Character 30

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"My Prince?!?" I blurted out as more of a question than a statement.

"All in due time my dear." Robert said with a smile as he clapped his hands twice.

The door shot open with both ladies and men walking in with different types of foods and wine. It was like we were a buffet rather than just eating out as the two of us. 

They placed all the food on the table, bowed and left all in a uniform and single line.

"What's going on?" I asked immediately they all left the room, Robert looked at me and acted like I had said nothing.

"Robert! I am talking to you, I need an answer." He dropped his fork and knife with a sigh, he looked at me again and with a forced smile.

"Can we eat first, I'm really hungry and I would appreciate it if you eat too, please. I'll explain everything AFTER we eat." He said emphasiesing on the "after".

I nodded tensely and quietly joined him. This definitely was one of the most quiet dinners I had ever had but I knew better than to speak up, this wasn't the usual Robert I knew anymore.

We finished and Robert took us out to another room, I guess to talk privately. Finally.

"Wine?" He asked as we walked into the room, I nodded and he poured two cups and handed one over to me.

"Sit please." He gestured to me. I sat down quietly and waited for him to start.

"Firstly, I'm sorry for the way I acted, I get cranky when I'm hungry, but you won't have to see that anymore since I'll be your spirit guide from now on." He started, I already had so many questions but I decided to listen and let him finish.

"Let me tell you a story Jessica," he said in his seat.

"There was a mighty kingdom, a kingdom by the name Aniva, gifted the ability to commune with animals. Aniva lived in peace for many decades as you see, our time is different from the time here. The people of this kingdom worked hard with the help of animals just to get by everyday, but they were happy. One day, they heard of another kingdom, they heard that this kingdom were gatherers of magic and magical things which made life easier for them and their people,"

"So the King of Aniva did what any reasonable ruler would have done in his place, he declared war on this kingdom of magic." Robert said looking out the window.

"That was the first greatest mistake he had ever made. Anyways, long story short, a war was waged and Aniva lost to this kingdom of magic but not without consequences. The King of Aniva was caught and brought to the kingdom of magic, out of fear and desperation, the King pleaded for his life and that of his people, giving the kingdom of magic the reason for his actions." He paused then sighed before he continued.

"The King of the land of magic was a man kind at heart and instead forged an alliance with Aniva. The King had decided to help by sending one of his chief magistrate to support Aniva and he also promised to admit 2 Aniviann children into the magic institute every year so that one day we could support ourselves," Robert continued.

"But, on the condition that every heir of the Aniviann royal family will have to become the spiritual guides to every royal chose as a guardian of the great book in Sorania." He paused again.

"Decades after, there was no Soranian royal who had been pronounce the guardian of the book, that is not until Queen Zaafariana, Zaafariana the Gentle they called her, she was also next in line for the throne of Sorania." He continued.

"My father who was next in line for the throne in Aniva was summoned to be the queen's spirit guide, and this happened not long after he and my mother had me. I was but a little child when all these happened, the great battle between the queen and her sister that had still left it's traces behind even till this day." Robert said intensifying his grip on the cup in his hand.

"A few years after the incident, my father had helped rebuild Sorania, and as soon as he came back he was crowned king of Aniva, therefore making me the crowned prince." I could hear the pride in his voice at this statement.

"At about the same time the Queen of Sorania was with child and refused to reveal the father of this said child." Robert grew silent after this statement, so I used this as an opportunity to voice out my agonizing curiousity.

"Then what happened...." I said sooo quietly that I could barely even hear myself.

Robert got up from his seat and walked over to the center of the room still swelling the red liquid in his cup.

"Listen closely Jessica, because this is where you come in." He said not even looking back at me.

"Not long after the queen was declared pregnant, my father rushed back to Sorania to take care of her, claiming it was part of his duty as spirit guide. My father handled Aniviann matter from Sorania and stayed with the queen until her nine months were up, but then the child was declared dead along side the queen." I gasped at the outcome. His father must have been devastated, I said to myself.

"You see, as the crowned prince of Aniva, I was bestowed the gift to sense magic in the case that I am surmouned as a spirit guide. I remember when I first met you in school, you always intrigued me as someone special, someone like me and I could also sense the presence of magic dormant within you. That was why I kept you close." I felt a cold shiver down my spine as I tried to understand how any of this connected with me.

"You see, while you were taking the book's test, I was urgently called home by my father, he was really sick and demanded he speak with me alone. On his deathbed, he told these stories of history to me as I am next in line for the throne and also added a shocking clause." Robert paused to take a sip of his drink.

"My father revealed to me that the child which was declared dead years ago, was actually still alive and was hidden away because of the curse the queen's sister Altheda had placed on the queen, and that the also child belonged to him. In other words, she was to be my half sister." I watched Robert still clueless about what he had been going on about.

"Do you remember seeing me during the test?" He asked. I gave it a quick thought and remembered he was actually there, he had transported me to that white room and froze time.

"Yes, yes I do remember seeing you." I said.

"Well, as I said earlier, only a royal from Sorania given the responsibility of the book can summon me, as I am the next heir of Aniva." He said as a matter of fact.

I was still confused about how all this boiled down to me, so I stared back at Robert waiting for him to continue. When he saw the cluelessness in my eyes he sighed and continued.

"I wish we had all night to play sharads but I have to deliver you home safely. In other words, You Jessica are that lost princess of Sorania, next in line to the throne, my half sister and also the guardian of the book." Robert finished, this time looking me dead in my eyes.

I blinked twice, trying to process the information I had just gotten. To my surprise, I started giggling and it was becoming uncontrollable, before I knew it was was laughing my head off because I couldn't believe a word that Robert said.

Sure they've been a lot of crazy things going on around me, but me being a princess and next in line for a throne, in a kingdom that I could barely pronounce it's name, it was all too unbelievable at this point.

"I.. I'm sorry, but the conclusion of that story is wrong, and I could give you a hundred and one reasons why." I said standing up.

"Look, not to be disrespectful but, I don't know what your father told me but I have a loving family, a mom, a dad and siblings that always get on my nerves, that is my family." I said looking straight at him.

"I only agreed to being this guardian you all keep talking about because I wanted to keep my family, this family that I know safe, so don't go telling me that I'm the daughter of a queen or kingdom I literally know nothing about." I said picking up my bag and finding the nearest room to change in. 

I didn't have the energy or brained spice to explain why I'm in such a fancy dress, all I wanted to do was to get back home and into the comfort of my bed.

I stormed out without a second to lose and immediately I got out the limo was there.

"His Majesty insists that I take you home miss." He said bowing.

I wanted to walk away but I looked at the time, I would never make it in time on my own, so I got in the car and he took me all the may home.