Heart desired

//Chapter 15//

This was not how I planned to get to my palace.

After Nave declared that the boy was indeed my brother that I didn't even know about, the guards handcuffed us with Insfi stones and led us through the streets. People were staring, whispering and scowling. I didn't expect any less treatment, but still it was so unfamiliar.

Before I was captured as a torturer, people adored me as their princess. After I was captured, I did not have time to face public before my exile, but I knew the public response was bad. My returning before the deadline and the handcuffs certainly did nothing to improve their opinion either.

In a way, they were a distraction. Even after eight years, the streets, the sky and the buildings looked exactly the same, giving me a strong sense of nostalgia. I remembered going down these roads with Tristan and Cara, always finding something to gossip about, and finding trouble almost everywhere we went. Sometimes Daniel and Warren would join us.

Now Daniel and I were the only ones here. I wondered how he felt. And what about this brother of mine? Why did anybody didn't tell me anything about him? Don't I deserve to know at least something?

I felt so tired and betrayed. If Cara was here, she would say "Suck it up. You're the princess" or something. And Tristan would roll his eyes at my complaints. Warren would want to everybody who made trouble for us. Daniel would be the only one supportive, patting me on the back.

I smiled, sadness tightening my chest. I would give anything to go back to that time.

Cicily and Andrea were Warren's twin sisters. They were fourteen years old when we first met. At fifteen, Elves growth slowed down, which made me still look sixteen or something, which made me and Daniel go to mortal schools.I was glad not being born as an elf. Think of going to the same grade for two years. Well, Daniel and I attended tenth grade for eight years now. Everytime trying different subjects, changing schools every year or every time some trouble had happened.

Okay, enough about schools. Where was I? Right. So, they were twins. Cicily and Andrea were almost inseparable. They woke up, ate, did everything together and finally went together to bed. The only thing changed about them was one liked Daniel and the other one loathed him for it.

Andrea and Daniel thought they were seeing each other in secret, but we all knew it, mostly because of Cicily's grumpy attitude. And it was honestly rare to see her alone, without her other half.

I came back from my little trip to the past because the guard who was holding me pushed me down. My knees hit the ground hard and I had to bite my lip to gasp from pain. We were in front of the palace, tied up and thrown to the ground like criminals. Well, we were criminals, but we came here to negotiate with the king. At this rate, we would die before that.

I looked to my left. Daniel was already looking at me. He tried to give me an assuring smile, but it looked sloppy and awkward from how messed up his hair looked, covering half of his forehead. I smiled a bit and looked at my brother. He was staring at the palace, his eyes boiling with hate. I may have seen it wrong, but I think there was a bit of loneliness there too.

The doors opened and three ministers came out. Lamen, Garran, Obliv. I knew by their names, faces, builds, personalities and weaknesses. Too bad I was out there, exiled. Otherwise I could have had some real fun with them. There expression were funny, like they are seeing some ghosts. I grinned. We were back, before our time was ended. That was not good for them.

My attention completely shifted from them as my father came to the view. I looked directly at him, holding my head high. We stared at each other for a while. Then his attention shifted to my right. I watched his face turn from confusion to recognize, face turning slightly pale.

So that confirms my suspicions of him being my actual brother.

My father looked at me again. "What brought you here, before your exile ends?" He asked. His tone sounded like 'what trouble did you bring me this time?'.

I smiled a little. "I am not here as the Princess of Rawen." I declared. "We are here as peacemakers of Elkelyn."

The ministers' eyes widened. Oh boy, I was enjoying this so much more than I expected.

Obliv spoke first. "How dare you represent our enemy? Have you lost your mind during your exile? What in the world is this? Our own heir had betrayed us!"

I suppressed my laugh. So we really are in a war with Elkelyn. To think I didn't even know about them two weeks ago.

I ignored him completely and looked at my father. "King Renovan, I request a private audience with you."

He stared at me for a long time. He shook his head. "Release them." He said.

"Your Majesty!" Nave said. "They are criminals who broke the rules! We can't just-"

"Are you defying the king's direct orders?" I asked, without even turning my head. "I wonder what that makes you. Perhaps, a criminal?"

A corner of my father's mouth twitched. All the ministers in front of me had expressions of pure hatred except for Garran, whose expression was unreadable. I could not see Nave, since he was behind us.

"What? I'm not-"

"Just shut up and release them, Nave." To my surprise, Garran spoke. I narrowed my eyes at him. Why was he suddenly taking our side? Judging by the other's reactions, they were not expecting him to intervene either.

I felt my cuffs loosen, and I stood up. Daniel and my brother followed me. Nave came infront of us, and spat at Daniel. "If any of you even think about making any trouble- Aah."

He could not finish, because the next second he was on the ground, my food to his throat. "He is my betrothed." I said. "You should have some respect, Nave. You are in the presence of a princess and two princes here. Which means," I withdrew my foot and looked at each of them in the eye. "you are in the presence of royalty."

Silence followed. I saw my father's eyes sparkleded with something like pride. My brother also looked at me like he was seeing me for the first time. Daniel came to my side and gave me his elbow. I took it.

Had this been a game, I was the pray for all this time. I had failed to save my friends, I was exiled, I was kept in the dark for some reason and I was looked down by my own people. I had tolerated it all, obeying every word, trying to find my place here.

But that was not the case, was it? I knew all the ministers pressed my father about every decision he made, and now he looked like he actually aged hundred more years while I was gone. He was alone in this palace. Even though he was the king, his power seemed to be only on the royal seal.

This was what my friends had wanted to end, years ago, when we found out about beaten up elves on the side of the road. Warren had taken us in. They were all sacrificed for standing against the predators.

And I had decided to end that. It began when I joined Warren's Den. It continued when I rescued Daniel from execution. Now I had declared my true self. I did not have to find my place here. This was my birthright. I was never the pray. Their hatred in the eyes, mixed with fear, confirmed everything.

I was the predator, born to hunt them.

And I was pretty sure that I'd enjoy every second of it.