Bab 5. Fragile Wings

"Nathan?" Princess Nathania opened her eyes. The blue sky, as well as the white clouds moving slowly, was clearly visible before her.

The air she breathes, feels very cool and comfortable. The wind blew gently, blowing away the exquisite white daisy petals.

Princess Nathania felt a very soft and warm grip, she turned her head, right beside her, Prince Nathan fell asleep holding her hand tightly. His smile while sleeping is very sweet.

"Is Nathan having a good dream?" thought Princess Nathania, when she saw Prince Nathan smile. Seeing his smile, made Princess Nathania smile too.

Princess Nathania looked back at the blue sky, it felt as if she was lying on a cloud. As she began to get carried away with the beautiful atmosphere. Prince Nathan stretched, as if he was about to wake up from his sleep.

"Is Nathan awake?"

"Hem? Thania ..." Prince Nathan muttered, he was still not fully conscious.

"Very comfortable, huh?"

"Yes, very comfortable. Thania's hand very soft and warm," he said.

"Nathan, look at that butterfly!" Princess Nathania pointed to two butterflies with similar wing colors, flying around them.

Prince Nathan looked at the butterflies that were flying, perching from flower to flower. She smiled gently, thinking about how the beautiful butterfly flew with such beautiful wings.

"Thania wants to have wings like that butterfly, did Nathan want to have wings like that too?" asked the princess.

"Nathan, don't want to have wings like butterflies!"

"Why?"

"The butterfly's wings are very fragile. It is very dangerous if exposed to strong winds, the butterfly can't fly high,"

"Why can't?"

"Because, the wind that blows at high places, is getting stronger. It will make the butterfly wings become damaged,"

"Is it true?" asked Nathania, she couldn't believe what she had just found out about this beautiful creature called "butterfly"

"Nathan wants to have wings like an eagle,"

"Why an eagle?"

"Because, the wings of the eagle are very strong, allowing them to fly high above the sky. Nathan wants to have wings like that," Prince Nathan replied, his gaze towards the blue sky. There was an eagle flying high above the sky, the bird was even downwind, looking very handsome.

Prince Nathan barely blinked, the look in his eyes showing admiration for an eagle that had soared to reach the sky. Princess Nathania, preferred to look at Prince Nathan's smiling face, rather than looking at the eagle flying freely in the wide sky.

"Nathan is great to know. Thania doesn't even know," she said.

"Nathan reads it in a book in the library, there are lots of good books," hearing the confession of her twin brother, Princess Nathania was impressed, It doesn't even read fluently yet. But Nathan, was able to read and remember everything he had read. In fact, he is still 5 years old.

"Nathan really likes books?"

"Yes, I really like it. Nathan wants to read all the books in the library," he replied excitedly. Even though they were born as twins, their intelligence level was far different. Actually, there was nothing wrong with the Princess. However, it was Prince Nathan who was too smart for his age.

"Then, tomorrow we will go to the library, right? But, Thania can't read fluently yet," she said feeling inferior.

"Don't worry, we'll read together later!" Prince Nathan smiled, Princess Nathania nodded with a smile.

Prince Nathan and Princess Nathania departed from the most beautiful place they had ever seen. They have never seen the world out there, the only places they visited were the palaces of the Lithonia Kingdom.

"What are you doing?" asked Lady Valerie who suddenly appeared in the middle of the passage leading to the back door of the palace.

Princess Nathania and Prince Nathan stopped their steps. Somehow, every time he met this woman, Nathan was afraid. Mother always tell him to stay away from Lady Valerie. Prince Nathan frowned, showing that he was uncomfortable every time the woman walked up to him.

Unlike her siblings, Princess Nathania seems calm. She didn't feel any bad feelings about this woman, even though Valerie often showed her dislike for the two sons and daughters of this king.

"Looks like Prince Nathan and Princess Nathania are healthy. Thank God," she said with a smile. She tried to smile as sincerely as possible.

"Yes Auntie, we are healthy," replied Princess Nathania innocently. She couldn't tell the difference between people who were really good, or people with bad intentions to her. In her eyes, everyone was just as good. Including her father who was known as a cold-hearted and unforgiving king.

"From the garden, huh? beautiful flowers..." Lady Valerie tried to touch the flower crown Prince Nathan was wearing, with a quick reaction, the Prince immediately stepped backwards, avoiding this woman's touch.

Lady Valerie fell silent seeing Prince Nathan's reaction who she thought was Princess Nathania. She felt something strange, because what she knew all this time, Prince Nathan' had always kept his distance from her. Meanwhile, the Princess often called her 'Aunt Valerie' and asked about the whereabouts of her two daughters who sometimes accompanied the Princess to play.

"What did you do to my children?" The Queen Alexandra who had just arrived, immediately cast a 'killing' look at Valerie.

Valerie tried her best to be calm, because she knew exactly how Alexandra was who was very easily provoked and hated it when her enemy seemed calm. The only way to fight it is, by acting like you are the winner. It will make her very upset and angry.

"Mother?" Princess Nathania called her mother.

"Come here!" The Princess and the Prince went straight to their mother and let the mother take care of this problem.

"I ask you one more time. What are you doing in my palace?"

"What did I do in your palace? I think you forgot, that His Majesty the King lives in this palace. I came to see him!"

"I'm sure, you came of your own accord, not because of the King's invitation!"

"The king invited me personally, he wanted to have tea with me this afternoon. If you don't believe it, you can ask him directly. That is, if you dare!" she said, the real face of this woman can be seen when dealing directly with Queen Alexandra. The fake smile and kindness she showed in front of everyone, managed to make her existence recognized, even though only as a 'King Concubine' however, she was treated with special care.

"If you want to drink tea with the king, please leave, without having to approach my children!"

"Why are you so scared? I didn't do anything, I just greeted them. It's funny Alexandra, because it seems, I'm never afraid if you touch my children,"

"Because your children are worthless. No matter how many children you give birth to, none of them can be heir to the throne. Come on, go back to the room!" said Queen Alexandra as she took her children's hands to return to the room.

"Of course my son could be the heir. If Prince Nathan doesn't live until he takes the throne. Is that right, Alexandra?" Valerie smiled slyly. Once again, she tried to bully the Queen.

"It will not happen!"

After returning the hateful glares. Valerie walked away with her sly smile. However, even though she tried to act as if nothing had happened, the Queen always remembered Prince Nathan's condition and Doctor Franz's words, that the Prince would not survive to adulthood. That sentence, made her fear even bigger.

Prince Nathan and Princess Nathania looked at their mother who looked even more different. The fear and anxiety that he had hidden. For some reason, the children could feel it.

***