Space Between Us

Chapter 2

[Lesley's POV]

I woke up because the sun rays hit my eyes. I was shocked when I saw a different ceiling than I saw yesterday. I know it's a standard ceiling, but I don't understand why the roof of this room is very high and has a design of a royal empire. I just closed my eyes and opened it again to see if I have just mistaken it, but it's still the same every time I opened my eyes.

I breathed deeply while I'm touching my forehead. I'm so stressed because of these mysterious things which kept happening to me. I know that I was in the tiny house yesterday, but now? I don't know where I am right now. I want to know what happened yesterday, but how?

I want to know what happened to me after that night. I woke up in a house that is not familiar to me. I checked my hands if it's still small just like what I saw yesterday, and I'm not mistaken. It's the same as yesterday.

Maybe this is not a dream. I think everything that happened to me yesterday were all true. I don't understand why I need to experience this, but one thing is for sure — I forgot something significant which occured yesterday. I've decided that won't try to remember everything from yesterday, but the more stress I've felt, the more pressure I had to reminisce that important scenario.

I started to closed my eyes and deeply breathed because I can't focus on thinking. While I'm at the cradle, someone opened the door which stolen my attention. I faced the entrance to saw who entered the room. I was shocked when I saw a guy glancing at me with a serious look on his face. I was so nervous because I don't know how to approach him.

He walked toward me and glanced at my face. I don't know if he was happy to see me in this cradle, but I kinda felt his anger to me for some instance. I just arrived here, what did I do to you?

"So, you're the third princess that the emperor brought here?" he said. I'm so confused about what he said, but I know that he talks about the third princess. But how does that happen that I become a princess?

"I know that this is the first time you saw me, and I know that you can't understand this, but you're not welcome in this castle because your a half-blood," he said, "You do not belong to this family. Also, you won't be able to become the queen of this empire because of your blood, and only my sister will be the heir of the throne." I glanced at him and chuckled gradually, even though he said those things to me.

"Tsk, want to impress at me? Not a chance," he seriously exclaimed before he left. I breathed deeply because that moment was horrifying. He could kill me with those glances. But, I couldn't understand why he called me a princess. I knew that I belong to a low-income family, then for some reason, I am here in this beautiful room. What sorcery is this?

"Baby," someone in front of me have spoken. I looked at the door to see who is talking.

"Wow, I know you're a nice kid," she said. I wonder who she is and why she is so sweet to me.

"You know what? You're so brave, little princess," she complimented me, "you know, the guy who entered this room earlier is your brother." I stayed still when she said that information. I think that there is something I need to know, but how am I going to learn something if I can't speak in the first place?

"He is scarier than the second prince," she said, "well, the prince is Lachlar Leonardo, the child of the Emperor and Empress," she explained.

"Murmur murmur" (then, why am I here in the first place?) I said, but she was just smiling at me while giving me the bottle of milk.

"Ah, are you hungry, princess?" she said. She gave me the bottle and forced me to drink the milk.

"Ah, so cute, princess," she gradually said. I force myself to smile at her because of what she have said.

"You know what, Princess, among the children of the emperor, you're the most special one because you possess the ability of the emperor," she said, "Even though you have a commoner's blood on your vein, you are still considered as one of the empire's princesses." I stopped drinking when I heard what she said. I know that the lady yesterday who really cares about me is my mother, but where is she? I want to go back with her.

I started to cry when I remember that lady. I want to see her. I want to be hugged and kissed by her. Every time I remember her, there is a warmth feeling inside my heart even though the moments we have spent together was only a short span of time. I don't know what happened to her. Did she leave me too just like my previous parents did because I am not worthy of love?

"Princess, why are you crying?" she asked.

"Murmur murmur," (I want to see my mother, where is she?)

"Wait, here is your milk," she said, but I refused to drink it.

"Princess, what is your problem?" she asked. Then, there is a loud slam sound which came from the door. I wanted to stop crying, but I couldn't.

"Princess, please drink your milk," she said nervously.

"What's happening here?" someone asked her.

"Emperor Leonard," the maid said while bowing to him.

"What's happening to my daughter? Why is she crying?" his voice sounded like he is someone who should be obeyed or else, you'll be punished.

"Uhm Emperor, I don't know why she's crying," she told him, "I already gave her the milk bottle to calm her, but she refused it."

"Lesley Marionette Artemius," he exclaimed. I was shocked when he called me by that name. But surprisingly, I stopped crying. He walked towards me, then suddenly lifted me. I was looking at him while he carried me. While I was glancing on his face, I suddenly felt hatred and anger, but I don't know why.

"So, you're angry at your father?" he asked. I suddenly smiled at him to change the mood and touched his face to conceal any of those emotions I've shown earlier.

"Why are you changing your mood now?" he asked, "earlier, I saw your bad attitude towards me." But I smiled at him and tapped his face so that he would change the topic.

"Let's go," he said.

"Murmur murmur?" (Where are we going?) I said so he looked at me with a confused face.

"What did she say?" he asked.

"I think the princess wants to play with you, emperor," the maid said.

"Play with me?" he asked with a confusion flashed on his face. I was shocked when he suddenly hugged me.

"If you want to play, I will let you play with your siblings," he told me. I immediately stopped tapping his face when he said those words.

"You're not happy?" he asked, "but you want you to play right? So I will give you a chance to meet your siblings." He immediately walked outside the room while carrying me.

I was shocked when I saw the hallway of this place. I couldn't believe that I would see these things right now because I could only see all of these in a movie, but I never expected that I could take a glance to these luxurious paintings and sculptures in real life.

"I knew you would be amazed at the scenery," he proudly said. I looked at him confusedly because of what he just said.

"What is that look?" he asked, "you looked shocked because I was right about your amazement to the things that you would see? It's fine, don't be scared. After all, you are my daughter. That's why I can feel what you feel. Besides, among the rest of my children, only you will have the chance to be close with me because of our same abilities. So you can't lie to me about what you feel because, as your father, I can feel it as well." He smiled at me then hugged me again.

"I know you're confused because you're here in the castle but let me tell you something, you are my daughter," he said, "the third princess of Artemius family."

"As my daughter, you will do as what I say," he seriously told me. I felt agitated because of his deep serious voice while he was saying those lines.

I breathed deeply and looked at his side to see the whole place. It is so big, but the aura is so sad; it's like something is missing in every part of this place. Maybe because this is an era when all people are serious and greedy about their family's title.

"Lachlar," he spoke. I immediately looked at the back to see who he was calling. I was so shocked when I saw the guy who entered my room earlier.

"Why is she here?" he asked rudely.

"She is your sister after all," he spoke.

"But Dad, that child is only a commoner," he said, "only Leighton is the heir of mom's throne because she is a pure-blood, not like her, a filthy commoner."

"With my blood, so she still part of this family. Respect my decision, Lachlar as my first child, you should know these things," he spoke, "where is your other brothers?" he asked.

"They're in their rooms now, so don't worry about them," he responded.

"Where's Leighton's twin brother?" the emperor asked.

"Lazarus is in Mom's room, and Leighton is in the bathroom preparing for her class at noon," he answered.

"Here, play with your sister," he said, but Lachlar refused to lift me and gave me a bad attitude. What's his problem?

"He's not my sister, Dad. So don't try to convince me to love her; she's nothing to me," he rudely said.

"Then, if you don't want to, let Leighton play with her before she goes to her study," he says,

"Fine, whatever," he rudely spoke. My father just gave him a deep sigh because of what he did.

"Lachlar, try to change your attitude. I'm your father, so don't give me those attitudes because I don't know what will happen next if I you did that one more time. Try to make me mad or you'll lose your titile" he spoke, "you're the next heir of my throne, so don't change my mind in that perspective," he angrily told him. I looked at him and saw the angry aura on his face. He looked at me with a serious face before he put me down.

"Go to the dining area later for our lunch," he spoke, "I'm busy today because of the war in Heart empire, so I need to command our soldiers for the battle," he said before he walked outside the room.

When he left at the room, I felt something eerie behind me.

"You!" Lachlar shouted. I faced him, and I was so shocked when I saw several swords floating in the air which were pointed at me.

"I want to kill you right now because of your blood, yet I can't because that is the emperor's order. But, let me tell you something," he spoke, "in this world, you're not special as I am. The world between you and me has a big difference because I am a prince, and you're only a princess. I am the next heir of the throne while you only make heirs." He bends his knee and looks at me seriously.

"So, I am more dominant than you," he spoke, "only my sister will be the next heir of Artemius throne, not you. Because at the end of the day, only one Princess will be alive, and the rest of you will die." I started to get nervous because of what he said. I don't know if he was spitting thetruth or just a mere nonsense. I know this is my new life, but I guess this life is as miserable as I had before. I want to have a life that is different from my previous life. So, I will do my best to stay alive in this world even though everyone would be a hindrance for me to achieve what I couldn't accomplish before.

"Brother Lachlar," she happily exclaimed. The swords in the air have disappeared right away. He stood up and walked towards her.

"Are you done?" he asked happily.

"Yes, brother Lachlar. Eleonor is good at this," she spoke. Lachlar looked at the maid at once.

"You are about to give birth Eleonor. You need to rest because that is the fourth princess of this empire," he spoke seriously.

"Yes, Prince Lachlar," she genuinely spoke.

"Wow, there is a baby," Leighton happily said, "Brother, put me down; I want to play with her," she asked him. Lachlar glared at me before he put her down.

"Hello, what's your name?" she asked.

"Murmur murmur," (well, as I heard earlier, they call me Lesley Marionette Artemius,) I told her even though she couldn't understand me.

"What a beautiful name Lesley," she spoke. All of us were shock because of what she said. I know it was a 'murmur' tone for them, but how could she understand me?

"Murmur murmur?" (Do you understand me?) I asked. She smiled at me and nodded as a response.

"Yeah, I can understand you because that is my ability," she spoke, "any sounds I hear will be converted into its messages; that's why I can understand you," she happily said. I smiled at her because of the happiness I felt when she understood me.

"Murmur murmur," (I'm so happy that you understand me,) I spoke. Leighton smiled at me because of what I have said.

"I know I'm also happy because I can understand you," she spoke, "you know what my mother said that this ability can be stronger when I turn into eight years old," she whispered.

"Is she the third Princess, Prince Lachlar?" the maid asked him. He nodded at her as his response.

"it's good that Princess Leighton has a playmate," she spoke, "because the first Princess is turning six years old, so she needs to accelerate her learnings; that's why Leighton couldn't play with her anymore because she's only two years old."

"Let's go outside, Eleonor," he rudely said, "Leighton, let's go,"

"No, brother, I will stay here for a while with Lesley," she spoke, "Well, Lesley is my sister, so I need to watch her," she happily said. Lachlar glared at me because of what Leighton said.

"Fine. Do as what you want," he said to Leighton before they walked outside of the room.

"You know what, Lesley," she spoke. I look at her instantly as she speak.

"I like you. I know we can build our bond soon, so I'm looking forward to that day," she spoke.

"Murmur murmur murmur," (Same. I like you too, Leighton. I hope they also want me because it feels like I am not welcome here,) I said to her.

"It's fine; if they don't like you, then let them be," she speaks, "I'm here, so even if they don't want you, I'm here to love you as my sister," she happily said. I smiled at her, and I forced myself to crawl towards her so I could hug her.

"You're so sweet, Lesley," she said while I was hugging her.

"Let's be friends, okay?" she said. I looked at her and smiled, then gave her a nod as my response.