Chaotic

Chapter 5

Okay guys, I know it's been really long, but I got caught up in exams. Actually it's my senior year and I'm going to be busy all year long, so don't expect too fast updates. Good news, I wrote like six-seven more chapters already, so I'll update a little fast for some time!

Please comment, vote and share! And more importantly, let me know about your views on the book, or any glitch I may have caused.

Love you all!

- Isandra

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"Escait is a country in the lower middle of the Southern Pacific ocean. It snows half the year, given its closeness to Antarctica. The government there, or the council as we call it, is a mixture of monarchy and democracy. There is a king, whom we call the Rexer, and his queen, the Rixena, and both hold the power to make any decision; but with the acceptance of the entire population and his ministers, they can be disposed. A new ruler can be elected, and these elections are just like the ones in your country. That's quite rare though, and happened only once or twice before, the most recent one being around one hundred and fifty years ago, when your mother's ancestors came into power."

Theo was struggling to explain, but I think he was doing a good job at it.

"Mother's ancestors?" I wondered. "Isn't a prince supposed to be an heir?"

"In most places yes, but not in Escait. The man who the princess marries becomes the king, if the former king chooses to make his daughter the next ruler. The Rexer and the Rixena both have equal power, and any decision requires the approval of both. However, the citizens can make an appeal to change a decision, or to make a new one."

I nodded; it didn't seem like a bad system.

"Miles was your parents' first child, and you came four years later. Your arrival was a joy for everyone in the kingdom, because finally, the Rexer had an heir."

"Heir? Me? What was wrong with Miles?" I asked. 

"Miles... was born with his left side paralyzed. No matter how hard our doctors tried, they could not heal him.  And hence when you went missing, the castle was in an uproar. The citizens were not told that you were lost, because then they would wonder where you went, and we couldn't tell them that there is a world outside Escait."

"What? You have a whole country in there and they don't even know there's a world outside?"

"There are huge stone walls separating us and the rest of the world. They are practically vertical and so slippery and tall, no one can climb them if they don't know what they are doing. How else could we keep the country a secret? Only the royalty and the soldiers of Escait knew about what's outside the wall."

My eyes widened in awe. This seemed so mysterious and fantasy-like; but I loved to believe in the impossible!

"So what did you tell them when I - if it really is me - went missing?" I asked Theo.

"We simply said that the princess fell ill and became a little fragile, and needed to be taken care of. Hence, she wouldn't be making public appearances. We thought we'd find you in a year or two at most, but that didn't happen. You were not even three years old when you went missing." He had a sad tingle in his voice. Theo came and sat down next to me, taking my hand in his.

"I'm sorry..." He said uncertainly. "I just hope that all this doesn't feel too bad and overwhelming..."

"It's okay," I said softly. "It is bad and overwhelming but... Keep going. I'll tell you if I don't think I'll be able to handle it."