Runaway

Chapter 3: Accept

His offer was tempting. It was tempting indeed.

He would give her a childhood. She could play and be free. Then, when she was older, she would be able to learn about her powers. As a Kristalyn not a princess. She would not need to be a princess until she was older. It seemed to be a promising offer.

But could she runaway and release her duties. Could she just leave her home and her responsibilities? She was the princess. She had strings holding her down. If she left, she wouldn't be the only one affected. The rest of the monastery would be too. She would never be able to return, lest she die of shame and embarrassment. Did this offer surpass the consequences?

It was a heavy decision, but she knew her decision from the start.

"You have a brother."

She was snapped out of her thoughts by Julian's voice. "What?" she was shocked. This man knew her brother?

"You have an older brother," Julian repeated. He must have thought she didn't hear him.

"I know that!" she snapped. "I'm just shocked that you know him," she paused.

The Queen always said that she was an only child. She said that she was found sitting on a blanket in the center of town. Victoria assumed the Queen didn't know about her brother. So she never told the Queen about him. Plus, she hated his guts and didn't want to think about him. He abandoned her when he said he would be there forever. He broke his promise.

The Queen had lied to her about her parents. Her parents were Kristalyn royalty. She didn't have a dead mother and a deadbeat father. If the Queen lied about her parents, what was stopping her from lying about her brother? Nothing. She had a right to know.

"Did...Did." Did she want to know? Should she ask. Maybe she shouldn't so she could remember the Queen as a good person. But she wasn't. Her image of her was already tainted. The Queen had deceived her.

Victoria finally gathered up the courage to ask. "Did she know about him?"

"Of course," he answered.

The Queen knew about her brother and didn't tell her.

She had every right to leave. The Queen had deceived her. Why should she stay as the disciple of a liar? She shouldn't. There was only one reason she should stay. Terrance, her betrothed and her best friend. It would hurt to leave him and her friends, but they couldn't outweigh the Queen's lies.

"Will I have to see him?" she asked.

This was the last variable. She would go, but only if she didn't have to see him.

"Yes, bu-"

"No." Victoria's statement was firm. She wouldn't go. She would deal with a lying Queen over seeing her abanoner brother.

"Just listen to me," he pleaded.

"He didn't want to leave you. He couldn't figure out this world and take care of you. He wanted to have a stable lifestyle before bringing you. Actually, he sent me to get you," the man hastily explained. His proper business man stature gone, replaced by a pleading man.

"Why didn't he come himself?" Victoria was dead set on finding some fault of her brother that would prevent her from seeing him.

"He figured you would act like this. That you would hate him. It would be less commotion with me finding you," he explained.

Victoria huffed. She couldn't find any fault in his reasoning. Now the options were different. Reconnect with a brother over dealing with a lying Queen. She could find no faults in that.

She was going to go with her original answer. "Fine, I'll go."

Julian let out a sigh of relief. "Thank god. I would have to deal with hell if I came back without you."

Julian did a once over of Victoria. He pulled a box out of thin air.

Victoria gasped. "How did you do that?"

He looked surprised. "You haven't learned about pocket dimensions?"

"No, what are they?" she asked, excitedly. She always loved learning new things.

"They're too complicated to explain now. You'll learn that during your training," the man replied.

He opened the box. "Presenting handpicked clothes for young Victoria by Julian," he announced with a flourish.

Inside the box was a pair of blue jeans and a shirt with a flower pattern.

Julian studied her expression. The young girl seemed dissatisfied at his choice. He knew he should have chosen the skirt. "Girls in the outside world wear clothes like this. It's fall so it's a little cold for skirts," he tried to reassure the girl that it was fine.

Victoria huffed and pouted. She had to wear this or she would have to walk around in a tattered dress. She would look like a homeless person. She gestured for the man to turn around and give her some privacy.

Julian complied. He heard the rustling of clothes. A few minutes later he heard a gasp.

"This is surprisingly comfortable," the young girl remarked.

Julian turned to find her marveling at the clothes she was wearing.

"Let's go?" he suggested.

"I have to leave a note for Terrance."

"Quickly, okay?"

Victoria looked around nervously.

"Um, do you have some paper and a pen?" she asked.

Julian did the pocket dimension thing again. He handed Victoria the fresh paper and pen he pulled out.

Victoria took them and started writing.

Dear Terrance and Friends,
When you read this, I will be long gone. I have been given an incredible offer that I just couldn't decline. I'm sorry to leave so abruptly but I have thought this over carefully. The Pros of leaving outweighed the Pros of staying(which you were in☺️). Please don't look for me. I may return someday but for now, goodbye. I will miss you.

Your friend,
      Tori

Once she finished, she carefully slotted the letter between the cracks in the wall.

"Now I'm ready," she said with a smile.