The Melody Of Destiny

Chapter 9

Prince Alexander the 57th:

I stare up at her, her face distorting in and out of focus as the light wraps around her causing her face to sparkle slightly. I am talking, or at least I am trying to, trying to spit out the words but they are stuck on my tongue and for a moment I am not sure I am talking at all. She keeps staring away, away from me at ... What is she staring at. The ocean, the water, liquid, liquid over me, The prince, the future Emperor. Hey, Hey Ana, Ana little miss perfect, but the words don't reach her. Who does she think she is? I click my fingers in frustration trying to get her attention, but they fumble over one another and all I can mange is to clumsily clap my hands together.

Finally looking at me, with glassy eyes smiling slightly. Laughing at me? At Me? The laughter echoes around me, through me but her lips are not moving.

"What's so funny?" I shout looking around trying to place the laughter but it's only her.

Her smile stretches and twists, turning her into a distorted clown. Rubbing my eyes shaking my head. What's going on? I lean back against something looking up at at branches?

Ever so softy she says: "I'm just thinking about you, about us, when we were little."

What? What she talking about? Us? Us where? Us how? What does she mean us? I try and think, try and understand but I cannot keep my thoughts straight. My thoughts dance around me, memories coming in bits and pieces. Anna, Anna I keep hearing her name over and over, mixed in between the laughter. I think of us when we were younger, younger... She smiled more, smiled, a happy smile. For a split second I see someone, a girl, her hair flowing in the air as she runs in a red dress suddenly glancing back at me. Before I can see her face, she fades, fades into the air. She's gone, gone, nothing but air. She left, left, left like everyone.

I call out to the girl: "Don't leave me!" But she is gone, gone, gone, like everyone else and I feel empty inside.

"I'm here." A voice says.

I know that voice, but I cannot place it. I look up, staring at a distorted image flinching as light flashes around her. "Sunshine?" I ask. But she is not Sunshine, it's, it is Anna, Anna.

"Where is Sunshine? Asks Anna.

"Sunshine" I say her name letting it rest on my tongue, I can almost taste her. I feel the memory engulf me, leaving me sickened.

Ana keeps repeating her questions. Over and over. Words bombarding me. Can she shut up for one second. Doesn't she understand? Understand I feel broken. Shattered. They left me. Me. In the middle of nowhere. Driving past me. Leaned. Leaned out the limo kissing. He kissed her. Sunshine. My Sunshine. How ... how could he. Can she not, can she see. See the pain. Cracking. I am cracking. I loved her. Trusted. Betrayed. Betrayed me. No one likes me. Not me, Not care. Only the crown. The money.

"They left me." I say reaching out to her.

"Why?" she asks stepping back.

Why? Why? Why, why? What? What does she mean why? I am the prince people should, people should respect me, revere me, fear me. No, no no none likes... me not me, no me not. My money only money, my, my crown that's what want, want, all want...

She is staring. Staring. Just staring. Staring through me. Like I'm invisible. A ghost. Nothing. Nothing. Am I gone? Did I evaporate. Like that girl. Gone gone. Into the air. I am here. I am alive. Alive I tell you. I reach out. I need to tell her I am still here. I try and touch her, but she jumps back yelling "NO!"

What. What does she no?

"You can't say no!" I yell.

"Oh, for love of the empire." She mutters.

"No one wants me" I say. Typical I'm a prince and still not enough. "I thought you... different... you are all the same." I say exasperated.

"Seriously?" She mutters.

"No one likes me. Only the Crown. I trusted you. You left me. You a commoner, a glorified cleaner." I exclaim.

"You have got to be kidding me. Alexander it's three in the morning and I am here." She exclaims. "I am always here, you ungrateful brat." She mutters under her breath.

"Excuse me? You left me, when I needed a friend." I yell back.

"I am here, aren't I?" she exclaims.

"It's too late, you're just a fame chaser. Like everyone else." I retaught.

"I have never left you. I have always been there. You never see me!" She shouts walking away.

"Don't you walk away from me." I call out trying to get up, but the world starts to spin again. Light wrapping around, around me. Threatening to swallow me whole.