Tense

29 - Destruction of Character

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The bodies of 3 children were brought back to Spain from the extraction mission. The bodies of the royal twins were identified. The third body, presumably of the crown Princess Lilliana could never been definitely proven as DNA tests on the water decomposed body were not conclusive. The stature and presumed age of the female body in question can not  definitely be pinpointed due to the condition of the body. Identification relied on the witnesses(...)

- Excerpts from classified records in the royal library
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There was silence between us, my body  started shaking. My mind was reeling with thoughts.

This is not how it was supposed to go.
I was supposed to convince him otherwise. He is going to end it. I am done for. How naive could you have been. Foolish girl!

"You are mistaken." I state looking at him with wide eyes.
"Please, no, do not believe what he has told you!" I pleaded with him for my life.

"Who told me what?" The man across from me asked me with confusion lining his face.

"The- The king." I stammered.

"And what would the king tell me?" He inquired.

"That I am the former princess." I say hugging myself to stop me from shaking.
"So that he could gain favour from you. For bringing you the traitor. So that you'd ..." kill me. I couldn't finish the sentence. Instead my arms embraced me tighter, waiting for the impending strike.

"Please, relax. Nobody told me anything." Prince Stefán pleaded with me as he stood up to sit next to me. In an instance I moved further away from him cowering in the corner of the couch, the sudden movement lead to my gloves sliding down exposing the gruelling scar on my arm where the bullet had grazed me on the boat - it was the hidden reminder of the brutality that followed him and his family.
My whole body was agitated, yet stoic. I wanted to run but I was afraid of what he might do.

The prince sighed. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to startle you, honestly, Lill- Leah. I just thought..." he paused, exhaling deeply. "I don't even know what I thought."

He stood up and I pushed myself back into the corner of the plush sofa once again.

"Pshhht. Relax. Seriously." The prince halted in his footsteps holding up his hands in defense.

"I am not going to hurt you."

I felt my temper rising. I was angry, at myself, for even agreeing to this, to allowing my guard to lower. And now this man is feigning to spare me?! To hell with everything!

"Fuck!"
I cussed at him in Spanish.
He was visually taken aback.

"You tell me now how you found out about me!"

Adrenaline rushed through me as I sat up straight once again, allowing myself for the first time to speak in my mother tongue with him. This time with pride instead of fear. My secret was out and if I was to die I would want to die as I was born.

"What a temper." I hear the prince mumble before he started pacing about the room. He seemed just as helpless as I was, trying to mask his own anxiousness with a playful tone as he started to explain himself.

"I want to be honest with you. If you were trying to hide - you weren't doing a great job at it. You are supposedly an orphan, growing up poor as far as everyone knew. Your english, impeccable for someone who lives in the gutter."
He let out a nervous chuckle.