III

I never felt so happy then. Parang tumaba ang puso ko habang naghahabulan kami ni Sverre.

I'm all wet now because of what he did. My uniform is wet, and so as the ends of my hair.

"Stop it I'm tired," Sabay taas ng dalawang kamay ko sa ere.

"Water," at once he offered me a bottle. When we got tired and just sat on the bridge again.

"Clean?" I saw how his smile faded.

Like I asked something wrong... Or was it really wrong?

"Hindi dahil nasa Herst Fort kami ay hindi na kami malilinis," hindi naman siya galit pero iyon ang iniisip ko. "Malinis ang mga tao at gamit dito, eh ang palasyo po ba at ang mga tao roon?"

I close my eyes tightly when he mentions about the palace. What I don't like about someone is saying something about the Palace especially when I am in front of them.

But I can't just use my killing ability, and the magic I know of the people I just met.

Not everyone here knows all the abilities that royalties and villains have.

"I'm sorry," I apologized to him and took the water then drank it.

"Do you believe in fairy godmother?" I choked on his question "Shit, Are damn okay princess?" He quickly grabbed the bottle and stroked my back. I raised my hand to stop him as I adjusted myself.

"Why?" Is asked confusedly

Fairy Godmother? Of course I believe in fairy godmother. May tatlong fairy godmother kami sa palace. Two of them is good and one of them is cruel and can curse you to death.

"Because--"

"Princess Athaliah?!" I heard my best friend's voice! I run towards her and hugged her tight.

"I missed you so much!" I emotionally said.

"I missed you too!" Princess Zariah smiled at me and look at the bridge. "Who's that guy?" Nakakadiri niyang sabi.

"A friend--"

"Since when did you have a friend except from me? Us?" Turo niya pa sa tatlong prinsipe na papalapit sa akin.

Princess Zariah Sapphira Marseden is the heiress of Eryas Palace. She's so passionate and workaholic at her young age. She somehow hates me, but she's still my friend. She has a secret and only I know.

Talagang ibang saya ang nararamdaman ko ngayon! Limang buwan ko silang hindi nakita dahil kailangan kong mag-ensayo sa Miserth Wisdom.

"Lazarus,Theophilus, Thomas!!" I run towards them and hugged them tight.

Prince Lazarus Baudouin is the prince of Aysel palace. Prince Theophilus Vifort is the prince of Drusilla Palace. Prince Thomas Marseden is the prince of Eryas palace, basically his sister is Princess Zariah.

"How are you?" Prince Lazarus asked while his smile on his lips never fades since he saw me with Princess Zariah.

"I'm doing fine," I gladly said.

"I'm glad that you're not stressing yourself as a Crown Princess," Prince Theo said.

Actually they're older than me. I was born late. They see me as their little sister and they always stay by my side. They always protect me, and I'm happy with that.

Parang nakaramdam na rin ako ng pagmamahal ng kapatid kapag sila ang kasama ko. Pero iba pa rin kapag ang tunay na kapatid ko ang aking kasama at napapasaya.

I can't stop remembering my brother...

"How's your country?" Prince Thomas asked.

"They never told me about the country but I think they're doing good," I said, awkwardly.

Princess Zariah looked at me, furious in her eyes.

"I'm so surprised when I heard that you became a Crowned Princess at your age," She roll her eyes as she speak frankly to me.

"Did you just---" I looked at her sharply with that stare I was killing her in my mind.

I don't know why she sometimes hates me. Though, I still treat her as my best friend, because that's where we started.

"You're just 17 and you're so childish!" My eyes widened because of what she just said.

"You also became a Crown Princess Zariah," I tried my best to calm myself. "And I didn't say anything about that."

"Then you should act like one--"

"Princess Zariah, we are not just royalties. We are more than that, we are different." I told her emphatically and I looked at the three princes who's looking down.

"Then, I will wait until you became one." Then she turned her back at me.

Pinagmasdan ko ang kaniyang likuran. Nakabalot talaga ito at walang pinakita kahit ni maliit na balat ang kanyang likuran. Anong tinatago mo princess Zariah?

Once a shadow, always a shadow.

"We're so sorry for that Princess Athaliah, she's suffering because she's so pressured." Prince Thomas said and followed Princess Zariah.

When he follow Princess Zariah they're already talking with each other now.

I know she's pressured. Her father is in coma and she need to do something, if something happens to her father, she will take over.

I badly want to comfort and confront her but I know it's not the right time for this, for everything.

"I will be one of them," I smile at the two Princes. "But not now... I want to feel freedom yet before I'll sit on the throne."

It's true... Dahil kapag nakaupo na ako sa trono hindi ko na magagawa lahat ng bagay na gusto kong gawin.

Tulad ng sabi ko, nabibilang ako sa pamilyang hindi alam ang salitang MALAYA.

"We trust you because you were born to rule the 5 islands and more." They gave me a tight hug before leaving.

I may be 17 but I'm a lady, a lady who wears her own crown. I might be childish but I have characteristics that they don't have. I will be the queen and I will rule my country when the right time comes. Well, I'am Princess Athaliah Neriah Laurevés destined to be Queen of Pevanshire.

"Princess Athaliah," I heard Sverre's voice behind me so I turned around to face him.

"What do you want now?" I asked that as a Crown Princess and not as a child who's asking for candies.

"I found a necklace on the side of the plant earlier," he showed me a silver necklace with a dreamcatcher design on it.

"What's that" Tanong ko at inabot niya naman ito sa akin.

"Dream catcher is used to catch the dreams that are sent while we are sleeping by the sacred spirits," He said seriously and handed be the necklace.

It was nice...

I wish this can also catch my nightmares.

"There's always a hidden meaning why you gave me this dream catcher necklace," I said while looking at the necklace.

"Oh, I didn't bought that for you. I found that but," he stopped for a moment before speaking up again. "The eagles feather represents for men, representing wisdom and courage are there so that the necklace knows who the one is wearing it, to enable filtering of the dreams." He said pointing the eagle's feather.

"Thank you," I said and returned the necklace in the box. "No one gave me something like this with a deep meaning." I smiled at him and took my Royal Hair Swirls na nakaipit sa buhok ko. "Keep this with you and return it when you already achieved your dreams."

That Royal Hair Swirls is really important to me. When I already achieved my dreams I always wear that and it makes me look more beautiful.

One of my fairy godmother gave that hair swirls to me. It's also significant in my life.

"I'm going," I said and wave my hand. "See you when I see you."

Sandali ko pa siyang pinagmasdan bago ko siya tuluyang tinalikuran.

I will remember this day... Always.

"Your highness," The guard called when they open up the car for me.

"Yes?" I looked at him but he didn't looked into my eyes instead he looked down.

"Advance Happy Birthday," Did he just greeted me? "The only Crown Princess of Pevanshire."

"Thank you." I smiled at him saka pumasok na sa loob ng sasakyan.

I almost forgot that my 18th birthday is coming. Maybe mom is preparing for that too. I want a grand celebration. I want to open up the gates for everyone!

I'm thinking about the theme. Purple... I want all to be purple. I want a masquerade ball for my birthday.

I can imagine I'm dancing with a guy who's wearing a mask and no idea who he is.

"Do you think I deserve to be a Queen?" Nagulat ang assistant ko when I asked that question.

"Trust your destiny for once, It has a ton of surprises for you."

Russel is my servant since then. He stayed by my side when I was five years old until now. He's so trustworthy.