Chapter 10

"That wasn't very nice of you." Arthur hasn't said a word to me since our conversation with my parents. He only replied to others all through dinner but it was like I was invincible. We were currently back in our room and guess what...he speaks!

"You don't know my mother like I do. And I hope you never get to see her the way I do."

"Maybe I don't see what you see, but I see a mother who loves her daughters more than anything or anyone else in the world. And maybe she didn't do it your way but I'll bet you that she did what she thought was right for you and your sister." I sat down on the bed next to him and held his hand.

"I'm sorry, I'll apologise to her tomorrow morning. Am I forgiven?" He couldn't hide his smile while he nodded.

"It's a shame I didn't get to meet your sister today. I thought you said that she would be here." He got up and removed his shirt as he walked into the bathroom to start the shower.

"Yeah, she's supposed to be here. Maybe she ran late?"

"Maybe you should call her." I picked up my phone and turned it on. I tried calling her, three times but she wasn't answering.

"She isn't answering. I'll go ask mom, she'll probably know what's going on."

"Aren't you going to change first?"

"Nah, I'll just find out what's going on and then I'll come take a bath."

"Ok." I took my phone and as soon as I left the room, I bumped into one of the maids.

"Your highness, I was just on my way to see you."

"Is something wrong?"

"Not at all. Your sister got here a few hours to the dinner but she said she wasn't feeling well. She wanted to see you but..."

"But what?"

"She suddenly changed her mind. It seemed odd so I thought I should let you know." 

"Did she say anything else?" She was hesitant at first. 

"She mumbled something about you not wanting anything to do with her. That was it."

"Ok. What room is she in?" She pointed to a room merely two doors away from my room. "Thank you." I walked over there and knocked but there was no reply. I knocked over and over again but still no answer, so I slightly opened the door. The room was dimly lit but I could see her slim figure under the sheets. I turned to leave but I couldn't. I owed her an apology and I was going to give her that.

"Fre...Freja." I tapped her lightly but there was no reply. She wasn't a deep sleeper, except when she drank but I didn't perceive any alcohol. I turned on the room lights and went back to her. "Freja wake up, seriously if this is a joke, it's not funny." But she still wasn't moving. And then the blankets gave way and that was when I saw it. Blood. Lots of blood. "Somebody help me!! Help!!" I yelled and yelled but there was no one. My hands, my gown, everything on me was covered in her blood. I tried to get her out of bed but she was so limp. Suddenly, the door was opened and security walked in. He stared at the sight and I could see how his mood changed but he regained his composure. By protocol, he quickly got me out of there and called for backup. I was just standing there, in the hallway as I watched people flood in and out of her room. Doctors were called in but there was no point, I knew she didn't make it. I stood there in tears until a maid came and took me back to the room.

"Oh my God! Are you ok? Why are you covered in blood?! Are you hurt?" Arthur asked as he opened the door. 

"Freja...blood...lots of blood." Those were the only words I could muster up. He took me into the room and sat me down.

"Babe, what happened? Are you ok? Victoria say something?" 

"Freja..." I couldn't say anything but he just understood. He didn't say anything else. Instead, he started undressing me.

"You need to take a shower first and then we'll go see what happened. Is that ok?" I nodded slowly. But as he was about to unzip my gown, there was a heavy knock on the door. "Who's there?!" 

"It's security." I said slowly. "It's protocol, they're going to ask us to follow them to a protective bunker. Just tell them to give us a few minutes so I can change." He nodded and went to the door. He stepped outside to talk to the agents and then he came back with a sombre look on his face.

"The police are on their way but until they get here, you can't change or take a bath. Apparently, you're evidence. But as soon as they get here, you'll get out of this bloody gown and then you can have a bath."

"Ok, I just...let's go." We got up and followed the security. We went through dozens of stairs and hallways, then we went through an underground tunnel and finally, a huge steel door. It was the kind of door used in bank safes. I had to use my security clearance to open the door. I saw my grandmother, my parents, my uncle, his wife and their daughter all seated there. Everyone looked at me with....empathy but I didn't need it. I went to a dark corner of the room and I just stayed there. I wanted to be alone with my thoughts but....

"Prince Arthur, we've reached out to your family to inform them on the security breach. They know that you're safe and you'll be able to contact them as soon as we are cleared to leave this room."

"How long would that be Your Majesty?"

"It could take minutes, hours or even days. It just depends on how long it takes for security to find the Palace safe enough for us to go back."

"Ok." He tapped me lightly as he handed me a bottle of water. I took it and he just sat there next to me. No one was saying anything. There was nothing to say afterall. They were just waiting for the confirmation from the doctor but I already had my confirmation. Soon enough, a call came through with the confirmation everyone dreaded. My mom was holding onto my father in tears, granny was just in shock and my uncle couldn't believe it. Aunt Marie was in tears and I was speechless. The tears ran down my cheek but I couldn't muster a word. The yelling and tears went around the room but Arthur and I were silent. At least until a second call came through two hours later. My uncle spoke with him at length and when he dropped the call, we all knew that something was wrong. 

"What's wrong?" Granny asked when he dropped the call. 

"That was the coroner. Freja...she was um...apparently.."

"What is it?!" 

"She was stabbed!" What? I couldn't believe it. Stabbed? Someone intentionally carried a knife and stabbed my sister? "Twelve times." I turned to Arthur and I buried my face into his chest and I cried. I felt like my chest was crushed by the weight of my heart. "Also, there was some bruises on her body and some bone remodelling. He believes that..she was suffering from domestic violence." 

"No! No! She would've told me! I knew my baby and she would've told me!" Is she kidding me right now?! I lifted my head and Arthur realised what I was about to do.

"Toria, please. Not here, not now." I ignored his whispers and I went through with what I had to say anyway.

"Your baby? So now that she's dead, she's your baby?!"

"Victoria please calm down." Uncle Frederick said as he got up and stood in between my mother and I. She was looking at me through her teary eyes and I was not even having it.

"No! Don't tell me to calm down! This right here is all her fault!" I yelled as I pointed to her. 

"My daughter, your sister is dead! And you seriously think this is the best time to get into it with me?"

"Yes! You pushed her into that disgusting union and you called it marriage! You forced her to marry a man older than her own father!!! He beat her...like a common animal." My anger subdued into tears. Everyone was watching the drama unfold but Arthur was seriously trying to calm me down. "A princess was treated like an animal!! Bone remodelling?! Bruises?! Do you think you can still call yourself a good mother?! You haven't even earned the title of mother!"

"That's enough!!! Victoria Isabella Schelswig! THAT IS ENOUGH!!!!!" My father had apparently lost it. "I don't care about what is running through your mind right now but you will not disrespect your mother like that!! Your sister made her choice, she was not forced to do anything."

"Is that what your wife told you?" Oh, she lied to him about that. Truth time! "Tell him mom, or I will."

"Victoria stop this." So she can be so humble. 

"Tell me what?"

"Mom forced Freja to marry the Count. I remember how she would come into my room and cry at night because mom was forcing her to marry a man she couldn't tolerate!! She would plead with mom but she wouldn't listen!!! You got my sister killed!"

"We don't even know who killed her!"

"Really? She came here with her husband and no one has seen him since the body was found! He was the last person who saw her alive! Either you are a fool or just in denial!"

"Victoria!"

"I'm sorry Granny." My mom was crying bitterly, my father was upset, uncle Frederick went back to his family and they stayed quiet. "But I'm standing here, covered in my own sister's blood! I can't breathe anymore! I can't close my eyes for even a second without going back to the moment I found her. I'm scarred for life, all because my mother forced her wishes on my only sister. So forgive me if I'm not at my nicest right now."

"Toria, maybe you should come sit." I was feeling weak after all this so I followed Arthur and just sat down quietly with him. I had said what I wanted to say but it changed nothing. I'm not ok. "Everything's going to be fine."

"Everything won't be fine until I get out of this place."

"Well, I know this is a hard time for all of us but we need to pick ourselves up. We have the ball tomorrow night which means we all have to put on our best clothes, go out there and smile. It's our duty to the people." Is this a joke? 

"My daughter just died mom, and you think that I'll go stand at a ball with people who don't care?!" 

"Watch your tone with me Christian, I'm still your Queen."

"When I left, I spent weeks contemplating whether I should come back but seeing this mess, I never want to be back here again. Well, grandmother, sorry to disappoint you but Arthur and I will not be attending the ball anymore. In fact, I'll be moving out of the Palace as soon as we are allowed to leave this room and none of you will see me until Freja's burial and after that, I want nothing to do with this family again."

"You're joking Victoria, you have to be at the ball."

"Try me granny. My mother here is as cold as she is heartless, my father has chosen to feign ignorance and now you, you have chosen to spit on my sister's legacy and I refuse to be a part of this sham. You want to have your ball, fine. You want the family to stand and pretend that everything is fine, cool. But know this, I won't be there. I won't stand and make unnecessary conversation when I would much rather be mourning my sister. So do your worst, but I will not be controlled by anybody else." She was surprised! I wasn't angry, but I was hurt. The hurt I had in my heart was unexplainable. I just want to go back home.