The Stolen Princess

I arrive home just before the sun has fully set. I shake as much dirt off of my dress as I can, but some of it I would not be able to hide at all.

I enter the house. It's quiet. It seems like the choir is done. I sneak in and peek into the dining room where Mom sits with her palm on her head. I walk towards to stairs with a light foot, hoping she won't notice, but it was for naught.

"Meg," she calls out. "Where have you been?"

"Around." I try to continue walking but she spots my dress.

"You're bleeding!"

"I just misstepped and fell over."

"Come over here."

I reluctantly walk towards her. She inspects my body but couldn't find any bruises.

"I'm fine! I barely got a scrape."

"Where-"

"Where's Dad?" I stop her from asking more about my incident as it would be harder to conceal further.

"Out there. Maybe. Who cares about that idiot," she sighs. She tries to wipe the blood on my dress but she knows she will need to wash it to get it off. "Are you hungry?"

"Sure," I take a seat at the table as she gets up to make me something.

We stay in a tense silence while she cooks. I knew I shouldn't have brought up Dad, but I had no choice. The questions in my head are still overwhelming.

"I heard a story," I break the noise of oil crackling in the pan. "About the Wellenteins."

"What about them? Please don't tell me you went uptown."

"No, I didn't. I just heard that... one of them was stolen."

"Stolen?"

"Like a family member. One of their daughters. Have you heard of anything like that?"

Mom glances at me. "Are you talking about Miriam Wellentein?"

"I think it's something like that," pretending I don't completely recognize the name.

"It's from a long time ago."

"So it's real? She was stolen?"

"More like she was charmed. Whether it was her own choice or she was forced, the fact is that she abandoned her status and chose to live in the slums," referring to the other side of the river. "It was the biggest news at the time and a great disgrace to the Wellenteins. They tried to shut down anything that covered that story."

I sit and listen while I have her in a chatty mood.

"I don't know much about the man. I heard he's the worst of their kind. He likely plotted this for money and Miriam was the easiest catch. She has always been sickly and fragile. Who knows where she is now?"

"No one knows her whereabouts?"

"We know her body is not on our side of the city, at least. Whether she's alive or dead, no one knows. No one cares, either. The Wellenteins always denied that she ever existed to protect their reputation. So don't go around uttering her name. Lest people from uptown take you in for questioning. And stay away from whoever told you that story."

That last part I might obey. I don't think I will get along with those three kids, anyway.

"The Yamatos and their firstborn as well. These children of nobles are seriously spoiled. They think that they will still live a happy life even after giving up their status."

"Maybe they weren't living a happy life as nobles?" I offer a thought.

"Maybe. But what do they gain by losing everything? There is already nothing they can't have. If they are still unhappy with that, then nothing ever will."

I tend to agree. Money may not make us happy, but it gets us over our problems. Those people who don't have to worry about money don't have to worry about anything. If our family did not have to worry about anything, Mom and Dad wouldn't be arguing so much just to keep us afloat. I'm growing very curious as to why Miriam would turn her back from nobility. Oriana could be living a comfortable life right now.

"What's wrong?" Mom places a full plate in front of me. "Is that story bothering you so much?"

"No. I was just thinking why she would do something like that."

"Because she was stupid. Naive. And didn't realize what she was giving up until she lost it."

That could very well be it.

"So don't be like that. Recognize the things you are blessed to have. And be thankful for them."

I pull the plate closer. "Thank you for this food, Mom."

She smiles. "Wash yourself after you're done eating. You completely soiled that dress."

"I will."