I am Reborn through Revenge

My first kiss

I turned around.

“Princess Diane!” I said shockingly. I looked at her, her mood seemed off. I knew she would say something weird so I squeezed my face waiting for her to say what she had in mind.

“How did you get in?”

"What? How did I get in? Where exactly?" I asked myself.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean how did you get inside this dining hall?” She asked me. Her face was serious. She looked at me like an angry wolf.

“Am I supposed to answer that question?”

Wait! Was she the one that told the guards not to let me in? Now, I started to fix the puzzle. She was the only one who could try such a bizarre thing. Why didn’t I think about this earlier? Of course, she acts before she thinks.

“I mean. . . I am surprised you are here.” She exhaled a deep breath and chuckled, which seemed like she was faking it.

I knew that was not what she wanted to say. She just wasn’t expecting me.

No!

She just didn’t want to see me.

“You didn’t think I would come?” I licked my lips. “Hmm!” I hummed waiting for her to say something.

“Of course, of course. Everyone wants you to to come.” She gave a half-laugh.

Everyone? Who is everyone?

“Since everyone wants me to come, here I am.” I smiled.

She looked frustrated. She quickly turned around and walked away. She was dangerous, I thought. I have always had my suspicions that she would do something very bad to me one day if she had the chance but I just didn't know when. If Princess Diane had been in the shoes of her mother, she might had ordered for my assassination. Jealousy and anger run through her blood and I could notice that. Once she perceived you as an enemy, then you are in a big mess. Diane isn’t a forgiving type of young girl. Sometimes, I wonder if she inherited wickedness or she just simply learned it on her own, maybe as a result of the poor home training she had while growing up.

I sighed and moved on. I got to the front side of the hall, I looked straight at the high table, and I saw the Queen and Nightwinder sitting comfortably, smiling. Immediately I sighted them, I decided to get close but someone tapped my back.

Was it Diane again? I was pissed off.

“Hi!” echoed a smooth and calm voice, it came like the first winter breeze.

Who might this be? It didn't sound like Diane's voice. I turned, I saw a very pretty damsel, her lustrous gaze at me.

“Hi,” I waved and froze. I didn’t want to add any other words. Not because I didn't want to but because she was too rich and beautiful to behold. At the moment, I was lost of words.

“I guess you are the third Prince. Prince eh?” She asked, opening a set of a snow-white tiny set of teeth. She was trying to remember my name.

Third Prince? Who told her that I was the Third Prince?

“Prince Anon.” I completed, taking a quick look at her dress. On her dyed red hair, she had ornamental hairpins stylishly nipped, holding the designs and strands of her hair perfectly well. Her lemon green gown ran from her bare shoulders to her feet, covering her shoes. Shifting my gaze to the front of the gown. Her brazenly exposed cleavage revealed a lot. It was hard to go unnoticed or resist with the eyes. On her right side, the gown was cut open from her hip to her feet, exposing pure white caramel legs that looked glossy.

“Oh yes, Prince Anon!” she giggled. “The rumour is true then.” She added.

Rumour? Huh? I wasn’t sure of what she meant that the rumours were true. Had someone told her that I was a bad person? Or had someone said to her that I was a banished Prince and I didn't deserve to be called a Prince?

“You heard rumors? What type of rumour if I may ask?” I wanted to be sure.

“Your looks didn’t disappoint my expectations. At first, when I saw you over there with my parents” she gestured her finger to a table. Both a man and woman were sitting there. They seemed like they came from a royal family. Their dressing was majestic. They both had gold rings hanging on their nose. She continued “You went past us. I thought it was a man-woman that just passed. You know what I mean?” she giggled. “You look gorgeously beautiful! No facial hair. Thick black long hair that washed over your shoulders. A perfect pointed nose and two sets of kissable red lips,” she said, smiling mischievously.

To be honest, I was flattered by her compliment. I didn’t expect a pretty lady like her would be so free to pour out her observation of a man like that. But wait, I look beautiful? A man-woman physique? Does it mean I have a girlish structure? Brady never told me this. This boy has killed me, I said within myself. Why did I even blame him?

“You look beautiful too.” I tried to compliment her back. She was just too pretty. Her oil smooth face was spotless. Her skin was radiating with cuteness and her body’s scent was smelling nice. The perfume she applied to her body smelled delicious. I couldn’t find words for it. I was waiting for her to tell me she was a Princess.

“Really? Thank you! Anyway, my name is Princess Vera, I am from Kiran kingdom in the far east. I came with my father who is the king of our kingdom and my mother. We were invited by the Queen.”

“Kiran kingdom? That was a far journey you and your family embarked on.”

“Yeah, it was a long journey. I have never been here before so I was frustrated after the long trip we had. But seeing you now, I think the journey worth it.” She said, smiling. Her teeth glimmered like a star. Her brushy white brows were exceedingly curved at each end. The gold ring on her nose matched the thick gold earrings she was putting on.

“Really?” I laughed.

“I wish we can be friends.” She smiled and leaned very close to me. Very near like she wants to murmur something to me. “I can also be your ally, I know your stories Anon. I can be of help to you only if you can take my hand.” She leaned back and smiled.

I wasn’t expecting her to say that. I underestimated this girl. She wasn’t only beautiful but suspect she was also brilliant and sly.

“Take your hand? I don’t get you.” I said. I wanted her to make herself clear. I didn’t want to put words in her mouth.

“I heard stories about your predicament Prince Anon. I am not just the only daughter of my parents but the only child. I will be taking over from my old father soon. It might even be sooner if he dies quickly. So you see, with my assistance, I can help forge you into a formidable force that can’t be easily defeated. Both of us can achieve something big together.” She smiled, tilting her head to one side.

Wait, did I just hear if her father dies quickly? I was shocked. I looked at this girl again but this time with an inquisitive look. I couldn’t believe that such a beautiful girl could habour such evil thoughts.

“What did you say your name is again?”

“My name is Vera, my Prince.” She lifted her gown and bowed.

“Vera! To be honest, no sane man would refuse to take your hand. But for now, I don’t think I would be needing it. I won’t be needing anyone’s hands until mine is all weak. I am kind of busy now and I will catch you up later. Excuse me.” I left.

She seemed desperate and her type would do anything for power. Everything she said about me is correct, it seemed as if she took a lot of time to study my profile. I needed allies, yes! That was correct but I don’t need wacko desperate knuckleheads. Anyway, she was not a problem, I thought.

I moved to the front. Princess Diane was already there sitting by the left hand of the Queen while Nightwinder was on the right. He had changed to a purple-blue tunic, worn over thick green apparel. It seemed to be made with fur. The Golden sword hanging on his hip looked more like a ceremonial sword than an actual sword for battle. It had so many decorations and royal carvings. It was a special sword meant for the crown Prince. I transferred my gaze to the Queen, she looked vibrant. Her beauty was quite undeniable. She sat elegantly on her seat while nodding her head to the sound of the folk music playing in the hall and flashing her teeth. Her daughter seemed to be doing what she was doing too—smiling and nodding.

“Her Majesty. Happy Birthday to you!” I said to the Queen as I approached her.

“Anon. You came?”

“I did. I can see you are having a great time as well?”

“Of course, as you can see, there are so many people here for my birthday party. Even people I didn’t expect to see. So I am enjoying every bit of it.” She seemed genuinely happy this time. The smile flashing across her face was captivating. But yet, I felt unimpressed.

“That’s wonderful!” I smiled.

Nothing seemed funny. I’m fighting within me to comport myself. Because anytime I came closer to her, I always got a bad feeling. But this evening, it was the worst. I don’t know why I wasn’t happy, inside me was burning. Was it because of something I couldn’t remember or be it because Vera had already spoiled my mood? Yes, she must have helped it or contributed immensely to this mood swing. What she told me earlier hadn’t entirely gone away. It was still hanging somewhere in my heart biting me. Now, I was more focused on what Vera told me. It was nibbling me inside such that it worried me a lot that she knows my predicament. She appeared to know my weakness. I had no concrete ally, yes, that was true. If she knows this much, it means more people already knew about me than I think. And who knows? And it might be the same reason why so many people were looking at me in the dining hall. Does it seem like so many people see me as a weak Prince? Now that I am facing the Queen, I can’t think of any other person. She was the person that caused everything that happened. If there was no Queen, then there wouldn’t be Vera, I thought. I despised her presence, I hated her instantly for even existing. I felt that there was a need to have a plan to get rid of her, but how? It’s a long-distance road which I don’t know exactly how to deal with. If I am lucky to get rid of her, what about Nightwinder? Yes, he would be a very big problem as well. If I would get rid of her, then I would also get rid of him, I thought.

I smiled again.

“Night, you look good. I love your outfit.”I said, maintaining my composure.

“Yes, Anon. It is a duty call for a Crown Prince to always look good. I’m like an identity to the this Palace and you know that there are foreign guests here so I want when they see me, they know what we are made of.” He giggled. He seemed to have said that on purpose.

I am no longer surprised that he was the Crown Prince. I was only surprised whenever I remember that tradition wasn’t followed in bestowing the status on him. The eldest son should have been the Crown Prince. It is only when the eldest son is dead, that is when the second may be crowned.

“Yeah. That’s correct. You are the image of our kingdom.”

I transferred my gave to Diane, she was just staring at me. I ignored her and went to an empty seat beside Nightwinder. It was the only empty seat among the four seats there. I made myself comfortable.

“That chair is not meant for you,” Diane warned. Her voice was harsh and commanding.

I knew she was talking to me, I wanted to ignore her but I just couldn’t. I won’t have her insult me there without saying anything.

“The chair was kept for who if I may ask?

“That’s for Young.”

I didn’t know when I laughed out loudly. I didn’t know if she was foolish or just an immature spoilt brat.

“Well, he is not here. So, in his absence, I will replace him.”

I could sense the frustration in her eyes. I tilted my head and smiled. I made sure she saw me as I flickered my brows.

“I thought you wouldn’t come Anon. If I knew you would be here, I could set you up with someone. There are so many beautiful girls here and I know one of them will be happy to have you as a partner” said the Queen. She laughed loudly.

That evil laugh again?

“Yes, mother. You are correct. Some of these female servants are beautiful too. Maybe he could choose his spec from them” Diane said. She laughed the same way annoying way her mother used to laugh. She was trying to ridicule me again.

I wanted to laugh out loud. Maybe she thought that what she said hurt me but it didn’t. It really got me laughing inside. It only made me realize one thing. Princess Diane's wickedness towards me was a reflection of her mothers'. The only difference was, while her mother was able to control hers, she couldn’t do the same. I have never done anything bad to this girl but yet the hatred she had for me beats my imagination.