Edited
***
"You know what, I still don't know how they can entrust me with something like this, if it was a one-time thing, sure, pero for years long?" I ranted.
"Why are you acting like you haven't been doing this for years? Literally, you've been here as a representative for our country's plans together," Lauren said.
"Easy for you to say, you've been doing international stuff as a princess since you were like 7," I pointed out.
"Twelve," Lauren corrected.
"Mukha kayong nag-aaway," Neil who just arrived said.
"Don't they usually have friendly banters?" Dominique asked and took the seat beside Lauren.
Kung kanin, kami ni Lauren yung nag-uusap, ngayon ay yung dalawa na. Nagkatinginan na lang kaming dalawa at napangiwi bago tinuloy yung pagkain namin. The topic once again got changed when the others arrived and as always, someone just had to complain how the bodyguards doubled in number.
Natawa naman kami dahil nawala yung ngiti sa mukha nina Lauren at Dominique.
"Sabihin ko sana na masanay ka na pero kahit ako hindi pa rin sanay," I told Candice which made all of us laugh.
It's really weird when we're hanging out outside the high school. But it makes sense because we have this country's Princess for a friend and her boyfriend slash fiance is a Prince from another country.
High school was as normal as it can be kung hindi ko papansinin yung heavily guarded hang outs and trips namin. I go back home for breaks and holidays and fly back to Great Crystal for school. And the plan was I go to my remaining high school and college years here because I got the short stick.
Nagkaroon kasi years before ng plano yung reigning monarchs ng countries sa Great Kingdom's Continent para mas mapalapit yung bawat country, for a member of the Royal Family or King's Council and a Fair Youth to work and study, respectively, in another country and I was the chosen Fair Youth. At first I didn't want to and so did my family but we can't exactly decline. Even more so when it's a decree agreed upon by the Kingdoms' Union by Kings and Queens.
Much to my surprise when I was halfway done in my third year in college, I got a call from my parents that I'm going home. Even Lauren's parents said that it was okay since Lauren's father agreed to King Williams of Great Amber.
"Wait, oh my gosh," Lauren gasped.
"Bakit?" Kinakabahang tanong ko.
"The marrying age of Royals is twenty. Isn't Prince Clinton already twenty? Or twenty-one?"
"O...kay?" I said with furrowed brows.
"What I'm saying is, it's possible that you are the bride," Lauren answered.
"What? No," I said and added, "if I was, dapat months ago pa yung announcement."
"Point taken but I didn't say that you're for sure, you might be a candidate for the bride. And maybe you're going to be watched closely, ganun yung nangyari kay Kuya eh."
I couldn't help but look at Lauren with a pointed look before continuing to pack my things while she laughed.
*~~*
"Are you sure you don't want me to see you until you reach the boarding area?"
"Lauren, you may be the Princess of Great Crystal but that doesn't mean you get to do everything your way," I told her. "Besides, you still need to go to the university. Three to four hours din ang layo ng airport."
"Okay, alright. Nag-aalala lang eh." Ismid ni Lauren. "But anyway, call me once you get home."
"Sa group chat na lang tutal pati sila Hadley sinabihan ako," sabi ko.
"What time?" Tanong ni Lauren.
"Around night?" Hindi siguradong sagot ko. "Come on, I'm heading straight to the Palace after arriving at Great Amber to discuss everything with the King."
"Ay oo nga pala. About the business Great Amber and Great Crystal is building?"
"What about it?" Tanong ko dahil kaya ako didiretso sa Palasyo ay kailangan ko i-present yung mga inasikaso ko.
"The budget report's getting delayed and I'm still looking into what went wrong."
Lauren and I talked about a lot while waiting at the private lounge. She still tried to convince me to see me until I boarded the plane but her persuasive skills did not really work on me as much as it did before. I don't want her to miss more classes than she's already missing just because she wanted to see me off.
At nang i-announce na boarding na ng business class ticket holders ng flight to Great Amber, umalis na kami sa private lounge. Biniro pa nga ako ni Lauren na kapag hindi maganda ang service ng flight crew ay isumbong ko sa kan'ya.
Business class ticket holders ang unang pinapasok kaya hinintay pa na makasakay yung ibang passengers. I have hours before the plane lands in Great Amber. So I checked all the files I need to present to the King or Queen, maybe both. Mostly reports about the cross country plans.
Pero bago mag-depart yung plane ay tiningnan ko yung phone ko. At nakita kong may messages from the friends I made here in Great Crystal.
It was a short time but it was enough for me to form a deep bond of friendship with them. I didn't really want to be extremely close with any of them as my time as a diplomat in Great Crystal is short. Hindi naman ako nagsisisi na may maiiwan akong mga kaibigan doon.
After all, they're the ones who helped me feel at home in a foreign country for years. I may have gotten used to being with them and this place eventually like home but now it's time to go back to my home country. Where my parents, brother, and childhood friends are.
***
Hello! Tori is back! This was first published around 2015 or 2016 and for the second time around 2019. I think TagLish 'to the first time but then all English in 2019. So this might sound familiar to some since the first and second version reached a thousand reads.
I unpublished this because I wasn't sure how to end this. But now, I know where this will go hehehe
Date Started: 2015 or 2016
Date Finished: October 12, 2020
Twitter: daerinniewp
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BINABASA MO ANG
The Royal Series 01: The Royal Agreement
Romance(The Royal Series #1) Victoria Sparks is a Fair Youth from Great Amber, one of the kingdoms in the Great Kingdoms' Continent. It is inevitable for her to decline her future role as a Councilor as her parents and older brother are one. But as soon as...
