Pretending To Be Gilead's Prince and Master Wizard

I was smiling from ear to ear the moment I went back to the castle after classes were over in the afternoon. All the worries I had with my family-- with my mother and my brother-- have all been resolved.

Now, I can truly live here in Citadel in peace with nothing to worry about.

"You look so ridiculous when you smile like that," Someone suddenly chose to interfere with the happiness that I am currently feeling. And who else likes to do that thing but Alex alone?

I glared at the lad, who is now on his visible form after removing the cap, identical to the one he gave to me the other day.

"But I am happy that you seemed to resolve things with your mother, based on that smile of yours," he added, which softens the way I look at him.

I didn't have the chance to reply to what he had said since he also chose that moment to walk out of here and proceed to his room or office or wherever that is. I just shrugged and rolled my eyes at him before going to the prince's chamber to get dressed as the fake prince.

"So your mother didn't ask to see your place that you are now staying, nor insisted on meeting its caretaker?" asked Lancelot curiously before we even began our training sessions.

"Nope. I am glad she didn't do that," I said, smiling. 

I remembered that after that heart-to-heart talk with my mother, she just chose to leave me her trust and went with the other residents of Ziv Village, believing that I would achieve something by the end of my stay here.

"How comforting it is to know that," 

---

My patience almost snapped when I was trying the complicated water spell that Alex is trying to teach me right now. Whenever the spell involves water, except fire, it's near to impossible for me to master it immediately.

"Just focus all your energy and you could somehow make it work," Alex advised.

"I am trying! And it never works!" I countered.

"Have faith, will you?"

"Again, I'm trying!"

Our training was soon interrupted when a castle knight suddenly approached us with a worried look plastered on his face.

"What is it?" I asked hastily.

"The dark forces that keep on attacking random places in Gilead…" the knight said, pausing for a moment to swallow this invisible lump that might have strained his voice from further speaking. 

"... they are on a move once again,"

All three mentors happened to be present here in the training, observing both Alex and I, and therefore they are here to hear the news as well. I just noticed all their faces have begun to become serious after hearing the dreadful news.

"Where is it this time?" Lancelot asked.

""Albania, sir."

Lancelot rubbed his chin and said, "Albania, huh?"

"Okay, this must be stopped immediately. We need to figure out a way to put an end to these inhumane acts and stop the dark wizards from further killing people," Lucas chimed in,

"Agreed."

"In that case then…" Lancelot spoke once again. "A royal council meeting must be held to gather all the leaders of every village, towns and cities that are part of our country." 

I froze at that instance… unsure what to feel right now. A royal council meeting? What would then happen to me if it happens? I can't face the leaders as the fake prince all at the same time. 

Seeing what I have reacted to, Alex chose to speak about it.

"Lancelot, are you out of your mind?" 

Lucas was the one who already excused the knight from here before Alex proceeded with what he had to say.

"The real prince isn't here. Krisella can't face the leaders in this manner, hence they will immediately know that it's the fake prince they are talking to. like what happened to the prince's fiancee'."

"I know that already," Lancelot retorted. Then his head turned towards me and smiled. "Don't worry, you don't have to face the leaders. It's already not part of your job."

I felt a wave of relief inside of me as soon as I heard about it, hence I smiled back at the archbishop.

"Thank you," I said.

"So it will be just the three of us who will be facing other royal council members then?" Lucas asked.

"It appears to be our only option for now, yes," Lancelot answered for him.

"Damn that prince for abandoning us like this," Alex cursed under his breath. "Wherever he is right now."

The mentioned royal council meeting was then decided to be held two days from now to give more time to the leaders from other remote areas of the country to prepare. On the following day, messengers were immediately dispatched to every place under Gilead to spread forth the important news.

News about it also surprisingly reached the ears of the curious students of the academy and then became the talk in school. Because of that, students can't help but make absurd theories about it.

"Do you think there would be another war happening this year? Or the following year perhaps?" Cailin suddenly blurted out after hearing the made-up stories spread forth by some students who don't know anything except spreading fake news to the campus.

"Gosh, I pray not. I am so looking forward to our family reunion this holiday season," Ariella sighed.

"Me as well," Maggie chorused, looking worried.

"Guys, don't worry," I said just to calm their nerves caused by these absurd fake news. "Holding an immediate royal council couldn't be that bad, right?"

They all looked at me like I became an on-the-spot outcast here or something.

"The last time they held a royal council meeting, it was when Sodor declared a war against Gilead. Aren't you aware of it?" Ariella asked as a matter of fact.

I froze for a moment and said, "No… I am not."

"Well then, this could really mean war, based on the recent attacks that Gilead has experienced these past few days… or months." Cailin spoke once again.

"That may be true," I said. "But we don't really need to panic because it won't help us." 

But even after I said that, the fake news of a possible war here in Gilead has already spread nationwide, striking panic on its residents. The shelves of almost every store in the marketplace have been swept empty by the consumers in fear of that. Every resident has then closed all their windows and doors, fearing that there will be someone who will suddenly barge into their houses.

I don't like what is currently happening right now. Curse that person who spread such fake news to these poor people who knew nothing of what is really happening in the castle right now.

"People started to panic after hearing about the upcoming royal council meeting to be held tomorrow," I reported to my mentors the moment I went back to the castle.

"Panicking?" Alex raised an eyebrow at me. "About what? It's just one simple gathering of the leaders nationwide."

"They are afraid that a possible war would emerge out of that… like the war occurred between Sodor and Gilead in the past."

Alex's face began to become a bit serious after hearing what I said.

"What an absurd theory it is," he then said. 

"I know right? I tried telling that to my friends, and they won't listen."

"Just let them be," Lancelot chimes in. "People are entitled to their own opinions, and that is pretty much okay."

The following day, the castle was pretty much busy with all the servants running to and fro. While I, on the other hand, was told by Alex to stay in his house for a while as the meeting is being held at the royal hall to prevent anyone else from seeing me there. I did as what I was told and sneaked my way out through the invisible cap that Alex gave me.

In Alex's house, his grandmother happens to be sleeping from the moment I went inside. Rica, their servant, was the one who let me in when he got the orders from Alex to let me stay here for a while. 

---

-ALEX-

"Where is his majesty? Why is he not attending our assembly?"

"Doesn't he know that this is an important matter that we are about to discuss? And yet he still chose to be on his… silly adventures?"

"I knew from the start that kid has no potential to be the ruler of this country,"

The royal assembly hall started to make some noise after these political leaders began stating their opinions on the prince's absence. Of course it would create a conflict on our part if he is not here, and still, we are trying our best to make up for it.

"Apologies, but he can't make it today… however, we can still proceed even in his absence," Lancelot said and smiled platonically.

However, the doors of the hall opened all of a sudden, indicating that someone had entered just now. But as far as I know, all political leaders have already arrived.

"His majesty, Prince Arthur Spellman," the herald standing near the door suddenly announced.

All heads soon turned towards the figure who just recently made his appearance in her complete set of princely apparel. Then, with a smile plastered on her face, Krisella-- currently dressed as the prince-- blurted out.

"Apologies if I arrived late at the meeting." 

Lancelot, Lucas and I must have been surprised upon seeing her, but she only gave us one last glance before looking at the present leaders of this hall.

"I believe… there is something urgent that we need to discuss right now."