“Finally.” They heard the duke as he stood with a smile.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” The Queen asked her.
She moved closed to the queen; “Because I didn’t want to put you in any danger; mother would have been killed if I didn’t run away; I didn’t anyone else to go through that because of me.”
“I am sorry.” She added.
The queen hugged her despite her wet body. “I’m sorry.’ She said too.
“Speak! What do they want with Princess Victoria?’ Prince Robin pushed the man forward.
‘The king will be angry about this Robin.’ He told him.
“And I swear by my sword, to kill every last one who wants Victoria dead. Now speak this instance unless you want your body to be fed to the eagles!”
He looked at the king, frightened. “We took her from the queen when she was five years old.’ He said looking at the queen.
The queen staggered but was only held by her handmaid. “My baby.”
“The Deliale king wants her dead…….he needs her heart.”
Princess Victoria held her chest.
“What for?’
“To increase his power on the reins of the kingdom…..the sorcerer told him; if he had the first of born child of this kingdom; his powers would grow.’
Prince Robin hit him.
“Robin, let the man speak.” The king told him.
‘If he doesn’t get her while she has grown of age; he can only have her married into his kingdom; then he will take the heart of her first born child.’
Prince Robin hit him again; harder this time; he groans in pain.
“I should kill you right now.” Robbin said about to swing his sword at him but the king was already on his feet;
“Where are the others?” the king asked the bleeding man.
But he didn’t speak.
“They should be around here somewhere.” Prince answered for him.
“Damien!’ The king called the man responsible for hiring the guards.
“Yes, your Highness.”
“Round up all the guards that you have.”
He bowed and excused himself.
“Let me see that mediocrity; who have had the guts to try to kill Princess Victoria…...my daughter.”
The guards were brought and they succeeded in apprehending six of them; as the others dispersed; the six plus the bleeding man knelt in front of the king.
“This is big mistake.” The leader told the King.
”I will tell you, what your mistake really is; messing with the Princess in the first place.’ Prince Robinson told him; gripping the sword tightly in his hand.
Then they heard swaying of swords; the bleeding man moved towards victoria who had her back to him; that same time; the queen drawn the sword the guard was holding and needled it into the man’s body and just then the other men drew their swords; Robin had the two down who were beside him before they had time to draw theirs; the King took care of the two beside him and Princess Victoria; took care of the other two beside her as they tried to get away.
“No one messes with my baby.’ The Queen shouted.
Then she moved towards her and hugged her. “I’m sorry, Victoria. I am sorry.”
She hugged her father and her mother. Robinson smiled at her; she was happy; finally.
The palace was jubilant; they had found the lost princess; her mother was all over her; wanting to dress her up herself; she had taken to the room preserved for her; she smiled at the maids when they said they will served her dutifully and with their whole heart; Robinson; asked if they could be engaged this very minute and her mother was most joyous when she said yes. But no one wondered where Princess Angela must have gone until she came into the large hall; seeing the large feast and the maids drinking in the same room with Royalty.
“Gwen!” she called when she saw her laughing with her mother; dressed in a long beautiful gown; she had seen in the reserved for her sister and Prince Robinson beside her.
She moved towards her, her body shaking with rage she felt of her.
“Gwen!” she shouted.
Just as she was about to answer her; Angela’s hand went across her face; the sound echoing around the room that was filled with chatter was now filled with silence.
“What is the meaning of this?” her mother asked her.
“What is the meaning of this mother?” She repeated the question, apparent she was foreign; who didn’t about unexpected celebration.
She was about to explain the cause of the jubilation.
She turned to Gwen. “You took the prince, away from me; you are now wearing my sister’s dress and you are on to my mother, what is wrong with you!” Princess Angela said highly irritated.
‘I need you to leave, get out, leave me, and leave us alone.’ She yelled at Gwen.
Prince Robin moved to princess Angela and held her back, from moving closer to Victoria.
‘Angela…..calm down.’ Princess Victoria said stunning princess Angela.
“What? What riches have made you forget your position in the palace that you have to call me by my name; what disrespect! What…..”
“Shut up! Angela, shut up.’ Princess Victoria said the one thing in her mind; she had aching to say to her. She was tired for letting her junior sister run her mouth all the time; because she is royalty….well guess what, Princess? She is also royalty and a Princess.
Her sister.
Angela silent dumbfounded.
“For over, two years I have watched you treat me like I was some street beggar; I have watch you treat Julie and the other maids like you are higher than them.”
“Because I am higher than them; don’t you see where I stand; I am a Princess.”
“And you think they are not; you might hold such authority but how do you command their respect? Because you can’t, have you heard what they say about you….”
“I will have their heads, if they speak ill about me.”
“Which makes you wrong Angela, you are going to rule a Kingdom one day; you are going to be Queen, you cannot force the people to respect you; you must earn their respect.’
Prince Robinson released his hold on her and moved back.
“I was treated poorly, not the way I would ever treat a handmaid. Are you even worth being called a Princess, I don’t think you are.”
“My sister wouldn’t say this to me.” Angela shakes her head.
“A Princess wouldn’t treat her subjects so poorly.”
Princess Angela looked at her mother; tears in her eyes, she looked at her father.
‘Why should I take this from a poor subject who has been graced with such royal ornaments? You are nothing.” She said slowly gaining her confidence back.
“I am your sister, Angela. Princess Victoria.”
“Victoria?” then she looked at Prince Robinson and then back at her mother and father.
“I don’t believe it.”
She choked back the threatening tears. “Yes…….. Victoria.’ She said and turned on her heel; she had never thought she would ever speak like this; it was so overwhelming and watching the expression on Angela’s face.
Prince Robin followed her.
Angela looked at them and shakes her head. Not believing that she had been with her sister all this time and she had no idea?
She shook her head and ran off.
“I didn’t mean to vent out like that; I just was so tired of Angela; badmouthing me.”
He pat her back; “It’s okay at least everyone knows now.”
She nods her head. Finally; no more running, no more hiding.
“I didn’t mean to talk to her like that.”
“She will get over it, she will.” He assured her.
The war between the Deliale and Princess Victoria’s Kingdom continued; Princess Victoria requested; she fights but her father refused to put her in the battle field to lose her, the second time, even Prince Robinson concurred. With the alliance between the two kingdoms; they won the war and swore a treaty with the Deliale’s successor after the king’s passing.
The wedding was glamorous; the Queen invited everybody; everyone danced and merried until night fall; Princess Angela forgave her sister’s words who in turn forgave her. Princess Victoria couldn’t be more happier; she was where she belonged with Prince Robin; they were now King and Queen and she had her family back with her and they live happily ever after.
