The Elusive Prince

Chapter 3: The Lost Prince of Trost

Merideth

Seeing as I already chose an outfit, and Frida did the same as well, thank the heavens, we decided to go grab a quick lunch before getting ready to go. Trost was relatively close to Wiyelt, only about an hour or so car ride away from our palace if we take a private route only used by high officials and nobles so there really was no rush in getting ready.

I was still carrying a squirming Frida on my hip seeing I wanted to give poor Lira a break and really, I just miss my annoying little sister so I indulge her whenever I come visit.

We entered the kitchen where we grabbed a quick lunch seeing as we are all expected to be ready before 5 PM and seeing as we are royals there are a lot of fancy stuff to take care off and also makeup and stuff. Mom and Dad don’t usually join us for lunch seeing as they were either still in court or in their respective offices taking care of businesses regarding the kingdom. Running a kingdom is very hard especially a major kingdom like ours so we usually just grab lunch for ourselves whenever they can't join.

After eating my lunch and setting Frida free to terrorize on her poor aide, Hailey led me into my room again to take another bath and then sit down for my makeup and hair to be done. A lot of helpers were bustling around my closet as they prepare me for the ball. Since I decided to go with a simple outfit tonight, I requested for my make up to be done the same. Although I made it clear that I want my eyes to pop off so they applied the right shade of eyeshadow and did my eyeliner fabulously.

Hailey was also currently dressing up but she was doing her own make up beside me instead of having 5 people do it for you. I also asked them to put my hair up in a fancy braid that almost made it look like a flower coiling on my head and they studded it with tiny little diamonds around. Finally I got changed into my ball gown and stood at the head to toe full length mirror to evaluate my look.

They did my hair perfectly and I was pretty satisfied with it. My almost greyish hair was looking splendid, especially with the way the little diamonds made it shine. The mascara and eyeshadow they chose also blended well with my outfit and eyes which were very hard to do because of the distinct color of it. My eyes were a shade of teal blue with a hint of emerald green here and there and personally I really like how exotic it looks and it seems a lot of people feel the same way. I looked at my face, gave a twirl one last time and feeling satisfied with the results, I turned to smile and thank the helpers and proceeded to wave them out the room, the same time Hailey emerged from the curtains dressed up too.

“Well well well Your Highness, it seem that you’re attracting a lot of people to invite you on the dancefloor tonight.” She said teasingly as she eyed me from the mirror while also evaluating her outfit.

“Of course, I’m not Merideth Staiys if I didn’t.” I just gave her smirk which she returned as well.

The ride to Trost was rather uneventful but nice at the same time. Currently I am riding the limo, together with my family. With Frida bouncing around in her seat, Hunter scrolling through his phone, and Mom and Dad talking at the side. Hailey, as well as each of our respective aides were in a different car, just behind us, where they are also with the royal guards keeping close guard to the car where the royal family is located at. Even if everything is peaceful now, one can never be too cautious seeing as there was always someone out there planning something bad, so better safe than sorry.

I was also currently scrolling idly through my phone, talking with Hailey and some of our classmates from time to time while travelling. Everyone in the group chat was busy exploding with excitement. We also agreed to not tell one another what our outfits would be and what masks we are wearing seeing as someone made a bet about who could get the least recognized the most at the end of the night. Really, you would think Royals were all prim and proper but really all we are, are dysfunctional teens that just so happens to have titles. I rolled my eyes as they started boasting about who would win their little bet when I felt the car slowly come to a stop. There were currently lines of cars in the entrance of Trost’s castle where people were being ushered inside slowly. I straightened my mask, hoping it wouldn’t reveal too much tonight seeing as I also kind of want to win the bet that our classmates decided to hold. I may not show it but I was competitive.

Slowly but surely, the line of cars eased as more people were being led inside, possibly to the ball room. I’ve been to Trost a lot of times, seeing as they were one of the closest kingdoms from ours and Father just so happens to be very good friends with Trost’s King and commander of Kaia's army, King Philip. We always visit here when we were younger and I always enjoyed it seeing as even though Trost was a military based kingdom and most of the people here were warriors, nonetheless the place was very peaceful and calm unlike Wiyelt that looks more of like a bustling city with the lights never going out. Although Trost was still a busy but relatively a calm kingdom now that wars weren’t really that much of a problem though Trost was still peaceful compared to Wiyelt but not too peaceful like Lirch, which I really like.

As I was looking around the scenery, nothing really changed much since we last visited, it was finally our turn to get ushered inside. Apparently, the invitations were not named so everyone was a mystery. Huh, that was unusual. Usually, they announce which nobles arrive on the entrance to help people know who attended but it seems that this wasn’t the case for now. No matter, it was better this way. After all it was a masquerade party so there’s no point in announcing the names. Also this makes it more fun! Especially for our little bet.

As soon as we got into the main hall, I can see that it was decorated rather simply. The theme was monochrome and fairly simple but it was still stunning. Figured they went with a minimalistic design seeing as this was rushed if anything but it was still was pleasing to the eye so there are no complaints.

Seeing as Mother and Father have to greet people, and possibly King Philip himself, we split up. Lira and Hailey met us halfway through, so we can enjoy the party by ourselves without worrying about Frida roaming about. Well except for Lira whose going to be stuck by Frida all the time.

Me and Hailey decided to grab a drink that was being circled by one of the servers. It was wine and seeing as we were royals and wine was a common beverage in social parties, it doesn’t matter that we’re underage and its not like we’re going to get wasted. Rule number 1 of being a royal teen: Don’t get drunk at social parties.

I began sipping my wine slowly, which by the way was very good, when I saw one person kind of sneaking around on the veranda. I got curious as to why he was being sneaky, so I decided to head outside to see for myself. Who knows maybe it was one of my classmates and I might just win this bet.

However when I went outside, there wasn’t a single person in sight. Weird, they couldn’t come that far away in that short amount of time and there were no passageways around this part which I know of that could possibly lead anywhere but a wall covered with a patch of grass. I looked around one last time before deciding not to waste my time. Maybe I was just imagining things. I shrugged it off and got inside not noticing the pair of eyes following me as I went inside.

Upon entering I noticed that most of the Kings and basically the higher officials, are gathered somewhere, perhaps in a deep conversation like always. King Philip was in the middle of it all, looking grave and serious that I can’t help but think that what they’re talking about might be the reason why he threw this ball. Well whatever, it’s not like I could complain, it was after all a free ball and also free day from school so that’s a bonus too.

Seeing as I went outside, I couldn’t seem to spot where Hailey went off to. Well it’s better this way, seeing as she needs to enjoy herself and I could too. I went around the place, trying to find my classmates and catching some of them for our little bet when I spot the figure from earlier moving around again.

This time with certainty, I follow the shadow to the other side of the ballroom, weaving through the crowd that was bustling around talking to other people. I was about to reach them when one of classmates got into my way making me stop from walking any further. 

“Hey it’s you right Mori? You’re the first one I figured out! I mean you are pretty hard not to recognize! Say can you guess who I am?” interrupted one of my classmates who was wearing a very extravagant design which I can recognize from a mile away as she exclaimed, seeming proud with herself as she figured out who I was.

“Of course, I can recognize that voice and style anywhere Reiss. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go to someone.” I excused myself politely and waved at Reiss as I pass by again but then that distraction caused me to lose sight of that person. Curse it all! I was so close but it seems that fate didn’t want us to meet seeing as this is the second time I lost them. I just scoffed and decided to head back to the main hall where King Philip seems to be already standing on the stage ready to formally start the ball. Huh, they must have finished talking already then.

“Good evening everyone! I am so glad and thankful to everyone who came on such a short notice. I know a lot of you are confused and must be wondering why for did I throw this ball so suddenly but it’s because of a very important announcement that I don’t want to wait for months before making it known and so I decided that this must be done as soon as possible which just so happens to be today.” He announced which made everyone around murmur and whisper about what must be this announcement that was so important for him to hold a ball so suddenly. Everyone was waiting for King Philip to continue telling us what the news is.

“As you all probably know, I don’t have an heir to the throne currently, seeing as I thought my wife died along with our newborn child with her. I have recently only just found out, that before my wife got killed by that gruesome assassination, she made sure to save our child and has ever since been raised by one of the people that found the body of the child left close to them and close to where my wife was killed. It seems that she had hidden our child before those assassins could get to her, to make sure he lived and he did.” Everybody gasped including me, at the sudden revelation. King Philip’s wife, Queen Candice, was kidn*pped and killed by assassins from the enemy kingdom Shriner, after the beef that their leader had with King Philip during one of the border battles years ago. Her death was one of the biggest tragedies to happen in our era that was remembered by everyone that even if I wasn’t born yet at that time, I knew all about it. Queen Candice was pregnant with their first child in such long time of being married to King Philip and right when she gave birth, the assassins came and ended her life. King Philip was devastated when he came home to the news that her wife and newborn baby was killed. Everybody mourned for the loss of such a kind hearted ruler and ever since then, King Philip didn’t have anyone next in line for his throne as stayed loyal to his late wife.

Everybody was murmuring, some few women were wiping their tears gently and some were buzzing with excitement by the news. Because who wouldn’t? King Philip must have been ecstatic when he found out his wife left him something he can remember their love with. I too was smiling at the revelation, happy that I could get to see King Philip a little happy now that his son was alive and he could rest easy now that he has a heir to the throne.

“It is my greatest joy and honor to introduce to you, the proof of Queen Candice’s sacrifice and a memory of my wife, my son, Prince Cassian Strauss, the Crown Prince of Trost!” at the introduction and with the loud claps resounding in the ball room, came out a guy, clad in a simple white suit with gold trims on the edges, wearing a silver mask that had gold encircling the eyelids who walked slowly until he stood next to King Philip. He later took off his mask to reveal his face and by gosh, have I ever seen eyes so pretty and here I thought mine was pretty.

Prince Cassian has unique eyes to say the least and not only because he had heterochromia but also because of the combination of colors, with one eye the same shade of ocean blue as his father and the right eye an even darker gray as his mothers eye. He was scanning through the crowds with grace and nonchalance, you would think he was used to this by now and not just introduced to the royal life probably a week from now. The claps were even more thunderous now as everybody rejoiced the entrance and return of the Lost Prince of Trost.