Reality Pill

Chapter 12 Reality Pill

I don't remember what happened the last time I was conscious but my mouth tasted like I ate some fur.

What happened?

I woke up and the first thing that I noticed was the pain on my cheek and neck. Then I noticed that I was lying on a bed. I slowly rubbed the sleep from my eyes and was blinded by the rays of the sun coming from the window.

As soon as I was fully awake and conscious, I took a good look around me. It only confirmed my suspicion that I am once again back in the castle.

Damn.

I heard a light breath to my right and I turned my head to the side and saw someone sitting on a chair just beside my bed. His red hair is framing his eyes like flames when the sunlight hits it. He was holding a paper and was drawing something on it with charcoal.

What is he doing?

I stared at him for a few seconds before I focused on the paper that he was holding, trying to see what he was doing. Nate must have noticed me moving because he stopped and switched his attention back to me afterwards.

When he caught my eye, he smiled - but it was more like a beam. His dimples showed as he did so. "Hey you. You're awake." He said and turned his chair so that it was facing my bed. He set down his paper and charcoal on the side table and wiped his hand with his handkerchief.

"Hey." I said groggily and sat up on my bed. Nate got up and went to the table. He took the pitcher and poured some water into a glass. He came back and offered me the glass which I thankfully took and drank. Once I was done, he took the glass and placed it on the side table along with his paper.

"Thanks." I forgot how thirsty I was.

"How are you feeling?" He asked me once he was seated back on his chair.

"Aside from feeling like a princess because a prince just served me water? I'm feeling great." I joked, earning a light laugh from Nate.

"I would gladly serve you water any time." He winked. I made a disgusted look.

"No."

Nate threw his head back and laughed. "Ouch." he said. Then he noticed me making a face. "What? What's wrong?" He asked me seriously.

"I feel like I was hit by a truck. My whole body hurts."

"What about your cheek?"

"My cheek? What about it?" As soon as I asked the question, Nate poked my cheek and I felt a twinge of pain. "Ow!!" I quickly slapped Nate's hand away and glared at him. "What's the big idea?"

Nate's expression turned dark. "Rose, what do you remember in the woods before Ren and Dan found you?"

"Huh?"

"How did you get that bruise on your cheek?" He continued to push. "Ren and Dan wouldn't tell us a thing."

"Ren and Dan?" I held out a hand to stop him once I noticed that he was about to ask me another question. "All I remember is finding a lake. After that, there were these two huge muscled men who were acting strange once they heard I was a royal and were forced to escort me. When I turned them down, they got really pissed and slapped me. I think that's where I got the bruise." I touched my cheek while still trying to recall the events that had happened. "I tried to fight them but only managed to piss them off. After that...well.....things got crazy because they suddenly turned into.....into.......OH MY GOSH!!!" I suddenly turned to Nate who was taken by surprise when I suddenly grabbed his shoulder and shook him back and forth.

"They turned into...into...cats! I mean the large predator ones: A Lion and a cougar. And then...and then...they started to attack me but a wolf came out of nowhere and attacked the lion...after that another wolf came."

"Uh huh. Go on." Nate just gave me a look as he nodded. He probably thinks I'm going crazy here and I shook him back and forth.

"And then the wolf totally kicked the cat's butts....and then....and then.....the wolves started talking and...I think that's it. The next thing I know I'm in this room. No Ren or Dan spotted."

Nate sighed and gently took my hands from his arms. "Rose, those wolves who 'kicked the cat's butts' are Ren and Dan."

I stared at Nate for a long time before I flick his forehead.

"Hey. What was that for?" He rubbed the part where I had hit him.

"Stop joking around, Nate. People don't turn into wolves, okay?" I patted his head.

"Oh really? Then how do you explain the guys who turned into cats?" He challenged me.

"How can they not?" I was clearly in denial. But I am not going to admit it out loud.

"You are seriously making this conversation more complicated." He face palmed before looking at me. "I'm just gonna let them explain this by themselves later. For now, I'm just glad that you're safe and still yourself."

"Wooo to the hoooo." I cheered unenthusiastic.

Nate's expression suddenly turned serious. "Rose, can I ask you something?"

"Nope."

"Why did you leave?" He asked despite the fact that I just told him no.

"I said no."

"Please, Rose. Tell me."

I pursed my lips when I saw that Nate's eyes had softened into a pleading one. He looked so sorry at that moment that I couldn't help but answer him. "It's not that I hate you guys or anything. I just wanted to go home. When I found out that there might be an alternative way for me to go back.....I just have to grab it. The only problem was that it was in the Kingdom of Tereau and- "

"Wait what did you just say? Kingdom of Tereau?" Nate had a shocked expression on his face that I couldn't help but wonder.

"Yeah. What about it?"

Nate suddenly grabbed me by the shoulder and looked at me in the eye. "Rose, don't you ever attempt to go there again. Do you understand?"

I gave him a puzzled look. "Why, Nate? What about it?"

"It's a dangerous place. It's the kingdom where most of the rogues gather. If they saw you, they wouldn't hesitate to kill you on the spot. They are an enemy to the Kingdom, Rose. Promise me you won't go there."

"But what about-"

"Promise me." He said again. His eyes turned hard and serious and his hold on my shoulder tightened. I looked down as I thought about my decision. When I finally decided, I turned to Nate once again.

"Okay. I promise." I said. "Sorry about running away. I didn't know."

Nate started to relax after that. He smiled and then pulled me into a quick embrace, kissed my forehead, and patted my head. "That's my girl." He said before he settled back in his seat.

I wiped the kiss off of my forehead furiously. I glared at him.

That earned a light chuckled from Nate. While I was busy glaring at him, I heard the door open and the other princes came in.

Fred came in first followed by Ren, Dan, and lastly Ace.

"Hey, Prince Nate. Is our Princess awake?" Dan asked. Nate only nodded at him and moved a little so they could see me. When I was in full view, Dan and Ren whooped in glee.

"Welcome home, Princess." Fred smiled at me.

Home.

I smiled weakly at him. Fred stared at my face for a bit longer before approaching me. Once he was standing at my side, he tucked some of my hair behind my ears before he held my chin and turned it to the side. Once he did, he gently ran his thumb to my bruise. I flinched. Not from his touch but from the pain I felt on my cheek.

"Beast men can really hit it hard." He mumbled. "Rose, does it still hurt?" He asked. I gave him a look as I slowly nodded.

Beside Fred, Nate let out an annoyed grumble.

"If you're gonna heal her then do it already."

Fred only gave him a grin before he returned his gaze to me. "This'll be quick. Trust me." He said and placed a hand on my bruised cheek.

"Fred what are you-"

"Shhhh." He shushed me and started to close his eyes in concentration for who knows what. I felt a cooling sensation where his hand touched my skin. It lasted for only a few seconds before it was gone.

Fred then took his hand from my face and opened his eyes. He looked at my cheek before a smile made its way to his lips. He met my gaze. "How's that?"

I gave him a questioning look before I touched my cheek. The pain was gone. I tried pressing it but I couldn't feel a thing. "It's....gone. The pain is gone." I looked at Fred for an answer but he just smiled at me and straightened his posture. "How is it gone?"

"Tch!" Ace let out an annoyed tone making us all look at him at the same time. He was giving me a look. Once our eyes met, he wrinkled his nose at me in disgust. In return, I gave him a glare.

"What are you looking at?" I said to him.

"Nothing. I just can't believe that an idiot like you actually exists. It's actually quite fascinating." He said in a bored tone as he continued to stare at me.

Honestly, I am so amazed at how Ace's word can quickly change my mood.

"Keep staring at me like that and I will honestly rip your eyeballs out of their sockets you-" And that's when I notice the difference in his appearance. His ears, which were smooth and human looking before, are now replaced by pointed ones. "Y-your ears..." I said and pointed at them

.

Ace's eyes suddenly narrowed. "What about them?"

I was still staring at his ears that I had to gulp before I could speak. "You look like an elf." I said dumbly, earning an eye roll from Ace.

"That's because I am one." He reminded me. He let out a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair. Normally, it would hide his ears, but now it made his ears stick out more. "Haven't you been listening to the things he had said to you before your little 'run away' spree?" He let out an annoyed sigh as me mumbled, "Blockhead."

"Well I'm sorry if my brain wouldn't register that kind of information. I mean, where I'm from it's not normal!"

Ace, from leaning on the wall, fixed his posture until he was standing straight. "I think you've already seen enough for your brain to register that what you call not normal is, in fact, possible. You're just in a state of denial."

"We'll I'm sorry if I don't live in your world that it is so hard for me to believe!" I finally snapped at him. "You know what? I don't even get why you're in here. Did you come here to mock me? Whatever the reason you're here for, I'm pretty sure that 'worrying about me' is off your list. So why don't you just go back to your library and read a book like the little royal loner you are?"

There was an awkward silence in the room as all the princes turned their attention from me to Ace.

Ace's eyebrow twitched a little before he snorted. "As if I wanted to be here anyway."

"Same here." I answered.

He straightened his shirt down before he made his way to the door and disappeared. As soon as the door closed behind him, silence once again filled the room.

I snorted, breaking the awkward silence in the room. "I wonder why he even came here in the first place." At my words, the princes looked at each other. It was like they were communicating with their eyes or something.

Finally, Ren spoke. "Hey, Rose? Do you know how Dan and I found you in the forest?"

"What are you talking about?" I tiled my head to the side.

"The wolves, Rose. We're the wolves that you saw. " said Ren and pointed at Dan and himself. I looked from Ren to Dan, then I averted my eyes.

I'm gonna be honest here, as hard as it is for me to say it, Ace is right. Part of believes all the crap that they are talking about, the other half is...well...afraid. I have already seen it with my very own eyes. A man turning into a cat right in front of me.

Tell me, what more proof do I need?

But the idea that a world where supernaturals exist....it sounds so wrong on so many different levels that my brain doesn't want to accept it.

I felt a slight movement to my right and I turned to see that Fred had invaded my space and sat at the side of my bed. He held my hand in his and gave me a look. "You believe us, don't you?" The way that his eyes captivated mine felt like he was sucking the truth out of me that my lips started to shiver.

Instead of answering him, I bit my lips and nodded. I felt the tears starting to burst from my eyes that I had to shut them tight. Fred must have sensed this for he pulled me in an embrace and placed a hand on my back in a soothing way. I didn't say anything as I sobbed quietly. "Shh. It's alright, Rose. Everything is alright. We're here."

"I already know the truth," I admitted. "But accepting it would mean that I really can't be with my family for a while. I never ask to be here. I didn't want to be here!" I sobbed.

Everything was quiet. No one spoke. Only the sound of my hushed sobbed can be heard.

My head is still resting on Fred's chest as I clutch his shirt like a baby. I opened my eyes and saw everyone had taken a different position. Nate was now leaning on to a wall while looking at the scenery outside of the window, Ren was also leaning to the wall in front of me and playing at the petals of a flower on one of the flower vases, and Dan was sitting on a chair and rocking it back and forth.

Fred started to stroke my hair. He was looking at me with a smirk. "Did my charms work?"

It took me about a minute to realize what he had just said. Once I realized it, I gave him a frown and smacked him at the chest. "Ow!" He said and feinted hurt. "I take that as a no." I rolled my eyes at him and sat up.

My cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Did I really just cry? "Sorry." I said quietly.

As I lifted my head, I caught Nate's eyes and he smiled. "You don't have to be sorry. We understand what you're going through." He said and his eyes had gone soft. He stood up straighter as he faced me. "But you should always remember that you're safe here."

"We'll protect you as long as you're here." Ren added, making me switch my him. "All of us will."

"Same goes for Ace." Inserted Dan, making me give him a confused look. Once he saw my face, he sighed. "When you are cloaked it conceals your presence and smell. Our noses and even Fred's magic can't track you down at the time so we decided to split up and look for you. You have no idea how many towns we went to just to look for you. It took us hours and it was driving us all crazy."

"Excuse me. Cloaked?" I was confused.

The princes stared at me. "Didn't you cloak yourself?"

"No...?" I said. Uncertain of what they were talking about.

"The red hood?" Nate suggested.

"What about it? Is it expensive? Because I kind of threw it at a nosey deer."

There was a moment of silence.

"Pfft!" Fred snickered beside me and looked away to cover his laugh with his fist. Nate simply did the same while shaking his head. The twins sat there looking dumbfounded.

Suddenly, Ren straightened up. "Hold on. So you mean to say that you had no idea that the cloak can hide your presence?"

"It can!?" Suddenly I was interested. Then I cursed. "Damn it. And I threw it at a deer. Lucky deer."

"Why did you even think of wearing it?"

"I thought it was pretty. And it kept me warm."

Ren facepalmed. "What sheer luck." Then he collapsed on the floor.

Dan was laughing. "Humans are so mysterious. Lucky for us that Ace was around."

I tilted my head to the side. "That guy helped?"

Dan held out a hand to shush me. "Let me finish." He said. "As I was saying, we couldn't find you anywhere. But Ace...he somehow found a way to find you."

"He did?" I asked. Are we even talking about the same PRINCE?

Dan thought about it for a moment. When he couldn't find the right words to say, he looked at Fred for help. Fred nodded at him as he continued Dan's explanation. "Have you noticed the change in PRINCE Ace's appearance?"

I looked back at how different Ace had looked before he left the room and nodded. "Yeah. His ears changed. It became longer and sharper."

Fred nodded at my observation. "Yes. That is the regular appearances of the Elven folks."

Okay. I'm a bit lost here. "Wait." I said. "If that was the regular 'Elven' look, then didn't his ears look that way when I first saw him?"

Fred gave me a small smile. "When the ears of an elf becomes smaller to the point where it resembles a regular ear, it means that his/her powers are dying. You see, an elf can get rid of their powers by not using it for 10 years. By the looks of things, it seems as if Ace hadn't used his for 9 years now."

"Killing their power? Are you telling me that Ace was trying to kill his powers?" Fred nodded.

I frowned. "Why?"

Fred shook his head. "I can't answer that because I myself don't understand the reason behind it either." He admitted. "But I have a feeling that his powers have something to do with locating you."

"Ace disappeared on us for a few minutes and when he came back he had information with regards to your whereabouts. And with that information comes with the return of his powers." Added Ren, who was now crossing his arms over his broad chest as he leaned against the wall. His brown hair covering his eyes as he looked to the side as if he was in deep thought. "After that, he made us - Dan and I - open our alpha link to him. But something about it seems awfully strange." He then looked at his brother.

Dan nodded in agreement to Ren. "Now that you said it, the image that we got from Ace was pretty clear. It was a top view of the forest. It was like we were flying - no - it was like we were seeing through the eyes of a hawk?" Dan looked at Ren. Ren only shook his head and shrugged.

"That's odd." I felt my bed move as Fred shifted his position. He was holding his chin in deep thoughts. "I don't think that there's an Elven magic that can do that. What do you think, Prince Nate?"

Nate shook his head in dismay. "I don't know of that either. I haven't heard an elf possessing that kind of magic. The usual magic that they have is elemental. I heard the Elven royalty inherit unique gifts from their ancestors, but Ace's magic must be old since I haven't heard or read about it."

"Do you think he was a warlock or something?" Dan offered. Ren hit that back of his brother's head. "He's clearly an Elf you idiot."

"True." Fred said. "That was no warlock magic. And PRINCE Ace is a pure blooded elf. Their line has no hint of other supernatural."

The princes were in deep thought as they tried to figure out Ace's magic. But for me, I only need to know one thing that keeps on bothering me since this topic was brought. "Hang on for a second." I said, catching all of their attention. Feeling four sets of eyes on me, I took a deep breath. "Are you guys telling me that, because of Ace, THE PRINCE Ace, the royal pain in the butt, was the reason that you guys found me?"

"And informing us ahead of time that you were about to bump into some rogues? Yes." Dan said flatly.

My body felt cold as I looked at the other princes for confirmation. I was really hoping that they would say no, but all my hopes vanished when they all nodded at once.

I felt my blood had gone from my face. Was Ace really that considerate as to sacrifice his years to kill his powers - well at least according to Prince Fred - in order to locate me? Ace? He has a heart?

I suddenly felt guilty. I owe Ace a lot. He was the main reason that they found me. The reason I didn't become a cat food for two werecats. And after all that he did, I have been a jerk to him. Asked him to leave the room and called him a loner and - maybe - embarrassed him in front of the other princes? Crap, I was such a b*tch to him.

There must have been something on my face because Nate suddenly snapped his fingers in front of me. "Are you okay, love? You look pale."

"I have to look for Ace and apologize!" I suddenly blurted out as I got out of my bed so sudden that Fred almost fell to the ground when I pulled the sheets off.

"Where are you going?" Ren asked.

"To the place where Ace might be. The library!" I called out to them as I ran towards the door and got out of the room. I was running barefooted, but I didn't care. The floor was pretty clean after all. And I can't just wait it out. One thing that I learned from my mom was that if you're in the wrong, apologize immediately and don't wait it out. Sometimes, it's best to lower your pride a little.

That guy better be in the library or else.

I was so lost in thought as I was thinking of ways on how to apologize that I bump into something. Luckily, it wasn't that hard. "Sorry." I quickly said. I didn't have any time to move when the person in front of me pulled me in an embrace.

"I was so worried! Don't ever run away like that again!" The queen said as she gave me a bone crushing hug. Despite being all skinny, she was pretty strong that I had to use all my energy to pull away from her.

"Um excuse me but I'm kind of in a hurry and-" I started to say but was immediately cut off.

"Why'd you run away?" She said and held me by the shoulder and looked at me with sad eyes. "Do you know what kind of trouble you would have been to if they hadn't found you?"

Her eyes were full of hurt that I had to look down. "Sorry. I just wanna go home." I told her. "But I guess you already know that."

Elizabeth, the queen, bit her lips as she looked at me with guilt. "I'm sorry." She said and started to drop her hand from my shoulders. "I know I have been wrong but please, don't go to the Kingdom of Tereau. Just wait it out and the orb will fully charge."

"And then what?"

"And then you can use it's powers to go home."

I bit my lips as I looked at her. "Is there really no other way?" She shook her head. Going to the King of Tereau is not an option either. But what about my family and friends in the other world? Well I guess they just have to wait. I sighed. "Okay. I understand. But promise me that when it charges, you will help me go back."

The queen only nodded at me. "I promise. Just don't run off like that again. I will give you anything. Heck, you can even cancel the ball and everything." She said.

A ball? What the heck is that?! Never mind. I have to go and look for Ace first.

"I'll think about it. Right now, I have to go to the library." I quickly said as I ran past her.

I ran and ran, turned from corner to corner and went to the point where I cursed this damn castle for being so big. I mean, what the heck? Why would they need a bigger castle if there were only a few people living here, right?

I finally arrived at the library. I gulped hard before I entered. The door let out a loud creak as I entered. The windows were all open, letting the sun light the whole library. "Hello?" I called out. My voice echoed in the room. I took hesitant steps in as I looked at my surroundings. Trying to see if I could find his royal highness.

My gaze fell on to the usual couch where Ace would have been. Sitting there on the couch with a book in hand. But when I came there, there was no sign of Ace.

He has to be here!! Or else, I wouldn't know any other place to look for him.

I decided to try and walk around in case I might find him. I sneaked a peak at each place between the bookshelves in hopes that he might be there looking for a nice book, but he wasn't. "Where the heck could he be?" I wondered out loud.

As if on cue, something hard hit me on the head. "Ow!!" I clutch my head and look down at the object that had fallen. It was a hard leather bound book. No wonder it hurts.

With a hand still on my head, I picked it up and wondered how the heck did this book get here?

"Looking for something?" My body tensed at the sound of the voice. Actually, I really don't know what to feel when I heard his voice. Excitement? Fear? Annoyance?

I looked up only to find the person whom I really came for in this place. He was at the second floor of the library, leaning on the balcony and looking down at me. His black hair falling and shadowing his face. Now with his elongated ear, he looked so different.

Crap.

I started to open my mouth but no sound came out and I stood there looking like a fish.

What am I going to say again?

When I didn't speak, Ace only raised an eyebrow at me before he decided that I wasn't worth his time and started to leave.

"Wait!" I called out to him. With the book still in my arms, I hurriedly ran towards the stairs and to the second floor. I saw him by one of the shelves. He was looking at me and studying me as I came to him panting.

"What?" His voice still has it's rudeness in them that makes me want to slam the book to his face. But I didn't, instead I gave him a sweet and adorable smile as I politely handed him the book. Trust me, it's hard to do this when you're facing his gaze right now.

"You dropped this." I said and offered him the book.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "I threw it at you. Why would you give it back to me? Tch." He said and quickly snatched the book from me.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Nothing. I was just having some sort of experiment to see how hard an idiot's skull can be. Turns out. It's pretty hard. The edge even got damage." He started to massage the said spot with his thumb.

"You dropped the book on purpose?"

"Yep."

Please...Just this once. Give me patience to deal with this.

Instead of wrapping my hands around his neck and throwing him off the balcony while shouting insults about elves, I simply gave him a tight smile. "Oh really? That's cool." I said and added a little laugh in which he responded with a grimace.

"Please stop smiling. You look like an idiot." He said and started to place the book on one of the shelves.

I, on the other hand, am fuming with anger. Why does he make it so hard for me to apologize?!

Once he finished placing the book, he turned to me. Since he doesn't want me to smile, I just lift the corners of my lips in which he just rolled his eyes. "Ugly cow." I heard him say.

I can't take this any longer. "What's your problem? Why are you such a jerk? Can't you see that I'm trying to be nice here?!" I burst out.

He slammed the bookshelf behind me and studied me before he turned his eyes back to the shelves. "Nope. You don't look like it."

I swear. This guy makes me wanna pull my hair out. "Uh hu. And I don't look like someone who has ears as if they were being pulled by a fish hook."

Ace stopped scanning the book as he turned to glare at me. "At least I wasn't stupid enough to faint when a werewolf speaks in my mind."

"Did you just call me stupid, Santa's helper?"

"In fact I did, you stupid blonde."

"Gosh! You're so...annoying! Why can't you just be nice?"

"I was given a mouth and a tongue for a reason. And that is to tell you that you're an ugly cow whose face looks as if it was dipped in wolf sh*t."

"Well it's better than having pointy ears. I swear if I have a ring with me right now then I might throw it at your ears."

Ace frowned at me. "Did you just come here to pick a fight? Because I am not in the mood for one." He said and started to walk away from me.

I mentally slapped myself for almost forgetting the main reason that I was here. I'm supposed to apologize to this jerk for what I did earlier, but he was making it hard for me to do so. "W-Wait!" I called out to him. He stopped and turned his head to the side.

"What now?" Annoyance was evident in his tone as he said it.

I tried to look for the right words but I couldn't find any. So I just looked at him as my tongue tied. "I-I....."

Ace sighed. "Look. If you wanna say something then say it. Might as well get this over with."

"I'm sorry!" I blurted out quickly. Ace must have not prepared himself for this because he looked slightly taken aback and turned around so he could fully face me.

"What?" His face looked as if he was confused, which would have been adorable if he's not giving me that look. It was as if he was doubting my sincerity.

Taking a deep breath. I tried again. "Look, I heard everything from the princes. They said that you were the one who found me in the price for the return of your 'power'." I made air quotes in the air. "Assuming you were trying to kill it?"

"Tch." Ace averted his eyes from me and looked to the side. "It couldn't be avoided." He mumbled. "Besides, I didn't do it for you. Don't get ahead of yourself. The thought of saving you disgust me." He said as he took a book from one of it's shelves before flipping it's pages. He didn't say anything more as he examined the book.

I, on the other hand, was fidgeting. I mean, did he take my apology or what? "Um....Ace-"

"PRINCE." He corrected me.

I rolled my eyes. "PRINCE Ace, what now? Do you accept my apology?" I asked nervously. Ace paused for a second. Looked at me before saying a simple flat, "No."

I sighed. Well I should have expected that from the very beginning. "Well, if you wouldn't take my apology, then can I at least say thank you?" Ace took a deep breath before shutting the book close and faced me. He studied my face for a moment then an unexpected thing happened. The corner of his mouth lifted.

"Sure."

A man of few words. That's all I can say about Ace right now. I mean PRINCE Ace.

Well at least he accepted my thanks. Feeling a bit better, I offered him a little smile as I started to turn my back to him. "Hey." Ace called me. I suddenly stopped and looked at Ace and gave him a questioning look. "Have you met with the queen yet? I believe that she's worried about you."

Where that question came from, I don't know. "Yeah. I met her while I was heading here. Why?"

Ace shook his head. "Just curious. What did she say?"

I thought back to my encounter with the queen and shrugged. "Nothing. She just made me promise not to run off again."

"And you said yes." He said it not like a question, but a fact. Like something I should have said. Which I did.

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Is that all that she said? I assume that with this situation she might cancel the ball." He pointed out.

A ball? Oh yeah. The stupid formal dance. How could I forget?

I thought about it for a while until I finally recalled what the queen had told me before I left. "Uh....not quite." I said. Causing Ace to raise one of his eyebrows in question. "What I meant was, I was given the choice whether to continue the ball or not."

Ace stared at me for a long time before he finally asked the question that even I hadn't bothered to ask myself until now. "So, what now? Are you gonna say yes?"

"I don't know. it wouldn't make much of a difference even if I agree to it, right? I'd still be here. Away from my home." My voice faltered a little as I mentioned home. And Ace, being the jerk that he was, rolled his eyes at me as if seeing me in this position sickens him.

With a book in hand, he walked and stood in front of me and completely towering over my height. "Like what you said, your choice won't make a difference whether you go or not."

"Your point?"

"Why don't you enjoy your stay here instead of just moping around and doing nothing. It's not like this will last forever." He said before he went by me and headed for the stairs. He paused at the edge of the stairs as he turned to me. "And if you do decide to stay, then learn to embrace the truth." His words carried a sort of message that I hadn't thought of before. He's got a point. Whatever I do here, as long as the orb hasn't recharged, I can't leave so why don't I just enjoy it?

I ran after Ace, he was already heading down the stairs when I stood in front of him. He raised his eyebrow at me as I blocked his way. "Thank you." I beamed at him before I ran down the stairs and out of the library. Before I fully closed the doors behind me, I caught a glimpse of Ace's confused looking face, which then turned into a disgusted look.

As expected of the PRINCE Ace.

A smile was plastered on my face as I leaned against the library door. It seems as if a part of the worries in my mind had cleared up. A question that I hadn't thought about was answered. Staying here in this world was clearly not one of my options. But it's pretty clear how welcome I am in this castle so why not just stay here and live with them for a while and experience what it is like to live in this world?

Embrace the truth.

Having those thoughts in my mind, I decided to go look for the queen so I could tell her of my decision. As I retracted myself from the wall a question suddenly popped into my head. Which way is headed to the queen?

***Meanwhile***

It took a while but he was finally here. He finally found the place where his master was staying. The little wolf dropped the cloak as it panted. It wasn't easy slipping past the guards. Nor was it easy to find his way through the vast garden without being distracted.

It was already night time. His master must be asleep by now.

A tall figure emerged from the castle. The wolf suddenly tensed up and moved to hide in the bushes. The man looked troubled as he read a letter. His blonde hair glimmered in the moonlight.

The wolf sniffed the air. This guy is a warlock.

His slight movement rattled the bushes. "Who's there?" The blonde man asked. The wolf suddenly panicked and ran away, leaving the cloak behind. He immediately stopped and hid behind a rock to go back for the cloak. Too late.

The blonde man was headed his way, but stopped short when he found the cloak. The man picked it up in wonder and gazed into the empty forest. "How did-"

"Prince Fred." A second man appeared. This guy has dark hair and pointy ears. When the man saw what the blonde was holding, he frowned. "Why do you have that?"

"I just found it lying on the ground. What are you doing here?"

"I felt a foreign presence here. But I can't tell what it is."

He's an Elf. The wolf thought. Suddenly it felt a weak tugging at his consciousness.

"I can feel it but I can't control it." The Elf mumbled to himself.

The wolf whimpered. He had to leave. There's an Elf with a dangerous power around. He was sad that he couldn't see his master yet, but at the same time, he couldn't let himself get caught.

He'll meet with his master. One way or another.