Retrieve the Kingdom

Pleasing Events

Phoebe was surprised that Dona approached her with a nice attitude. Well, not really nice, but it seems different this time. Her head is facing the ground and her hands on her back, she didn’t make her wait for too long. “Yes, Dona?” She said as she kept looking at the poor Dona in front of her. 

“I am sorry, okay!” She said as she squints her eyes. Phoebe was quite shocked with her saying sorry not on an impulse, but she seems been thinking it. The only thing is her way of speaking never changed. “I am sorry if I underestimated you because I feel like I am really superior to you. I am sorry if I’m pissing you off every day because, to be honest, your face looks funny when you are pissed. And I am sorry for pulling your hair bun like last week because it was the only thing I thought that moment, to make you suffer before I felt mine.”

Every word was shocking with Phoebe. It was a bit harsh yet honest truth coming from her mouth. She looks at her, “Are you gonna forgive me? If you don’t want to, then don’t!” The blacked-hair girl raises her eyebrows, “Are you sure that you are sincere with this?” Dona’s mouth gaped as she crosses her arm, “Of course! Everything I decided that I have been thinking for days that almost made me not sleep is sincere. This is just me, okay!?” 

Shyrene giggles and shooks her head in mixed utter dismay and plain happiness. Dona looks funny with her arms crossed and her lips pouted. “So, what’s your decision?” She looked at Phoebe who awkwardly laughed, “I mean, I already forgive you, but I appreciated what you did—” “You better be! I spent a lot of nights and sermons from my parents for this.” She still had that rude and sassy aura around her, like a hostile animal.

“Good luck with your high school, maybe see you soon someday,” Phoebe said as she was gonna go, but Dona grasps her arm as she stops. “After school, can I talk to you privately?” She was still hesitant at first but she nods that made Dona smile, which really looked like a smile of an evil villain. “See you then~!” She hopped away as Shyrene shrugs with Dona’s strange attitude and went on to the last meeting of their class. 

After the last meeting at noon, Phoebe went out of the campus as Dona pulled her away from Shyrene. She looked at her best friend and gestures bye and Shyrene lets them and went home by herself. Phoebe and Dona started walking on a different path but since Phoebe has been living here for quite a while, she knows how to detour to her house. 

“So, why did you want to talk to me?” Phoebe looks at Dona who is still standing upward, maintaining her sassy figure. “Let’s go to a tea shop.” She briefly said as she dragged Phoebe into a fancy looking tea shop in the corner. They went to the most isolated table in the place. They ordered their own teas as Dona looks at her while they are waiting for their order. 

She sighed, “I am sorry, and that sorry earlier is a sincere one.” Now, she sounds really sincere, with her voice is getting pretty soft. “I only need to do that since someone is watching me, I still need to maintain my poise. I know you were still reluctant about it, so I made this private so no one, who knows me, sees my soft side.”

“But why of all people, why me? I mean, you should take what I said earlier like a yes, I forgive you.” Dona sighs, “I wasn’t sure that you already forgave me. And you seem trustworthy for me to show my inner self. I need to be sassy and elegant at all times, I should not break it in the public.” She was cut as the waiter served their teas, “Thank you.” She said in a sassy voice, which is a quick voice transformation from a soft to a sassy and arrogant one. 

“Anyway,” she switched again from her soft voice, “Dona of Oliver is known for being the greatest and the most elegant young lady in my area. The daughter of the richest and most popular couple in Oliver. I am even getting pushed to be at least a baroness or a countess.” She looks at Phoebe who is still quiet, listening to her story. “I am not bragging, okay? This is Dona of Oliver I am talking, not the Dona, the little girl who just wants some love.”

Phoebe raised her eyebrow as the drama starts, “As a kid, I don’t really know who I am, I just copied how my sisters act and how my parents want me to act. So, I became that bossy, arrogant, and sassy girl you know of. I lived with that, but slowly as I grow, my desire to change is starting to grow inside me. With my attitude, I am limiting my friends to those who came from a rich family, who excelled in class, and as sassy and arrogant as me.”

Phoebe takes a sip of her tea as she kept listening to Dona. “But, since that incident, maybe it’s a great transition for me to change as you know, those villains you read on books.” She giggled as she sighs. “I am sorry that I became the antagonist of your life, don’t worry, I will not step in anymore. You might not see me someday as you said earlier.”

“What are you planning, Dona?” Phoebe looks at her with concern, Dona giggles as she holds her hand. “It’s not what you think. After graduating from middle school, I will not take my high school first, for a year I will just travel the whole Eshecaea and find my true self, or at least, unleash it.” She smiles as she drinks all of her tea, “Thank you for hearing me out, see you soon, Phoebe.” She went to the counter and paid for the teas and went out of the tea shop.

Phoebe was left in the chair, thinking. She then took one glance at Dona who went her way. Phoebe stayed for a while before she decided to go home. She directly went to her room after small greetings to her family members and just thought of the conversation earlier all night until she slept. She woke up by her mother, it was the graduation rites day, they suited up and closed the restaurant for a half-day. 

Phoebe receives her diploma with her family witnessing it. Dona was still at the top of their batch even with the events. The other students said it was unfair since she is sabotaging someone for that award. The teachers decided not to let that incident affect her grades since she excelled nonetheless. Phoebe just let her received the award while the other salty students gossip about her while she was performing her speech on the stage.

Dona presented herself differently from what she showed to Phoebe yesterday, the sassy, arrogant, and proud self of hers. With her squeaky, annoying voice, she made her haters hate her more. Her confidence was so incomparable with others, she just speaks so well and didn’t bother even a single moment when others roll their eyes on her. Dona is sometimes thankful for her attitude since it made her less anxious about what others think, even ironically that she wants to please her family. 

Even though this is her second life, Phoebe seems to have more to learn. Her past self was exposed to an overly positive environment and barely encounter people like Dona, if she did, she rather avoids them. Being a princess and the daughter of the late king and queen maybe gave her too much privilege, since she was respected, no one dared to be rude at her. 

As Phoebe, she is starting to learn how to understand more the people around her. With her past knowledge, it’s a bit easy for her to cope up with life’s new lessons. She and her family went home happy and her father seeing that many have plans to go to his restaurant, immediately opens it and served the new graduates and their families food to eat before going home.

The day ended great, the other graduates spend their time with their friends while in the restaurant, it was like a party held there. Barely any customers who aren’t a member of a graduate’s family or the graduate itself didn’t have the chance to eat in the restaurant. Her father implemented take-out orders for those who really want to get a bite of their dishes today and craving for the mindblowing taste of the restaurant’s delicacies.

Dona and her family were there. Phoebe observed how Dona was so different when she is in her family, quiet and sassier than when she interacted with others. She is so careful for her every move, Dona glanced at her and smiled then looked away when she was called by her dad. No one barely talked to the family other than who they knew of, unlike other families who are getting acquainted by this small gathering in their restaurant. 

Dona and her family left the restaurant earlier than everyone and board their own carriage to go back home. me one by one as the night came, they thanked Nathan for accommodating them even their presence there the whole afternoon was just an impulse decision and he never expected that all of them would have an acquaintance party for the families and last bonding for the friends and the gang they formed for 3 years being a student in that school. 

After that, Nathan served a few customers and closed the restaurant early so he could have a whole family bonding with his loved ones. He cooked dishes, not for his customers, but for his family waiting at the dinner table. He served them as they had their family bonding with the meals prepared by their father.

“I am proud of you, Phoebe.” Her father said as they enjoyed their wonderful dinner. 

She received more compliments. She also realized that the archduke will come tomorrow to fetch her and will now move to his home. After dinner, her mother prepared her baggage before sleeping. She packed up some clothes good for one to two weeks, so Phoebe won’t be bothered to do laundry every single week. Phoebe helped her pack some things she needs for moving and things she loves to bring with her during her stay in the archduke’s home. 

The next day, Phoebe woke up early again, not for another graduation rites, but to prepare for the archduke’s arrival. She dressed up in a yellow puffed dress and braided her hair. Her father carried her baggage to the ground floor before opening the restaurant. Minutes later, the carriage of the archduke arrived with another moving cart for her baggage. The servant loaded it in, it’s just two full bags of her things. She bid goodbye to her family and board the carriage, in front of the archduke. 

“Be safe, sweetie!” Her mom shouted as the carriage moves and Phoebe waved goodbye to them. They traveled from Oliver all the way to Driessen, which is 3 hours of traveling. After those few hours, they arrived at the castle-like mansion, but the great castle of the kingdom still holds the fanciest and grandeur in Eshecaea. 

“Welcome to your new temporary home,” Bermin said as he led her to his home, walking to the long path to the mansion’s door. They entered and saw the white walls inside, she was welcomed by a big living room. The archduke led her to her room. After settling her things, she decided to roam around the mansion. 

She walked on every hall and peaked at every open or even slightly-opened door. As she peeked into an open room, she heard someone clearing their throat and turns around. 

“What are you doing here, stranger?”