Hidden Royalties

seventeen ༉‧₊˚.

PETER WAS AT the front of the team with his captain band making him stand out from the rest of his team. A bitter taste was left in my mouth the moment I saw him. His charming smile was pleasing everyone, well everyone who knew how much he was an absolute dickhead which included me.

Elias was straggling near the back with Morgan who had his arm around him and to no surprise, he still was looking like shit. He just didn't look like himself. Morgan on the other hand looked through the crowd and spotted Alice and I and waved. At least someone down there knew how to be a human. The team surrounded Morgan, who was the assistant coach, who was giving them a pep talk. My eyes focused on a specific number seven. The referee whistled, commencing the start of the match.

The game was tied with only ten minutes left to go. Peter had scored one goal while Elias had scored the other. The ball was in Peter's possession as the crowd began to chant 'Corbin'. He passed the ball over to one of his teammates, but they failed to receive the ball. Instead, Elias ran up to save the ball and was in the right position to shoot a goal. He, however, ended up on the floor as a large brunette from Hocking tackled him to the ground hard. The referee immediately called a timeout to see if he was okay.

Elias quickly got over the pain and stood up angrily and started to shout at his tackler. Morgan quickly got Elias off the field before he was going to cause more trouble, but the way Morgan grabbed him hastily proved that there was something else he was protecting Elias from. At the same time, a swarm of people with cameras enter the front of the section yelling out, "There he is! Number Seven!" Paparazzi.

"What's going on," I asked Alice, who too was confused.

"Marcella, come with me quickly," the Principal appeared behind me in distress.

I quickly followed her away from the crowd and back into the team room where Elias and Elenor were in a one-sided heated argument.

"Calm down Matthews!" Elenor begged as Elias was trying to walk away.

"Literally, piss off. I don't need to hear from you," he angrily told her off.

Elenor was tearing up. "This isn't you."

"So what if it is? Maybe all of this anger needed to come out," he shouted, directing it towards her. "I just wanted to love someone before I had to suffer a loveless marriage. I didn't ask for what it feels like to be heartbroken." The 'loveless marriage' part stung a bit. "All this time I've wasted on a cheating liar like you could have been well spent using up the little time I have left with my mother."

Elenor was bawling at this point and rushed out of the room. Elias punched his locker and left a dent. His hand began to bleed. I tried to walk towards him to stop him from hurting himself even more however Morgan stopped me and went to calm him down himself. He whispered something into his ear which made him relax and look up towards me and the Principal.

"Mary," Elias had realised my presence. He looked at me with soft eyes.

"The media has gotten hold of the truth that Elias is the Prince," the Principal announced. Elias froze. A look of panic washed over his face. This was bad.

Elias and I sat next to each other in the Principal's office. Elias was looking into space as our parents were extremely heated over the issue at hand. I felt my mother's glare on me as I tried not to make eye contact. The immense amount of anxiousness was excruciating.

"The school is trying to investigate who might have leaked the information; however, it wasn't from administration," the Principal said to my very angry parents. The room felt very tense as if the whole room was made of thin glass. The stoic look on my father's face alongside my mother's pissed off expression wasn't helping to calm my nerves. "From what the investigators have looked into, Princess Mary's identity is safe."

The situation was bad. Real bad. One of our identities had been exposed and it wasn't long till mine was too.

"Then how long will it be till Mary is compromised?" Mother said angrily.

"I assure you, Your Royal Majesties, that the security will be increased, and the correct measures will be put in place to ensure the safety of the children," the Principal reassured calmly.

"Well, what is going to happen now? Elias is now a security risk and a target. He needs to be back home," Father said. Elias had his head down, trying to avoid all of the attention and eyes that were on him.

"Geoffrey, please. Shall we let the boy speak in a matter where only his name is being thrown around," King Francis suggested, pointing to his son. "What do you say son?"

Elias looked up at the room of adults who were eyeing him as if he was some sort of object. I finally got a look at his face. His numb self wasn't there anymore, but a distraught and guilt-ridden one. He looked at me briefly with those guilt-ridden eyes. "If it means Mary can stay, I'll leave."

I looked at him as if he was an idiot. Matter of fact, he was. "No. It wasn't your fault that it happened."

"You deserve to have the school experience you wanted. It wouldn't be fair for you," he said.

"You do too," I said, looking at him. Only him. It wasn't fair on either of us. Elias shouldn't have to leave. I didn't want him to.

"From that consensus, I'm sure we can work something out. Geoffrey. Diane," King Francis said. "For the children."

Mother and Father were as stern as ever, contemplating whether it was worth the risk to put Elias and I back into Petunia. Deep down inside, I knew my mother would disagree. She said no in the first place, I don't see why her decision would change now.

"Fine," my mother said while standing up. She looked at Elias and I. "Don't you two dare to cause any more trouble than what has already occurred."

A silent agreement between the rulers signified that the meeting was concluded. I let out a breath that I didn't even know I was holding in. I was in disbelief. The outcome was something so unexpected. Elias and I's parents were escorted out. No warming farewell, no embraces by my parents. King Francis gave his son a small pep talk before coming towards me with his warming smile and open arms. He was always so kind. How I wished my parents would do the same.

"I'm so sorry, Mary," Elias apologized.

"What on earth are you talking about Elias?" I said. Elias hadn't dared to look me in the eyes. I grabbed his chin to make him look up at me. His eyes were worse than they were before. Bags heavier than a rain cloud with his eyes holding what seemed to be pools of tears.

"I fucked up, Mary," Elias angrily said, a tear falling upon his cheek. "I don't know how this could have happened."

"Elias, we must focus on the present. You'll be fine," I reassured him. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close to his warm body. 

"I'll be here. Always."