The Forgotten Princess

Being in the palace where I grew up brings back many memories, both good and bad. I may not have the best childhood, but the memories I experienced and the bonds I formed in my childhood are ones that I will not change for anything in this world. Fortunately, many good memories are being formed now that we are in this palace.

We had been in the capital for a week and the twins were making every corner of these palace walls lively. They may have been giving the guards and the maids a hard time with their mischief, but their giggles and laughs makes this place a better place than I remember.

This morning, I am having some nice afternoon tea in the palace garden gazebo while the twins are playing by the garden. The palace maids are running behind them, ensuring that they do not hurt themselves while playing while the twins' guards have their eye out for any happenings that may come.

"I can see that the twins are giving the maids and their guards a run this morning." My mother had just arrived at the gazebo. "I am happy that the palace is lively once again. This place needs younglings once again. You and Regaleon must come often and visit like this with the children."

I giggled remembering my father pushing Richard to marry, not to have a partner and grand duchess but to have grandkids that could fill the palace with laughter once again.

"I will tell Regaleon that, mother." I smiled at her. "I just hope that father does not pressure Richard in marrying just because he wants to have more grandchildren."

"I have already scolded your old man because of that." Mother said. "Richard may not have come from me, but I treat him as a son, and he also calls me mother. That makes me happy he sees me as family."

"How about father's grandchild with Veronica?" I asked curiously. "Don't they visit here often?"

My mother sighed sadly.

"Because of Veronica's constitution right now, your nephew seldom visits here." Mother said. "I just hope that she gets well. Do you have any plans on visiting her?"

"Well… I am still contemplating if I would visit or not." I replied. "I am not sure if my visit would make her constitution much worse than before."

"You have a point." My mother sighed. "Where is Regaleon by the way?" she asked.

"Oh, he is with Richard." I replied. "Richard asked Regaleon to help him with some troubles. That is why he is still here in Alvannia. I heard we cannot go anywhere until the problem has been resolved."

"Is this about the crops that are having pest problems?" Mother asked.

"Yes, it is." I said. "They are worries since it does not look like normal pests that are destroying the crops in the east. And as I have heard, the attack on the crops is slowly spreading to the west. With the ancient beast's problem emerging, they are still on edge with this problem starting as well."

I was taking a sip of my tea when I saw Regaleon and Richard with the members of Alvannia's noble committee walking towards us. It looks like their meeting was done for the day.

"Greetings the moon of the Alyster empire, Empress Alicia." The members of the committee bowed. "Greetings to Empress Mother." They greeted my mother as well. I bowed my head as confirmation of their greeting.

After their greeting, they excused themselves and went their own way.

"I see you had such a long meeting today." I said to Regaleon and Richard. "Why not sit down for a while with us and have some tea."

"It would be a pleasure, sister." Richard said and took a sit beside mother.

"Here, let me pour you some tea." Mother said with a smile.

"Thank you, stepmother." Richard replied with a sweet smile as well.

I am happy to see that the two of them have a harmonious relationship together. Since Richard had always been the only one who treated me as a sibling in this palace before, I am happy he treats my mother with respect.

"It looks like the two of you have had a rough meeting." I said while pouring Regaleon a cup of tea. "Your faces seem very tired."

"Hah…" Regaleon had a long sigh. "We are still at a loss on what kind of pest is destroying the crops in the east. And now, it is starting to spread to the west. If this keeps up, the food that the country of Alvannia would need this winter will start to dwindle and a food shortage will be imminent."

"Not only that, but this problem is also spreading west." Richard added. "If we do not stop these pests from advancing, it will not only hit Alvannia, but Jennovia and parts of Grandcrest as well."

"Is there no indication as to what kind of pest is doing this?" I asked. "I believe it is impossible to not have even a witness to such a large scale of destruction to the crops."

"I also thought so at first." Richard replied. "But when we went and interviewed the farmers, they all tell the same story."

"What story?" I asked curiously.

"All the farmers said the same thing." Regaleon was the one to reply. "That the attack on the crops always happens at night. At first, they will hear strange buzzing sounds from afar. Then they will smell a sweet scent lingering in the air. After that, they will feel sleepy and fall asleep where they stand."

"Is it some sleeping scent or something?" I was sharing my thoughts.

"That was we thought at first." Richard said. "When I sent some people to investigate, they found some kind of powder or dust in the area. They were sent to Anatalia for further research on it. Once done, they will send the result to us."

"If it is Anatalia, I am sure that she will know the composition of the powder you sent." I said.

"Well, we cannot do anything for now until we get back the results of the samples that we sent out." Regaleon uttered. "Let us enjoy this tea first before it gets cold."

"I agree." Richard smiled.

All of us talked about other stuff other than the pest problem while having tea together. When the twins were done playing, they came to the gazebo to eat their snacks and fell asleep after having their fill.

**

That night we ate dinner with mother, father, grandpa, and Richard and had a great time. The twins went to bed after dinner and Regaleon and I were walking by the garden to let down what we ate. The moon was at its quarter phase and the illumination in the garden was the lights in the posts.

Regaleon saw this and made some small light balls to illuminate our path while walking. It made the ambiance much more romantic, with many stars being seen because of the moon's quarter phase.

"It looks like you are quite relaxed in our time here in the palace." Regaleon said. "I thought you would not like to stay for a long time here, given your childhood experience here."

"Not all of my memories here are bad." I said. "Some of them are good ones, like when I met you here first. If I am not mistaken, you spied on me and posed as my personal knight." I smiled at him.

"I believe I have apologized to you about that a couple of times." Regaleon said with an embarrassed look. "At first, it was my mission to infiltrate the Alvannian palace and see if they are really working with the late queen of Jennovia against Grandcrest. But by the passing time, I fell in love with the forgotten princess who I started to know as a brave young girl with a beautiful heart."

"You are using such cheeky words to get you out of trouble." I said jokingly, but I admit his words made me blush.

"I think my words are working just fine." Regaleon must have seen my blushing cheeks while passing one of his illuminating flames.

We walked quite far from the main palace and onto a familiar path. It was a path going to my childhood manor, the one far from the inner palace. This path had many memories in them.

"I believe if we turn here, we will see your old manor." Regaleon said.

We took a turn and there it was, the small palace that I called home in my early years of existence.

"It seems to be still in good condition." I said looking at the outer surroundings.

"I heard that this place has been kept clean and in best condition by Richard." Regaleon said.

"Oh, yes. I remember." I said. "He said he made this as place to stay in when there are guests in the palace."

This manor's location is just right for palace guests to stay in. It was inside the palace but far from the family's living areas.

"Would you like to come inside and look?" Regaleon asked.

"Is it okay?" I asked doubtfully, feeling like I was trespassing.

"I believe there is no where in the whole empire that you are not welcome, my empress." Regaleon said cheekily. "Because if there is, then I will make sure that I will break I open for you." He kissed the back of my hand sweetly.

Regaleon's sweet gestures still make my heartbeat fast until now. It is something I know will last for a lifetime.