The Crown Prince Thinks I'm a Guy

Final Decision

"Happy birthday, Eleftherion!" Regina shouted as she clapped a jolly tune. I haven't seen her in so long, but it seems like five months didn't age her at all.

I smiled at her. "Thank you, Regina."

"I've brought a lot of food, so eat a lot," she said, grabbing me by the shoulders and guiding me towards the table. Looking around, the waiting room that was once familiar to me seemed now a foreign place.

Regina brought the big basket in her hands onto the table. Soon, Farseer and Janmira had arrived, and helped out with arranging the dishes as well. Standing side by side with Janmira, I realized I had grown the last few inches to come head to head with her. This surprised me so much that I muttered aloud, "We're the same height now."

She looked up at me as she placed a bowl of red pasta onto the table. "... And you'll soon outgrow me too."

"Well, I-" I started, and then frowned. "We don't know that. You'll grow too."

She looked away and busied herself with arranging the plates. The whole scene seemed foreign to me: with Farseer and Regina actually doing the plating and Janmira setting the table. I asked, "So, your little magic with the food can't work here in the Order, Regina?"

She looked up at me and grinned. "It's not like I can't do it. It's more like a matter of showing respect to your hosts, you know? If I keep teleporting food in here from who knows where, what is to say that I won't be bringing in weapons, dangerous beasts, or even other invaders?"

"... I understand," I mumbled. "I suppose there is much to consider when visiting a different area."

"Much like royal diplomacy, dear," she told me. "Well, enough of that boring talk. Let's eat!"

Bringing my spoon into my mouth, I realized I hadn't gotten a taste of Regina's meals in more than half a year's time. I heard Janmira praise, "Your meals are getting more delicious by the day, Miss Regina."

"Your meat pie has certainly evolved throughout the years," Farseer mumbled with a mysterious smile, to which Regina replied with a smack onto his head, shouting, "Now, don't bring up the past! I could hardly hold up a ladle back then."

"All you ever did hold up was either your wand or your poisoned dagger." Farseer chuckled.

The room filled with gentle laughter and I haven't felt this feeling of peace in the longest of times.

But all throughout the meal, I had to constantly force myself to laugh or smile. I had to bring up a heavy hand just so I could keep eating.

Regina's meals have never tasted as dry and tasteless as they did now, just as I turned seven.

~~

An empty cage sat inside my bedroom. The walls were thin, so I knew I could never shout out or cry out loud. Nothing could ever be a better show of weakness than tears.

I remembered Eva's words to me that time.

I was holding the body, not even scorched up or dismembered, but simply void of life. She had told me, 'Remember how you feel right now. For when you take another man's life, recall this despair."

'Why?' I had cried.

'Because murder will never be right,' she had replied, and I could still hear the pure sadness in her voice.

'But why him?' I screamed, tears still running down my face. 'Why did I have to kill him? Why did I have to tame him... feed him... love him, and only-"

'Remember this pain, princess,' she told me gently. 'For nothing hurts more than a mother's pain, or a friend's agony. Remember that when you take a life, you cause this chaos.'