DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN BROTHERS CONFLICT IN ANYWAY, SHAPE OR FORM
Juli could feel himself sweating as he looked at the king's image in the TV.
"Oh no!" he said.
"You little scamp! To think you're still alive!" Stephone said.
"Juli, you know the king?" Louis asked.
"Uh, I might," Juli sputtered.
"Might?!" said Stephone, "Might?! Marion, get over here and listen to what your nephew just said!"
"Aunt Marion?!" Juli said panicking some more as his aunt appeared on Stephone's shoulder.
"Juli!" she said, also sounding mad, "hello dear."
"Hello, Aunt Marion," Juli said sheepishly.
"I believe the king said you have some explaining to do in regards to not telling Ema the full truth about her family, like say her mother, Princess Yolanda?" Marion.
Juli looked down ashamed.
"It was because of Chi's father, Kenji," he confessed.
"My father?" Ema said.
"I knew it!" Stephone said, "See Ema, you are my granddaughter!"
"What do you think is going on here exactly with Louis and Ema's pet?" Masaomi asked looking at the commotion.
"Well, let's just say your sister's pet may provide further proof she really is the king's granddaughter," said Elizabeth, "Elence squirrels are a common pet among the royal family and if Ema had one with her, that might mean Ema's at least had contact with someone from the royal family of Elence."
"Juli's an Elence squirrel?" Masaomi asked. Suddenly he felt his phone going off and pulled it out, "Oh, dear, here we go," he said when he saw it was Rintaro calling.
"Masaomi?" Rintaro said sounding concern, "What's this about Ema missing?"
"Calm down, she's been found and appears to be safe for the time being," said Masaomi.
"What do you mean she appears safe?" Rintaro asked.
"Well somehow, she ended up in the country of Elence and," Masaomi started to say.
"Elence?! She's in Elence?!" Rintaro shouted.
"Yes, and with the king none the less," said Masaomi.
"Oh no," Rintaro moaned, "I got to go, I'll call you back."
"Wonder what that was all about," said Masaomi.
"So Juli, are you going to tell us why you kept Ema's heritage a secret after all this time?" Stephone asked, "what her father made you do?"
"Well," Juli started to say, "it happened after Yolanda got sick and died."
Everyone saw King Stephone look down sad and sigh at Juli's words.
"My poor Yolanda," he said softly, "Anyway, please go on."
"Your majesty, please know, after Yolanda ran away with Kenji and Rintaro, she had every intent of returning to you and Elence. It's just that she wanted to know she could marry and have a child in peace and safety."
"That sounds like Yolanda," said Stephone.
"But when she passed away, leaving Kenji all alone with Chi, he wasn't sure how easy he would be able to return Ema to the kingdom to be put in her proper place as your heir and make sure she was safe. So, he decided to just keep Chi as she was, being raised as a normal girl for as long as he could, just so he knew she could grow up happy and safe. And then came his accident that took his life."
"Poor Kenji," said Stephone.
"And you see, as he laid dying, Rintaro and I were both at his side, he made us promise to never tell Chi her true lineage. He made us promise to raise her as a simple girl and just made sure she lived her life happy. We both swore to him on his death bed and we did our best to keep that promise all throughout her life. Even when Chi found out she was adopted, we both separately decided it would be best to not tell her the truth about being royalty. I hope you can understand and forgive both of us for never telling you Chi. You as well your highness."
"Of course, I can!" Ema declared.
"I supposed it's forgivable, especially knowing that Yolanda did intend to return as I always believed she would, had she not died," said Stephone. He lowered her head, then looked at Ema. "Now do you believe me when I say you are in fact my granddaughter and a princess?"
"It's almost impossible not to now," said Ema, getting a little teary eyed.
"Oh Chi!" Juli said, "I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault Juli," said Ema, "But I may want to go back to my room for a little bit." She was surprised by Yusuke putting his arms around her to comfort her.
"Of course," said Stephone, "I should leave your brothers to pack. I hope to see you all soon, "Especially you Louis."
"Thank you, your majesty," said Louis as he bowed his head and headed away.
"I wonder why his majesty is so eager to meet me out of all people," he said.
"Why don't wait until you see him in person? It might be easier to understand," Juli suggested.
"Juli, do you know why?" Louis asked seriously.
"I have a theory," said Juli, "But I'd like to see what the king says first."
"I'm actually a little nervous now to go to Elence," said Louis.
"I supposed we're going to have to mark Yolanda's name as official dead in the book of records," Richard said sadly.
"Yes, see that you do," said King Stephone, "But hold off on telling anyone until we have the results of the DNA test back. We can plan how to announce Ema and Yolanda's passing together and let the country both mourn their lost princess and welcome their newest princess."
"Yes, your highness," Richard said bowing.
Nearby, Yusuke started to gently lead Ema out of the office, with Billy not too far behind them.
Before they could exit the room, Ema's realized her phone was ringing.
"Papa?!" she said in alarm when she saw her father's name on the screen. She answered it quickly.
"Ema, is it true?! Are you in Elence?!" Rintaro asked quickly.
"Yes Papa, I am,' said Ema, "I, uh, I'm apparently a princess here! The king my grandfather."
"Oh Ema," Rintaro moaned, "Oh Ema I'm so sorry! You're probably so mad at me right now huh?! I know I should have told you sooner, but I promised your real father that I wouldn't! He wanted you to grow up safe and he didn't think that would happened if he brought you back to Elence! Especially without your mother to help back his story!"
"I understand Papa," said Ema.
"Ema, who are you talking to?" Stephone asked as he wheeled his chair over to the kids.
"My father, Rintaro," said Ema softly.
"So, he finally makes an appearance?" Stephone said, "May I speak to him? Or better yet, tell him, I'm calling him."
"Papa, King Stephone, or Grandfather wants to talk to you," said Ema.
"Does he? I figured as much," said Rintaro, "Please give him my number and I will gladly call him."
"Will do Papa," said Ema.
"Ema, please believe me when I say I still love you and will help out in any way I can," said Rintaro.
"I know Papa, I know," said Ema.
"I'll call you when I'm done calling the king," said Rintaro.
"Okay Papa," said Ema as she hung up her phone, "I'm ready to go back to my room."
"How about you try going to the gardens like you wanted?" Billy suggested.
"Hey yeah, he's right, let's try that," Yusuke said, "Some fresh air might do you some good."
"Alright, let's do that," said Ema. She let Yusuke keep his arms around her as they walked down a different hallway along with another guard.
Elsewhere Robert slammed his fists against the wall of his private office of his own home.
"God damn it! God damn it! We should have just killed her! Why did I think bringing her was a good idea?!"
"We could have used her if we had more time to figure it all out," said Henry as he slumped on the couch in the office playing around with his knife some more.
"There's got to be another card we can play, something we haven't thought about yet!" Robert said, "At this point, Richard or the old fart himself will find a way kick me out of line! And I'm not going to let my mother down! Not now! Not after all this time and preparation!"
Suddenly he heard some squeaking and saw his little squirrel jump on to his desk.
"Ah, Bernard, hello," Robert said with delight as he rubbed one of Bernard's cheeks with his finger, "Did you see the brat?" Bernard nodded, "What did you think of her?" Bernard shook his head with disgust.
"Yeah? Not a fan huh?" said Robert, "Did you get anything from the uncle's little vermin?"
Bernard made another disgusted face before picking up a pen from Robert's desk and writing out the word Juli.
"Juli? As in Yolanda's companion?!" Robert asked. Bernard nodded, "God, I hated him! He always attacked me and what was that nickname Yolanda gave me anytime he did that? Oh yeah, I'm a wolf or something! Don't tell me he's still alive!"
Bernard merely nodded his head again.
"Damn it! If that thing comes back, that'll further prove that bitch is really the princess!" Robert shouted getting more and more angry.
"Well, maybe you can play is up as her hero," Henry suddenly said.
"What?" Robert asked him.
"Make the first announcement about her being back and play it up like you found her and brought her back. You'll be seen as the hero, and if anyone tries bringing up that you tried to kill her, it can easily be played up that it's a personal attack against you. Plus, if she's thrust into the spotlight before she's ready, she'll either crack under the pressure and turn tale and run. Or, she'll "boldly" try to take charge and fail miserably at it, making herself look bad in the eyes of the people. In either case, she'll look bad and the stupid commoners will be begging for you," Henry explained, "that sort of thing works all the time in American politics."
"Hey yeah, yeah, that's a great idea," Robert said. He picked up his phone and dialed, "Get me my media secretary, now! We have a press conference to plan!"
Ema felt a little better as Yusuke held her in his arms, walking with her to the garden. When they finally arrived at the door that led outside, they stepped out into what almost looked like a fairy tale kingdom.
"Wow, is this all real?" Ema said as she looked around at all the different flowers and trees in blossom. It was little magical in its own way.
"Are we allowed to go anywhere here?" Ema asked the guard walking with them.
"Absolutely your highness," the guard confirmed.
"Please don't call me that," Ema requested.
"Call you, your majesty?" the guard asked.
"Any of those royal titles," Ema said, "I'm still not ready to be addressed as someone important like that."
"Oh, I beg your pardon my lady," the guard apologized.
"Don't worry about that sort of thing, okay?" Yusuke said as he and Ema walked among the gravel path in-between all the flower beds and trees.
"I, I can sort of accept the king if my grandfather and that my mother was from here, but I'm not sure I can fully accept being a princess," said Ema, "most people don't just wake up one day and suddenly live in a palace, wear fancy dresses and ride around in royal carriages."
"Well, if it means anything, I think you'd make a great princess," said Yusuke.
"You do?" Ema asked.
"Well yeah, you're kind, helpful, caring, you want what's best for everyone, even if means scarifying your own happiness. You totally have what it takes to be a princess," said Yusuke, "I mean, didn't you use to imagine you were a princess as a kid or anything?"
"Of course, I did, almost any little girl does at one point or another," said Ema, "That doesn't prove I'm capable of being a princess. What if I mess everything up? What if I do everything wrong? What if they want me to be queen after grandfather dies? What if I just don't want to be queen?"
"Do you want to be queen at all?" Yusuke.
"I don't know yet, but something tells me that if I'm asked I won't be able to back down," said Ema.
"I'm sure your granddad and his little security guy Richard can help you through it. And we have all our brothers coming, maybe one of them would know how to help you with it. Hell, I'll stay and do what I can to help even I don't know shit about how to run a country. I'll just stay for moral support or something, I don't know. But, if they do sort of guilt trick you into taking over after your grandfather's gone, I'll stay with you as long as you need me to."
"You'd do that, for me?" Ema asked.
"Hell yeah," said Yusuke.
"Is that all you'll do if you stay behind? Just offer moral support?" Ema asked.
"Well, I don't know what else I can do for you," said Yusuke, "I supposed I can try going to college here and taking whatever kind of course you need to take in order be a royal advisor, but I'll do it. Why, what else do you need me to do?"
"Never mind," Ema said. She slowly let go of Yusuke and walked off a little ways ahead by herself.
"No, wait, what did you mean?" Yusuke asked as he hurried after her.
"I, just wondered if anything could happen between the two of us," Ema said softly.
"Like what, what are you talking about?" Yusuke asked, feeling slightly nervous.
"Never mind, it's like you said before when I kissed you, I'm just emotional and not thinking straight," said Ema.
"Um, okay," said Yusuke.
'Damn it!' he thought.
"Hey Yusuke, come look at these," Ema called out when she came to a clearing further down the path.
"What, more trees or flowers?" Yusuke said as he hurried after her.
"It's the trees I saw from our window," said Ema standing in the center of the four beautiful trees. The blossoms were starting to fall all around her and Ema was starting to feel relaxed enough that she started to twirl around under them. The different colored peddles started to almost dance around her, landing on her hair and clothes. Not that Ema cared to much, they were soft to the touch and it felt a little like small kisses or hugs landing on her body.
Yusuke leaned against another tree watching Ema as she danced among the peddles. It looked good knowing she had found a way to relax and sort of act like her old self again.
On top of that, she looked more beautiful than she ever had dancing in the middle of the peddles falling. He almost wished he could make this image last forever.
"So, your majesty, I realized it's late, but I hope you can at least forgive me for taking away your daughter and not telling you about your granddaughter," Rintaro said as he bowed to the king on the big screen TV.
King Stephone sat with his hands folded, seriously thinking about what Rintaro had said to him, which was the same thing Juli had told him as well. How Yolanda had intended to return to him and Elence with Ema someday, but when she died he and Kenji had thought it best to just keep Ema away from all the trauma of being a royal.
"I supposed your actions are forgivable, since everything you told me makes sense in regards to Yolanda and Kenji," he said at last, "I had sense Yolanda wanted to run away for a while even before you and Kenji came onto the scene. You two, especially Kenji, made it easier to finally do it. Oh Yolanda, I wish I could have at least gotten to say goodbye before you fully passed away."
"Again, I do apologize for that too your majesty," Rintaro insisted, "It was just Kenji and I weren't sure how we could let you know about that without you finding out about Yolanda. If you did, that meant Robert would have too and lords knows what he would have tried to do to her as baby."
"True, very true," Stephone agreed, "Well, no matter, the important thing is, I know about Ema now and she and I can start to hopefully form a relationship as a grandfather and granddaughter. That's what's really important."
"Yes, your majesty of course," said Rintaro, "Um, I'm curious, do you plan on keeping Ema in Elence with you or making her queen afterwards?"
"Well, I would like her to stay in Elence and would be beyond happy if she did become my successor, however I do not plan to force her to do any. If she wishes to return to Japan and not become queen, I will respect her wishes and let her live her life as she sees fit," Stephone assured Rintaro, "All I really wish is that she at lease maintain a happy relationship with me as her grandfather."
"I'm sure Ema would like that, she's never had much of a family. Kenji and I both lost our parents and even Miwa's parents have both passed away so Ema's never known what it's like to have grandparents. That alone should make her super happy," said Rintaro.
"Well then I should do my best to make sure she gets that," Stephone said with a smile.
The king was so wrapped up in his conversation with Rintaro that he didn't notice Richard suddenly pulling out his phone and talking on it.
"What? When? Are you serious? Right now? Shit! He wouldn't!" he started to say out loud to the point the king finally noticed.
"Richard, what's the matter?" Stephone asked as he maneuvered his wheelchair around to look at his assistant.
"We may have a situation sire!" Richard said in a panic as he walked over to the TV, "I'm sorry Rintaro, but we will have to talk to you later!" He turned the screen off and hit another button. Immediately, Robert's image came on the screen, standing behind a podium with several different microphones with a smug smile on his face. On the bottom of the screen was a big highlight saying, "LORD ROBERT RESCUES PRINCESS YOLANDA'S LONG LOST DAUGHTER FROM KIDNAPPERS"
"What the hell is that man up to now?!" Stephone asked as Robert began to speak.
"My fellow people, I Lord Robert, your beloved heir to the throne of Elence, has finally at long last found my long-lost cousin, Princess Yolanda's cousin and have brought her back to where she belongs, here in Elence."
"Lord Robert, what makes you so sure this girl really is Princess's Yolanda's daughter?" asked a reporter.
"Her face, if you saw her face, there would be no question that she is in fact my beloved cousin's daughter and my loving aunt Wilma's granddaughter. She looks so much like them, beautiful and kind."
"Lord Robert, how did you find her?"
"Well, as you many of you know, it was long since rumored that the two explores that came from Japan many years ago kidnapped poor Yolanda and took her away. Well, it just so happened I found one of them at an auction sponsored by our country not too long ago. Naturally I did some research and saw he had an adoptive daughter that looked just like Yolanda. Naturally my first instinct was to find the poor girl and bring her here, to her home. When she was first brought here, I took her to a secret place to study her some more before turning her over Sir Richard of the royal security who took her to the castle where she is currently being held with her grandfather the king."
"So, you really did save her?"
"Of course," said Robert, "no one would want to see the king reunited with his granddaughter than me."
"Lord Robert, what about Princess Yolanda? Have you discovered what happened to her?"
"Alas, we're still not sure, but it looks as though she may have been killed, maybe by her two kidnappers while they were holding her hostage," said Robert.
"Are you saying she was hostage by the two explores?"
"Well of course, why else would Princess Yolanda not return to her home country?" asked Robert.
"What's going to happen to them?"
"Well, one of them has already received his just punishment as he had also died a while ago. As for the other, we are on a man hunt for him as we speak and will finally bring him to justice for kidnapping my poor cousin," said Robert.
"What does this girl do to your status as the heir of the throne?"
Robert seemed to flinch at that comment, "That, is something my grandfather and my new cousins are going to have to figure out. But whatever choice they decide I'm sure it'll be for the best of the country."
"Is she going to become the next in line for the throne?"
"Again, that's something they'll have to discuss but I know the right choice will be made. And if it comes to pass that I am no longer going to be your future king, then that is how it should be and I will still do my best to serve and protect the country I love so much. Thank you for your time." At that Robert stepped away from the podium looking confident in himself.
"Well, that'll definitely get their attention away from any actual kidnapping and murder attempt rumors," Robert said happily.
"Worked like a charm," said Henry.
"Boy to be a fly on the wall when the king and Richard see the shit hit the wall!" Robert said with an evil chuckle.
"I especially like the part where you called out for manhunt for Rintaro," said Henry.
"I do plan on following through that, making him a public enemy will definitely take attention away from me and any further actions we may have to take to make sure that brat is no longer in my way," said Robert.
"Good idea, good idea," Henry praised.
"So, they're labeling Rintaro and Kenji as kidnappers, holding Yolanda against her will and whatnot," Stephone muttered as he watched Robert's press conference come to a closed.
"And trying to show himself off as the hero bringing Ema back," said Richard mad, "now if we try claiming he's the real kidnapper and attempting murderer, it'll look like false rumors trying to make him look bad, even with all the proof we have."
"That's how politics works sadly, sometimes," Stephone said, "He has so many people just eating out of his hand, it's ridiculous."
"I wouldn't be surprise if some of his followers, even some of the members of the High Council would take it on themselves to eliminate the poor girl. He has many powerful allies in the High Council," said Richard.
"Yes, and there goes my plan for doing this slowly and quietly in introducing Ema to the people," said Stephone, "Where is the girl now?"
"She's was heading for the gardens last I saw," said Richard.
"Double her guards, make sure she has lots more security for the time being. And make sure there's more security for when her brothers arrive. Things might get a little more intense now that the cat's out of the bag," Stephone said with somber face.
'I hope now that she's going to be in the spotlight, the added attention and pressure won't scare Ema away from me,' he thought.