frequently go out of the palace—though only visits the manor house of the nobles but never here, more especially the remote villages.

"She was actually nice," he said.

"They are not nice," he clarified.

"But she was."

He shook his head. He just disappeared and now he has suddenly made friends with a member of the royal family?

"It was all just pretense, Adrik. Don't believe anything you hear from them," he just said and stopped for a second to carry him in his arms.