Chapter 35 - Secrets

CATHERINE'S POV:

We were called to attend the mourning of Queen Lucy's death. Although she was not one of my favourites, I also cannot deny the fact now, that all she did was protect me. Us.

"You okay?" my sister Siya asked. When we met again, I could see how happy she was.

"Yeah I am fine" I replied standing quietly beside her.

"So how is your new family?" She asked finally.

"Um- They are good, we are still learning to cope with each other" I replied honestly.

She chuckled at my words. She knows I am not an extroverted person. "Cath?" She called looking at me. I turned around to meet her beautiful blue eyes. They looked sad.

"What happened Siya?" I asked concernedly. I don't know but I could feel she was really worried. But I couldn't read her thoughts. That is the least she wants right now. So I gave her time to process.

"Promise me you won't forget me?" She asked. And I could only stare at her. Everything has indeed changed now. There are things I need to find out. There are responsibilities I need to carry. But it was for sure that I wouldn't forget her for a million important reasons. She was the reason why I survived all of my life.

"Never!"

She hugged me immediately and I returned the favour.

"Princess Cathrine?" Someone called. It was grand Mika. Amiera was right, she was strange. And most importantly I couldn't read her mind. That was the first time when my powers were not working on someone.

"Y-yes grandma" I stuttered. I am not sure if it was due to her dangerous stare or the aura she carries.

"I guess you forgot the rules. Call me Queen Mika. A princess should always know how to behave in public." She spits in anger. Ah, I forgot she didn't like us calling her grandma. She said she was not sure if we were the real princesses or not! She was taking precautions.

"Right, I am sorry Queen Mika." I replied.

"You would be, no wonder why you didn't get the manner, clearly showing your upbringing is the issue. Anyway, as a princess, you must stand with the royals. "Don't let people know where you have been brought up okay?" She orders. She was dominant and mean. I want to kill her right there, but sadly I can't.

I nodded and went away to where Dristan and the others stood. I could see how Siya felt sad when I had to leave because of the names we carry.

How ironic isn't it? Being the princess and the future heir of Maximus, we don't really have much leeway.

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SOFIA'S POV:

It has been quiet for some time in Assyr. Although we are very new here, over these past six months we have tried to get along. But it was either Grandma Mika or Queen Lucy who didn't really want us to learn. But thankfully with father's order, we were to teach how to be a princess.

Still, there are secrets that we need to find. We need answers to all the questions that we have in our minds.

"It is better in Assyr than in Angbotain," Helen said while sitting beside me. I guess she just returned from her riding lessons. "Brother Chen and Aunt Amanda would never let me do these things. I love it here." She said with a smile.

"Well, I think you are still just a kid. You couldn't see how trapped we are here!" Amiera says while coming in from her lesson too.

"What? No, I am not a kid?" Helen yelled at her.

"It's okay Helen, she didn't mean it that way." I tried to console her. But she wasn't ready to listen. She ran away. She was the most sensitive of us. This is why she is only close to Marina, Isadora and me.

Cathrine, Amiera and Victoria were too tough for her. However, I do not think that they hate her, it is just that they are different. We all are.

I glared at Amiera and she whispered rolling her eyes "What? I just tried telling the truth!"

"Well next time, try a little not to be too harsh" I suggested.

"You know this is true," she replied. She was right. I feel it too.

"Then why don't we do anything about it?" Victoria said while taking off her gloves. I wonder when she came in. Followed by her Marina and Isadora came.

"What do you expect me to do? I cannot just burn all of them right?" Amiera retorted. As much as she is close to Catherine, they quarrel the most.

"She is right Cath, I feel no deference than Roaring and Assyr. We are just a puppet." Marina says while coming forth. "I feel how you all feeling right now. I have been there almost my whole life. Living for someone else, just because they can use your powers!"

"But that is not right! We must tell this to the Empress or our father!" Victoria suggested.

"And what? You expect them to believe us over them? Victoria, we came here for just six months! And they lived here all of their life. They are closer than a kingdom is filled with secrets and politics that commoners can never think of."

"Well, I need to talk with you guys about something!" Isadora tells. We all looked at her. "It was a few days ago, when I was going to Father's chamber I overheard Grandma Mika and Father's conversation." She tells. She looked nervous.

"What was it?" I asked.

FLASHBACK

ISADORA'S POV:

I want to talk to him and ask about our mother. Wanted to ask why everyone in the place is so secretive about her and her death. We are even forbidden from entering her chamber. That is when I heard a few people shouting in his room.

"Understand this, they are not your children Tartelon! Have you forgotten how she cheated on you? Or do I have to make you remember those days when she left you for him?" Grandma tells.

"But what if...?" Father wanted to fight back but he couldn't. Something was stopping him.

"There is no if my son. You have been fooled all your life. Those Warlosence could never be our friends. They have always hated us. They were jealous. That is why they have made Madelyn come into your life to make you miserable and down from your throne! She trusted the wrong man and that is the only punishment she got to hoax you." She began to explain all the bad things she could possibly do to him. "Don't forget it was Lily who really loved you!" She tells. "The only noble fae family who are our true friends!"

"What must I do now then? I cannot throw them out! Empress wouldn't like that!" Father finally agreed with her.

I was too confused about their conversation. So I began to listen more.

"You don't have to. The prophecy however tells us it has to be your and Madelyn's offspring. Which they are not. However, if we break the prophecy still a part says that your offspring will bring the Crown of Asta to our home, Assyr. And Dristan is the only person destined for that!"

"But mother, how would you tell this to the Empress? She wouldn't believe us!"

"In that case son, I do have a plan. They couldn't compare Dristan in the final battle of we help him!"

"But that would be cheating!"

"And do you think a kingdom would run with all the white and truth?" She chuckled darkly "We must sacrifice something to gain something. That is the law. Besides, that wouldn't be cheating at all. They are not your daughters and they are more powerful than Dristan. So if we help him a little he can actually fight against them. Only then can we throw them away from here!"

She began to come out of the room and I made sure to hide from her. I am sure that she is hiding something. Her words were instigating. She doesn't want our father to think that we are his daughters. Then what about prophecy?

Who are we really?

And when I was coming back I heard Father saying "I've loved you, Madelyn." I really did. But you chose Yi Hwang instead of me. look what that had ended you up in. He killed you. The irony is that you tried to run away from me, hiding his kids from the world. But it came back to me again. And no matter what I remember my promise to you, Madelyn. I may not be their father, but I would keep doing my responsibilities towards them."

He looks broken! He gulped down the alcohol from the goblets and I could see how drunk he was. I peeked through the door and I saw he was talking to a portrait. I guess that is our mother Madelyn.

But who is our real father? Tartelon or Yi Hwang? If Yi Hwang is our father, then why did he kill our mother?

END OF FLASHBACK

"What must we do now?" I asked. "I wanted to tell you this but then I thought to gather some more information. So I went to our father's library hoping to find something from there. And then I met Drustan over there!"

"Dristan?" Amiera asked in shock. Although we are not really welcomed into the palace, Dristan makes sure we feel at home. He really cares about us. I guess he is a good brother.

"Yes, sisters" Dristan's voice came from the door and we all turned back. He walked towards us and said "That is why I promised Isadora that I would bring some help. Here" he forwarded a letter. The letter that was given to the Empress by the witch, Cyria.

"How did you find this?" Marina asked in surprise.

"Well, I know this palace more than you, So I know some secret doors too!"

"Why do you want to help us Dristan?" Cathrine asked him. Her eyes were trying to find answers.

"You can trust me, Catherine. I don't want the throne. I have seen how your father has only loved your mother Madelyn. His deep sea-green eyes looked at us. "I have seen my mother suffer, and sometimes I feel angry too. But seeing you all here makes me realise that you all deserve to know the truth! And I am ready to help you!"

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

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