THE ROYALS

We sit there noiselessly sipping our tea from a little cup we been holding for so long while listening to the conversation of an old friends.

"How long you'd been here, Lau? It's seems a decade!"

"Not that much, Arth, almost four years I guess?"

Brian, Catherine and me exchange glance with each other for the umpteenth times when the topic suddenly change to their childhood they have had together. After I realized that my cup is empty I start to feel grumpy and finally I excuse myself.

"I'll be back soon, I don't feel well"

They nodded their head without looking at me, so I take that as a yes. I moved to the door and push it open, small hallway greeted me as I closed the door behind me and gingerly walk in a dimly lit hallway that gives me a kind of feeling when you entered the haunted house. Shortly after long walk I reached the end of the hallway where the toilet is located, I quicken my steps and steeped inside another lit room.

After I finished what was that I return to the guest room, but in my way back, I satisfied in explore ancient pictures hanging on the walls in the hall way, maybe earlier I didn't notice them hanging there, I thought to myself, it's true, earlier I didn't even notice there are pictures on the walls.

I reached my destination and pushed the door open, to my surprise, there is no one in the room except for the sister who is cleaning the bookshelf beside the wall.

"Ah, Ms. Ravena, sister Laura informed me to tell you that we moved to the library on the second floor to prepare the greetings, the royals are coming so we have to clean the place in advance, please go to the second floor, the staircase is located at the far end of the corridor"

She speak like the hotel employee who's greeting her customer, I thought to myself as I thanks her and strode to the far end of the corridor with quick, long strides. I don't want to waste a second for our plans, the royals are coming and it's a big deal for their safety.

I climbed the staircase while remember I forgot to ask the sister which room they're in. I reached the top of the stair and scanned the floor with a single glance, as I continue to walk in the hallway, I can hear children's voice speaking loudly behind those doors on the floor. I spot the sister passed by so I excuse her and ask which room sister Laura's in.

"Left corner of the floor, go straight there"

"Thanks so much"

I mumbled as I made my way to the very end of the floor, wonder how long would it takes to clean all the place because it's extremely big for an orphanage. I pulled into a stop in front of a door where I can hear the conversation of sister Laura and captain Arthur behind this door.

I pushed the door open, and closed. I made my way to the only unoccupied chair left in the room as captain start the topic.

"Okay, since Raven is here so we can now discuss our plan for this evening "

He unrolled the paper on the table, written on it was our plan. He described on how should we greeted the royals and all the details without anything left unsettled. Hours passed by and we still discuss in the same topic tirelessly, and the conversation were cut short by the sound of the door opened.

"They are here, are you all ready?"

The sister entered to inform us the royals have arrived, sister Laura hurriedly run downstairs with another sister and left us to our security job.

"Ready? Then we'll go!"

By the captain's Announcement we nodded our head and instantly left the room to done our job. Catherine and Brian are going to guard the outer building where the greetings is located. I, on the other hand has to check on the CCTV to see if something is unusual or someone shows unusualness. I get to the CCTV room in time to see the sister shake hand with prince Lucas and the greetings started.

I helplessly watch the greetings continue to an end and by that time I almost fell of my chair, my eyelids felt heavier each minute even I fought the urge to fall asleep.

Just then I left all then sleepiness swelling inside me, when the soft knock sounded on the door, I didn't move cause' I think it's my ear playing trick on me, but the knock sounded again, so i dragged myself to the door and pull it open, wild enough to see sister in white dress like Laura, carrying a mug of coffee waiting outside.

"Ah.. I didn't know you we're waiting, I'm sorry to keep you waiting"

I apologize her and she smile assuredly to tell me that's fine. She sit down beside me and we start to have a chat while checking the CCTV together.

"My name is Aura, nice to meet you. Uh, what's your name again please?"

"I'm Ravena, nice to know you too, Aura is a sweet name"

We quickly became friends after an hour of chat in the CCTV room, a small room with many screens from the CCTV all over the orphanage. We have to check all the guests coming for the royals greetings for their safety. The royals's safety is our first priority as a detective.

Silence lapse between us as we provide our undivided attention to the CCTV screen. The guests are busy with the prince, and I could see captain in the crowd on the first floor. I hope the greetings will safely continue to the end.

"Uh? Do you know that man? I mean, he's not in the invitee name"

Aura point to screen where a man was standing alone at the corner of the room, looking suspicious I know there's no good having him in here, a part of me tell me.

"I'll inform captain so he could be more careful "

She nodded her head and I immediately text captain Arthur, and he instantly responded 'don't worry, that man is under Catherine's care. She's suspecting him' I told him to tell her be careful because the man look really suspicious and he's not in the guests list as Aura double checked the list.

Minutes passed by and I can't see the man in the screen anymore, we wonder where would he go to escape the CCTV grip. I then decide to text Catherine to make sure she's ok.

But there's no answer coming from her even five minutes already passed.