The Tale of a Princess Kidnapped by Pirates

Chapter Nineteen

With a heavy heart, Ro had decided that she must leave the castle. Theodosius had been urgently searching for her since she ran from him, but she hid and made sure they did not get a chance to talk. Even Evangeline had noticed her quiet, sullen mood and asked her what was wrong. She had mostly been complaining for two days straight about the way Theo did not even look at her at the ball, and some mysterious girl had captured his attention. Ro did not comment. Viola did not understand what had happened to her friend. It was as if a switch had been flicked and all her light drained.

It was coming up to the completion of her fourth week at the castle, so Ro was going to ask for her first and final cheque and then she would leave, traveling around in search for a job. The Alluvian royals were leaving that day anyway, meaning there was not going to be as much work to complete around the castle, and she would have to spend all her time watching Evangeline seducing Theodosius. She could not stay any longer, as she was dangerously close to falling in love with the unattainable Prince, which was foolish as she was a nobody. She could not even remember who she really was or where she came from. To stay would be to enslave her to a future of misery.

Ro sighed as her necklace, the only thing connecting her to her past, dangled from her fingertips. She had forgotten about it these past few weeks and kept it safely hidden in her bedside drawer, but as she was clearing out her possessions – which obviously was not much, she found it again. The strange crest on the back sent her mind whirling. Where had she seen it before? It certainly was not Yemini's coat of arms, which meant that she was not Yeminian. Ro sighed, becoming more and more frustrated with the mystery of her life.

She carried on walking, searching for Mr Winchcombe (the Head of the Estate) to hand her notice in. However, as Ro was locked in her mind and not paying the due attention to where she was heading, she realised she had taken a wrong turn and was now in a passageway she had never seen before. She came to an abrupt stop, feeling a little nervous, as she was all alone in a darkened hallway. Although Ro mostly knew her way around the east wing of the castle, the west was barely known to her, as she was not scheduled to work there.

The hallway she was now in had no windows as she had travelled downstairs to reach it, meaning she was more then likely underground now. Red and black patterns made up the carpeted floor, and Ro was about to retrace her steps when she noticed what was hanging on the walls. Large oil paintings of the finest quality were mounted on the stone bricks, with candles next to them highlighting the pictures. The candles comforted Ro as she realised this was not an abandoned passage and someone had been here recently. Ro ventured forward and was surprised to see portraits of royalty she had never seen before, but soon realised these were paintings of the allied nations! She unhurriedly ambled into the room, admiring the fine artistry and realistic paintings. The large golden frames each painting was encased in had the countries crest engraved into the fine metal, and Ro breathlessly examined all of them, wondering if she could find out which country she came from. Then she would have the first step in finding her family's origins.

There were five paintings all together, of the monarchs of Aclein, Kustrington, Aswela, Bre Smium and Alluvia. Ro examined each unsmiling face and crest, but none connected with the golden one clutched in her hand, with two magnificent horses standing on their hind legs opposite each other, under a large archway with laurel leaves chiselled into it. Some sort of mound – presumably a mountain was carved between the archways with a vast sun above it. There was some writing at the bottom, but Ro could not make out what it said as it was worn with age. Ro made her way around the room, a silent worry filling her as she wondered if she was from a country unfriendly with Yemini, when her eyes fell upon a crest matching her own. Ro froze, hardly daring to look up at the printed name of the country and King and Queen, but when she did she nearly fell over in shock.

Alluvia... she was from Alluvia.

What felt like ice to her brain attacked Ro, and she struggled to breathe as her gaze lowered to the portrait of King Markus and Queen Genevieve, dated maybe twenty years ago. Electricity shot into her brain and she felt as if she was being rewired as images and memories of the young Queen Genevieve shot into Ro's mind. The pain was immense and Ro cried out as memories were unlocked to her. Snippets of her life, being passed from pirate to pirate, and of the woman who she thought was her mother, but was actually her Governess Tilly opened Ro's eyes. Heartbreak filled her as she remembered Tilly had probably given her life to free Aurora, although of course she was enslaved again anyway. She would always be thankful to Tilly, and knew that she had to try to find her. With the revelation of Tilly's true identity came more memories – ones that she could only hope were true circulating around being called one thing: Princess Aurora.

Although Ro could not remember much from before she was kidnapped by pirates, she realised with a joyous heart that she now had proof that she was who she had always dreamed of being; a loved, missing daughter. A memory of playing with her sisters, brothers and a young Theo brought tears to her eyes, as Ro realised without a doubt that she was the missing Princess.

However, time was not her friend. Suddenly Aurora could hear a dull fanfare, and at first she was confused, but then she realised that it must have been the fanfare signifying the leaving of the Alluvian's. Ro panicked and turned after putting her necklace securely around her neck, sprinting as fast as she could out of the room. She had only just remembered her parents – she could not lose them already! Running faster then she had ever done before with sheer panic urging her on, Aurora was determined to get to the boat before it sailed away with all her hopes and dreams. She had missed her parents and siblings so terribly, and she could not face another moment without them.

She ran blindly to tell Theo and ask him to take her to her family as she did not have clearance to leave the castle, and it would take her eons to walk to the docks. The distant cheers of the crowds waving goodbye to her family and ring of the significant bells filled her with anxiety. They were slipping through her fingers. She passed by a couple of maids who called out and asked Ro what was wrong, but she did not stop. Racing down the stairs she nearly made it to the dining room where she hoped Theo would be (considering only the King and Queen went to wave the Alluvian's off), when she nearly smacked into a disgruntled Evangeline.

"Oh! Ro, what on earth are you playing at? You nearly wiped me out!" She scolded dramatically with her hand over her heart.

"I am sorry Evangeline but I really must run! I have to get to my parents!" Ro exclaimed, trying to pass by Evangeline but she grabbed Ro's arm to halt her in place.

"What do you mean Ro? You look awfully flushed, what is going on?" Evangeline demanded.

"Ok fine, I do not know if you are aware of the fact I have amnesia – well, did have amnesia. I am actually the lost Princess Aurora." Ro explained hurriedly causing Evangeline to gasp and go pale.

"P-princess? Do not be ridiculous! You are a maid, not a Princess!" Evangeline declared looking unnerved.

"I thought so too, but I just found the portrait room and saw a picture of my parents Queen Genevieve and King Markus and it jogged my memories! Also, the Alluvian crest matches the one on the back of my necklace – the only thing connecting me to my past." Ro further pointed out, taking her necklace from her neck and showing Evangeline excitedly.

Evangeline took the necklace with tremoring hands, filled with dread. It was true, there was the Alluvian crest engraved into the heavy locket, and as she opened it up the smile of the young lost Princess haunted her eyes. Although the other figure was blurred, there was no denying it. Her maid, Ro, was painted next to the Queen of Alluvia, and although Ro probably did not realise, the stamp of the Royal family – impossible to forge - was inside the locket adjacent to the painting.

Ro was actually the missing Princess Aurora, filling Evangeline was intense, burning jealousy.

Who recognises the Kingdoms mentioned in this chapter? I have a few royalty stories out now, so please check them out on my profile!

Any ideas as to what is going to happen next? xo

Edited