Regicide

11. A Father's Secret

I hear Rose call my name. I leave the box on the floor, not even bothering to put it back on the shelf, and push the bookshelf and exit. I push it back and I walk fast to the dining room.

I haven't seem my fath- Lawrence since the execution of that innocent man. He's always stuck in his room. Sometimes the maids bring him food. He rarely goes out. Being in the dining room and the study were just one of the few rare cases where he goes out of his bedroom.

Sometimes I wonder what he does there. I always wanted to pass by his room but then I remember that Andrew and William are guarding his door.

Anthony comes to mind. He's my real father. I want to know who he is. I should ask Rose if she knows him. Or knew him.

I also wonder what his last name is. If you are royalty, you don't have a last name, apparently. It's a stupid rule but royals are suppose to be named to their title. For example, my name is just "Princess Cecelia", and that's it. My family has never had a last name. When I was little, Rose explained to me it was because the royals deserve to be called by their titles. When someone else marries into the family, they get rid of their surname. Which is why I never got to find out what my mother's maiden name was. I still think it's a dumb rule. When I find out Anthony's surname, I'll be more than happy to use it as my own.

I sit down at the end of the wooden table and wait for Rose. She gives me a plate of roast beef, mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. It's my favorite meal, but I've lost my appetite.

Before she walks off I ask her the question. "Rose... Do you know someone by the name of Anthony?"

She looks puzzled. "Anthony? That name does ring a bell. But no, I don't...Why do you ask, darling?"

"I just.... I stumbled upon that name in the documents." I mumble.

She nods in understanding. Once one of us mentions the documents, we end the conversation if we don't want anyone to hear over us.

I go to bed right after dinner. I wonder what plan Marcelina will come up with. It will be a challenge to kill the guards and a locked-up Lawrence.

The next morning, I get dressed in my blue dress and go out to the coves with Rose. While we're walking through the town I ask her the question again.

"Rose... Are you sure you don't know who Anthony is?"

"No darling, I don't. How did that name come across the documents?"

I sigh. "It wasn't exactly in the documents. I found a journal that belonged to my mother." We stop and Rose looks at me.

"You did?" She asks and I nod.

I then began explaining to her that I read my mother's diary. Then I told her there was a page that revealed Lawrence isn't my father. I didn't think about what I was saying, I just told her what I came across. The expression on her face tells me that she clearly didn't know all this.

"Are you sure?" She asks in disbelief.

"Of course I'm sure! I'll even show you the diary when we get back." I said.

Rose is silent throughout the walk to the coves. She still must be in shock. I am as well.

When we reach the cove Rose informs me, "Cecelia... I have a feeling you'll want to look for your real father. And that's fine. You can ask Marcy if she knows, if you'd like. Try to find out where he is. You deserve a real father."

I nod and I enter the coves where Marcelina is waiting for me. I reach the sunlight at the end of the dark tunnel and see that the dummies are still in their place. She looks at me and greets me with a smile.