Rebirth (A Remington Leith AU)

Chapter 1

Lulu's POV:

How in God's name did I end up here? What had I done to receive such an epiphany that seems to make me feel like it was meant to bring more misfortune than joy? The last thing I remember before any of this happened was me and my mother just taking care of our house in the woods where I have lived my entire life when we heard an unusual knock at the front door. Then as I went to open it, I was met with a group of men in fancy, protective attire who seemed like they belonged to royalty. I was greatly confused when they took one look at my face and called me by a name that I had never heard of before. Although I tried to argue that I wasnt who they claimed me to look like, my mother told me it was best if we didn't fight back to keep ourselves safe. The next thing I know, we're being whisked away from our home into the kingdom I've never been to and inside a large, elegant castle that I could only remember my mother describing in fairy tales she would tell to me as a child.

Now I'm standing here in this strange and unfamiliar place where the amount of space and sight of luxurious decorations was almost suffocating to someone like me who's been accustomed to a simple and small environment. My mother stood close to me and kept holding my hand securely in hers as we stood across the king himself, or who turned out to be, my father. "But this doesn't make any sense...", I exclaimed as I looked between both of them, "Mother, you told me my father had died when I was only an infant and that he was a farmer. Why would you lie about him? Or did you ever mean to let me know about my father or this twin sister I have who happens to be the royal princess?" My mother tried to answer, but she didn't seem to find the right words to say. "Come", the king said, "We can discuss this in a more private room." He dismissed his guards before he motioned for me and my mother to follow him up the steps to a higher place.

The interior of this place still baffled me as I never knew such pretty and shiny things would be enough to dazzle pretty much anybody who steps into a castle like this one. I also never imagined such bright and vibrant colors existed when I've been used to such drab colors like gray, brown, and green since the blue sky was usually covered by clouds. My mother told me it was wrong to covet things we don't have, but I wondered for a moment what it might feel to have all this to myself for I've known myself to have an affinity for beautiful things and places. The king led us to what appeared to be his office and we each took a seat in a chair and he walked over to his chair to sit and rest on his desk. He took a deep breath before he began to answer the questions that have already been asked including ones that haven't been asked yet.

"When I was barely a young prince about to be engaged to my late queen, I was already close to your mother who used to work here as a maid to my mother and father. We loved each other very much and never regretted a single second we were together. Things took a turn for us when your mother was pregnant with our children, but unfortunately, my fiancée found our about us and threatened to call off our wedding and have your mother killed if I don't send her away. Though I was heartbroken, I agreed to the terms for your mother's safety, but then we were forced to give up our child for my betrothed to claim as her own and make sure I never step out of line again. She never found out - even after her passing - that we ended up carrying twin girls and I let your mother keep you so she'd keep a part of me with her even if we could never see each other again. I loved you and Lillian since the moment you two were born, but wished things could've been different for all of us."

It took me more than a few minutes to process everything that had been told to me and even then, I was still in shock that a part of me had royal blood and I had a sister I never knew about. "I still don't understand", I stated as I turned to my mother who looked saddened, "In the twenty years you've raised me and took care of me, you told me honesty is most important in a relationship. So why didn't you ever tell me about a father who's still alive or an entire sister I never knew existed. Were you afraid I might leave or something?"

My mother shook her head as she explained to me, "No, Lulu, dear. It wasn't that. I loved your father very much and it brought much heartache to leave him, possibly, forever. But I cared enough to let him maintain his status in his role as the ruler of this kingdom. And once I brought you home with me, I felt that it would be enough to have something made from true love stay with me and I would be happy and content. And I mean it, sweet Lulu, you've made me so happy and content that I never wanted anything more in this world as long as I had you in my life to love and cherish."

She held my face in her hands as she spoke words that were supposed to help make me feel better, but one thing I could still feel was betrayal and I wished I couldn't knowing my mother never meant to hurt me. After I accepted her hug which helped a bit, I turned to the king - or rather, my father - to ask one more question, "I'm sure you loved my sister and I'm terribly sorry she's gone missing. I hope she's okay somehow. But I must ask...why didn't you just escape with my mother and kept us all together?" My father sighed sadly to that question and then told me, "No one ever wishes to abandon their role in royalty, but because of that, whoever does that is disgraced immediately. I had my parents to think about who were fair rulers of the kingdom and all I wanted was to set a good example. I deeply apologize you had to find out this way."

I nodded, slightly understanding where my father was coming from, and was happy to know I got to stay with one parent figure instead of all alone. I only hoped my sister was able to be privileged with the amount of love I've felt for as long as I could remember. "On that note", my father started to say, and I had a feeling I would not like what he would have to say next, "Now that you're here, I'm very sorry to say I will need you especially at a very unfortunate time." I wasn't sure what was it he would ask, but I think my mother could feel what I was feeling and took my hand in hers immediately as I braced myself for the words about to escape my father's lips. But nothing - not even my mother's comfort and support - could prepare for the words that world change my life forever...

"I need you to take your sister's place as the princess of Apollonia and marry Prince Remington of Catharsis so our kingdoms could unite and protect and provide for its citizens. If you don't, everything will go to chaos and I'll be disgraced for being unable to keep my promise to Apollonia, Catharsis and everybody around."