Chap 2.2

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I dragged my wobbly feet through the grass covered soil. I hid behind a tree, scanning the area for people, and sighed when I spotted no one. I looked down to the basket that contains a white haired little baby prince inside and smiled.

"Good little boy, aren't you? Please keep being quiet and we will meet no trouble going home. It's going to be your new home now, by the way."

"Uuh, ah! Hehe..." The little prince reached out with a smile, his golden big eyes sparkles under the shades of the trees. The prince must be around three months old.

I put my cold, shivering finger on his little hands and he grasps it so eagerly. My smile widens, "You're very adorable..."

I took out my entelop and ate its leaves. Crunchy and sweet, ah, this is simply marvelous.

"Ah...uuh, eh?"

"Hm? You want some?"

"Ewuah! Hehe."

"Oh, but you can't really chew? And I don't want to risk you getting health problems by eating non-baby food."

The little prince kept reaching out for my entelop, and I kept eating the leaves until I swallowed all of it off from its capsule body. I took a huge bite and --- oooh, heavens, a warm liquid explodes in my mouth, like a fine watermelon on an afternoon summer.

This should be the kingdom's national food...

"Uwah! Uuhh..."

The little fella saw me throwing the base of the plant and pouted. I lightly pinched his cheek -- sorry buddy, but I can't give you solid food.

I navigated my way through the woods, going close to the fields where the peasant farmers are, but far enough that the trees shadows my small form -- trees that provides faint bluegreen hue at daylight with its leaves.

My palms are burning from holding the basket for a long time and my feet shakes like jellies. I'm starting to hate this six year old weak body now.

I took my time arriving to my isolated house and I couldn't be more happier. It's late noon and dad should've arrived by now from school while mom usually stays at home to take care of the family crops.

I staggered my way towards the door and opened it, "Mom, dad!"

"Honey! Where did go? Why are you so late..."

"Rai! These trips of yours are getting..."

Mom pops out from the kitchen and dad came out from our room. Their vision landed on the basket I was holding and their eyes widen.

"Hehe, I have a surprise." I grin, "I found a baby on the mountains and thought It'll be nice having a little brother."

"Where did you get that baby?!"

"Whose baby's is that?! And why are you so dirty and soaked?"

Their reaction is, uh, standard at its best. Mom took the basket and put it on the table while dad almost whooped my ass, if not for the fact that I look like a wet chick.

Dad made me take a bath and change clothes while they check the baby prince. I certainly took my time, for when I came back, their faces are so white it seems like they saw a ghost for the first time.

"Roldo, this baby has white hair and golden eyes, isn't this the feature of noble blood? And this medalion, it's so exquisitely made. Is it from the capital?"

"No, not in the capital, Sena. It's made directly from the palace. And his features, the white hair and golden eyes... Sena, I think --"

"Then, then this baby...?"

Dad didn't answer. He gave me a sharp glance and ordered, "Rai, sit here quick."

"...okay."

I sat at the head of the table, while my parents sat beside it, their full attention is on me. I combed my hair back, my eyes exposed before smiling lightly.

"I gave birth to this baby on the mountains..."

Mr. Hot headed daddy wanted to slap my head off my neck. He scolded me for joking and I apologize.

I thought it would be nice loosening up the atmosphere, hehe.

"I found him on the mountains by the river when I was playing. Sorry dad, mom, but I couldn't just see him off when it's too dangerous for him. Did I do something bad? Am I wrong?"

I gave them a confused, scared little kitten eyes. They look conflicted as they stare at each other.

With a sigh, mom said, "No, you did the good thing, it's just..."

Dad added when mom paused, "This medalion, do you know what this means, Rai?"

"I know, it's the insignia of the royal family in the capital. This means that the baby is more likely a young prince, isn't he? His features also tells us he must be of high blood."

Dad sighed in defeat, "My daughter is so smart even at six year old..."

"I read it on the alamanac you have, dad."

"Then, if you know enough, you shouldn't have brought home a royal prince..."

"I'm..." I turned away from dad and looked to my mom, giving her a teary eyes, "Am I wrong, mom? I thought saving people is the right thing to do..."

Mom immediately reacted, "Rai is just a child, Roldo. Don't scold her for things she does not yet understand!"

"Sena, I --- okay, I'm sorry..."

"Oh, honey, " Mom embraced me to her arms as she coax, "Rai is not wrong, you did the right thing. It's just that the baby you saved is a royal family member and it makes it more complicated."

I wrapped my arms around her and asked, "How is that complicated? I don't understand. We can just take care of him, right?"

"No, we can't keep the prince here. It's too dangerous. We have to take the prince back to the capital."

Dad declared and I resisted to the urge to sigh out loud. No, dear daddy, that is definitely a bad idea...

I said, "The capital is far away from the our village. Even if we have the money for travel, the journey is not safe for the road is filled with bandits. Dad, you know it's risky to travel with a baby prince, right?"

"I know," he pursed his lips,"then we can bring him to the town and give him to the noble officials there." He sighs.

There is a town in the south called Haisunne Town, governed by amyrzo, who acts as the mayor of the town. Myrzo Trevons is a noble coming from the capital. Like all nobles, he is rich, have connections and is indifferent to the commoners. Let's just say that he is not a trustworthy type of guy according to the original novel, to say the least.

If we give the prince to him, it might not end so well for us and for the prince himself.

I'd rather keep my royal horse to myself and ensure it's safety.

"Dad, you must listen," I said sternly, "Analyze the situation, dad. The prince is here, in the south, a place he's not supposed to be in. He should be in the Metropolis where the palace is, he should be in the arms of His Majesty the King and his Queen.

"Dad, do you understand? It is not natural for a newborn prince to be so far off the palace. Someone of high power must be involved with the prince.

"Sooner or later we will hear the news of his highness' disappearance, the high grass will be notified first, and they will assemble a search party for the prince.

"Who knows, with the way how the noblemen thinks, can we trust them when we're just a mere people of the masses? If we give him to the myrzo, are we going home in one piece, completely intact?"

I'm not saying that all nobles are bad, there might be people of their club who are nice and kind. Although Princess Eclaire is of royal blood, she is nice and have a sense of justice. However, that does not mean that I can't be careful. If there is one thing that all human share in common, it'll be greed. Greed breeds selfishness, and selfishness breeds anguish.

Specifically so the nobles. They who experienced luxury and delight will never be satisfied. If there is more, why not more?

There are two possibilities; first, Myrzo Trevons will take the infant prince. Naturaly, he will not hurt him, but it does not apply to us. There is a chance for the mayor to appeal to His Majesty directly, aside from the rewards and honor he'll receive for bringing the lost prince back, he will get fame, recognition and connection off this achievement. He may even rise up a rank or two from this merit. The only flaw of this is us, the people who originally found the prince.

There is two endings for us; we get a small reward for our service, or we get killed off for the blessing we gave him, that way the myrzo will get the benefits all to himself.

I'm leaning for the latter. After all, it wouldn't hurt to expect the worst outcomes. Besides, neither of those are good for me. I want to get into the palace and meet the Princess. How van a mere gold coins can make up for her?

The second possibility is simple; the myrzo may be an accomplice of the kidnapper, the person who's responsible for the newborn prince's disappearance. The myrzo will simply kill off the royalty to get the hell with it.

It's an even worse outcome. What's a prince when it's not moving...

"Roldo, the myrzo is..." Mom shut her mouth, but gave dad a nervous look.

Sighing in defeat, he says, "I know, I know. He's a corru.... not generous kind of noble. But we still can't keep a royal in the house, what if the Metropolis finds out and we get executed for false kidnapping? He is His Majesty's son!"

"Who says we're keeping the little prince?" Mom says, "We -- we can take care of him, at least for now. We can't give the prince to the myrzo, neither can we travel to the capital nor the Metropolis."

The southern capital is miles away and we need a carriage by horse to travel there, at least seven to nine days of traveling nonstop or two weeks with rests. The Metropolis is an even further one, probably needing for more than a month time of traveling. Traveling with a three month old baby for that long is definitely not advised.

I said, "Right! We can raise the little prince for a few years before we head out to the Metropolis and personally hand him over to the palace!"

"Rai, quiet! Don't raise your voice, somebody might hear us!"

"Sorry, sorry dad..."

It took a moment, but dad finally decided to give a determined, albeit defeated, eyes and declared, "I understand, we will keep the prince in our care for the time being."

Mom smiled, "We don't have a choice, do we?"

I grin and thought, of course we don't, I'm not giving you two a choice in the first place.

"Yay! I can keep him as my little baby brother!"

"Quiet, Rai!"

"Sorry, sorry... Hehe."

Mom chuckles, "The prince is a quiet one , isn't he?"

"Right? He didn't cry much either when I was bringing him home. Cutey baby! I want a little brother like him!"

Dad sighs, "Even a newborn of a royal already observed the proper etiquettes expected from an highborn." He said, and then his eyes widens in sudden realization, "By the way, what's his name? Who is he? Whose child is he?"

Mom replies, "I'm... I'm not sure, but base on his features, he must be born from a high ranked noble lady, not just a concubine. His Majesty's bloodline possesses white, silvery hair."

"I know, I know!" I smiled down to the docile baby boy, "The prince has golden eyes, and only one noble family possessed those."

Dad answers, "Oh, right, it's that noble family... the ducal house of Bonnivier family."

"You, you mean he's..." Says mom, and her face is getting paler.

I grinned, "His highness' name is Ellios, her highness Princess Eclaire's baby brother. Basically, he's Her Majesty the Queen's eldest son!"

My parents' faces went white, they look like their souls got sucked out of their opened mouth. Dad covered his face with his palms and spoke in an helpless voice.

"We... We have the crown prince."

Well, I guess that's not an even good news for them, is it?

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A/U - thank you for waiting! I uploaded late, but at least I'm not a day late or two! However, do know that this chapter is not refined. It's rushed, and I had to summon my full brain capacity just to finish this chap.

I do plan to re-edit this one into a more suitable, bite-able chapter some time in the future! When I have at least 5 chapters finished ahead and waiting to be released.

I actually have ready made chapters, however I didn't expect to have this much of support so I thought, holy shit, I need to straighten this story up and not make it half baked ?

Sorry for the hours delay, grammar and spelling mistakes!!! I will make it better!!!