Kingdom: Another World

Chapter 18: Deception

What the heck with her? I thought, pissed. Pushing me away then taking back everything she just said? So stupid. I thought and hit the table with my bottle. "Tch!" I clicked my tongue.

Emil jumped. "Hii!" he gasped. "H-hey! Vice!" he called. "Are you that drunk?" he asked.

I didn't answer.

He sighed. "Anyway, that's it. Her Highness is really acting weird. First she's so cold, then suddenly she smiles." He said.

I looked at him.

He laughed. "She's really weird, isn't she?" he said, then shrugged. "Well, Her Highness was gone for 20 years. She must have really changed that much… Vice?" he called when I suddenly stood up. "Where are you going - ?" he asked.

All my drunkenness suddenly went away when I heard what he just said. "She's…acting weird?" I asked, my heart was thumping like crazy, covered with fear. What's this feeling? I thought. Something's not really right. Yelena's in –

I grabbed my jacket and went out of the bar after I left my payment.

"Hey, wait - !" Emil said and followed me. "Where are you going - ?" he asked, running behind me.

"Where's Yelena?" I asked.

"Huh? In the castle of course." He answered.

I nodded. "Good. He's in danger – "

We stopped when we heard an explosion from the castle.

"Holy shi- !" Emil said and ran.

I ran after him.

"What's happening there?!" he said. "I was just out for a moment, then - !" he said, then ran faster.

I looked at the part of the castle where the explosion came from. It's near Yelena's room! I thought and ran faster. Hang in there, Yelena! I thought and touched the pendant of my necklace.

Yelena's POV

"What – " I said, shocked to see the shelves had crashed and the books were scattered on the floor. "What the heck happened –  ?!"

"Yelena!" I heard Rio called.

Rio? I thought and looked at her. "Rio?!" I said, shocked to see Rio. My mother is behind her. "What are you doing here - ?"

"Stay away from her!" Rio told me, her hand is aiming at the person beside me.

"'her'?" I asked, then turned. My eyes went wide when I saw who it was. "You - !" I said, shocked.

Lilia laughed. "You're finally awake now." She said, smiling.

"You witch!" Oril yelled and swung his sword.

"O – Oril- ?! Waaaahhh!!!" I screamed when a strong gust of wind went past between me and Lilia. I flew in the air and landed on top of the fallen shelf. "Oww…!" I cried. "What the heck was that?!" I asked, angry. "And what the heck is happening here?!" I said. "And why are you here, too, Oril - ?!"

"Save the chat for later." Rio said. "That's a nice one, Bearil." Rio said and smiled at Oril. Oril smiled back.

"Then save that flirting later!" I said, frowning. I looked around.

"Tch." Rio clicked her tongue and faced Lilia. "Had enough?" she asked, her face smug.

"I'm the one who had enough here!" I yelled. "Everything's wrecked - ! Wahhhh!!!" I screamed when the shelves and the books floated – including me. I saw Lilia motioning them to float. "W – wahhhh!!! Stop! Please - !" I yelled.

"Ye… Yelena!" a familiar voice called.

I turned and saw Vice at the door, panting. Emil's behind her.

"Vice? What are you doing here - ? Aaaaah!!" I screamed when I flew. My eyes went wide when I went towards Vice. "Oh, s**t - !" I said. "Vice - !" I cried.

"Ugh!" we cried when I hit her.

"Oww…!" I cried, then shook my head. "Vice, are you okay – huh?" I said when I saw her smiling. "Vice, you hit your head - ? Ah." I said when he suddenly hugged me. "Vice?" I asked.

She sniffed. "Yelena, you're back!" she said and hugged me tighter.

"Huh?" I said.

"You…" Rio said, then her forehead knotted. "You… brought Yelena back to us?" she asked, confused, and turned to Lilia.

Vice and I stood up and went toward them. Lilia just smiled and didn't answer.

"Err…" I said. They all looked at me. I sighed. "Sorry about this, everyone." I said, then looked at Lilia. "You went overboard." I said then glared at her.

She chuckled. "Sorry 'bout that." She said.

"Hey." Rio said, glaring at me. "What's the meaning of this, Yelena?" she asked, a ball of flame appeared in her hand.

"Huh?" I said, then sighed. "Err… how to start – " I sighed.

Flashback

She sipped in her cup. "Just a witch." She answered. My forehead knotted. She smiled. "How are you feeling that you already came back, Your Highness?" she asked.

"'Your Highness'?" I asked. "You really think I'm the princess?" I asked, then laughed. She didn't laugh. I looked at her, my face serious. "What proof do you have?" I asked. "Tell me – " I said.

She smiled. "Well, why don't I show it to you, then?" she said.

"'show'?" I asked. "How?"

She smiled. "You'll see." She said and sipped her tea.

"What's your motive?" I asked. "Where does your loyalty lie?" I asked, acting. Might as well give her a piece she likes to see. I thought. I lose here because this isn't paid. I grimaced.

She put down her cup and smiled. "You've shown your colors." She said. "For someone that's been gone in 20 years, you still had that regal aura around you." She said. "Just like when you – " she stopped, then smiled. "Hmm…let me cut to the chase." She said and looked at me in the eye. "You can't escape your fate. Everything's been destined from the start." She said, the surroundings suddenly became distorted again.

"Wait - !"

She smiled. "Welcome back, Your Highness." She said.

Flashback end

"And… cut!" I said.

They all went silent except Lilia who laughed. "So you're deceiving me back then?" she asked, then laughed.

I smiled. "Well, that's my job – "

"Yeah. You're deceiving everyone from the start, aren't you, con artist?" Vice said, glaring at me. "I've been worrying for nothing." she said, angry.

"Hmm? Who's deceiving who?" I asked.

"What do you mean, young woman?" my mother asked.

"Why don't you explain it to them, Yelena?" Vice said. "That you're really not the East Kingdom's princess?"

Emil and my mother gasped. Rio sighed. "This is really troublesome – " she said.

"So you've been deceived, too, fairy?" Vice asked Rio.

Rio's expression didn't change. "I haven't." he said.

Vice looked shocked. "What – " she said, then looked at me, confused. "So I'm the one you're deceiving?!" she asked, hurt. "So last night was really – "

"Yes. It's true." I said.

Her mouth fell open, can't believe what she heard. "So you're really deceiving me – " she said, her tears fell.

"Huh?" I said, confused.

He shook his head. "You really disappoint me." she said, then left.

"Huh?" I said. What the heck happened? I thought.