The Tale of a Princess Kidnapped by Pirates

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Evangeline... you knew about this? About Ro really being Princess Aurora and you had her locked her up? How could you do this?" Theo asked the mortified girl, trying to understand how someone could be so rotten and selfish.

"Well... I... I..." She scrambled for words to justify her actions, but nothing came.

"I see. Evangeline what you have done is so evil and unforgivable it hurts to even look at you. You are no longer welcome in Yemini, let alone the castle. Guards, take her to her room and make sure she packs her bags, I want her out of the castle by evening on my orders." Theo declared causing Evangeline to sob.

"No, please! Theodosius I will do anything!" She cried, but he stood steadfastly as she was dragged away.

"Theo... do you think you were too harsh?" Aurora murmured, feeling unsettled by Evangeline's hysterical screaming and pleading echoing through the dungeons.

"Not at all. You are just too kind and sweet... What if I had not bumped into her Aurora? You would still be in here locked up, and who knows what would have been the end result? Oh I am so pleased to finally have you back." Theo sighed as he pulled her in for another hug.

Ro relaxed into his arms and accepted that Evangeline had truly gone too far. Her actions were disgraceful and could not be freely forgiven. She was getting what she deserved.

"Come on, let's go tell my parents – they will be so happy and we will arrange a boat to leave as soon as possible to reunite you with your family." Theo promised, wiping a lone tear from the corner of her eye before taking her hand and leading her from the dungeons where she would never step foot again.

King Donovan and Queen Isadora were most perplexed when their son rushed in and disrupted their afternoon tea. They had just returned home from waving off their dear friends, and were getting ready for a meeting with the Head of the Royal Guard regarding general safety, when the carved wooden doors of the meeting room burst open. Theodosius rushed in looking thrilled with a timid Ro behind him making them sigh in annoyance. Truth be told the royal pair had had quite enough of their son's antics with the maid, and were getting ready to let her go so that he would concentrate on the important things when he presented them with the incredible news.

"Mother! Father! You will never guess what!" Theo exclaimed joyfully.

"What is it now son?" The King replied sceptically.

"Go ahead Aurora, you tell them." Theo encouraged.

Aurora looked upon the pair with new eyes, remembering all the times they had looked after her as a child. "Uncle Don... auntie Isa, it is me, Princess Aurora of Alluvia. I know I said I was not her before, but my memories came back to me! I saw a painting of my parents in a room downstairs and it jogged my memories!" Ro exclaimed, but the King and Queen were not convinced, needing to be sure of her claim before they took any further action.

After sharing a perplexed glance with her husband, the Queen replied gently. "Listen, I like you Ro, you are kind and a hard worker, but to pretend to be someone else is a heinous crime."

"No it is me auntie Isa, I promise you – here, look at my necklace if you do not believe me!" Aurora exclaimed, her heart thumping loudly in her chest as she pulled the chain from around her neck and offered it to the Queen who took it with sceptical eyes.

Ro held her breath as she waited for the Queens decision. If she did not believe her, how would she ever get back to her parents?

"Oh my goodness! The necklace... Genevieve told me abut this! It was a gift to Aurora before she went missing... This was how they knew all the other girls were fakes!" The Queen exclaimed as she examined the intricate detailing.

She shared a look with her husband as she opened the clasp and gasped with happy shock as she realised the lost Princess had finally been found, right when everyone had given up hope.

"Aurora is it really you? Have you been in front of us all this time?" The Queen exclaimed emotionally, standing from the invaluable purple sofa and taking Aurora's hands in her own.

"Yes it is me auntie Isa, I cannot believe I forgot about you all! I have been so alone... I am so happy to have remembered." Ro sighed happily, her eyes brimming was with tears.

"Oh my, this is certainly a joyous day! Little Aurora look at you - you are all grown up!" The King exclaimed as the Queen pulled her into an affectionate hug.

"I am so sorry we did not believe you Theo when you first claimed her to be the princess. It is obvious now that she could not be anyone else." The Queen murmured as tears brimmed in her eyes. "Right we need to get you home! Genevieve oh Genevieve is going to be so thrilled! Your father and siblings too! Oh, this is the most wonderful thing to happen since you went missing. You have endured so much badness and yet here you are smiling brightly and happy. You are an example for us all Aurora." The Queen praised as Theo once again claimed her hand, needing the reassurance that she was here besides him.

"Thank you auntie Isa. I can hardly wait to see my parents and family, it has been such a long nine years apart from them." Aurora sighed sadly.

"Of course you cannot dear! Quickly, Marius send someone to prepare a boat for sailing right away, we must get this young lady home." The King ordered.

"Of course sire." The Butler replied and rushed out of the room accordingly.

"Mother and father there is something I must tell you first. I have banished Evangeline from the castle." Theo announced much to his mother's horror.

"You did what? You know her parents are very important and will not take kindly to this!" She gasped worriedly.

"She committed an atrocious act. Aurora told her of her parentage and she had her locked up in the dungeons!" Theo exclaimed in outrage.

"What? That girl is as crazy and annoying as her mother. I say good riddance!" The King determined.

"Donovan!" The Queen hushed. "Although I guess you are right... what she did is one of the most awful things I have ever heard of. That girl is certainly no longer welcome at the castle."

"Thank you both, although please do not go too hard on her... I do not think that she is very happy, and only did it to please her parents and become queen!" Ro explained making Theo roll his eyes.

"You are entirely too kind Ro! That girl has been nothing short of awful to you and yet you still defend her? She has never had a chance at becoming my Queen anyway. I found her as a child, and there is no way I am ever giving her up." Theo declared as he squeezed Aurora's hand, making her blush bright red and his parents smile as they all knew whom he was talking about.

"Right! Let us go! You have a boat to catch young Aurora, and I have no doubt that Theodosius shall be going with you along with one of our fleets! You shall get home safely dear." The King promised, and Ro knew that she would as long as Theo was besides her.

He had been her safe place for as long as she could remember.

"Come on then Aurora, we need to get you packed up and ready to go. Soon you shall be with your parents!" The Queen exclaimed and Ro had never felt so thrilled in her life.

Finally, she was returning home.

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Also this chapter is dedicated to AllanaJulianeSoriano for being such a loyal reader ❤️

Edited