The Royal Mark-Chapter 45: The Second Princess of Zemaria

Their group at last arrived at the entrance of the castle, where Chris noticed Prince Andrius and Prince Drake standing in anticipation, ready to welcome them. Chris was the first to dismount from his horse and then extended his hand to assist Elsa in dismounting as well.

Prince Andrius furrowed his brow briefly and then whispered to his younger brother, "Do you suppose she might be Hera?"

"I highly doubt it," Prince Drake responded. "Hera ran away from him, so I’m certain she wouldn’t willingly go with Prince Christopher."

Elsa retained her scarf over her head and kept her head lowered, deliberately avoiding the gaze of the two princes, recalling her mother’s prior advice.

"We are delighted to welcome you back, Prince Christopher," Prince Andrius greeted. "And who is the lady you’ve brought with you?"

"I am glad to be back as well. This beautiful lady right here is Elsa, and she’s my mate." Chris replied boldly, causing the two princes to exchange a meaningful look.

"You’ve found your mate in the other world? That’s quite ironic, isn’t it? Perhaps it suggests you were never meant to be with our sister," Prince Drake enthusiastically remarked.

Prince Andrius nudged his brother, clearly displeased with his comment. The marriage alliance between their kingdoms was of utmost importance, and Chris finding a mate posed a potential threat to breaking the alliance. Throughout the history of Arcanis, there hadn’t been a single king who had a mate as his mistress while choosing another woman as his queen.

"Shall we proceed to the throne room, Prince Christopher? His Majesty eagerly awaits your arrival," Prince Andrius declared before giving Elsa one final glance and heading toward the designated room.

Elsa’s gaze wandered along the long hallway they needed to pass to reach the throne room. Its high ceiling featured intricate designs, while the walls were decorated with paintings portraying the royal family’s former and current members. Elsa studied each portrait, her eyes moving from one to the next until she came upon the painting of Princess Hera Van der Aart. Her steps instinctively halted in front of it which Chris quickly noticed.

"Elsa... We need to go see the King," Chris whispered, catching the attention of both Prince Andrius and Prince Drake.

Prince Andrius joined Elsa and remarked, "That’s our youngest sister, Princess Hera Van der Aart. She’s set to marry Crown Prince Christopher Jorgensen and will become the future Queen of Arcanis."

"I know... But that’s impossible," Elsa murmured under her breath, unintentionally filling the hall with her words, which were particularly audible to Chris and the others present.

Prince Drake tilted his head, wondering why Elsa had said that. ’She is feisty and doesn’t seem easily intimidated," he thought to himself. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Chris, on the other hand, wasn’t taken aback by Elsa’s response, as he hadn’t expected her to adhere to the formalities of addressing the royal family, considering she was from a different world where she led a regular, ordinary life like everyone else.

However, he was keenly aware that her words and tone might have a negative impact on Prince Andrius. To signal Elsa to stop speaking, Chris held and gently squeezed her hand, pursing his lips and narrowing his eyes.

Prince Andrius frowned, clearly displeased with Elsa’s impertinence when addressing a prince. He also noted how Chris took her hand, seemingly demonstrating that he was there to shield her from any harm, rendering her untouchable in his eyes.

Before tensions could escalate, Prince Drake stepped in, well aware of his brother’s temperament. "Let’s continue this conversation later; Father’s patience may wear thin if we delay any longer."

"Shall we, princess?" Chris then gently tugged Elsa’s hand, leading her toward the throne room. The moment Chris addressed Elsa as ’princess,’ Prince Andrius’s expression soured, and his irritation intensified.

’So, he intends to marry this woman, does he? How dare he!’ Prince Andrius seethed internally.

Unknown to anyone, a single tear slipped from Elsa’s eye before they continued forward. She quickly wiped it away and regained her composure.

Upon reaching the throne room, Prince Andrius positioned himself in front of the King to present their arrival. Meanwhile, Prince Drake joined his older sister, Princess Milda, on the side, observing how events would unfold.

"Your Majesty, may I present to you Crown Prince Christopher Jorgensen and the lady he has brought from Novus Mundus, El—"

Elsa, in a sudden and surprising move, removed her scarf and cloak, approached the throne, and executed a flawless curtsy before the King, leaving everyone, including Chris, astonished.

"Your Majesty, please pardon my forwardness, but allow me to introduce myself. I am Elsa Morgan Van der Aart, the daughter of Her Royal Highness Hera Van der Aart, the second Princess of Zemaria. It is an honor to meet you in person. I never imagined this day would come, Grandfather..." Elsa held her chin high, standing tall and poised in front of King Allister, eagerly awaiting his response.

However, the expected response didn’t come immediately. The throne room fell into silence as everyone gasped, their eyes fixed on Elsa. Even Chris remained frozen in place, much like the rest of the onlookers.

Queen Irina was the first to break the silence, her palms smacking against the armrest of her throne as she exclaimed, "This is a preposterous announcement! It’s utterly absurd! How could Hera have a grown daughter like you? You both appear to be the same age!"

"I understand your concerns, Your Majesty. My mother passed away when I was thirteen; she was thirty-eight at the time—"

"No!" a woman from the sidelines wailed, her voice filled with sorrow. "My daughter is gone? Hera can’t be gone!"

The woman looks like she’s just in her late forties. She has long reddish brown hair, similar to Elsa, and brown eyes. Elsa stared at her and tears slowly fell from her eyes as she uttered, "Grandma... Mom is gone... I’m sorry... It’s my fault..." she stammered, her knees trembled, and she felt a sudden headache before Elsa collapsed on the floor.