5. Heilland Forever
A single shooting star streaked across the blue sky.
“Congratulations, Alicia… And thank you.”
Under the fading trail of the shooting star, the boy’s hair moved with the wind. Even though the messenger of the stars was standing before her, Alicia somehow felt that he was so far away.
“You did it… Oh, I’ve always known you can. He is rejoicing, and not just him. All my precious old friends are cheering, too.”
Alicia’s heart ached with a strange certainty that this would be their last meeting. As if seeing through her thoughts, the messenger gave her a kind, beautiful smile.
“I have to go but don’t forget. I’m the guardian star who protects Heilland, and Heilland will always have my blessing. You too, miraculous Blue Rose Princess, for changing destiny.”
Slowly, the stars drifted across the night sky as if someone had cast a spell on them. Under the countless streaks of light, the messenger cupped Alicia’s cheeks in his small, pale hands.
“You have the star’s blessing.”
The whispered promise was followed by a light kiss on the cheek.
When Alicia next opened her eyes, the messenger was gone. As she stood alone in the field, all she could see was the starry night sky above her head.
✦ ✦ ✦
🌹🌹🌹
THE carriage violently shook as if moving over a rough, stony path.
The motion shocked Crown Prince Fritz out of a deep sleep, his long lashes fluttering as he slowly opened his eyes. Listlessly sitting up from a drugged sleep, his eyes quickly focused on his surroundings, and he gasped.
“Where—”
“Please calm down, Your Highness. You are safe now.”
Fritz pushed aside the curtain and tried to look out the carriage window, but the strong sunlight just made him groan and shield his eyes. Charlotte placed a gentle hand on his arm, murmuring in a soothing voice.
He seemed unaware of her presence until she spoke again. Blinking his eyes repeatedly to focus them, he looked at her quizzically.
“Charlotte…? Where are we now? Where are we going?”
“To Ostre. We’re still in Erdal now, but we should be reaching Ostre Palace by tomorrow evening.”
“Ostre?! Why are we headed there?!”
“To study. Her Majesty has decided that Your Highness should spend some time in Ostre for now.”
The crown prince was speechless.
His confusion was understandable. After the events at Kingsley Castle, Fritz had been placed under house arrest in his rooms. However, Empress Elizabeth, escorted by several guards, paid him a sudden visit that morning. Before he could even speak to her, a strange liquid had been forced down his throat, and now here he was.
Under the crown prince’s shocked gaze, Charlotte drew out a letter.
“Here. Her Majesty entrusted it to me to give to you when you wake. Please read it, and you will understand everything…”
“No!!”
The letter fell from Charlotte’s hand as he slapped it away. Then, Fritz seemed to realize what he’d done and looked at the girl in a panic, but Charlotte seemed calm as she looked at him as if she understood his rude actions.
“Your Highness… Fritz, please. Please read the letter.”
“…I don’t need to.”
“Why not? It’s a message from Her Majesty.”
“I already know what she’ll say!” he shouted as his face twisted, looking away from Charlotte.
It was pure misery—not being given a chance to redeem himself. He felt dizzy with despair and anger as if trapped in a bottomless pit. His grief lashed out like a broken dam.
“She’ll say that I’m useless. The fact that she’s sending me to Ostre proves it.”
“That’s not true! It’s—”
“I’ll be a political hostage. Even you can understand that, right?”
Ostre had caused a stir recently by reaching a truce and forming an alliance with long-time rival Reinsus, all to stand strong against the growing Erdal empire. It was also one of the reasons why Empress Elizabeth had invited Heilland’s Princess Alicia on a visit a while back.
Now, to send the crown prince to Ostre under the guise of a study abroad stint when the reality was that he was being reduced to a diplomatic bargaining chip.
“I may not be her only flesh and blood, but as the heir who will be emperor one day, disposing of me will still cause scandal and gossip. So yes, it’s much better to use me as a political hostage. What a rational decision, how perfectly motherly of her.”
“No! That’s not why Her Majesty is sending you to Ostre,” Charlotte countered.
“Then why aren’t I being put on trial?!!” The girl gulped at his pained outburst, watching as he gritted his teeth. “I did what I did out of my own free will. I don’t want to live life as the empress’s pawn, and yet, here I am… She should have just killed me. My free will means nothing to Her Majesty. I’m not even worthy enough to be punished, so why do I—!”
Fritz felt his cheek sting.
“Please get a hold of yourself!!” Shock overwhelmed the pain as Fritz stared at his beloved, her pretty face full of anger as she glared at him. “Why is Your Highness always like this?! Why are you always so cynical?!”
“Cynical? Me?”
“Yes! You’re so cynical and ignorant!”
Fritz held his throbbing cheek, stunned that the girl had spoken such words to him, the crown prince. Ignoring his stare, Charlotte picked up the letter and thrust it towards him again.
“Please read it.”
“But—”
“Read it now!!”
He gasped at the sharpness in her tone. After some hesitation, he took the letter and unrolled it reluctantly.
What was written within was not what he’d expected. In his mother’s familiar handwriting were simple administrative instructions to study and learn about Ostre’s culture and politics.
However, the last line caught all his attention. As he remained silent, Charlotte spoke up quietly.
“Her Majesty wishes a reprise for Your Highness.”
“Reprise…?”
“Yes, but she cannot protect Your Highness right now should you remain in Erdal; that’s why she sent you abroad.”
Fritz looked down at the letter again in disbelief.
Grow ties with Ostre and prove your worth. Then, come back to Erdal…
Those were the empress’s final instructions.
“Father has agreed to take all the blame, but some witnesses that day are still suspicious of you… So what we need now is time. If your mission in Ostre is successful, everyone will acknowledge you upon your return. That’s why Her Majesty chose this path.”
The letter slipped from his hand with a rustle. As he bent to pick it up, he saw his own hand trembling.
“Why?” he whispered, struggling to hide the quiver in his voice. “Why would Mother do this?”
“You still don’t understand?” Charlotte’s shoulders drooped in weary surprise. Her large eyes were filled with disapproval as she looked at him. Heaving a small sigh, she spoke again. “Because she loves you and has high hopes for you. Isn’t that it?”
It shocked Fritz straight to his core.
“…Oh.”
Before he knew it, a tear had tracked down his cheek, falling on the letter and staining it. He could only stare helplessly as more drops followed in their wake.
Then, a soft sensation enveloped him, rendering him motionless.
“It’s okay. It’s all okay now,” Charlotte whispered in a warm and gentle voice, holding him close as she ran a hand through his hair, comforting him like a mother would a crying child. “You’ll see many things and meet lots of people. You can start afresh. So don’t worry. I will be here should Your Highness need support. Let’s look at the sky together and think of a way out. So, please…please love yourself and everyone properly this time.”
Fritz’s lip twisted.
Timidly, he raised a weak hand up to Charlotte’s back. Touching her carefully, fearfully, gently, before his strength returned and he hugged her tight.
The turmoil had passed, and the carriage carried them away on a path that would surely lead them to a new future…