The Lost Princess

  “Princess?”

  Elizabeth’s expression was one of pure confusion. She looked at Maxwell as if she had never heard of such a word. As if the word had no business being put beside her name.

  Maxwell wasn’t buying it. She may be a better liar than her brother but that wasn’t saying much.

  “I’ll ask again, why are you hiding from your kingdom Princess Elizabeth?”

  Once again a look of confusion crept across her face. Did she really think he was that stupid? He could see right through her thin disguise.

  “I’m sorry Maximus, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m no princess.”

  She was trying his patience. “I’ve had enough of you and your brother’s games. I know you are the twin sister of King Midas which makes you the princess of Dulciena.”

  Elizabeth grit her teeth at the mention of King Midas. “That man is no brother of mine.”

  Now he understood.

  “My mistake, there have been attacks all over Dulciena. King Midas claims the attacks were goblins.”

  Maxwell noticed Elizabeth had covered her mouth to hide her laughter.

  “He also claims that his twin sister was kidnapped by the witch of the forest.”

  Elizabeth’s laughter died immediately. “Is that so? I always thought the witch of the forest was a children’s tale.”

  “That’s exactly what he thought until his beloved twin sister was spirited away by that very children’s tale.”

  Elizebeth smiled coolly. She was trying her best to hide the anger that was burning within her but to Maxwell she may as well have been screaming with outrage.

  “Not only that but he says that the witch had stolen her appearance.”

  Elizabeth’s hands were behind her back now, no doubt clasping them so tightly that her knuckles turned white. “What a funny story Maximums, we should really be heading back or Rei will worry.”

  “She’ll be fine, besides I haven’t told you the best part. He said that she was to blame for all these goblin attacks. Yup, all that death and destruction was all thanks to her. You should have seen his poor mother, she couldn’t even stand listening to…”

  “Enough!”

  For a moment Maxwell was surprised to hear Elizabeth raise her voice. She had been so friendly and welcoming, now she seemed like a completely different person.

  “Are you going to answer my question now?”

  Elizabeth’s carefully crafted facade of naivety had been shattered. “Your question? Ah yes, you asked why I was hiding from my kingdom? The answer is quite simple, it’s because I despise my family.”

  “And why is that?”

  Elizabeth was silent for a moment, clearly she’d hope she would never have speak of the family who she despised.

  “You have no idea what it was like Maximus, the torment and cruelty my family is capable of. My father had been the only one who ever cared for me.”

  “Midas told me about your father’s passing.”

  Elizabeth let out the smallest of laughter. 

  “Oh yes, my father’s passing. I’m sure Midas didn’t mention that he was the last person who’d been with our father on the day he passed.”

  “You think Midas had something to do with your father’s death?”

  “My father had been in perfect health, there’s no way he'd just drop dead.”

  “If that’s true then why is Midas sitting on the throne and not in a cell?”

  Elizabeth sighed. “It’s one of reasons I’ve chosen to self exile myself to this forest. An accusation would have led to a battle for the crown. Sides would be taken and battles would be fought until only one of us would be left standing. I suppose he planned it that way.”

  “I don’t suppose you have any evidence to prove Midas was behind your father’s passing?

  “It wouldn’t matter if I did, Midas has all of Dulciena wrapped around his finger.”

  That was something they could agree on.

  “Did any of your family share your suspicion?”

  “Why would they? They all were hoping my father would pass so that Midas would inherit the throne. It wouldn’t surprise me if some of them were in on it.”

  Maxwell was starting to see an angle. 

  “We both know Midas is the real one behind whatever has been attacking Dulciena.”

  “That’s right, you mentioned something about goblins attacks, I suppose that’s another one of Midas’s lies. A rather poor one at that.”

  “What if I were to help you put an end to Midas and the royal family once and for all?”

  Elizabeth laughed. “Surely you jest, Midas is king of Dulciena one of the four biggest kingdoms in all of Arion. My family has ruled this kingdom for hundreds of years.”

  “Does that mean you’re just going to stand by and watch as the people of Dulciena. Your people are slaughtered under Midas’s rule?”

  “Wealth is what is determines a person’s worth in Dulciena. It’s been that way since the very first king sat on the throne. No one, not even you Maximus can change that.”

  “So it’s better to do nothing and just expect what is? You ran from your families cruelty, not everyone in Dulciena has that privilege.”

  “Privilege? I’ve suffered enough, I’ve earned my peace.”

  “I hadn’t noticed it before but I’m beginning to see the resemblance between you and Midas.”

  “I’m nothing like him!”

  “No, you’re worse. I’m offering you the change to stop what he and your family are doing to Dulciena, yet you’re content with that way things are. Midas may have taken your father life but you have just as much of his blood on your hands for not trying to avenge him.”

  “You don’t think I want to?! There hasn’t been a day that hasn’t gone by that I haven’t thought of taking Midas’s life, just as he took our father’s. Too look him in the eyes so that he knows it was I who was his ends.”

  “I think I can help you with that.”