The heir

Chapter 20

Jacob had felt completely numb. His head was so full of thoughts, yet completely empty and he couldn't seem to grasp only one single thought. He didn't know what to feel either. Was he sad? Melancholic? Was he content, maybe even a b it happy or relieved? Or was he annoyed, angry, bitter? All he could come up with for describing this weird state of his was "complete numbness". But over time, it got clearer and clearer for him. His whole life had been a lie. All he had been longing for all this time would never have happened. His old life was over and he would never return. He couldn't for a variety of reasons. And he also didn't want to anymore. But what now? He didn't have a new life just yet. Should he stay Jacob, the thief? Should he try to become Anthanasius, the lost prince? But who would even want a former thief as a prince? Slowly, but surely his numbness disappeared. Instead of it, despair spread all over him.

xxx

Belle held out a cup of hot tea to her friend. As he declined, she simply sat down next to him, wordlessly, the cup between them. Quite a while later, Jacob finally took it. And then broke the silence between them. "Did you know, Belle?" "No. I did not. But we heard about it from Miriel by now." "So Sarah is my sister?" "Yes." "Bet she hates it." "She doesn't. She has to get used to it, but she is actually very happy about it." "Then why isn't she here?" "We wanted to give you time until you go talk it out with her yourself. You can go anytime, Anthanasius." "Belle?" "Yes?" "I am not yet used to that name." "Okay." Silence fell between them another time while they both watched the sun slowly set.

It again was the young man saying something first. "Have you ever cried so much that your jaw hurts?" "Been there already." "And do you know how absolutely devastating it is to not know which thought of yours is true and which isn't?" "Experienced it more than once." "How did you get out of there?" "Just went on, hoping for the best, I guess." "And what if you can't hope anymore?" "That's the hardest part." It was silent for a while, then Belle continued: "But know that hope sometimes is a decision. An illogical one, but it's up to you to decide if you keep on hoping despite it all." "Sometimes your hope gets proven wrong though." "Hope is what keeps us alive at hard times. It never is wrong." "Oh, come on. It wouldn't make a difference if I stayed alive or not except for the one that it would have been much easier for you! I only make bad differences! And I am supposed to be a Prince?" "Jacob, I don't want to hear that crap! You matter. It wouldn't have been possible without you, you hear? We needed you and we still do!" "Anything I have done could have done by any of you easily. If I wouldn't have met you, you wouldn't-"

"Jacob, cut it out right now! Asking ourselves what would have been if we wouldn't be there can't be answered. You can't change your past, no matter how much you wish for it. But you can change your future. The only 'What if' I want you to think about is not 'What if I am not there?' or 'What if I fail as a Prince?" but instead 'What if I live?' and 'What if I am exactly what this kingdom needs?'" "But Sarah... She's the princess. She's a real royal. She knows how to behave, knows how to handle all that stuff and... and..." "And you know how it is to actually live in that kingdom. You know how it feels to be hungry, to be hopeless, to be someone that is easily overlooked. You know how to take care of the nation just as much as Sarah does. Only from a different perspective." "And I can teach you everything else", Sarah's voice suddenly interrupted them, "I'm sorry, I know you might need more time, but I just wanted to make sure... You know... You're okay." Belle got up. "I think you two should talk it out without me", she said and left silently.

"May I?", Sarah asked and pointed to the now empty spot next to Jacob. This one nodded and again, it got silent. "Would you mind?", Jacob suddenly asked. "Mind what?", Sarah gave back. "Mind if suddenly I was the one in charge of the kingdom? The... The king." The princess firmly shook her head. "Belle is right", she said softly, "You know how to reign just as well as I do. Probably even more. Plus, you are at an age where you can actually reign. I am still too young." "But I am not even sure if I am ready." "We'll figure it out. Family sticks together, don't you think?" Sarah nudged Jacob and smiled at him encouragingly. "After everything we went through, there surely is nothing we can't do. Thief or not – I am a criminal too now. At least in one city. And with Nuriel and Belle we also have two magical beings on our side, don't forget that", she added. "Maybe you're right", Jacob sighed, "But give me a bit more time, okay?" "Okay."

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It was the next day already when they sat around the breakfast table again. A tension filled the air. The four of them would leave today. And no one of them knew what the future would hold. Well, Belle knew. But she wouldn't tell. All the others knew was that Miriel and Lian had given them some kind of charm that, together with a birthmark Jacob had, would prove that he was indeed the heir of the kingdom. No relative could say otherwise. Miriel and Lian had assured them that enough people would still be on their side for the recent reign to be forced to step aside without a lot of disturbance. And then Belle would become their new advisor. Nuriel would leave them after everything was settled to talk to her clan. And that was about it. Their initial adventure would be done. Yet a completely new one would await them...