His Royal Highness

Chapter 25: The Attack

Chapter 25: The Attack

What the heck was that? I mean what the hell? I held both sides of my forehead to comprehend what happened back there?

Dancing with the devil is a bad idea. It's ridiculous too! Shesh. I can't even understand myself if I like the prince or not. Do I like him? Maybe sometimes. Do I hate him? Maybe most of the time.

But what I don't understand is that why is he making me feel this way? Now he's nice then later he's not. It's like he's having some sort of a multiple personality disorder. Or what if, it's all a part of his grand scheme of pure evil?

I was just on my way to my room when the stillness of the night was soon bothered by what seems to be an explosion. I was taken by surprise by the sudden loud sound and the abrupt shaking of the ground caused me to fall on my back.

Then in a snap of a second, the night became day. Everybody went out of their room and their screams broke the silence of the night.

I stood there not knowing what to do next. The attack completely shook me up. It seems like I have been paralyzed.

"James!" I was taken back to reality when Mattheo was shouting beside my ear.

"What?" I asked questions somewhat absentmindedly.

"Find your ward!"

"What? I don't understand." The whole commotion is confusing me.

"The prince!" After saying that, something was thrown in front of us. It was producing some smoke and it took us just a second to realize that it was an explosive.

I cursed and began to run away from danger. Mattheo must've know what kind of explosive it is that he grabbed me with him when he realized we have no time left.

Sure enough, another explosion was heard. It totally disoriented me and it took me another minute to gather my senses. Mattheo was saying something to me but I can't seem to hear what he's saying.

I pointed at his bleeding arm but he just shook his head and decided to run somewhere else.

Find the prince. His words echoed in my mind. I'm not yet prepared to face this kind of event. I didn't finished my training but things are just falling into pieces.

I took a step when I saw a dead body in front of me. I froze and realized that he was not a man on this palace. He was wearing a rugged clothes and there was a gun on his hand. Mattheo must've shot him a while ago.

I began to feel incompetent as a royal guard on. I am not prepared. I am not yet prepared.

"What the heck are you doing?" The prince hissed. "You're supposed to protect me. Not the other way around."

"I'm sorry. I can't do this." Memories from my former home started to fill my mind. The noise, the screams, the violence. It's all coming back to me now.

"Where's your gun?" He inquired as he looks around.

"I don't bring it with me. I'm afraid it will cause accidents." I replied.

"Great. Just great." He muttered sarcastically. I was distracted by all the violence when he held my hand and gave him a glance once his fingers started to intertwine with mine.

"Just follow after my lead and don't let anyone find us here understand?" He whispered and started to tug me along the way.

I nodded. We silently crept along the way until Greg slid his fingers along a hidden panel to reveal a  staircase going down the palace.

We immediately went down  and Greg closed the opening. The way was dim and it is only illuminated by a few lights.

We kept on walking and the only thing on my mind right now is war. We finally reached a single door which the prince opened, revealing a small room.

"Thank God you're here!" The queen exclaimed and wrapped her arms around her son. It felt awkward because the royal family was here except for a single commoner which is me.

All eyes was on me and I just stared at the wooden floor to avoid their gaze.

"It's alright ma, I'm sure he can be trusted." Greg assured. The queen just nodded her head.

"This room is only known by the members of the royal family. I suggest you keep this as a secret." He whispered to me. I replied with a weak yes and sat on the corner of the room.

The room was quite small and it only contains a small bed, a table and a chair and that's probably it. It was dusty in here indicating that this has not been used for a number of years.

.
.

The night was dark and I see myself running for my life in the woods. Someone was running with me.

Alex.

Alex was my best friend an we were doing our best outrun our attacker.

Chest bursting. Muscles aching. Sweat dripping.

And then someone stopped us on our tracks. He was one of them. Larcenists. They call themselves as rebels but it's just their excuse for robbing the destitutes like us.

Our eyes met and I immediately remembered who he is. He was our neighbor Ian. He was equally as shocked as I am.

He was one of my friend when I was younger. Until the economy started to drop and the recession forced their family to move to the suburbs.

It was like an understood communication when he nodded and Alex and I continued to run.

I was now exhausted but we have no other choice but to keep our feet moving or else. It was then that I noticed that nobody was running beside me.

Oh no. I stopped and looked behind me only to find Alex panting and holding both knees.

"Alex! You can't be tired now!" I said.
"I can't do it James. I can't" he whispered catching his breath.  He began to sob and I have no other choice but to return to his aid.

But it was too late. I heard a gunshot and now blood started to ooze from his mouth.

"Alex!"

"It's alright James. Everything's alright." Prince Gregory hushed and his face was the first thing I saw when I finally opened my eyes. Apprently I fell asleep the moment I closed my eyes.

I was sweating profusely and the same terror started to creep into my being.

"It's only a bad dream." He assured.

"No. It's not a dream. It already happened. Oh God!"  Tears started to fall when the memories of my past started to fill my mind.

"I didn't saved him. I didn't." I cried. Greg stared at me with pity in his eyes.

"You don't have a clue about what I'm talking about right?" I muttered.

"Yeah. But there's only one thing that I understand." He replied.

"What?" I asked.

"You saved me." He brought out his handkerchief and started to wipe the tears from my face. His eyes was probably the sincerest right now. I immediately wrapped my arms around him and buried my face on his chest.

"Thanks." I whispered.

"There. There." He consoled while tapping my back.

"You suck." I laughed when he tried to comfort me in an awkward way. "Where's your parents by the way?"

"They already left and so are the rebels." He replied.

"Can we just stay here for a minute? Please? I'm not yet prepared to face what's beneath this room." I requested. I don't know but the warmth of his embrace was bringing stillness in my stormy life.

"Okay."

----

Sorry for the super late update. It's just that I'm preparing for our midterm exams and for the past week I have been memorizing a load of articles in law that I needed to cram. Anyway, thanks for being patient.