CHAPTER 1 PART 2

Chapter 1 pt. 2

“Son,”

I lean closer to him, feeling my eyebrows knit in confusion, "Did you just call me, son? Aren't you too old to be my father?"

He nodded as he let out a chuckle, his eyeglasses glistening as the light from the window reflects on it. "Ah, as straight forward as ever..." He push himself up and I was surprise when someone bolted on his side and fixed his pillow, "There...okay. Take a seat first, will you? Now, how do I start this..." He frown and scratch his head, his thumbs dancing as he began to wriggle his eyebrows, "Oh. Well technically, you are actually my grandson..."

"And, you are my Grandpa? Ha-ha, that's very funny!" I clutch my hand as I erupted, laughing. I momentarily stop laughing to catch my breath and notice that the old man is staring at me. "You are kidding, right?" He shook his head a no as he continue to stare at me.

"But my father...he told me that he's an orphan. He escaped the his town because he is hunted by his dad..." I frown at him and phase, "This is all impossible! How come you didn't look for me? Why did you chose to meet me just now? Not fifteen years ago after the tragedy? Surely you would have heard of it. Why now?" I stare at the man lying down on the bed with machines hooked upon his body. My anger was boiling up that I cannot help but throw word after word at him, not caring that he was a king.

 "We could've been saved. My parents would still be alive if you found us, and my sister…We could've grown together, spend our birthdays together. Maybe then, I wouldn't dawn into a decision that I should just leave her so she can have a good life. She wouldn’t have to endure not eating  three times a day. I wouldn’t have worried about what will happen to me and to her if you only looked for us!”  I rake my hands on my hair and wipe the tears that I didn't know had fallen. "You don't know how it kills me when I ran out of there;  when I chose to not turn back even though my sister calls out to me..."

He grab my arm as he cried out, "My boy! I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I am a selfish man. A very, very selfish man. I should be the one to be blame. Not the accident or the storm. It's I who planted this problem."

"What? What are you saying--I can't-" He look at me and sighed "About thirty years ago, your father was the next heir to the throne. In accordance with the law, I forced him to marry a girl he doesn't want. Right before their wedding, he left. No note, nor trace. I've searched for him and return empty handed. He's a smart lad. You and him are very much alike..." He bowed his head and sigh.

The lines on his face appear deeper than before. It almost made me pity him but knowing about this, my heart hardened.

"I continue to rule, waiting for him to come back but then one night, I received a devastating news that made me howl in anger and guilt." He pulled a tattered newspaper beside him and handed it to me.

Prince Jacob III found!

After ten years of looking for the prince, there's a witness telling us that CINCO MARIA, the ship of the next heir to the throne, was found wrecked not far from the main port of Wales.

Unfortunately, the prince and his wife, Joanna Rosabelle Jacques, were found dead on the wrecked ship. Though their children, named Lucas James Hansel and Mikaela Jane Hansel is assumed to have survived...

Continued search and rescue for the orphaned heirs' is done by the royal guards. Various agents are hired and sent globally for the search.

The said heir, LUCAS JAMES HANSEL is needed immediately in the castle due to the feeble condition of the king.

"I've sent agents and guards to look for you and your sister after the happening. But then no one found you until last year, when Argus came barging inside my room, kneeling beside my bed to announce that you are found. I didn't recognize that it's actually you.." He gave me a smile but I cannot help it but gaze down only to reread the paper on my hand. "What can I say? I haven't seen you in real life. I don't have any current pictures to show to the media besides a picture of you when you were five. And Ela, your sister...I heard she's already married and had a boy of her own. I didn't even get to witness her wedding or even give her my blessing..." He pursed his lips and stared at me.

"I've waited for so long, my boy. My time, I know, is coming and 'tis almost done. As what is stated on the law, I'll have to leave you all of my properties, my position, right at this very moment. Here sign this..." His servant rose from his side and provide a couple of papers, handling it to me with a pen.

"But I just met you like, five minutes ago?" I push the papers off and stood from my seat. "I don't even know if you are telling the truth. How can you be so sure that I am the one you are looking for? I mean it's been one and a half decade! That boy in that picture is gone. I'm not the same boy, okay?" I lean down on his ear and whispered, "I'm happy to live  my life. I don't want any complication ruining my career. I hope you understand but this is a lot for me to take in. You can't just go around telling someone that he's your grandson and the heir to your throne. We're talking about a whole kingdom, not just some bet on who will win on a football game..." I straighten up and look at him, "You're just so unbelievable! How can you entrust your whole kingdom to some random guy?"

"You are not random!" He rumbled, his voice vibrating inside the four walls of his room as he huff and puff. "You are my grandson! I know it from the very first moment I saw you here." He stated waving his hands in front of him as he struggled to explain. "That birthmark on your left hand shows it all..."

I glance down at my hand, a bruise-like pigment stood clear on the side of my hand, although I tried to cover it with a tattoo, it is still there.

"How'd you know this?" I glared at him. He is really testing my temper.

"I have the same one..." He shows his hand and look at me, "It's our family's mark. Anyone who has it, is the next heir to the throne. The next king that is destined to lead my people will be the only one who would bear this mark." He pointed down on my mark and made me look at him by pulling me down, "Son, I have lost your father, I cannot bear to lose you too."

I pulled away and shook my head, "No. You just want me because I'm your only heir. That's the only thing important to you, your power and wealth staying within your castle. I-"

"Stop." He raised his hand and stared hard at my eyes, "My time is running out and so is yours. I need you to sign this so that everything will be in good hands when the time comes. Trust me, son, you need to do this. "

I look down at the papers as he pleaded; pure white stacks of documents placed between me and the man who claims himself as my grandfather.

I took a deep breath and weight the possible outcome of the situation at hand, my argument be on the losing or the winning side.

I know there will be nothing for me to lose yet there will be much to gain. Considering me as a royalty is a great boost on my ego but letting go of my simplicity is an insult to my personality.

My principle is just to live life the way it was given to me. I don't strive for greatness nor power and wealth. But now? I'm appointed to be the next heir and rule a whole kingdom, much to my distress.

I frown and look at the desperate king, his pale blue eyes pleading behind those eyeglasses as he took each breath that his lungs can't simply take with just one pump, lips pursed, locked jaw, perked nose and the way he leans on the bed like a knight ready to fight. He really look like an honorable king even when he was feeble; it's in his blood.

And also my blood.

I stared down at the paper once again, my hands moving on their own accord as they grip the pen tightly, scribbling my name in every end of the page.

"Is this all?" I ask after finishing all the pages.

"Yes, son." He gave me a grin before nodding at his servant who scurried off with the papers on his hand. I was about to go out of his room and back to the hallway when he called out.

"Wait...we are not finish yet.”

I stared back at him as he struggle to breath evenly, "Did you read the agreement on the last page?"

"Do you mean the one that requires me to leave my small company?

"Yes, and the other-"

"The training and rehearsals for the--royal ball?" Oh, who the heck calls such party a royal ball?

Royal...

"Indeed, it's very much needed for the other thing, my boy..." his eyes shone with mirth and excitement as he gestured his hand, urging me to go further.

"The maids? The cook? The suite? Visitors?"

"No...the other thing!" I just look at him with one eyebrow raised. Is this man a psycho? Maybe some kind of lunatic? Is he trying to play tricks on me? Even though he's a royalty, he needs medical attention real quick.

"What thing?” I exclaimed, looking at him, annoyed.

"The marriage!" He cried in excitement as he clasp his hands together. "The happening on which you'll be tied down."

Tied down?

TIED DOWN!

"Marriage? Marriage! You're kidding me, right? First, is a kingdom and now, a bride?" I just laughed at him with tears trying to escape my eyes with so much force I've exerted not only on my stomach but also on my face.

"You. Are. Crazy!"

"I'm not. It's on the law, son and it's on the agreement you just signed. You cannot back off nor could you just ignore this. You need to find me a bride as soon as possible--"

"But how do I do that?" He look at me with his brows raised and a knowing smirk on his lips.

"You'll have to be with someone; have a girlfriend, introduce her to me but seeing that you're single, " He purse his lips and pointed his gaze at me, "We'll need to have the royal ball, which is next--"

"The royal ball?"

"Yep, the royal ball. All of the royal maidens around the world will be invited. Heiress to throne, princesses and such; every single women with a rank that is still single will be here at the ninth day of March in accordance to your twenty-ninth birthday." He smiled as he pat his other hand with his left one.

"But if I didn't find someone--" I purse my lips and began biting the insides of my cheeks.

"Simple. You'll be stripped out of your title, then your possession, and this family and last...you'll be killed, secretly." He look down on his hands as I back off, turning around to walk out the door and to the hall.

Thinking about how I can find myself a bride, I took my phone out of my pocket, calling that particular person who could help me find one.

"Hello, Elle?"

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