~ "Humanity has the stars in its future, and that future is too important to be lost under the burden of juvenile folly and ignorant superstition." Isaac Asimov ~

Chapter 4: Heir apparent Princess Harper

It was revealed to Harper that she was actually from the bloodline of a family named Rosenberg. Who? She was more occupied with the loss of her entire world and she didn't think that it was going to get any easier accepting her new circumstances.

Klaus was keeping her company throughout the morning as she settled in, and was able to answer all of her questions.

"So basically I am the daughter of a witch princess who lost her throne when she, pregnant with me was kidnapped to my other dimension by an unknown other dimensional witch, her husband my father is not a Rosenberg by blood but married into the family, and is a prince because he is from the one of the two other witch family lines… " Harper said piecing it together…

"Yes" Klaus said showing her a diagram of the family tree up to current day.

"Dimensional witches follow maternal lines of succession… so if my mother was gone and my father isn't biologically a Rosenberg, than her sister Queen Vanessa was next in line, in front of their brother Prince Ryker… the heir up to this point is Princess Faye and Princess Nora if something should happen to Faye… but recently Prince Ryker is petitioning that the throne pass to his line of descendants because he has three daughters, whereas the current has two sons and two daughters… "

Klaus nodded.

"If I am heir apparent Princess Alexis's daughter than that makes me first in line for their throne… *gasp* are you kidding me?" I yelled in surprise piecing together where I fitted into their complicated line of descendants….

"That would be true if you had stayed here to begin with, it is going to be your birthright but you may be overthrown before you even begin… by the rules of succession you have 5 other princesses against any claim you could put down. "Klaus explained.

"So I just give up my claim, I 'm not here because I want to be… what of my father?" asked Harper.

He's passed on… they say of heartbreak but the rumor is that he was murdered…It's not that simple, magically you automatically become heir… but they will probably want you to be out of the way, you are probably now the target of assassination like you're late father" Klaus explained realizing that she was in danger.

Harper just stared at him blankly.

"Prefect Klaus you're not helping me figure out what I should do, but warning me of my soon to be demise." Harper pointed out.

"I'm sorry Ms. Elian" he said looking at the chart again.

Harper shook her head; she didn't have time to be bothered by his bluntness. Her mother back home… was a secret queen never to be who was kidnapped and didn't know… either her memory was wiped or she hid it to protect her from coming back? Whoever kidnapped her mother was the only one that could have sent her back here, so why did it have to be her? She was no princess or witch who knew of her heritage, it would have made more sense to send her mother back here and not her…." If Harper had to make sense of this whole situation, she missed her mother more than ever.

"What are the odds of the Rosenberg family knowing I exist and that I'm here?" I asked calculating

"Quite high… word travels fast and we do have several prestigious families attending the academy, Lord Johnson's nephew attends and probably has informed his uncle by now."

"That's unfortunate… well I suppose I should start preparing in terms of personal survival. I can't go back to my world when I can barely use magic, how do I prevent my death? I can't stand against them by myself and I was thinking along the lines of aligning myself with a powerful wizarding family?" I inquired cringing slightly. I was barley 19 years old, much too young in my option to be getting married.

Klaus looked at me with sad eyes.

"There is no family that could offer you protection; the only family that would stand against the Rosenberg's is the Royal family of Gedonelune, descendants of the first king. None of them even attend the academy…" Klaus explained.

(ug forget it, I'm stuck waiting for something way out of my control….) Harper thought to herself mournfully.

Klaus stared at her with some pity, but thought of an idea. He didn't know what the future would hold since it looked quite bleak for her.

"Well you may be royalty by blood but you have yet to be recognized as one, so for the time being I will address you as Ms. Rosenberg" he expressed.

"I appreciate not letting the princess title go to your head but I am not a Rosenberg in name either, at the moment, please just use Elian or even better my given name. Klaus you have been quite helpful and I appreciate you filling in that blanks for me, given my current situation, I do hope we get the chance to become better friends?" Harper proposed smiling at him.

"As you wish… Harper, I'm sure the headmaster is considering your options, in the meantime would you join me in a tour of the academy, I'm sure you wouldn't mind the walk to getting to meet other students besides who you have met already?" he teased gently.

"Please" she replied following him out the room and down the hall.

Between Elias and the volume, Liz finally understood what all the hype was about. Liz felt bad for Harper who she knew for sure was to be feeling like she had been thrown to the wolves once she found out the facts and history she had no part in.

"Elias, do you think that her family would accept her? She is now the heir apparent but the Rosenberg family is already beginning to fight about rules of succession… does anyone even know that?" asked Liz

"They may realize that the situation isn't as lovely as they would like to think, if they even remember what happened to Prince Tristan, may his soul rest in peace…" Elias somberly mentioned.

Underground where the night class resided, Prefect Zeus was in his office with deputy Prefect Hiro.

"Did you hear, Princess Alexis's daughter has appeared… she just became heir apparent to the Rosenberg family. Those witches are so ruthless, they'll never accept her into the clan… she's probably got a death warrant out for her in coming days." Hiro said passing along a newspaper from their home kingdom of Queensblade.

"Hm… that sounds boring, Gedonelune problems are not mine" Zeus replied lazily.

"Not your typical Gedonelune problem, King Kook. Remember you are the heir to the aristocrat line of Brundle. We wanted more alliance with the kingdom of Gedonelune, if you think along the lines of your family obligation, she could be the key to that goal, I would expect a letter from your father in the coming hours…" Hiro pointed out to him leaving.

Zeus silently looked at his black ring, his birthright as heir…

Randolph had summoned his old friend Rembrandt to his office to discuss their dilemma.

"Princess Harper Rosenberg has landed in our hands. I don't expect them to take kindly of her existence since they've already started fighting amongst themselves." stated Randolph.

"No, she will be in the way." agreed Rembrandt.

"Should we interfere?" he asked

"Normally I would say no but in this particular case, it may work out in our favor. She won't be able to take them on by herself, barley able to use magic since it was hidden from her for so long. Her only option is to align herself with a powerful ally." He mused.

"The Royal family of Gedonelune, or else another kingdom's royals?" asked Randolph surprised.

"Yes, any other prestigious family would not be influential enough to keep her alive, unfortunately."

"Rem, we only have one Prince here" stated Randolph understanding where he was going with this.

"Prince Zeus of the kingdom of nighttime, yes but there is also…" Rembrandt started.

"He is no Prince, well officially…" Randolph bit out in frustration.

"Wouldn't Conrad agree that Luca should get a chance to have his birthright?"

"Not like this, he probably would come to resent her for eternity"

"And Zeus wouldn't?"

"…"

Leslie was patrolling the woods with Chica as usual; nothing unusual had happened so far, moments later he heard a set of footsteps and readied himself in case it was wild or dangerous.

Klaus appeared with a woman he had never set eyes on before, a new student? She wasn't wearing either uniform, so then it was most likely the rumored Princess Rosenberg he had heard so much about in recent hours.

"Leslie, it's rude to stare, I'm sure Prefect Klaus will mention as much if you keep it up." prompted Chica chiding him quietly.

Klaus turned and headed over to them upon overhearing Chica's remark.

"Leslie and Chica Good morning" he greeted him.

"Good morning Prefect, and company" he responded glancing at Harper.

"This is Harper Elian, the girl who appeared the other night, Harper this is Leslie Roseblade of the day class and protector of the forest. His family had been guarding since the beginning of the kingdom of Gedonelune and his familiar Chica" Klaus introduced them.

"Hello it's nice to meet you, both" Harper greeted them holding her hand out towards Leslie.

"Yes nice to meet you as well, what are you?" Leslie fumbled confused.

"Oh..." Harper withdrew her hand. "I'm sorry that how we greet people from where I'm from. It's called a handshake, I just automatically do it nowadays sorry" she explained herself while blushing in embarrassment.

"Princess" Chica greeted bowing.

"It's alright" he replied wondering how she managed to survive so far.

"May I ask why you don't refer to Harper by title and proper last name Prefect Klaus?" Leslie asked not able to wait and figure it out.

"Well as you know, She just appeared and isn't a member of the House of Rosenberg, they may only just be finding out she exists, surely you understand what had come to pass recently with them?" queried Klaus.

"Yes, they are internally fighting at the moment over who will be heir…" he supplied.

"Yes, so until she is recognized officially, I personally am addressing her as she would like, which is her fake name she used on her world" Klaus continued.

"I understand, forgive me for assuming that she was already sworn in as an official princess of the house of Rosenberg." Leslie apologized

"Its fine" Harper interrupted.

"Who else have you met so far" he diverted.

"Hmm, Elias Goldstein, Liz Hart, Headmaster Randolph and that's it so far, while its being figured out what will happen, Klaus invited me to roam the grounds." She responded.

"I see if you don't mind the extra company, would Chica and I joining be a problem?" he asked inviting them along.

"Not at all, the more the merrier" Harper responded.

Professor Schuyler had looked all over for Luca, he already knew that he had heard about the rumored Princess Rosenberg. He wondered if he had put together the pieces as to what that could mean for him yet. Luca was illegitimate, unless reinstated and recognized by Princess Aurelia's brother King Kristofer Gedonelune. If the royal family wanted an alliance with the House of Rosenberg, they may see the benefit of using Luca, even though he was born only half royal.

He found his "son" in a tree sketching the landscape around the lake.

"Luca" Professor Schuyler greeted him.

He didn't answer him but glance at him briefly from his perch.

"The headmaster and his soon to be replacement have summoned you, surely you've heard about the arrival of the heir apparent Princess Rosenberg" he asked.

"Course I've heard, I don't have the best information network for nothing" he gruffly bit back at his guardian.

"I didn't expect this to be an easy venture but for once would you please listen and come with me to the office?" he asked.

"No, I want my freedom, and don't care about being a Prince. They abandoned me before I was even born and hurt my mother, they don't get a say in what I do with my life, it is my own and I will not bend to the will of some pompous royals who only go after what they want when it suits their needs." fired back Luca seething.

"I understand where you are coming from, but unfortunely, your life isn't for you to decide. If it was, do you think I would be hiding you here at the academy? If I set you free, they would hunt you down and end you, as you are a smear on their legacy, not your fault of course. The princess is in the same boat as you Luca, you could benefit each other. Have you at least met her yet? Before you determine her character" Schuyler pointed out.

Luca glared down at him, knowing he was right. He would never be truly free of his accursed family.

"No I have not met her yet…" he dismissed him.

Sounds of footsteps were heard and the professor stopped what he was about to say and waited to see who it was.

Moments later Klaus, Harper, Leslie and Chica came into view.

"Good morning Professor" greeted Klaus.

"Good morning Prefect Goldstein, Mr. Roseblade, Chica and …." greeted Professor Schuyler.

"Harper Elian, nice to meet you Professor" Harper greeted while introducing herself.

"Elian… is by chance Princess Rosenberg?" he asked.

"Not officially, even though that is what everyone is referring to me as, if you would please, my name is Harper." She said sighing,

"Beautiful…" a voice from above called out.

The group glanced upward and saw as Luca jumped down from his spot in the tree and kneeled before Harper kissing her hand and smirking.

"It's lovely to make your acquaintance Ms. Elian" greeted Luca with a dashing smile.

a/N: Options and consequences… what will Harper choose to do? Please fav, follow and review if you would like ^.^