The crown is a rather cruel concept. Where it inspires, it invokes tyranny; Where it threatens the faint-hearted, it empowers the conniving. Perhaps, that is why to Sophie Ruewen, it is deserving of being all the more condescending...
______________...
He could almost feel Ro's impatience bubbling through as she firmly stated, "Your Highness, as charming as this charade may be, I must remind you that we are on a tight schedule. And the Queen does not like to be kept waiting, especially by us, Cressidans – I suspect no one knows better than you."
Keefe experienced a sharp intake of breath and tried to join the pieces together.
Apparently, this was no prank.
Apparently, he had landed himself in some sort of an alternate reality (is that even something to consider?) where Ro's formality and diplomacy - as scary as they were – suggested him to be some sort of royalty, or rather a prince he had heard her say.
He cursed himself. Keefe should have just played along and not aroused any sort of suspicion. The last thing he knew, he could be called insane.
Or, even an impostor.
Whatever was going on, Keefe needed to plunge right into it. He had to act wisely. He had to –
Play along.
"Sorry, I don't know what got into me. Some err- nightmare, yes!" He cringed at how unconvincing that sounded.
"Of course, whenever you are ready now," Ro sighed, showing she did not entirely buy the nonsense.
"Pardon me for a minute, will you?" Keefe tried channeling his father's stuffy behavior – anything to make amends.
He shut the large doors and left Ro standing out.
Whoever this Queen was, sounded like she could tear off a limb for every minute Keefe kept her waiting.
Wait; if he was the prince, then could the Queen be his 'Mother Dearest'?
He grew more and more frantic as more theories started being raked through his mind. There was no time for it, though. Ro was waiting, and so was this Queen.
Without any choice left, he urged himself to the wardrobe and looked for a good change of clothes.
Keefe cuffed the sleeves of his silk shirt and straightened the hems with his hands. After examining himself in the mirror, he let out a hopeless huff.
"Might as well look presentable..." Keefe mumbled as he reopened the doors of his room.
Ro was right where he left her, straining to hold onto the last threads of her patience.
In fact, if Keefe was keeping it real, she looked downright murderous. With her dark eyes narrowed and her face running taut, Keefe could see how much this Ro prioritized punctuality.
"Well then, shall we leave, Your Highness?" Ro ejaculated, as she mustered a fake smile.
Before Keefe could respond, however, a figure scurried from the end of the hallway and towards them. Keefe could discern a girl clad in a plain white gown, her raven black hair twisted into a braid. Sweat adorned her forehead that gleamed – but not brighter than the prominent streaks of silver in her hair.
Prominent streaks of silver in black hair.
Silver bangs.
Linh?
When she looked up to face Keefe and Ro, her usually sweet expression was replaced by a blank slate of emotions.
"Yes?" inquired Ro.
Linh dipped into a curtsy, and said, "Lady Romhilda, Her Majesty has sent me to retrieve His Highness, Prince Keefe. She also demanded to know what the delay was about."
Ro shook her head disdainfully and Keefe could almost feel Ro's anxiety at displeasing the Queen. Suddenly Ro's eyes met Keefe's. She gave some sort of a gesture. Keefe obviously did not understand whatever it was supposed to mean.
The silence stretched and crickets chirping could have added the cherry on top – Keefe indulged in a silent prayer, hoping Ro would take the reins from here.
And thank the heavens, she did!
"We apologize for the delay. Please let Her Majesty know that Prince Keefe was not feeling well and that he will be joining her shortly. Thank you."
Linh allowed herself a mild nod and scurried back into the maze-like hallways, just like she had made her entrance.
THIS WORLD WAS MESSED UP – ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL!
"That was the Queen's handmaiden. Sending her to fetch us would mean that she is very livid. I suggest we depart, immediately," Ro's frightened voice (he never thought such a phrase could come into existence) rang in his ears.
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Hello again! As you can see, poor Keefe is still trying to adjust to the 'getting-dumped-into-another-dimension' scenario! I just hope he knows how to act well (of course he does, he's Keefe!), 'cause with what's ahead, he would have to!
