Princess Iris
CHAPTER 29

Breakfast is by 8:30 a.m. By 8:15 a.m. I am all dressed up. I look at my reflection in the mirror. I turn to the room and finally stare at the bed. I start rubbing my palms together as my anxiety rises. "I can do this, I can do this, I can do this," I say to myself closing my eyes.

"I think those are the last of your things," Mrs. Paula says.

I turn to Mrs. Paula standing at the of the bed.

"You look very beautiful in your dress, Your Highness," Mrs. Paula says.

"The last time I dressed like this was 6 years ago. This all feels weird and❞ I raise my hand waving them "I always thought I will learn to love gloves, 6 years later and I still hate them," I say. Mrs. Paula starts to laugh as she folds the last sheet and puts them in the basket.

"I can't believe I won't see Mrs. Paula after I leave this place. She helped me get back on my feet and she taught me a lot of things like how to wield a sword, how to fight, how to cook, and how to ride a horse. She made my 6 years here at the east wind tolerable," I say to myself.

"Thank you, Mrs. Paula. It seems I won't be seeing you again after today," I say.

"Yes, it seems so. But I still get to see you when you come to get your things," Mrs. Paula says.

"I am going to miss you and your cooking," I say.

"Oh, Your Highness, it was my pleasure serving you while you stayed here. I got to watch you grow in ways so many people hoped to have. Yes, your journey wasn't an easy one, but you persevered and now you are a flower blooming right in the midst of adversity, I am so sure no one is going to be able to ignore the force that you have become," Mrs. Paula says.

I chuckle.

"You sound just like Nana. She used to say stuff like that," I say.

"I bet she heard it, someone," Mrs. Paula says and winks.

I laugh at the gesture and she joins me. I turn to the door and look at it. My heart starts beating fast, my hands are shaking in the gloves.

"Are you ready?" Mrs. Paula asks.

"I always thought I would never have to face a phase of my life alone. I thought I will always have Ri by my side through it all but life has a cruel way of busting your bubbles. I guess I have to face this part of life all myself," I say.

"If there is something life has taught me Your Highness is that we are never truly alone," Mrs. Paula says.

"I guess you are right. I do have the others," I say smiling.

FLASHBACK

"C'mon Ri we have to go," I say to an angry Ri under her duvet.

"No, not until Octavia apologies," Ri says.

"But you are just as wrong as she is," I say.

"No, I am not," Ri interjects.

"Yes, you are," Princess Octavia says, standing in a corner. "I told you not to yell," Princess Octavia says.

"And I told you not to run," Ri screams.

"Yelling seemed like the appropriate thing to do in the situation," Princess Octavia says.

"And running also seemed like the right thing to do in the situation," Ri says.

"That is enough both of you. You were both wrong for yelling and running. We should be glad mother was there to stop the water from flowing into the bird nests," I say.

I turn to Ri who looks at me and goes back under her duvet. I sigh and turn to Princess Octavia.

"Octavia will you please excuse me with her for a moment," I say.

Princess Octavia nods at me and leaves the room. I turn to back to Ri and climb the bed. I lay beside her.

"I know you are not happy that I didn't take your side. But you weren't playing fair Ri. As your sister I have to make sure you do the right things and correct you when you are wrong," I say.

Ri mumbles something and shifts from me.

"C'mon Ri talk to me," I say.

I hear her sigh and she finally removes the duvet from her head

"Fine, I admit I was wrong. And you were right, playing the loudest fairy in the Inn wasn't a good idea," Ri says.

"Yes, it wasn't and you have to..."

"Yes, yes, I have to apologize to Octavia," Ri says interrupting me.

I make my coco face at her and she starts laughing as I join her.

REALITY

I smile at the memory and look at my hands, it seems the memory has helped to calm my nerves. With one last look at the clock; I turn to Mrs. Paula; she curtsies at me. I smile and make my way out of my room my peach gown, down the vast and long corridor. Finally, I reach the gate of the east wing and find the four guards standing guard at the door.

They all bow, while two rush to the gate and insert a key. The locks on the gate start opening one after the other. While the other two guards push the gate open. I close my eyes and slowly breath in and out. I finally open my eyes and walk through the gates. I enter the main castle and it seems a lot has changed. The interior of the castle has changed color, the flowers look different. I continue walking as I start to notice look guards on every pillar in the castle. The servants and maids are running around with their errands. I stop walking and observe everyone as they carry out their duties.

"Your Highness."

I turn to the voice and it's Veronica, Ri's head maid. Everyone stops in their track and looks my way. I look at the shock on their faces.

"Who is that."

"Oh my god, it's Princess Iris."

"Are you sure?"

"Princess Iris, she is back."

"Princess Iris."

"Princess Iris, oh my god, she is very beautiful."

"Look at the picture behind her."

"The picture behind her, they both look like her."

I frown at the whispers but then I notice their eyes looking up above me. I slowly turn behind me and look up. Up above the wall is a portrait of the first Queen of Filamonda, Queen Guinevere.

"Oh my god! I cannot believe what I am seeing. I... I... I look like Queen Guinevere, the Pirate Queen. I have a striking resemblance to her. what is going on?" I say to myself.

I look closely at the portrait; her pupils are green and mine are blue and green.

"What are the odds and what the hell is going on here?" I say to myself

And then it hits me.

"Yesterday, mother, she said 'Queen Guinevere'. Mother, no wonder she looked too surprised when she saw me. What does this mean," I say to myself

I turn back to everyone, composing myself, I place my hand on the other and start walking. Everyone bows and curtsies as I walk by. I make my way to the dining hall. As I enter father and mother are talking to Constantine. They all turn when the servants serving the dishes suddenly curtsied. Mother smiles warmly at me; she stands from her seat and rushes to me. She warmly takes me in her arm, I stay there feeling awkward. I don't know if I should hug her back, but before I could make a decision, she releases me and pecks me on the cheeks. I smile at her and turn to father who is standing by his seat. Six years looks good on father; he still looks as handsome as ever. I see the tears in his eyes; I start feeling overwhelmed with all the emotions flowing through me. Finally, I curtsey at him, and with a smile, he nods at me. I make my way to my seat and everyone joins me and takes their seats.

After I am served my breakfast, I try to pick up cutlery and stop on my track. I can't help but remember the day's mother scold me for picking the wrong utensil for a meal. I look at Constantine, he gives me a signal and I pick up the small bowl spoon. I nod at him and he smiles back at me.

Fifteen minutes into the breakfast, no one has said anything. My mind goes back to the portrait I saw earlier. The portrait said Queen Guinevere, it has to be a mistake. Knowing mother, she would have called out such mistake. "The Portrait," I say breaking the silence.

"Did

you say something honey?" Mother asks.

"I said the portrait."

"What Portrait honey?" Mother asks.

I look between her and father.

"I noticed a portrait hanging from the wall just after the east wind gate. It was labeled Queen Guinevere but it was a portrait of me. You could imagine the faces of the servants when they saw me standing just beneath the portrait. They were just as confused as I was. We need to change the label," I say.

I couldn't help but notice the look mother and father shared. I watch Father drop his spoon and clean his mouth with white clothing.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" I ask.

"No, no honey, you didn't say anything wrong," Mother says.

She turns and looks at father and nods at him.

"Father, what is wrong?" I ask.

"I had the servants clear the storage quarters last year. A lot of old and damaged portraits were found. We had to restore all of them. Among the damaged portraits were the portraits of the previous Kings and Queens of Filamonda. When I was a boy, I can remember them hanging on the walls of the castle. My father had them removed, he said they were taking up too much space. After the portraits were found, I had them cleaned and restored, your mother asked the servants to hang them back up. Queen Guinevere was the one who built the east wind quarters but she died before she could finish it. No other King or Queen after her saw the need for the castle so the castle was never finished until my mother completed it. I thought it would be better if her portrait should be hung close to the east wind castle since it was originally hers," Father says.

I look between father and mother waiting for someone to continue the story.