Pretending To Be Gilead's Prince and Master Wizard

-Third Person's POV-

On a beautiful afternoon in Citadel, three lads could be seen standing inside the prince's room. All of them look distressed in their places as they pondered on something.

"It is already five in the afternoon. Shouldn't Krisella be here at this hour?" Lucas asked while his forehead crinkled in confusion. Lancelott, who is now standing in front of him, looked up with his forehead puckered as well.

"I wonder what's causing her to be this late. And take note she hasn't skipped any of our training sessions for the past few weeks!" The archbishop said in disbelief. Then his head turned to face Alex and Lucas once more.

"Do you have any idea why didn't she showed up this time?"

The two lads, in turn, pondered on the archbishop's inquiry, but it didn't take long before Lancelott and Lucas noticed the baffled look in Alex' face as he moved his gaze away from the two.

"Alex?" The archbishop called out to the captain of the magic army like he was his five-year-old brother who did something wrong to him.

'Oh crap, I'm doomed.' Alex thought to himself. He clearly knew why did Krisella skip their training sessions in the first place, yet he still decided to act as if nothing happened between him and her yesterday.

"I bet you have something to do with this." Lancelott continued to interrogate Alex, provoking the lad to spill the truth right this instance.

"I have nothing to do with her skipping our today's lessons, for crying out loud!" Alex tried to defend himself but he saw the judgment on both his comrades' faces that immediately make him surrender.

"It's just that...." The captain averted his eyes in the opposite direction, purposely avoiding his gaze from the two. "... I was annoyed at her for saying such things to the public that she herself isn't capable of doing. So I got angry and told her that she has no right to say that out loud and not give the people some false hopes since she is just a mere replica of the prince."

Then he heaved out a sigh while crossing his arms to his chest. "There. Happy?"

As expected, Lancelott burst out after hearing his words.

"Alex, what's wrong with you? We don't have a right to force her into something that she isn't capable of. She was kind in the first place to accept this impossible job and saving us from the trouble of covering up for the prince's sudden disappearance. If it weren't for her, then we're doomed, so we should treat her nicely."

After hearing the archbishop's live sermon, Alex only clicked his tongue as his response.

"I didn't know she was too sensitive to handle a real talk from me." He rolled his eyes in frustration.

"She is a girl after all," Lucas, who was known as an expert when it comes to handling women, chimed in to their conversation. "Girls are known to be sensitive."

Alex gave another round of exasperated sigh. "Why are you making such a big deal out of this? I know for a fact that she will return home any time soon, after all... that girl has nowhere else to go to."

"Alex!" Lancelott reprimanded the lad's choice of words. "Watch your mouth and temper, will you?"

"It is now almost six in the evening," Lucas' eyes shifted to the wall clock adjacent to where they are currently standing. "Should we now look for her? It will be dark soon."

"Why don't we ask Alex over here to look for Krisella?" Lancelott suggested, jerking his head to look at the guy beside him. "After all, he needs to take action of what he has done to her."

Alex, in turn, swiftly turned his head to oppose the archbishop's suggestion. "Are you for real?" Then seeing his serious face, that he seldom shows in front of him, he quickly raised his hands in complete surrender.

"Fine. I'll do it."

With a half-hearted attitude, he forced himself to walk out of the prince's office and got an umbrella on the shack before leaving the castle's premises. As what he had seen earlier when he had an early morning patrol with his troops, the skies were dark indicating that it would rain anytime soon.

***

-KRISELLA-

I was having so much fun hanging out with my friends at this time to their favorite pastry shop in the city that I didn't care anymore what time it is now. After all, this was my first time strolling in the streets with them after class. I always have to spend the rest of my remaining time doing my impostor duties that I almost forgot what it feels like to be a normal teenager.

"You're just a mere replica of the prince and master wizard..."

Out of nowhere, Alex's annoying words echoed in my head once more. It almost made me sleepless for the night, for crying out loud!

Why do I have to be reminded that I am just the prince's replica? After all, I know my place in the castle all this time!

I wasn't aware that I was stabbing my cake with the fork I am currently holding with so much force that made Ariella and Maggie turn to me with worried faces.

"Krisella? What's wrong?" Ariella asked in her worried tone.

"Huh?" I blankly stared at both of them, not knowing first what caused this sudden awkwardness between us before barking out a nervous laugh. "N-nothing."

"Well, we are so glad to have you finally join us for today." Maggie beamed, which made me smile back at her.

"Yeah. My grandmother is already doing fine for now, and she said she could manage by herself so here I am." One hand unconsciously went over the back of my neck and continuously scratched it.

"That's great," Ariella smiled also. "I hope it continues so that we could spend the afternoon hanging out together."

"Yeah, I hope so too." I agreed, but deep down inside my mind is screaming 'Yeah right. Like that would happen.'

---

When we were done eating the food we ordered for ourselves, we immediately went out of the pastry shop and have a few walks to burn the carbs we'd just taken in.

"Thanks again for the treat guys," A shy smile curved up on my lips as I looked at my friends. Remember when I got robbed the other day? Since I am now penniless, it was they who paid for my food and drink today.

"No worries," Maggie said.

"I-I promise that I would pay you soon if I got the money from working at my grandmother's shop." I lied for the last time today before we decided to part ways. I've told them countless times already that my grandmother owns a shop and the reason why I need to be early is because I need to help her manage it.

I click my tongue in annoyance. If only they knew my real situation...

With them now out of sight, I continued to move forward towards the secret route that will lead me to the back portion of the castle. I suddenly wondered what time it is now---

My eyes went round upon hearing the sound of the church bell echoing throughout Citadel, which means it is now six in the freaking evening! With a horrified expression, my hands flew over to my mouth when I realized I had skipped today's training sessions! Oh, my sweet dear lord!

Feeling the guilt starting to build up on me, I ran as fast I could to make it up towards the castle. Somehow, the demonic face of that heartless, cold jerk suddenly popped out of my subconscious mind that made me shiver in an instant.

When I got into the marketplace of Citadel, I was about to turn to the alley that I should go to as a convenient shortcut towards the rear portion of the castle when I felt someone leaped from behind and landed in front of my eyes, causing me to stop running to avoid bumping with this stranger.

It was a boy whose age is I think ten was the cause for me to suddenly stop in my tracks. His round mustard eyes widened while looking at me in disbelief the moment he scrutinized my face.

"No way..." he blurted out all of a sudden, which caused me to give him a confused look.

"The prince is now standing in front of me?"