Princess in Disguise [ Michael Clifford ]

Twenty Nine

+ Calum +

When I was young, I always loved people. I never saw the bad in them, I always see the good. I like helping people and saving lives, at least that's what I thought I was doing. I was 7 years old when I first saw my parents kill someone, a royalty to be exact. I knew it was never been right to kill someone or hurt them, but my parents made me believe that we are doing it to make the world a better place. I was brainwashed by the idea that we are the good person and they were the bad guys. I always doubted what they are teaching me and my sister. But Mali, my sister, told me that they were doing it for us. At first, I was horrified and really confused, then I met my best mates. 

Ashton, Michael, and Luke helped me to accept what we really are and go with it. We were just kids forced to believe in lies made by adults and kept it as our dirty little secret. Our secrets spread out through the whole neighborhood when one of our hostages got out and called for help. I saw our Michael's father shot the woman inside Ashton's house. That was the most darkest day of my life. We stood up for each other when our neighbors call us murderers, they became my family.

I was running as fast as I can, my heart is beating so fast and I feel like I can't breathe. Someone saw me and he's here to kill me. I can hear his footsteps behind me and I can't do it anymore, suddenly I tripped. How cliche is that? I can't stand up due to my tired legs, he's behind me and I can hear his gun clicks. I didn't bother to scream or to even look at him, if he wants to kill me then do it. I'm just tired. My moments with my friends and family flooded my mind, is this really my end? I'm not even married yet!

"Who are you? Are you here to kill me?" The man spoke behind me. I was shaking and I just kept my eyes shut.

"P-please.. I'm just trying to get away. Please don't kill me." I was trying my best to convince him to spare my life, let's just hope it'll work.

"Are you one of them?" He asked with a deep voice, making me slowly turn around. I opened my eyes and raised my hands, he was wearing a mask.

"I-I'm from the headquarters, please don't kill me." I said, he finally lowered down his gun and grab my shirt to make me stand.

"What are you doing here? Are you here to make me leave again?" He asked again, holding my shirt with a tight grip.

"N-No, sir. I'm here to hide, please I just wanted to see my family again." I pleaded. Suddenly, he dragged me going somewhere. We arrived under a tree house and he made me climb up, which I obeyed. I sat down on the floor, trembling.

"Do you know how dangerous it is out here in the woods? Spies are everywhere from the both sides! You could've been killed!" The man sat down on a chair and removed his mask. He placed his gun down on the table and took a sip from his mug.

"The Anti-Royalists thought I was a spy, they almost cut my throat. But, some teenagers, a girl and a boy, were caught and they're from your headquarters." Teenagers? Who could that be?

"Hey, kid. Are you okay? Don't worry, I'm not part of your 'war' thing. I live alone you see, I'm looking for someone." He said, I finally calmed down and stayed where I am now seated.

"I'm Dean and you are?" He asked me. 

"Calum, sir." I muttered. Should I trust this man?

"Nice meeting you, son. It's been a while since I've had a great conversation with someone." He smiled  at me, making me smile back too.

"So, why did you ran away? Are you scared?" I shook my head.

"Not that I'm scared.. It's really complicated. Why are you here alone?" I asked, making him let out a huge breath.

"Would you like to hear a story, kid? Well here's a story. I met a beautiful lady once and I immediately fell in love despite our huge difference. Cheesy, right? But, I didn't know she has a fiancee. I know it's wrong but we still kept in touch, then I found out how abusive he is. He hurts her almost everyday, so I asked her to runaway with me. She did came with me and we live in peace, that's what we thought. But, his fiancee found us and I refuse to give her back. She was the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." He paused for a moment and I saw his expression change.

"The man threatened to kill her if I didn't give her back. For her safety, I eventually returned her. We wrote each other letters secretly, then she told me that she is pregnant with a baby boy. I was confused because I don't know if that's my baby or his fiancee. After that letter, she stopped writing and it scared the living shit out of me!" I saw tears on his eyes as he rubbed his mustache.

"I looked for her and found her. She told me that the baby was mine and that day is the day I felt like I am the happiest man on Earth. I, a commoner, had a baby with a beautiful princess! Sounds like a fairy tale huh? She told me that I should go and leave her and our son, but I can't do that. She forced me to go.. She screamed at me at the middle of the street, she called a rapist and I got locked up in a jail for years." 

"When I got out, I think it's too late. I tried to find her, but I can't. I found one of her sisters and she told me that she already gave birth to a healthy baby, and she named it with my last name. I cried because I wasn't there for her when she needed me. Her sister told me also that she returned to her kingdom and left the baby with his abusive husband. I tried calling for help but no one did. I decided to live here in the forest near your headquarters, you know, just in case she returned and they've found my son." I stared at him for a minute and finally spoke.

"Do you remember what they named your son?" I asked, he paused for a moment and nodded.

"Yeah, I guess it's.. Michael? Yeah, that's it. Michael Clifford. I think he's around your age now."