The Other Renaldi

00 - Prologue

"Has anyone seen Lia?" Clarisse spoke to her servants as she walked around the castle. Clarisse has decided that she must visit her oldest grandchild, Amelia as her husband has been dead for quite some time now and her youngest son was supposed to take the throne, but sadly had passed away in a crash accident. And since Clarisse married into the family, she is not able to take the throne, but Mia is by her royal blood she is able to.

"Your Majesty, I believe that Princess Delilah is in the garden with one of those children from the local orphanage" Joseph, head of security and longtime companion of the queen spoke up as he rounded the corner and Clarisse nodded, she let out a breath of relief.

Clarisse has been the Queen of Genovia since she was in an arranged marriage with her then husband, King Rupert. When he passed away, her son, Philippe would take the throne. Clarisse knows that her son had two children, Amelia who lives in America with her mother, Helen and later Delilah who lives in Genovia with her. Unlike the oldest, Delilah has been raised as the princess that she is, her manners, how to act like a princess, the royal family members, and who everyone is in the government and all that. Delilah has lived here with her mother, Mirabella who was a beautiful Colombian woman, making her living as a baker in town. She met Philippe when she was asked to sell her baked goods at the royal summit and when she met Philippe, he had just divorced Helen, and he fell in love with her. Clarisse was not as harsh towards Mirabella as she was with his relationship with Helen. So, when he got Mirabella pregnant, she was more caring and understanding with the second born. She was there when Mirabella gave birth to Delilah and was the first to hold her, after her mother and father of course.

"Thank you, care to walk me out to the gardens?" she asked as he nodded.

"It would be my pleasure, my Queen" he said as he took her arm into his and they strolled to the gardens. Many flowers were in bloom, with vibrant colors showing, they all were very well kept and as they make their way, they see the young Renaldi princess playing with Carolina, a young little girl who is from the orphanage. Clarisse smiles at her granddaughter who was so much like her father, caring to others. And yet so gentle with children like her mother.

"Princess Delilah, are you going to be the Queen someday?" Carolina asked as Delilah looked at the small child who was picking some of the flowers to help her make a crown.

"No, for I am the second born, even though I am only one year younger than Princess Amelia but that does not mean I am less important, if anything I am even of more importance. For I am the one to make sure everything will go right... more or less" she said well-crafted to the little 6-year-old who smiled, a little tooth was missing but she still gave a grateful smile. A young man walks up to the two of them and signals that it is time to go home for the little girl. Carolina pouts but does as she is told and hugs the princess who returns one just as the little girl.

"You be good, and if anyone messes with you, you tell me, D'accord, mon petit rayon de soleil (Alright my little sunshine)?" she said to her as Carolina smiled. Clarisse thought now was a good time to walk over and when Delilah saw her grandmother approach her, she gets up. She walks over and curtsied a bit to her queen, her manners she got from her grandmother.

"Hello grandmother is there something you needed from me?" she asked as Clarisse waved her hand, pushing off that she had something royal to give her. Clarisse walked over and pulled her granddaughter into a hug.

"I just missed you is all, do you have all of your things packed?" she asked as Delilah nodded, they walked back into the house and Maurice and Winston were running after each other. They were the royal pets, Maurice being Clarisse's poodle and Winston being Delilah's Bernese Mountain Dog.

"We will be leaving later tonight, so go and eat up" Clarisse said as Delilah nodded and whistled for Winston to follow her, which he did. Winston was a guard dog that Philippe got her as her 10th birthday present. He had him trained to protect her at all costs, and to make sure she would be cared for. Clarisse smiled and looked up to a painting of her son, and then held a hand to her heart.

"Is everything okay?" Joe asked her as he realized she was staring to long at the painting of her recently deceased son. Clarisse finally broke her gaze and nodded to her security.

"Yes, it's just that... I know Amelia has her mother but what about Delilah, she already lost her mother due to the cancer and now her father. I don't want her to lose anyone else, I was so worried that we did lose her in that retched car accident" she spoke as Joe nodded and they walked into her chambers as he helped her with her things. He had the servants take her luggage out of her bedroom.

"Yes, but she survived. Princess Delilah is a survivor" Joe said adding a silver lining to it. Clarisse sat down on her bed and put her hand on her face.

"I just need to make sure that Genovia and my grandchildren will be okay" she said as he nodded.

Outside the bedroom was Delilah, she heard everything, and she promised to herself that she will make sure that her older sister, Amelia will take the throne, and nothing will ruin it for her grandmother, who basically raised her after the death of her mother. She owed everything to that woman and much more.