Undercover Princess

Chapter 15

Oliver

It was no mistake that Pippa ran into me outside the coffee shop.

I suspect she knew I came on purpose to persuade her to return home with me. What she doesn't know is that I had actually been following her around a few days prior. I watched her interactions with her friends and this so called Riley.

I also know about her little project "Operation Riley", I know Pippa says she wants to feed him a big piece of humble pie and give him a taste of his own medicine but i don't buy it. The truth is I saw her in that coffee shop, on her "date" and I saw something in her eyes. A spark that once belonged to me and only me.

I simply cannot let that happen, Riley must go.

I grew up knowing that one day I would marry, and my bride would be Pippa. Whilst the King of Mirante may be a generous and kind father, mine certainly was not.

Pippa believes everything I tell her, I told her that I didn't want to ruin our precious friendship and that's why we had to break up. What I will never tell her is that I landed in Cannes three hours after that conversation with a model named Guila.

When me and Pip broke up my father was devastated. I was told that Pip's fortunes would help secure the future of Vinz.

Vinz has always been a small country where people lived a simple but fulfilled life. Recently, my father received news that the people's displease for their Monarch is on the rise. The situation is exacerbated by the recent nationwide drought. The Royal Reserve is being drained daily and close to being emptied from supporting the affected.

The truth is, my Father sent me on a mission and I was told not to return to Vinz without Pip's hand in marriage.

So you see, Riley - must go.

**********

"Please text me back, I just want to know you are ok. R"

"Pip, stop it. I really need to know you are ok, you just vanished. I know you have texted Lilly so please text me also. R"

"I know you are mad, but I want to talk. Please, R."

Three texts in an hour.

As far as Operation Riley is concerned, this is certainly good progress. I guess even I was surprised at how much Riley cares about me.

It's not that I don't want to text Riley back, it's just that I do not know what to say. I can hardly start to ramble on about Meredith and her two children now can I?

I do need to speak to someone though, otherwise I would go insane. Ollie is usually very good for this, I know I have called him many things but he is a good listener.

It was close to 1am and before I decided that tonight is not a night for sleep. I pulled out a dressing gown and made my way to my private courtyard. The sky was clear but the trees were whistling, I strolled through the garden and found a bench.

Just as I was settling down, I saw something move in the corner of my eye. Something appeared to be shuffling behind a bush near the external wall.

I looked for the heaviest branch I could find and proceed to toward the bush to investigate. As I got closer and closer, I saw something round, muscular and breathing. "Oh my goodness, it's a wombat!" I shouted. Without hesitation I poke the suspected wombat a few times in hopes of scaring it away.

"O...O..Ouch! Stop poking me." A boy no more than 14 years old cried out.

"A talking wombat?"

"Yes, I'm a wombat. As in wombats that are native to Australia, the other-side of the world." To my horror a boy with fiery red hair jumped out. Wait... I have seen that shade of red somewhere before.

By the time I realised it was 1 am and a strange boy is in my private courtyard, I had remembered to scream and fenced him off with my branch several times.

"Oh..Oh. Stop! Will you stop being so violent! I thought Princesses were suppose to be demure and well mannered. Some Princess you are!" The boy continued as he tried to escape.

"Wait - You know who I am?" I said in surprise, because that was the most shocking part of tonight's events.

"Yes, Princess Philippa. I'm Finley - your soon to be step-brother."