Retrieve the Kingdom

The First Stage

“I need to say this to my dad.”

Andrei said as he saw the horror of the place. They saw some guards wandering around as Belle pulled them behind a big rock. The prince was still confused about what’s happening. 

“Why are we hiding? Those are guards, maybe we can ask for help—” Belle shuts Andrei’s mouth by covering it with her hand. She peeks at the guards. Andrei keeps mumbling as Phoebe presses her index finger on her mouth. He surrenders as he shut himself up as Belle keeps peeking. 

A minute later she looks at them. “We can go now.” They went out of their hiding place as she removes her hand from Andrei’s mouth. “What are you guys even doing?” He asked them as Belle looks out for guards. 

“We are gonna solve a problem,” Phoebe said as the prince gets more confused. “If someone can solve this, it’s not us, let’s tell this to the king.” He insisted as he was about to leave and go back to the carriage. Phoebe grabs his wrist, stopping him from his plan. 

“Don’t leave, we are gonna investigate this.” Phoebe approached Belle as he drags the prince who had no choice but to obey them. “Maybe we can ask some residents here.” The braided girl said as she looks around. “Though, we need to pull them into a safe place.” 

“Are we gonna abduct someone? If so, I will leave now.” He is seem pissed off as Phoebe silenced him. “Just follow us, you will know everything sooner.” Both of the girls are still observing. 

“We need to leave now, we will do this tomorrow. I already have a plan, come, before the guards see us.” Phoebe nods as the three of them left the opening to Hawthorne and went to the carriage. The prince just followed them, not knowing what’s really happening. 

They returned home as they went to the rooftop wherein they have their own cozy floor to sit on. The view was fantastic up there, making it more an ideal place to plan and talk. It’s private too for them. 

“Hawthorne have so many guards roaming around the streets, we were lucky that time that there are no guards in the opening, or else we would be screwed. We can’t have an alibi that we are just passing by, since vehicles rarely pass by there, and if so, they would suspect us for something. Also, since we have Andrei, they would be on high alert.” 

“W-wait.” He throws his hands up in the air, stopping Belle from explaining. “What is this all about? Am I the only one who isn’t informed about this? I thought this was just a vacation to Hawthorne?” Belle sighs.

“I am afraid to say this, this isn’t a vacation.” Andrei looks at them, confused about what’s happening. “What? So what’s all of this? Pranking someone for fun? I mean, tell me, because I am really confused, isn’t obvious?”

“We are doing a move on helping Hawthorne, it’s been years since they are suffering. And almost no one knows a single thing.” Andrei looked at them and laughs, “Seriously? Does no one know it? Impossible! Hawthorne has some towns and villages near them and no one knows? And, the guards are practically guarding them there, I don’t know but it can be for safety purposes.”

“No one knows because the king is the one who is making them suffer!” Belle said, yelling at him a bit. There were seconds of silence before Andrei snickers. “If this is a joke or a prank, I am not buying it okay? And if this is a secret Politics Path test or something, let me tell you one thing. The king has done great things in the kingdom—”

“Because that’s what you think and what you see! But be open for more knowledge, Andrei.” Belle takes a deep breath. “This is rebelling, Belle. I will not be open to any bad actions especially if it’s about the kingdom. What you are saying is false, an unweighted accusation, a dum—”

“What will you say, huh? That it’s a dumb idea?” “Well, ye—” The brunette young lady can’t take it anymore. “If one of us is dumb, it is you, you privileged prick! Open your eyes, they are suffering because of the king’s tyranny. Of course! No one will know because he is clean at his job—”

“Are you hearing what you’re saying? Listen to yourself, if you have any anger at the king, don’t blame something that isn’t done by him, because he is trying his best to be a good king for the kingdo—”

“I am not blaming him for something he hasn’t done, in fact, this is just one of his tyranny. Tell him, Phoebe.” Belle looks at her, pressure rushed in her blood as both of them stared at her intently. 

“Wait, you are with this Phoebe? Did you both plan this? Oh my god, Alvi, forgive me but you guys are insane! What ideology did your parents put on you? And Phoebe, you are a scholar of the archduke. This is the worst thing you could do in your life. It risks your future!”

“We are not insane, Andrei. Phoebe has experienced it too, and you know where it is from? The military of your uncle, his own military. I already knew it, privileged people like you don’t care because even your seats are being prepared by servants.”

“I care, but this is too much, Belle, this is too much.” “No, you don’t, just admit it. Because you don’t feel their suffering, you don’t feel anything of it because you are a prince, you sleep in the most comfortable bed, you eat the most expensive foo—”

“Don’t pull that stuff on me, I am a prince and it’s my duty to serve the people and protect the reigning king’s dignity. Especially his my father, Phoebe knows that!”

Belle looked at Phoebe who is suffering from her mixed emotions. “You guys, you are lying to me! I thought Phoebe we are with this! We are together. And you are hiding a secret from me that would even help us? What kind of person are you Phoebe?”

“Then, what kind of friend are you? Phoebe is just keeping her promise, and you don’t control her.” “But you don’t know what it feels like being lied to!” “Then you don’t know how it feels being blamed on something that you didn’t do.” They throw their accusations and harsh words at each other, it was like an irritating noise for Phoebe. 

“Shut up, you two!”

“Phoebe? Phoebe?” Something was slapping her cheek gently as she opens her eyes. She looks around as she saw Belle and Andrei looking at her with concern. “Phoebe!” The girl hugged her tight as she looks around. It was a dream. 

Belle is released from the hug as both of her friends look at her weary and teary eyes. “Hey, what have you been dreaming? If it wasn’t Andrei hearing your cries, we wouldn’t have awakened you from that nightmare.”

It was a nightmare indeed, she was glad it was all a dream, she thought she is gonna lose two of her friends. “Is it about earlier? I heard you calling out both of our names. I am sorry that I said something about you two.” Andrei said as he rubs his shoulder area, he was embarrassed on whatever he did yesterday.

Phoebe didn’t say anything as she embraced them both and cried. Belle pets her head, “Don’t cry, we’re here.” Andrei holds her chin and makes her face on him. “I am sorry, okay? I was just full of emotion, and I am sorry that it affected you a lot.”

“No one is leaving, no one.” Belle comforts her as she wipes her tears. She was glad she was out of the nightmare. She faces her friend as she sobs for a bit. “I will not leave, okay? Instead, I will go with you two later, we will solve this together. Since I am not really close with the king, I don’t know if he really does this.”

She slowly remembers everything. Belle was calmly explaining everything as Andrei bursts out his emotions, “You are rebelling, aren’t you? The king has done so many great things for Eshecaea and you are paying him for this? I may be your friend but not on this one! That’s it, I am leaving, I will never participate in this.” He left them on the rooftop, unlike in the dream, Belle didn’t say anything and just lets him. 

“Come on, let’s prepare for our breakfast since we are all awake, this is a great time to get someone to talk to in Hawthorne,” Belle said as the three of them went downstairs and sat on the chairs of the dining table. She prepared some porridge with some chicken meat for them and ate their simple breakfast. It was early as 4 in the morning when they hopped in the carriage. 

The coachman who has no choice but to obey these kids traveled from Lalonde to Hawthorne. It was an hour-long journey as they arrived at the place. No guards were guarding the opening as they went in. They entered the place as sneak into some houses. 

A lady noticed them as Belle covers her mouth. “Please don’t make any noise, we are just gonna ask something. Follow us.” They went out of the place as the lady follows them. 

The lady won’t go in the carriage so they decided to talk to her behind the trees. It was risky, but they need to persuade the prince. Phoebe just wishes that they wouldn’t be seen or be noticed.

“We are not gonna do harm to you, lady,” Belle said as she holds the hand of the woman. “We are just gonna ask about your situation and the situation of your village.” She started to cry. Something about it pierced Phoebe’s heart. The woman was so in a mess and smelly. She was already old. Her brunette hair is joined with gray strands. 

“It’s been 7 years of torment and suffering. I don’t know how this got so long before they kill us all. I don’t even know why am I still living… They already killed my husband and took away my children, yet I am still alive. It’s been 7 years since we are like this. We don’t even know if the kingdom still exists. The only thing we know is this place is like Alvi’s punishment.

I shouldn’t have trusted the king. We shouldn’t have made that mistake. It was all our fault. Now we fall into our stupidity and slowly die from it. I wish I can bring back the past. I wish I didn’t agree to overthrow our leader. I wish I didn’t trust the king’s words.”

Phoebe looks at Andrei whose eyes are starting to shed some tears. “What did the king do to you?” He asked her. “They stole away everything. They made us poor to the extent that we eat spoiled foods, some of our stored crops that didn’t take. We even ate the food of our pets. They killed those who tried to escape and rebel, just like how they did to my husband, I wish he didn’t go against them. They took away those young ones, just like my children. I don’t know where they are, but I am sure they are suffering, or worst dead.”

Even Belle who knew this was hurting from it, it’s coming from those who are really suffering. “I am sorry to hear that, we will do something about this.” He said as the lady looks at him. “How? You are just young, even we who have the strength and will to fight back didn’t. Please don’t risk yourselves.”

“Just trust us. Come on, let us get you out of here.” Andrei offered as they walk to the carriage. 

“Seize them!”