Chapter2

The Small Prince

I was staring outside the window, looking at the hill. Wondering what is outside there. Since, my parents died, Grandma started to act strange. She buried her self with the burden of the country, carrying the responsibility that I suppose to do. She became much more protective since then. I understand. She does not want the fate of my parents fall on to me, but why this way. I wonder what is beside the hill. I can imagine children playing around, laughing with each other without understand the meaning of pain and burden. Children are laughing everywhere with out being tell what to do, when to do or how to do a job. Imagine my self, standing there with them. I can see every corner of the streets filled with beggars and the homeless, wishing a hand to help them. As I watch them, my hand will begin to tremble. I want to help them with all my heart, but I can't. Although I am powerful enough to say no or yes, I am helpless. It is pain enough to watch your love one suffer, let alone your people.

I heard someone knocking the door. Maybe it is Grandma, finally home from the conference between the world leaders. Unfortunately, it was not her. Mandy, the chef was there. Why on earth did I expect Grandma to be here. She never did. It reminds her about Dad, her only son and future King. I even look like him and that makes Grandma sad when she sees me. Nevertheless, I was glad it was she. Her presence makes me feel everything will be better. She took care of me when my parents died. Grandma and Grandpa were not around much. "Char, Lady wants to meet you in the hall," she said in a soft voice, almost like a whisper. I think she shout to much at her assistant, Gary for always mixed the wrong ingredients. I groaned a bit.

It must be some invitation to some celebration, just to show off to other royals. Why, they could feed the whole World War-2 with the amount of money they used. I know Grandma will not allow me to travel to Africa to do some volunteer job there. Even Prince Charles is there to help and my age is almost 20, old enough to rule the whole world. I went down the stairs slowly, trying to slow down the minutes that went by, but unfortunately, I cannot resist the temptation of sliding down the stairs, the old fashion style. Without looking in front of me, I accidentally bumped into Zero, the son of the Gardener, which is also my best friend in the whole white world.

He then fall down and bumped my head with his. It was very, I mean ve-ry painful. His head was like a hard metal and he did not felt hurt a bit, he even laughed at me. I laughed back trying to cover up the pain but he knew. He then apologizes and promised o make it up to me. He was very busy so he quickly ran to the kitchen to do his unfinished business. I wish I could be just like him, normal, I mean, or at least I can go to the same school with him but I cannot. That is such a bummer. Grandma and Grandpa was sitting at the dining table at the opposite of each other, minding their own life. Grandma was in front of a computer, typing some letter to a minister while Grandpa was talking in the phone about some medicines and herbs.

He is weird and likes to do something extra ordinary. I like him very much compared to Grandma. He is supportive but Grandma is a bit, how can I say this, Queen- control. He is funny too. Well, it took Grandma 10 minutes to notice I was in front of her. Grandpa's cough, which he acted it out just to have Grandma's attention worked out. Thanks to him, Grandma stopped doing her work for a while or I will be standing there for a couple of hours.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there. Come here Char. I want to say something to you," she said. From her gestures, I can see that she is very tired. I came slightly closer to her but not so close for her perfume is so strong, Samarkan. Mom wore the same perfume but not too much.

"As you know, I have been quite busy lately and never had the time with you when hard times comes especially this recently. I am so sorry but this time I will have the time. I have been talking to the Minister lately, and he will be glad to help with the burden I carried all this time. I am too old, as you know Char. Your time will come soon, to carry on your destiny and so the people of our country," she said. I know from the corner of her eyes, she does not want me to carry on her burden.

Anyway, that is not why I called you here. Yesterday, my long, long friend has past away. There will be a funeral for her, and I would want you to come with me. Will you?"

Her eyes looked somewhat concern and worried.

"Yes" Although my heart declined it, I could not say no. She then smiled and brushed my hairs with her hand. I can see that she was very grateful for there were some tears pouring on to her face.

I then excused my self and went to my room. My chamber, as I call it. Suddenly, Zero came in with a small packet in his hands. He looked strange. His eyes were not upon anything, just gazing beyond the air, thinking of something. Zero then sat beside and almost knocked me over. Although, Mandy forbid Zero to come in, I could not help but disagree. He was my best friend and the only one that I could trust. He did not like me because of my title, he likes me because who I am. That is what I like most about him, a person who does not judge a book by its cover.

"Char, I think..I think I am in love. She is the girl for me.." he said. His eyes are still wondering somewhere else.

"Are you joking? I thought you hate girls. What have she done to change your mind?" I asked.

"I don't know. It is destiny my friend. I am in love,…

with a person I never speak before in my whole entire life" His expression suddenly changed. I laughed at him.

"How stupid of you. You should talk to her. Anyway, it is not true love. It is just a crush. We are too young" I replied. I wonder when I will ever meet a girl who destined to be with me. She will be suffer I guess.

"Hey, it is too. I know I never speak a word to her before but I will tomorrow. For your information, we are almost 17. Anyway, here is something for you" He then gave a box to me. I opened it and find out there was a coin. A coin!

"For what is this? Is there something special about it?" I asked. "Yes, it is special. That will be a token of our friendship. It is very lucky you know. It has been passed down to my father and now I will give it to you" I looked at him, shocked. It was his family fortune. I feel so guilty. He realized this and said something to me. He said that it was a tradition for his family to give something meaningful to somebody else. I was touched.

"Hey man. Don't go all mushy with me. We are friends, remember? Let's go to the garden and practice Teak- Kwon Do" He then grabbed the box and put in on the desk. Without thinking more, I went with him, quietly so that Grandma and Mandy would not see me. I will be tortured with long hours of lecture if I get caught. That is a pure torture. I was doing a warm up near the porch before I accidentally gave out a hard kick and knocked a statue. I will be dead! I am so doomed. I was stunned. Zero just looked at me somewhat shocked too. "You are getting your self in a lot of trouble. Yikes, I have to go! I have homework to do" Before I could say a word, he dashed off to the palace. I know he was lying so he didn't get into trouble. Remind me to kick his head tomorrow. That statue was an antique, worth thousands of dollars, given by a famous artist! Moreover, Grandma adores it. Well, I hid it near the rosebush so nobody will see it there. Unfortunately, I was dead wrong. Before I went to bed, Grandma found out and I receive the pure torture. I slept at 11 o'clock that night, learning about the History of the Kings and Queens. I am so bored and tired but Grandma stayed awake with me. Wait until I lay my hands on Zero for leaving me. Anyway, because of the incident, Grandpa had to stay awake too. I think….maybe Grandpa did something else. I think he smoked his pipe again and Grandma found that out. Grandma forbids Grandpa smoking his pipe because he had stroke once. I pity him. How Grandma does know everything? I bet she got a six sense that alerts her about what's happening around. She always suspects bad things. Sigh.

I am about to go to a funeral for the second time. The first time was a funeral of my parents, Queen Daria and Lord Jerrold. They died while helping people in Africa. I do not know what the cause of their death is. Grandma never mentions it to me. Anyway, I do not want to bring back the past. I really adore my parents. People there, in Africa I mean, called their death "syahid". What is that? I will find it out eventually. I really do not have the mood to go to the funeral right now. I still feel the pain of two years ago. It still stings my heart. Why should people wear black during mourning? The color makes people sad, unhappy.

I still remember the last time my mother said to me.

"Distance is not counted by how far the destination is, it is the time that we enjoy through out the journey. Although, we stay far from each other, in our hearts we are still together," She promised me that she would wait for me in the porch after coming home from Africa. I will still be in school that time. The time when she and Dad should come home, I waited there, in the porch for hours and hours. Grandma knew what happened to them but she did not tell until it was too late. After their funeral, I sat there, waiting. I still cannot accept the fact that they are gone out of my life, never to do the same thing again. She and Dad are my friends, my guardian angels, part of my heart. Somehow, I manage to get back to my feet. The thought of my responsibility of the country get back to me.

Funeral really makes me sad. I did not pity on the ones who died, I pity for the ones that they left behind, devastated by their death. The pains would not go away. It will take a long time to heal; only time could ease the pain away. My cheeks were damped from the thought of death. I cannot believe I just cried. If Zero were there, he will surely tease and laugh to death about it.

Everything was black as what I imagined. Great! Boring! I was about to go for a walk before Grandpa grabbed me behind. He brought me to Grandma, who was talking with a girl: about my age, I guess. I could know that she had cried a lot, for her eyes were red. Although her eyes were weary too, she still looked nice, pretty. She was wearing dark green dress than wearing black ones. That is a change! Somehow, her steady gaze made me noticed her green eyes, like Mother. What am I writing about?! I should knock my head on the tree when I got the chance.

Grandma and Grandpa were talking to her for a couple of minutes before they went trailed off somewhere else, leaving me, un a where behind. I cannot help but thinking of the girl's pain. I did not notice that I was staring at her for the whole time until she gave me a deep gaze. I think I annoyed her. Well, I was about to apologize before she started to raise her voice at me. I should not be mad at her for she had just lost her love ones.

I think she heard enough of sorries from people around her. I felt the same thing when I lost my parents. She was thinking something else at that moment. Her face showed mixed expressions. Annoyed, sad, sorrow and angry. Her face looked funny and… I cannot believe that I had laugh at that awkward moment. I think she will slap me. Surprisingly, she laughed too. Somehow, she looked better smiling than frowning. It brought out the brightness of her eyes. I felt glad that I made her laugh.

I realized that she was not like any other girl. Others will just swoon me around and bores me to death but not her. Although, she did not talked much, her presence felt nice. She is not like any other royalty I know. She is just different.

Before I could know her name, she went back. Well, I can just ask Grandma later. I then looked at the carved stone that Mother gave me on my 13th birthday. It shaped like a key. Why does it shaped like that? I guess I will never found out.

I am so sorry if there are any mistakes that I had done. It is 12 midnight and I am so sleepy. I can't stop writing. My hand keeps on wondering around the key board. Anyway, thank you for the reviews. Thank you soo much..review more for this one, okay????