The Game of Time and Crown

Six

I woke up an hour earlier than my alarm and i don't know if it's because I'm nervous or if i just didn't slept at all. But, whatever it is, it's giving me an advantage to prepare an hour early than what i scheduled and that means i can practice my interview first before showering.

I gathered all my papers and stacked them neatly at a white long folder that i brought with me. Before moving to the front of the miror.

I smiled.

"Good morning!" I exclaimed.

But i instantly shook my head.

Too energetic. I am facing a King, not a children outreach.

I tried to relax my voice but it didn't work for me too since i thought it sounded to robotic and formal.

I heaved a sigh.

"What i am gonna do now? I can't even say Good Morning."

I sigh in disappointment but i immediately brushed it off since i can't just be upset and discouraged over it since i have something more important thing to do. I grabbed the folder and started to read and browse each question, very very carefully this time.

I am still nervous about the questions but i don't see any offensive or intrusive questions that could offend someone or could offend me if i was the one being interviewed so i decided to keep all the questions.

Prince Haleel really helped me boost my confidence when he told me that his father mentioned a 'good journalist' to him and he have a hunch that it is me the king is talking about after knowing my questions. I just don't know if by that statement, the King meant that i am a good journalist or a good person but that is my last priority right now.

As long as no one is telling me directly in my face that it is not me that the King is peraining to, im going to use it to remind me to stand up straight and be confident of what i got. It could help me a lot.

I suddenly remembered Prince Haleel's words before we parted.

"Some things are meant to be, no matter how many people find it hard to believe."

I felt sad for him. Though i suddenly felt a strange glimpse of fear that seem to struck me for a while when he said those words, it's not easy losing someone you dearly loved, especially a family member.

"Lucky for him, his brother is still here. I can't dig up my mother's tomb," i bitterly said.

I calmed myself down and focused once again in rehearsing the tone and the words of my questions so I won't stutter or make mistake in pronunciation later on during the interview.

When i looked in the mirror and noticed that it is fifteen minutes to my supposed to be alarm that is suppose to wake me up, i decided to take a cold shower. After that, i am torn between my choice of clothes.

I prepared a powder blue below the knee dress prior to our stay in this hotel but now, i saw my knitted mock neck dress and i don't know which one to pick.

The reason for the blue is that it conveys trust but the white dress just seem to pull me more.

I once studied psychology of colors when i was on summer school and that really helps me a lot today.

I sighed and picked the white one.

"If i am really decided on that one, I wouldn't want the white," i muttered as if trying to reason out with myself.

I tried to relax my breathing and grabbed the folder then walked out of the room. Until i got into the vehicle that will take us to where we will interview the King, my hands were never warm. They are as cold as ice and i even shivered a few times due to the coldness of the aircon and nervousness.

For the whole duration of travel, everyone in the vehicle was busy chatting with each other so i just decided to drift off to a nap until i was woken up by the vehicle stopping in front of a place which seems to be a private resort and garden. It was actually mentioned to us by the lady that this is another place owned by the royal family but i never got the time to even research about what kind of place it is and how it look likes.

A lot of man in black suit, which i deduced i mostly either staffs or one of the security team of the family, are in the area. None of them is at rest or in stop. Everyone is busy checking every corner and patrolling.

The first ten were guided to proceed including me.

I was sixth in the line and as i get closer, i could see the very professional set up of the scene. A lady came up to me and told me that we are only allowed for four questions since there are a lot of us.

I nodded and paid my attention back in the cameras surrounding the current journalist with the King sitting across her with just a coffee table between them. I can't hear what the king is saying but he seems to have flawlessly answer all the questions. The next in line was motioned to wait for the signal to go.

The King then signaled one of the staff that he needs to take a break.

I suddenly felt sad and disappointed because everyone was just as nervous and excited as i was but since it's the king and seems to not in a good shape due to his age, we can't do anything about but just wait for a while.

I was reading something when i suddenly had the urge to look at the king only to find him gone.

"Where did he go?"

As i took a small step back, i bumped into someone.

I immediately shrieked.

Oh how I wish I didn't.

Because it's the King.

"I'm so sorry!" I bowed my head.

"You are so focused you didn't even noticed me walking past you earlier," he said while chuckling.

As i scanned my surroundings, all of the other journalist are looking at us and particularly, at me.

"I-i was just trying to--"

"You don't explain. I'm not asking for an explanation."

I was taken aback. He did not even said it in a harsh tone, it was more of a reminder but I still felt flushed and embarrassed.

"Always be aware of your surroundings." He smiled.

In awe, i just nodded.

The other journalists came back in the line while i was just standing there. The interview was resumed shortly after that and i was just snapped back at reality when it was my turn.

I waited for the man's signal on when i should enter the scene. When i received it, i immediately walked up right and mustered enough strength to smile.

"Good morning," I greeted the king.

He nodded and motioned me to sit.

There was a long bit of pause before i realized that i was suppose to ask my first question as soon as i got to sit.

I panicked and tried to find the one that i marked and thank God it didn't took me eternity to do that.

I asked him the same question that i gave during the selection but since i paraphrased it into a more broad one, i didn't get to remember it.

The king wonderfully answered the question and i immediately asked my second one.

"Do you have any more ambitious projects in line for the country?"

I can't remember anything he said.

Fortunately, i have my recorder with me and i didn't have to jot everything down.

I paused when i saw my third question. I wearily looked at the king.

"Go on."

He looked at me as if he knew what i was going to ask.

"How are you as a father of blood and father of the country?"

There was a long silence. I even heard someone gasped.

And here i thought my questions were not offensive. I should have changed it.

"Father of the country? I believe the country can speak of itself. A father to my children? I think its better if my sons would answer that," he said while laughing uncontrollably.

"A lot of people look up to the princes and i think that is more than enough to prove how they grew up with you."

"A parent will always think they didn't do enough. And that helped me a lot to see how the country is doing, i will always see what we don't have and what i can do about it."

I nodded and the scene was cut.

I don't know if it was because of me or maybe because everyone was tired and there was still two left in the first batch but i had the urge to turn around.

And so i did.

I turned around and faced the king and then bowed. I saw him smile and nod at me before he was interrupted with one of the security coming in to check on him.

I thought i can stay behind while watching the others but I was directed to a car and was told that all the ones who are already done with the interview are heading straight to the hospital, that is when I suddenly remembered that it is also part of our itinerary that we will get our own private scoop of Prince Darius' condition.

"The sleeping Prince," I uttered.

I closed my eyes instinctively and had flashbacks of blurred dreams that i used to have when i was little. I shook it off and decided to just watch the buildings we are passing through.

When we arrived at the hospital, my heart beats so fast that I don't even know if i was nervous or anything. I tried to calm myself down and up until we arrived at the floor where there is only two rooms that is connected to each other where the prince lies.

The floor was full of security and the lady gave a strict reminder.

"You are only allowed for ten minutes. You should never touch anything. You can take pictures but you are prohibited to touch the Prince."

I nervously nodded.

As i head towards the door, i felt my heart race faster than they were before but I was surprisingly calm.

I feel warm.

Out of the blue, i touched my necklace and for some reason the chain broke and it fell down right at my feet. It made a thin noise disturbing the nearby security.

That is how silent the room is.

I've read somewhere that people in coma needs to be talked to daily because they can hear you. I felt a pang of pain in my chest as i look around and saw how quiet the place is.

It's like no one is here.

At first, i thought it was sympathy, but the feeling was different and i can't name it.

I tried to brush it off and masked it as a fear I once had associated with hospitals. My mom died there and father was now in there fighting for his life, so I guess i don't really have the reason to not feel comfortable at any hospital at all.

I made my way in front of a two door entrance to the room that is painted white and faint beige and pressed the knob down.

A cold gush of wind hits my face and i was slightly taken aback. The room smells peppermint and alcohol at the same time.

I swing the door full open and that is when i saw him.

"Darius."

He was so pale. He lied there looking like he's just sleeping.

His thick eyebrows doesn't seem to have move for ages and there are little streaks of beard growing. His lips was so pale but his nose was much more perfect than i am.

Considering I am a girl.

I gently closed the door as if trying not to wake him up and took a small step closer to him.

That is when my knees suddenly wobbled and i lost my balance together with a pang on my head and a series of warm colored flashbacks.

What is happening?