Fallen Kingdom ✔️

Meeting Irseval

I remembered those words I heard from George and Bowan all those years ago. George told Bowan that there would be a day where he had to make the hard choices too. Today, I find myself as Princess Victoria of Wyverna, making the decision of a lifetime. I hadn't been a princess in such a long time. What I learned being a commoner has made me a better ruler. I saw what my kingdom has become. Rubble and fear filling the once beautiful landscape. This was once the most advanced kingdoms there was. To see my home like this was infuriaing. I knew Prince Bowan would think I am pretending to be the princess in order to protect him and Servania. If that were the case, I would be executed. Knowing Bowen, he would try to rescue me from that fate.

I walked through once paved streets, I found gaurds everywhere. They were shocked to see me so old and confident. They didn't think I had come back. The gaurds were forced to work for Irseval, otherwise their families would be killed. Executed publicly. Or so I heard of rumors that made it to Servania.

When Irseval saw me, he had no idea who I was. "You've come as the princess, I suspect. Now, to make sure you really are, I will have the princes verify you as who you really are or aren't."

"Go ahead, Irseval. You've sent my youngest brother for either me or Prince Bowen. You knew that I would make the choice of sacrficing myself over both kingdoms. You're quite smart for someone who murdered my parents for s false power."

My two eldest brothers were taken out of their cages in shackles. Seeing them in so much pain and stuffering, tears escaped my eyes. I ran to them, holding them tightly. My eldest brother was shocked.

"Victoria, why did you come here? It's a trap."

"I don't care. I would rather rescue the people of Wyverna and let Servania be in peace than risk so much on my own life. I have learned that there are some choices that I have to make that are hard, but for the best."

My second eldest brother was dissapointed. "You came alone as well. How could you do such a thing?"

Irseval grabbed me by the nape of my neck. "You really are Princess Victoria. I'm surprised. You look nothing like a princess and after all those years, you sacrfice yourself after such a journey for what reason? For you not to fetch Prince Bowen? You could have set your people free bringing him."

"That is a lie. The King and Queen of Servania care nothing of their sons. They could always have more children. They'd protect themselves over anything else. They have armies set up to protect themselves, shutting themselves in from the outside world. You wouldn't be able to do anything and you know it. If word from here can get there, word from there can get here as well. You were trying to use my weakness of my father's word against me. Do what you wish to me, but leave Servania alone."

"Servania? Oh, but you despise Servania for betraying you."

Rage filled me. "You knew Servania would betray us so that's why you attacked! You horrible man! Irseval, what do you really want with me?"

He backed me against a wall, a dagger at my throat. "You think you can decive me? You care about Servania for some reason. The real princess of Wyverna wouldn't care for a kingdom that let her people die."

I hissed back. "I care nothing of the kingdom the way it is now, but I care about the people there! They desreve better then they have! There's already a war there, between the people and the royals! I've seen things that aren't much different then it is here! One day, I will fix this kingdom to be the way it was before and fund a safe passage between the two kingdoms with the help of Servania! I will have horses bred to travel back and forth! We will become partners once again!"

He dug the dagger deeper into my neck. "Princess Victoria was a child afraid of everything. Her father told me that she wouldn't come back. That she would make a new kingdom for her people and slowly move them there, leaving me with nothing. You aren't acting the way the Princess would. You might look like her, but you aren't! She's long gone. Prince Bowen was stupid to send a service girl to pretend to be the princess."

"I didn't send her, she came on her own free will."

Irseval turned around to find Bowen standing at the door with Striker and Rathelia. "Prince Bowen. Nice try, fake princess. Trying to decive me to save your prince? Very noble, but for your sins, your prince will have to die."

"Striker! I told you twenty minutes!"

He sighed. "I'm sorry Princess! I tried holding him back but he was too strong! His will power to save you was too strong! His power was too much for my strength!"

"You're half orc! You could lift a building by yourself! How could a boy overpower you?"

"His will power!"

Irseval bellowed out another laugh. "This is hilarious. Making one of those monsters pretend you're the princess, you've gone far to decieve me. It's quite impressive, but it's too late. Prince Bowen has arrived. Stupid really, coming to save a girl like you."

"Let her go, Irserval! There is no need to hurt someone so common!"

He became shocked. "Why would a prince protect a common girl? I see, the prince has feelings towards this common girl. I knew from the start this wasn't the Princess. She was such a scared little girl. She could barely speak to strangers. She wouldn't have been able to survive the Forest of the Lost."

Prince Bowen dropped his weapon. "Irseval, let her go. Don't worry, Vic. Whatever reason you came here for, you'll be able to complete your quest. If he wants someone of royal blood, I am here. You could have been executed."

"No. Irseval! I am the princess! They confirmed it! Don't hurt Servania."

"Your prince has shown up to save you. It's sad how a prince has fallen in love with a commoner like you."

Tears fell down my face again. "It's not true, is it, Bowen?"

"I'm sorry, Vic." he told me, putting his hands out to be cuffed. "I have a price to pay."

Irseval threw me onto the floor across the room. Wounds reopened from the travels here. Blood smudged all over my face. I was left there, crying as Striker and Rathelia were tied up and thrown next to me. Prince Bowen was about to be executed by the people of Wyverna and there was nothing I could do. I was useless. Even after all that training, I couldn't do anything because nobody believes i'm the princess. It was all hopeless. He even fell for me on that trip as a commoner. I couldn't even tell that was happening. I really was stupid. I should have kept him safe. I should have said no to going and reported him to the king and queen. I should have done everything differently. George was right. Being royal means making hard choices and I wasn't acting like one like I should have. I was the fall of Bowen. I'm guilty all the same.