Retrieve the Kingdom

Tripped Vacation

It’s been a month since the incident, today, it’s getting chilly. 

The winter is starting to come in the kingdom. Some snow are already falling, but it was just a small amount. Today was the last day of classes before the break they have been longing for will start. Also, before the large fall of snow will come. 

Few students occupied the outside benches and tables even it has a shed on it. Some decided to take their lunch in the classroom and inside the cafeteria. Phoebe and friends didn’t fear the small snow and the cold it’s spreading throughout the school. 

“Where are you guys going this winter break?” Belle initiated the conversation among them. “My parents said we will take a visit in Mires and just spent the whole winter there. Even though the sea will be useless to be on on winter.” 

“That’s exciting! Just visiting your hometown is great. How about you, Andrei?” She looked at the prince who is just eating his warm soup that melted some small amounts of snow in the table. “I don’t really know. During these winter breaks, I and my family are going to some mountains or something to stay in some cabins. I don’t know this time… Since the castle has been very busy nowadays.” 

“Right.” The only thing Belle said as she knows what he is talking about. She didn’t tried to extend the conversation about that a little longer, just respecting Andrei’s privacy. “How about you, Belle?” Phoebe asks her. “Well, I’ll go back home. I don’t really know what I will do there, let me just surprise myself on the way.” 

“The only thing I am thankful about that the exams are done. I can finally just sleep in my room.” Andrei takes a sip to his soup as the other girl giggles. “Well that was a hard work. And it finally paid off. What do you think the grades we will get?” 

“I just want some decent grades. Since I think I did decently at class.” Belle said as they both look at Andrei. “I am up to whatever it is. My dad speaks the same phrase as always, ‘good’.” 

“Did you do well in class? Since… You have been through a lot of things.” Belle looks at him which sighed, puffing out warm breath against the cold air. “I don’t know… I want to say I don’t care but I can’t. You know, even though all of this. I don’t know why I am still eager to attend my classes. Or to even go to school.” 

“Hey, don’t say that. That’s the only thing you can do to prove your dad that he doesn’t matter to you. I mean, yeah, you have the possibility to be the next archduke, but that doesn’t mean you will be. Since we already know how your dad seem to hate you for something. We just don’t know the future.”

“How did you know that I will not be the archduke?” Both of the girls look at him with shock on their faces, “Is there already a will?” Phoebe asks. “Did the king already decided who will be the next generation of leaders?” Belle continued. 

“No, no. Don’t get the wrong idea. I am just asking Phoebe here how she guarantees that there is a possibility that I will not be the archduke.” They both calm, they thought it was a big revelation from the prince himself. “Well, possibly, you know? It’s just possible, not certain. Do you want me to lecture all of the possibility lesson all over again?”

“Nah, I don’t want more mathematics in lunch. But, I guess you have a point. But I can’t think of what my dad will replace me from.” Phoebe thinks, “I don’t really know… But you know your dad, he has ways to accomplish his plans. And I haven’t have any single doubt that he will neglect you if he only can.” 

“Phoebe, you are not helping with his situation. Stop slapping him with more painful situations.” Belle interfered her as the black-haired girl sighs. “I mean… It can be the truth. You know how their relationship goes, Belle. It’s like a tiger adopted a small kitten.” 

“What if I’m adopted? Maybe that’s why my dad hates me. Because I don’t have his blood. And maybe that’s why he is ashamed of my existence. Because I am adopted, I am just a prince with an unknown origin fitting myself to a wrong kind. Just like you said, a small kitten trying to live with tigers.” 

“Hey… No… That’s not what I meant. I am about who you two have different attitudes. And the danger, the bloodlust, and his anger makes him the tiger. And, you as a small kitten, so precious and kind—” 

“Enough with that poetic stuff. I get it. I am just overthinking. I am thinking of that for a long time and have been considering it a lot these past few months. And with the situation that my dad has been always trying to give me to my uncle Bermin is kind of suspicious.” 

“We don’t really know your dad, Andrei. Even he is dumb sometimes, he is cryptic. He is like a puzzle to solve. I am laughing at myself to say this, but this is the truth. He is mysterious, and have a lot of secrets. Maybe even your mom doesn’t even know what he has been doing.” Phoebe went serious, making the rest a bit uncomfortable. 

“You sounded a little bit… Mature that time. You sounded like a lady in its 30s.” Belle commented, cutting the awkwardness between the three. Phoebe was a little bit nervous. Well, she is technically 34 by this time if she didn’t died. It was a bit weird for her that Belle’s assumption was a bit near on the truth, and it alarmed her a bit. She tried not to overreact to it. 

“I…I… It’s just my observation… He is clean at his job, you know? It’s so hard to catch him on the act, well, we can, but nobody will believe in us or we will be not breathing to even say it out loud.” Belle shivered with Phoebe’s wording, “That made me shiver more than this winter will make me.” 

“Phoebe’s right. I have never encountered some private conversations on my dad to his underlings. I can only encounter some things that he does so loud and so publicly in the throne room. Especially that… I don’t even want to remember that thing. Not at all.” Andrei finished his lunch along with the other girls. 

“Let us not just talk about that. That’s a whole new level. Sometimes, I just wish we will be blind when we look at the body. Sometimes, seeing blood makes me faint. It’s just…” Belle shivers, exaggerating her reaction. “But seriously, let us not talk about anything that contains gore and blood unless necessary. And I don’t even want to come the time where we in need to talk about it, I can’t even think of a scenario when.” 

“We will not, and just hope that it will not be worst as that we need to talk about it in a serious tone, and is a serious business. You know what, let’s just enjoy the winter break.” Phoebe suggested as she grabs her notebook. 

“Do you think it’s the right time to do something this winter? You know…” Belle looks at both of them. Andrei shrug as Phoebe thinks of something. “I don’t really know… I will be away from the archduke this winter break. And… My dad is already getting really sad about me not almost going to Oliver to visit them at weekends. As much as I want to do something, I have some family debt to pay.” 

“It’s fine, Phoebe. Maybe it’s time that we will let something happen. I don’t really like the sound of that, but I guess we really can’t do something for the moment since we really don’t know something. So, I guess we will just behave like little children.” Belle shrugged as they all decide to leave the table. 

“You know, I can update you something from the castle. Dad hired some messenger and mom, thankfully, made dad have my own messenger. Uncle already talk to the messenger about something that I am connected to. I don’t really know how he managed to persuade some people not to ditch to the king about his plans. But, I still don’t know if he will guarantee that the messenger will not betray us, because he is still suspicious and still observing him. As they say, people are unique.” 

“It’s fine, don’t risk yourself. It is pretty suspicious how odds are with your uncle, and I am not trusting fate that the messenger will not betray you. Especially since the king is gaining power more and more in this kingdom and bringing fear to most of the lands. Just enjoy your winter break on your bed.” Phoebe suggested.

“Yeah, and your dad is pretty suspicious about you and your relationship and secrets with us. Knowing that you are sending mail to us when we are afar will raise it and might blackmail that messenger to reading what is the contents of the envelope.” Belle continued, further supporting Phoebe. 

“Alright, alright. But if everything is fine, I will send you guys a letter. You deserve some updates behind the scenes of my dad’s facade on the newspaper. Even the newspaper doesn’t say all of the things he do.” The two girls didn’t have a choice but just to agree. 

Later afternoon, they were given papers that were graded, each subject has among of the grading systems. E for excellent, S for satisfactory, N stands for the need for improvement, and lastly, U for unsatisfactory. The academy requires students to have E and S, most preferably E. Having the bottom two of the ranking is unacceptable in the academy and problems will ensue in the Driessen Academy life of a student. 

It was a great day for the three of them since they didn’t have the bottom two of the grading system. But, Phoebe has one S, Belle has two, and Andrei have several, which he didn’t said to his friends. “Oh, come on! We would not shout it to the whole kingdom how many S’s you got!” Belle insisted and forcing Andrei to say something, even a clue.

“Yeah, I am sure it’s not bad.” Phoebe supported Belle on her Operation Andrei’s S. “It’s just a few okay? Just… Don’t force me… Let me hide it.” Belle whimpered as the other one comforted her. “Alright, it’s fine. But are you sure it’s not alarming at all?” 

“Yeah, it’s fine. Don’t worry, the things happening around didn’t really affected me. Just a little, but don’t you worry, everything is fine.” Andrei explained to them as they just accepted their defeat.

After that, they went to their respective homes and did what they need to do. Phoebe is packing some of the things she needed aside from clothes since she has a lot of those in her home at Oliver.

“Enjoy your vacation, Phoebe. Don’t stress yourself into thinking things. And Dmitri and the other ladies will be safe here. I will start distributing them to their new homes since I already bought some lands and their houses are already done.” Bermin accompanies her on waiting at the lounge for her parents. 

“I am happy to hear that, sir Bermin. How about Dmitri, is it safe for him to go back to his town?” He nods, “Yes, the knights and guards didn’t identify him, and it’s been a month, so I guess they will forget his face. And the scar on his face will change his appearance and look.”

After hearing the cheerful news, Phoebe’s parents arrived to fetch her. She bid goodbye to the archduke and went home to prepare to go to their vacation. A day later, they were already in Mires. It was the day also Phoebe received the first message from Andrei that just shook her. 

“Chaos is starting to emerge in the castle.”