The Princess

ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔗𝔥𝔯𝔢𝔢

I ran home crying and sweating. My whole body was wet from running and from tears. It was still early hour, so Rosalin and Mickey were sure to be asleep. I turned on the light in the corridor. Then I took my keys out of my jacket pocket and threw them in the key box. Then I quickly removed my black Converses and ran to the second floor.

My run up the wooden steps was not silent. I was sure of it. When I went upstairs, I saw Michael standing in a bathrobe. He studied my clothing.

"Keira where have you been?" He asked and looked at my face. "Keira why are you crying?" He quickly came up to me and hugged me. Then I started crying louder. I hid my face as well as I could. Uncle Michael started stroking my hair and calming me down.

"Michael, what's going on over there?" I heard my aunt's voice coming from their bedroom. Suddenly, she also appeared in the corridor.

"Keira what's going on?" She quickly took me in her embrace from Michael. "You can tell me anything."

"Phillip." I hardly said my brother's name. I didn't know how to tell her about their deaths. And it terrified me that it was me who was to take the throne. I am not the queen. I'm barely a princess.

"What happened to Philly?" She asked with a concerned voice. "Is he fine?"

I was barely breathing. His name brought back childhood memories. What am I going to do without it? "Keira." I heard an echo in my head.

I pushed myself lightly away from my aunt and suddenly stopped crying. A shiver ran through my skin. It felt like my heart was beating slower. Everything was slower. I experienced the next level of shock.

"Phillip is dead." I said in a dead voice. "Dad too." And then my lids dropped and blocked my eyesight. Everything seemed free for a second. The sound was thick and slow. I heard Rosalin shouting something. Suddenly I felt as if someone had taken the ground from under my feet.

||

"Come here." Aveline reached her out to a little girl with light blond hair. It seemed that she had around two years.

"Mommy," The small girl took her hand around Aveline's neck. "Ale you going to be a Qveen? Glandpa talked about something like tis."

The girl did not speak clearly. Some said that she had a speech impediment and should be taken to a speech therapist. Aveline said it was normal and that her little girl would speak correctly someday.

"Darling, accroding to your grandpa I will never be the good queen." Mom looked at her little daughter with regret. With regret in which family she must live. Luckily her little girl never had to be queen. She would never have to live by royal principles. She will not be obliged to do so. It would be best if she lived outside of Astoria and never came back here.

"Why?"

"Your grandfather is a man of great honor and tradition. He is a good man." Aveline said. "He wants the best for the kingdom. And he thinks I'm not the best. I don't expect you to understand it."

"You ale the best qveen fol me." The girl hugged Aveline tightly and she was smiling broadly.

"Thank you so much darling!" Aveline smiled back at the little girl.

"Mom !!!" A boy's voice came from the distance. "Mom !!" The little girl and Avelina looked at the incoming voice. The boy was running towards them.

"Philly." Ave got up from the bed and walked over to her son. "What happened?" Phillip was displeased and huffed.

"Father wants me to wear some stupid Astorian uniform." Eight-year-old boy said. "It is so uncomfortable to wear."