Returning Reign

Chapter 11

      I would like to thank my two new followers this week for inspiring me to upload this Friday! @ashlynpiercenovels and @BreanaRenea

"I guess I will start from the beginning," I fidget with my fingers anxiously.

"Cartia, you dont have to tell me anything if you are not ready," Lizzy tries to reassure me. "What could you possibly be hiding?" she tries to joke but then notices the serious tense atmosphere surrounding me.

"No, you dont understand. I tried hiding it, I need to tell someone." Lizzy nods solemnly as a response.

And so like a dam cracking into two, I poured all my hidden secrets to Lizzy. I told her about where I came from, the letter, my missing parents, the old man at the bookshop, the history book, the Prince on Saturday, and yesterday's events. She knows everything I have found out so far.

It feels like I can finally breathe more easily, the tension in my shoulders is suddenly lessened. I cannot lose a friend because of my secrets, I cannot lose someone else in my life right now. Unknowingly Lizzy became a pillar for my sanity somewhere along this whirlwind. I needed a support system at this time.

"Look, I know this sounds crazy," I say when I finish telling her the truth. "I can show you the key, the letter, please believe me," I beg her. I think the dam of secrets flooded her temporarily. She seems to be analyzing me closely but also seems to be in shock.

"How did I never notice?" Lizzy finally speaks up. Is she floating now?

"Notice what Lizzy?" I ask her, confused by her statement.

"You resemble the King's biological family so much," she gushes. "You really are related to him. I believe you, that's proof enough for me." she states. Her blind trust in me floors me.

"Thank you for believing in me I need your help. You know more than I do about this realm." I tell her. "But first, what do you mean the King's biological family?" she sparked my curiosity. Is Nathaniel truly not related to the King? Are my suspicions correct?

"Of course I will help you Cartia," She stands up and tilts her head towards the massive doors of the library. "I cant do it here though," Lizzy looks around the library suspiciously as if paranoid that somebody is listening to our conversation. I take her signal and follow her.

Lizzys long black hair bounces as we both run down the long, white marbled palace halls. We giggle as we make our way back to our rooms, there is an undeniable excitement in the air. Lizzy is going to help me, I will be able to get closer to finding my parents. It never has occured to me that my parents may have been killed, I just know I would be able to feel if one of them died. They are alive.

We get to my room and we sit on the floor on top of my soft cream coloured rug. As soon as Lizzy and I are settled on the floor she smacks my arm forcefully.

"How dare you meet the Prince twice and not tell me about it?" Lizzy interrogates me. "He is so handsome," Lizzy fans her face dramatically and falls back onto the rug.

"Isn't he my cousin?" I asked her slightly appalled by her behavior. Lizzys dark eyes widen and then she starts laughing again. If I didnt understand that her sense of humour is like this I would think she's gone off her rocker.

"No silly," she shakes her head at me still laughing. She sits back up from her lying position. "He is not related to you." Lizzy states seriously. My face scrunches up slightly in confusion.

"But my father is Diego Laurelli, brother to The king Hugo Laurelli," I say to Lizzy confused.

"The Royal Family forbade anyone from speaking about the late Prince Diego Laurelli and his wife Alice Laurreli," Lizzy taps her chin trying to figure out this giant mess with me.

"Why would the Royal Family fake my parents deaths?" I ask Lizzy, any clue is valuable right now.

"And why would they send all three of you to another realm?" Lizzy adds. I shake my head trying to make sense of it all.

"Wait, back to the family tree. How am I not related to Prince Nathaniel?" I ask Lizzy.

Lizzy starts off "Well its complicated Royal Family business." She takes a deep breath and dives into what she knows.

"The King had a first wife from what I have gathered. No one is allowed to speak of her existence so I dont know much about her. They dont have her in the official history books in the library, like the one you read. They even stopped teaching about her in schools.

She mysteriously passed away, and soon after your parents fake deaths happened as well. The King was immediately in another relationship with Queen Vivian. She was already pregnant with a baby boy but most people dont know she was also previously married. This was very controversial at the time, the King would have needed to have an affair with Queen Vivian for her to already be pregnant."

"I thought I wasnt related to the crown Prince?" I ask Lizzy not following where she was going.

"When the baby boy was born the entire world knew it was not King Hugos son. The Laurellis have distinct features. You have them, everyone related to you has them. But Nathaniel, he looks nothing like the Laurellis and has an uncanny resemblance to his mother. It still is unconfirmed about the Princes paternity, but everyone knows deep down he is not the King's biological son, hes probably Queen Vivians previous husband's son." Lizzy finishes.

"The Royal Family certainly has a lot of secrets," I tell Lizzy.

"Lots of hidden secrets, and these are the only ones we know about." Lizzy says anonymously. I take out the journal with all my discoveries and jot down all the important information I discovered today.

In just one day with Lizzys help,  I got more information than I had in an entire week. This black hole of the Royal Familys secrets is in the middle of me finding my parents.  I can't help but wonder, is this the reason why they told me not to come back?

Authors Note:

As promised, and extra upload on Friday! I am so excited as to where this story is headed. Don't forget to comment, vote, and follow! I love your encouragement :)

-xoxo Ellie Violet