Princess Alexandra, The Third Heir

Chapter 2

Mother walks into the living room and quietly sat in between us. "l know you girls want to know what the phone call was about right? " I nodded slowly. She heaved a sigh before continuing, clearly holding back her tears and her face flushing with red again. "I'm so sorry girls... Great-gan gan is no longer on this earth any more.. "

The both of us were stunned for a moment and didn't know how to react. As l begin to process what mother had said, my eyes started to sting, tears slowly blurring my vision. Helena started wailing out loud and it triggered the strong feeling l was suppressing too. Mother hugged us tightly, each arm wrapping around each child's shoulder. This went on for what felt like forever and l became a sobbing mess.

Our mother checked on us every hour or so and called our teachers that something happened at home and we couldn't finish our homework. I learnt a few months later the reason why mom didn't tell them was due to the fact that the GBS (Gironia Broadcast Station) didn't report great-gan gan's death yet and couldn't disclose it for the fear of it being spread around.

As l was in my room doing homework, l heard Helena come out of her room and both mother and her seems to be having a conversation. In this cottage, it's so easy to eavesdrop one another's conversation whether you're in the hallway or room, since the walls are thin and a slight noise can disturb others in the house.

"When is father coming back? I miss him... " Helena sniffs loudly and l could hear mother reply back softly, but not to the point of whispering. "Honey, your father needs to be there for Great-gan gan, even Grandfather and uncle Philip and uncle Carl are there." There was a pause, than Helena asked mother again.

"Is Aunt Olga taking care of Isabella right now too? Like the both of us? " Mother replied back, "Yes my dear. "

Father didn't come home that day.

As night came, l lay on my bed quietly. I can hear the snores of Helena next to my room since the walls are thin. Everything seems so... peaceful. I could hear the crickets outside chirping away and my room is dark. After everything that has happened to Great-gan gan, l was at loss for words. Million thoughts suddenly swarmed through my mind: When's the funeral? Did Father, Uncle Philip and Uncle Carl made it in time to see her one last time? Did Great-gan gan said anything about us? Did she miss us? Will the students in my class whisper about me? And most of all, Helena?

I sat up right and on the lights. Clearly l have trouble sleeping and l don't have school tomorrow anyway since mom has to find suitable hats and dresses for the funeral. Which makes me wonder even more, is cousin Isabella coming? After all, she's the only child of my uncle and Aunt, Duke and Duchess of Venin, and now second in line for the throne, but she's only 7.

I remember when l was around 9, l was walking in the hallway of Great-gan gan's majestic large wing when l heard a bunch of voices getting louder and louder. Apparently Great-gan gan and Grandfather was trying to convince Uncle Philip to have another child, and he most likely rejected the idea of having a second child because the conversation was getting really heated. I hid behind a nearby pillar as l was
scared of the screaming match that was happening in front of me.

"Philip, it's too dangerous! What happens if both you and Isabella got into an accident? No descendants from you will rule! You need to have a Spare for yourself!" Grandfather's voice was getting higher and louder each time.

"Than maybe it's not fated that neither Isabella nor me will rule, Christopher and Alexandra is after me and Isabella anyway, so it's not like the crown will be out of heirs to the throne! " Uncle Philip retaliated.

"We have trained you for this role, your whole childhood, not Christopher! Think about it, should the both of you die before you can take over as monarchs, Christopher will have to learn everything in a short period of time, unlike you, who had the privilege to learn them when you were a child! Isn't that selfish for him? Isabella is also undergoing the same training that you have experienced, do not let it go to waste! " Grandfather spat.

Grandfather's face was getting redder and redder each time and l was looking at Great-gan gan, who only sighed and stood there silently which greatly disappointed me since l looked up to her a lot. Why isn't she defending Uncle Philip? I wondered, desperate for someone to come and defend poor Uncle Philip.

"Well isn't it the same thing for the second child if l do have one? Isabella will undergo the special training and what happens to the second child? He or she will become like Christopher! That poor child will be left out and shunned from their elder sibling because they are too busy preparing to be a king or queen! Did you know how long it took for me and Christopher to become close again? Our entire childhood we didn't talk at all! It's like living with a stranger in the house but you are biologically related siblings and all the media gushed about how close the two of us are when in actual fact ZERO. " Uncle Philip yelled.

I think both Great-gan gan and grandfather eventually gave up and the three of them separated their ways.

My father,me and Helena are third, fourth and fifth in line for the throne. I have learned that in grade 3 during history lesson where one chapter was dedicated to my family's history. No doubt we would never be a monarch and was aware why Isabella was the only cousin to have a princess title. We didn't have any title back then.

Our parents told us to work hard, as we need to work and most likely won't become working royals unlike Isabella, who's job was to become a successful Queen. Although we knew there was a tiny percent chance that our father might rule should any health complications or accident occur, but Uncle Philip and Isabella are my family members, and we would never wish upon them, not only that Aunt Olga will be heartbroken and alone.

With this thought, another question drifted into my mind: Will Uncle Carl and Aunt Lesley come for the funeral? Will l finally get to meet my two other cousins, Talia and especially James?

Uncle Carl and Aunt Lesley moved to Japan after stepping down as working royals, which in turn also losing their HRH titles. Talia was born in Gironia but James wasn't. I have met Talia when she was a baby every now and than because of events or holidays. James however, l have never seen or met him before and according to Father and Mother, the year he was born is 2019 so he must be like 4 now and Talia is 5.

Uncle Carl and Aunt Lesley went inactive after a year and my Father gave up reaching out to them, while Uncle Philip nicknamed them 'Traitors ". Yikes, come to think of it, Uncle Carl went to see Great-gan gan for one last time as well, imagine how awkward that is.

I slowly got out of bed and switched on the TV in my room. Thank god the volume was low otherwise l would be getting a chiding from Mother and l was also instructed not to watch the TV earlier today.

Apparently Disney channel decided that blasting a movie at 4am was a good idea. Guess they figured that some young kids are keeping their parents awake.... Fortunately it was my favorite movie, Descendants 2 and l was hooked on to the TV.

The movie finished near to 6am and it changed to a renewed cartoon called Teletubbies. I was already exhausted by then and my eyes were heavy. I switched off the TV and slowly crawled into the comfortable warm sheets and fell asleep.....

There is is Chapter 2! It's not much but l hope to clear some misunderstandings and be able to state a few of the rules here. The rules are certainly inspired by the British Royal Family but the accidents and deaths can be from way back in 1900s in the history of the Royal families in Europe.