Coward Prince

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

When he awoke, he wore a rather shocked expression on his face. I thought his shaggy, wet looking hair looked like a bush on his head. He was trembling with fear and he stared at us like he thought we were a pair of predators. He noticed that he was naked except for his trunks and he covered his tan body immediately. It was funny, I thought, because he is a tall kind of guy but now he seems like a lost puppy looking for his mama. Stephanie slowly inched closer to him in order to calm him. She spoke kindly and told him that everything would be okay. He still wouldn't speak, wouldn't communicate, but I saw terror in his green eyes. What is he so scared about? Is it because of his experience a few hours ago or do I look like a monster to him? Which is which? Stephanie looked at me and signaled for me to sit beside her.

She gave me a please-be-nice-to-him look that forced me to smile sweetly as I asked, "Are you a murderer?" Stephanie hit my head hard with her fat hands and stared at me coldly. "Well, you can't blame me. How can I resist asking him? What if? Right? What if!"

I was surprised when he spoke. He had a low voice; it was quite husky now because of the bruises and his bad condition. If he really is in bad condition after all, I thought. 

"I shouldn't be here. I'm Prince Rico Trevy of Kingdom Entiopia of the West. The fate of my beloved land causes me deep distress. A group of terrorists killed our people and robbed the island. Those filthy monsters took my parents and it terrifies me to think of what they might do to them. Knight Marshall - he helped me escape. But I am useless! I can't protect my own kingdom." He was angry.

"Do you have any idea what happened to your parents or the castle when you left?" I asked him softly. I was surprised to find myself believing his tale but his emotions were potent and I couldn't help it.

"I'm not sure. I hid down the bottom of the yacht because I was too much a coward to handle the chaos above. If I may guess, young lady, the castle is already gone. An atomic bomb hit it and it almost killed the three of us. I'm their only son if you will ask, yet I am useless. They are so unlucky." His face was filled with agony as he uttered those last words, useless and unlucky.

"Wait - Is your father Alexander Trevy? I mean - the Alexander Trevy?" Stephanie asked. Who the hell is Alexander Trevy? I thought to myself. If this was a part of history class, I skipped that day. I don't know anything.

Rico nodded in return. "Yes. You are right, woman. My father is a wise King, if I may say so." He proudly acclaimed. "But he is missing now." He face turned gloomy then.

"You can stay here for a while; as long as you wanted to, really. I'm sorry if this isn't as cozy a place as the palace you're used to living in. We'll ask the help of our authorities to help you out. Live with us Rico; it'll be fun!" Stephanie assured him.

*** 

Did I hear that correctly? He will stay with us? I can't agree to that. That would be a long time; he's not normal. He is a prince who lived in royalty and we are a bunch of nobodies. This must be a big mistake. I will never get along with this Rico guy. I must protest.

"Steph! We've talked about this right? You told me he'd just stay here for the night, not indefinitely! You're mixing us into his missing-father crap. Did you ever think that it will be hard - not only for him - but for us? Our hands are full, already. You shouldn't be helping someone just like that." I snapped my fingers at the end of my tirade.

"Karly, I never taught you to be rude like that. I can't tell you how disappointed I am in you. I would rather help someone I don't know than have other people helping us. Karly, it's harder if you're the victim. People judge you before lifting a finger to help you; just like you're doing." Stephanie said, her face down. I thought that she was probably mad at me.