Chapter 185
The search for prince Mano was finally stopped in favor of searching for the baby princesses.
Princess Anse and princess Phoebe were never seen without ten guards and a few hunter toddlers.
The girls grew up into beautiful young ladies while the hunter kids that they were forced to be playmates with grew up alongside them. Even though they all trained together every second day the hunter kids training consisted of double the load more than the princesses. The hunter kids were reminded on a daily basis that their sole purpose in life is to protect Anse. Phoebe and Anse were best friends but as they grew older Phoebe could not help but wonder what made Anse more special than her.
Queen Lana explained to Phoebe that her mother died giving birth to her, unlike the humans that were killed by an evil vampire. Thirteen-year-old Phoebe was left with more questions, especially after she got showed a painting of all the royal brothers sitting with their wives. ‘Why is my skin so dark and my hair so dark if my father was so fair? Did I get nothing of him?’ she asked herself one day staring at the painting.
While Phoebe searched for answers, she found herself in the vampire wing and trust ing Thorvald to tell her the truth.
“How do I know you are not lying?” Phoebe questioned after king Thorvald told her that he has her actual father locked up in the dungeons.
“Meet me tonight after the sun goes down and I will take you to see your real father,” King Thorvald grinned.
“This better not be a trick,” she said before leaving, wondering if the vampire king was telling the truth, ‘Was my mother really executed?’
“Keep it our little secret,” King Thorvald told her.
“Of course,” Phoebe said. The day was too long to wait for answers, so Phoebe went to queen Lana shortly after lunch.
“Grandma, is it true that you executed my mother?” Phoebe asked.
“Who on earth gave you that idea,” Queen Lana asks, choking on air.
“I know my real father is locked up in the dungeons,” Phoebe continued.
“What on earth are you talking about?” Queen Lana asked, standing up from her day chair and walking over to Phoebe.
“Prince Ra. It does explain why I don’t look like Anse. Her mother was Egyptian as well, yet she looks more like you, where I look nothing like you or prince Mano,” Phoebe continued.
“Who told you prince Ra is in the dungeons?” Queen Lana asked as it was the first time, she was made aware of it.
“It is a secret, I was not supposed to tell you,” Phoebe said.
“Very well then, let us go to the dungeons,” Queen Lana said, holding out her hand to Phoebe.
On the way to the dungeons, queen Lana told her the truth, that orince Ra was indeed her father but lied about the fact that she killed her mother.
Prince Ra had aged by 10 years as both he and princess Freda was not allowed to shift. Because they are hybrids, they were also not given blood and had to eat the food that was given to the rest of the prisoners.
Queen Lana was shocked to see prince Ra behind bars, “Why was I not made aware about this?”
“We were told that it was the council’s decision,” Prince Ra explained, feeling hopeful.
“We?” Queen Lana questioned.
Prince Ra pointed at princess Freda that was a few cells from him, “Princess Freda.” They have mind-linked each other but have not seen each other for the past 10 years.
Queen Lana walked over to the cell that he was pointing at. ‘Why will royals be locked up when we are in short supply?’ she asked herself, looking at princess Freda, no longer the young beauty that stood in court in front of the council saving Shysie's neck.
“Why are you here and who put you here?” Queen Lana demanded.
Phoebe looked at Prince Ra. “Is she one of your grandchildren?” Prince Ra asked, thinking the girl looks very much like Panya.
“She is your daughter, and Panya’s,” Queen Lana said.
“I heard princess Panya got executed. You broke your promise,” Prince Ra said, holding out his hand to his daughter.
‘So, the vampire king is telling the truth?’ Phoebe thought to herself.
“Daughter, come, let me see you,” Prince Ra, asked her to come closer.
Phoebe looked at queen Lana, unsure of herself.
“Panya died giving birth and as you can see, we have kept our promise by taking care of your daughter,” Queen Lana said, signaling Phoebe that it was ok to take her father’s hand.
“We have been locked up here for the past decade. I have told king Thorvald that I was,” Prince Ra started but princess Freda's mind link interruptee him, ‘Don’t, they will kill us if they know what we are.’
Prince Ra continued, ignoring princess Freda's pleading in his head, “King Thorvald is a, a,” but he can’t say the words as an enchantress spelled him to never speak it.
“I am guilty as charged but princess Freda is innocent. I turned myself into a hybrid, but she did nothing wrong. Think about it, she could have had several royal lycan babies running around by now,” Prince Ra pleaded, letting go of Phoebe’s hand.
‘He does not even care about me,’ Phoebe thought, tears building up in her eyes.
“I will get to the bottom of this. Come, dear,” Queen Lana said.
“Daughter, stay away from the bampire king!” Prince Ra shouted after them.
Phoebe went to her room, upset at the news and meeting her real father that was behind bars, ‘Why?’ she asked herself.
Queen Lana called a meeting with king Thorvald to get to the bottom of everything but more importantly to arrange a marriage between princess Freda and prince Deacon. ‘It is time my sons take wives again, especially Deacon as his line is the most important for the future of our royal bloodline,’ she thought to herself.
Queen Lana was let into the vampire wing after waiting a short while.
“Good morning or is it afternoon?” King Thorvald asked, sitting casually on his throne.
“Afternoon,” Queen Lana said.
“I take it princess Phoebe could not keep a secret?” King Thorvald asked.
“You told her on purpose so why is there a royal couple locked up in the dungeons for a decade without the council knowing about it?” Queen Lana inquired.
“I didn’t want to worry you with vampire business when you all are so busy searching for your lost princesses and your beloved son prince Mano,” King Thorvald lied.
“So why make it known now?” Queen Lana asked.
“The girl had many questions and how was I to know that she does not know the truth?” King Thorvald asked.
“I have convinced her that her mother died giving birth to her and I would like to keep it that way,” Queen Lana said with a firm tone.
“Sure,” King Thorvald said, smiling, noticing Phoebe lurking at the door.
‘They have lied to me all this time. Why?’ Phoebe wondered, fighting the tears that begged to run down her face.
“Why have you kept the girl? Why did you not send her back to her father?” King Thorvald asked, knowing Eavesdropping Phoebe wanted to ask.
“She has royal blood with lycan genes, of course, I am keeping her. Bringing her up under my roof with our customs will make her the perfect wife for future offspring,” Queen Lana explained.
‘Is that all I am to her? To them?’ Phoebe thought as she started to walk off and then into a sprint and soon enough, she speeded off. ‘What on earth?’ She wondered when she realized that she was as fast as a vampire. ‘The sun is still shining,’ she told herself, coming to a halt, looking at her hands, wondering why she was not burning.
‘My father said he only became a hybrid a decade ago. Is he laying? Maybe not. Maybe my mother?’ Princess Phoebe wondered as she sped back to the castle. ‘Why have none of the hunter kids reacted to me? Mmm, maybe I am not a vampire? Perhaps something totally different? Who can I ask? King Thorvald? No, I will ask my father,’ Phoebe decided before speeding off but stopped near the castle as she does not want anyone to know about her little secret just yet.
“Hi, where have you been?” Princess Anse asked when princess Phoebe walked into the sunroom.
“Just walking about,” Princess Phoebe said not stopping. ‘What is that smell?’ She wondered where it was coming from.
“Wait up, I have a secret to tell you,” Princess Anse declared.
“Can it wait? I feel kind of tired,” Princess Phoebe said, realizing that what she was smelling princess Anse, and that she must have started her periods.
“I started my periods,” Princess Anse blurted out.
“Good for you,” Princess Phoebe said, trying to get away. ‘I am attracted by blood so does that mean I am a vampire? Ew, I am attracted to the cent of period blood, gross,’ Princess Phoebe thought to herself as she totally grossed herself out.
“Good for you? Is that all?” Princess Anse asked.
“I am happy for you. When is the next full moon?” Princess Phoebe asked, trying to be excited with her friend as she will shift for the first time with the next full moon.
“Only next month,” Princess Anse said.
“We should have a little party, just the two of us before the next full moon,” Princess Phoebe suggested.
“Where are you going?” Princess Anse asked.
Princess Phoebe looked at the faces around them; the hunter kids, some younger and a few older by a year or two and then there are princess Anse’s ten guards.
“I am so absent-minded, I was on my way to my room,” Princess Phoebe said, turning away from her path to the dungeons.
