The Elusive Prince

Chapter 19: The aftermath, questioning, and lies

Merideth

"Merideth please stay awake, don't you dare close those eyes, please." a concerned voice filtered to the air. Where am I? 

I tried looking around but all I see is darkness and a heavy mist in the air. That voice was still persisting and I tried to look for it but I couldn't seem to trace it. 

That voice sounded so heartbroken as it calls for me and I had the sudden urge to go to them and tell them that I was okay, I was still here and that they had nothing to worry about but I can't find the source of the voice. 

The voice got louder and the more it got louder the more it was beginning to be uncomprehensible as all I hear now were shouts of anguish. I felt my heart break but I don't know why. 

The sounds persisted as it rang heavily in the darkness. I was already starting to feel an extreme throbbing in my head as the noises thundered. The dizziness got to me and before I knew it, everything was spinning. 

Right before I lost consciousness however there was a blurry face that came into view and the last thing I heard before the fog cleared up was "I love you, please don't leave me."

I suddenly jolted awake by the sound of loud beeping and came face to face with bright white lights and white ceiling. There were frantic shouts all over the place of "The Princess is awake, go get the doctor!"

As the fog started clearing in my mind, I realized that I was currently in the hospital and was currently being fussed over by the nurses and doctors as they check for my vitals. The fog wasn't entirely gone however and I was still in a haze as they checked on me. I let them do whatever they want as I suddenly felt very tired and feel myself slipping into unconsciousness again.

The next time I woke up, I clearly saw the bright lights and white walls. They must have moved me however because when I looked down, I was already in a hospital gown and had a IV on my arm.

I looked around the room and saw Hailey sleeping on the couch. She looked ready to fall over so I decided to wake her up so she doesn't hurt herself.

"Hailey..." I stopped because my voice sounded so hoarse and I was suddenly very thirsty. That small noise though, woke up Hailey as she jolted in the couch and looked at me with bewilderment and before I knew it she was beside my bed as she pressed something on the wall, probably to alert the doctors that I was conscious now. She sunk on one of the seats beside me with tears streaming down her face as she holds my hand tightly.

"I'm sorry Your Highness, I couldn't protect you and now you you're..." she couldn't finish however as she broke down crying. I wanted to comfort her but my body felt weak so I just lay there.

"Hailey...water..." I rasped out and seeming to have flipped a switch on Hailey, she stopped crying and was running to the table on the side to grab me a glass of water and held it on my mouth as she let me sip just enough to quench my thirst.

After drinking half the glass, she proceeded to sit beside me again but then the doctors arrived and she had to let go of my hand as they check over me again. I tried answering them to the best of my abilities seeing as I was still in some sort of haze.

After checking for my vitals and making sure I wasn't in pain, they quickly left. Now it was just me and Hailey, but before she could do anything besides cry, the door burst open and then my parent's worried faces came into view.

"Merideth, sweetie are you okay? We were already informed by the military police about the situation but are you really fine?" My mother was frantic as she tried to check my face by turning it to the side. I was getting dizzy so I groaned a bit and Father seemed to sense my pain because my mothers hands were away from my face as well as the pain that it brought.

"Calm down Alcmene you are hurting her. Also I advice you don't move her head around. We still don't know if she suffered from a concussion." Father's gentle voice rang out which instantly calmed my worried mother down as she clutched Father's hand tightly.

"I-I'm fine Mother, just a little lightheaded. How long was I out?" I tried sitting up but then that made them fuss and try to help me sit without agitating my head.

"Your Highness, you were out for 5 hours now." I nodded before there was sharp knocks coming from the door. Mother who was currently fussing over me glanced at the door. Father and Hailey looked at us before looking at the door. Father gestured for Hailey to open the door which she did and we came face to face to the Trost miliitary's corporal, Yander, who was also with the private investigator Ilana who I am sure is going to be questioning me with the situation and have me give my statement.

"Good afternoon Your Highness, is Princess Merideth already awake?" Ilana's soft voice rang out. Looking at her, one would think that she is just a very simple girl but she is actually very calculative which is perfect for her job because she catches a lot of criminals. She also happens to be very close to Arcane so we are familiar with each other.

"She's been awake for a while now. Are you here for the interview?" Father said which only got a nod from the both of them. Yander, sat down on one of the chairs beside my bed, which was originally occupied by Hailey. Yander was also very close to Arcane seeing as they were in the same class before so we know each other well. Maybe that was the reason why they were the ones sent to interview me.

"How are you Your Highness?" Yander asked while Ilana kicked him out of the seat gently as she sat down. Yander just scowled at her before standing behind her.

"I'm quite fine but what exactly happened?" I asked because I really was clueless and my mind was still in haze.

"Well, you are as sharp as always Your Highness. Well what do you remember last?" Ilana said softly before taking out a recorder to possibly record our conversation.

"Well, there was the time where the Military Police came in and..." the fog in my mind cleared up and then I remembered and I inhaled sharply as the memories before I passed out came rushing into me. My gasp made them feel alerted but all of my thoughts were occupied by that guy so I didn't notice their concerned glances. Cloud that traitor! Did he seriously just drug me and left me there? What the heck was he thinking?!

I was trembling because of anger but that got misinterpreted by the people inside the room as Mother was beside me in record time and holding my hand, clutching my hands as if to comfort me.

"Your Highness, if you're uncomfortable and not ready to talk about it...we can come back tomorrow." Yander said gently as Mother fussed more as she said that her baby was not ready.

I caught on to their panic so I tried my best to quell my anger so I wasn't trembling anymore. I squeezed Mother's hand gently as I tried to get her attention which was successful.

"I'm okay mother. I want to talk about it and know what happened after I passed out." yes I want to know how that bastard left me and what excuse did he use. On second thought, where the heck did he go?

"Are you sure Your Highness?" Ilana asked and I just nodded. She sighed deeply and began explaining.

"Well we don't know how much you remember but when the Military police came in and apprehended the terrorist, everybody was checked for injuries. We were informed by a very frantic Hailey that you were separated from them before she passed out." I looked at Hailey who was looking at the floor guiltily. I really need to treat her to something after this.

"Not a minute later, you were found on the third floor, lying on the floor with a pistol in hand and four guys, two unconscious and the other two were shot in the leg two times." That bastard really made it seem like I fought those guys, which I guess I did.

"Then you were sent to the ambulance and now you're here." Yander said and I was kind of impressed that Cloud pulled this one. Really making it seem like I fought and on the moment of panic, shot two guys and knocked the other two out and then got unconscious because the adrenaline wore out. This guy is smart dang it.

"Now we would like to know what happened during the attack and where you were during that time. If you're comfortable that is." Ilana said and started the recording again.

"Well umm, if I remember correctly, we were on the Fountain near the Tart shop when the gunshots first started. I remember being pushed around but me and Blake stayed there while Cassian was dragged away." at that thought, I remember Cassian.

"Wait where is Cassian? Is he okay?" I asked because I feel like I failed at my duty.

"He was found unconscious near one of the stores. He had a small wound on his arm from being grazed by a bullet but the doctors said he must've passed out of stress or he was knocked over, we still have yet to get his statement. The terrorist must have thought that he was dead because they left them there." Yander supplied the answer. Thank the heavens for that. He must have one hell of a luck for him to get out this chaos with just a graze.

"That's good. Anyways, continuing on, me and Blake decided to hide from the terrorists. We hid in one of the stores. Almost got caught too." I heard Hailey and Mother sucked in a deep breath.

"We got out of that though and then we attacked the two guys that was roaming the area where we were and grabbed the gun." I said and Ilana was also starting to write something on the notepad I didn't knew she had.

"Perhaps, the two guys in the Cafe Port your doing?" Ilana said and I just gave her a tentative smile which made Father look proud in the sidelines. Ilana gave me a small smile as she list that down.

"Then we started heading towards the north wing. We didn't encounter anything on the way but as we stopped on one of the stores, there was suddenly a guy that spotted me and started firing. I avoided it thankfully but then they caught up to me and before I could move he already stepped on my head." at that I can feel the deadly aura coming from them intensify.

"So of course they caught me and recognized me so they handcuffed and blindfolded me and brought me somewhere." I said and they just encouraged me to go on. Remembering what happened, I cringed at the thought of their reaction but I guess I shouldn't omit that info.

"Then those people started kicking me out of nowhere, maybe to gloat that they kicked a royal so I sassed back at them but that only agitated them as they continue to kick me." if I thought the aura was deadly earlier, this time it was murderous. I can feel my usually calm Father vibrate from where he was because of anger.

"What the heck?! They tried to hurt my baby?! Where are those fu*ckers?!" Mother was suddenly livid and Father tried to hold her down but he looks like he was also ready to shoot those guys.

"You see the thing is, I think they're dead." I whispered the last part which made them all freeze. Ilana was looking at me with bewilderment.

"Your Highness, you said you were in the north wing right? Were you perhaps held in the Cartier Jewelry Shop?" Yander asked slowly. I just nodded and he paled a bit.

"Were you the one to...do all that?" he asked and I just remembered that Cloud went crazy in there.

"You see, I was handcuffed and blindfolded but this person suddenly came in and negotiated with them and before I knew it he was shooting at them. It took a few minutes before the shooting stopped but when it did, this person took of my blindfold and helped me." I hear them suck in a deep breath. Ilana was clearly very interested at the mention of a third party as she leaned into my bed further.

"And who was this person?" her hazel eyes light up as those words left her lips.

"I don't exactly know his name nor his face because he was wearing a mask but he helped me escape and was the one to kill those people." he was also the Chief of the Legion of Roses but I feel like I shouldn't add that.

"He was wearing a mask you say? Was it the same mask as the terrorits?" she was now writing away as she began to formulate answers based on the little info that she has.

"No it was a different mask. I don't recognize it though." you know I said, like a liar. I don't know why but I feel like I shouldn't tell them about his existence. It might be because I still have a score to settle with him or maybe because he saved me back there and I'm doing this out of gratitude.

Thankfully Ilana seemed not to notice me lying because her scribbling was lightning fast now.

"And what happened after that?" she asked as the gleam in her eyes never left.

"Well he led me to the Main Square where the others were but couldn't get there on time as someone saw us. He made me run away but got caught anyways and then I don't remember anymore." I know I omitted some details but there was just something holding me back from telling them about what really went down. Ilana slumped back into the seat as I finish, clearly sad that she didn't get more details on the third party. Well I had a lot of relevant information on Cloud but I'm not sharing so I'll just have them believe the lie that Cloud orchestrated for now.

"Well I guess the rest is history. Thank you for your time and statement Your Highness. I'm glad you were able to talk about this to us and we will do our best to bring justice to the people that got killed during this attack." Yander said solemnly as if to honor the lives of innocent people caught on this whole situation.

"Well I hope you heal well Your Highness. Get some rest. We might need to come back for more questions but for now you need to rest, so we will be taking our leave now." Ilana said as she stood up from her seat and put her recorder and notepad back into her jacket.

Mother and Father sent them out as they bowed to them gently and waved me goodbye. Reminiscing the whole thing (and omitting some details) was making my head hurt because it reminded me of a lot of things. The stress, the screams, the gunshots that took away lives, the kicking, the terrorists, and most importantly Cloud. Why did he leave me there and made it look like I fought by myself?

Oh well, I'll think about that later but right now though, I need to rest so I told my parents and Hailey that I wanted to take a small nap and they just fussed and tucked me in as I felt myself feeling sleepy.

I just hope everyone was okay and I get my answers soon as I slept.