Bab 6. Dust In The Garden

Princess Nathania walked quickly carrying three thick books. Her face looked so bright, what made her so enthusiastic after returning from the library? This is strange, considering that Princess Nathania doesn't really like studying, let alone reading books.

The maids in the palace greeted her with a smile. Everyone was grateful that 'Prince Nathan' looked healthy and energetic.

"Good morning Prince?" greeted the servants of the Sapphire Palace who passed her.

"Good morning, Uncle Joseph!" she greeted kindly. In everyone's eyes, 'The Prince is the sunshine' which makes the soul warm. Her beautiful smile is a boon to this kingdom.

"Good Morning, Aunt Lena?" the thing that made everyone in the palace love her so much was her hospitality and kindness. Even the Queen Mother, who was known to be cold and sharp-mouthed, could love her granddaughter so much.

"The prince brought another book? can I help bring it to the Prince's room?" asked Lena, offering to help.

"No thanks. I'll bring it myself. This is a book for Nathania," she replied.

"Nathan? what are you doing there?" asked Queen Mother Margaritha.

"Grandmother?" Nathania immediately turned to her grandmother who had just come down the stairs.

"Why are you still here? shouldn't you be with your father?"

"Ah ... that, I don't know where father is, so..." she answered doubtfully. In fact, she really wanted to avoid royal meetings with her father. For her, formal meetings are very boring.

"Today there is an important meeting with The Kingdom of Fotia. So, as the Crown Prince, you must accompany your father!" The Queen Mother tries to advise her granddaughter about the importance of her attending every state event, even though she is not even 9 years old yet.

Hearing her grandmother's advice, Nathania could only look down and listen to each sentence until it was finished.

"Yes, Grandma!" she said.

"All right, we go after your father now!"

"But, this book ..."

"Please, deliver this book to the Prince's room!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Nathan, let's go!" said the Queen Mother, holding her hand.

Accompanied by several bodyguards, the Queen Mother and Princess Nathania walked together to the meeting hall which was 100 meters from the Sapphire Palace. Princess Nathania was nervous, she had already promised to find the books Prince Nathan wanted to read.

Yesterday, Prince just finished a very difficult algorithm book. Nathan often studied alone in his room, when his health condition improved. Even teachers who were assigned to teach Nathan, or 'Princess Nathania' in their eyes, often had difficulty with the questions he asked. It shows that he is a genius. He easily solves difficult problems, making people amazed by his abilities.

"Nathan must be waiting for me. I should have asked for the book to be delivered to his room," thought Nathania. She became restless.

In the Palace meeting building, there were already many guests who came from the Fotia Kingdom as well as important officials, as well as Lithonia nobles who attended the meeting, to discuss the peace agreement between the two countries. After the last cold war which happened 100 years ago. Make the two big countries always heat up.

"Her Majesty Queen Mother Margaritha Zafeiri and His Majesty Prince Nathan Alexander Zafeiri entered the room!" said a bodyguard. The guests who attended immediately bowed, paying their respects.

"Nathan, where have you been?" Asked the Queen Alexandra, she immediately went to her son who was walking hand in hand with her grandmother.

"You should go ahead of the Prince and make sure he is present at every important meeting. Nathan is Lithonia's light," said the Queen Mother with a sneer. Hearing that, the Queen could only remain silent.

"Come on, Nathan. Sit beside the King!"

"Why?" asked Nathania confused. Even though she has attended several royal meetings, she was never forced to sit side by side with the King. Apparently, this meeting was a little different.

"You are the King's successor, so you must accompany His Majesty the King at important times like this. Understood? hurry and sit there before His Majesty gets angry!"

"Yes, Mother!" she said as she walked over to the throne which was right beside the King.

King Ellios of Fotia, sitting directly opposite with the Queen Mother of Fotia. Seeing an empty chair beside the King and panic on the faces of several of the bodyguards from Fotia. Sure enough, there is 'someone' who might go somewhere.

"Where's Aiden?" asked King Ellios to his bodyguard.

"Earlier, the Prince was here!" answered one of the guards with a panicked face. Seeing their exaggerated reaction, because it was not possible to see the crown prince of Fotia who could have gone around the palace grounds. Like something serious, if the crown prince disappeared from their sight.

"Annalise, where's Aiden?" asked Queen Mother Fotia panicked.

"I don't know, I didn't see him!" replied Princess Annalise, the eldest daughter of King Ellios of Fotia.

"Hurry and find Aiden!" ordered the king, remembering that this important meeting was disturbed by the absence of the crown prince.

"Father, what's wrong?" asked Nathania who didn't understand what was happening.

"Don't call Father, you must call His Majesty the King in front of many people, understand?" said the Queen who had repeatedly advised her daughter.

"I want to pee..."

"Not now, the event will start soon. Hold on a little!" once again, Queen Alexandra had to keep a close eye on every single action Nathania took.

"But, I can't stand it..." she complained.

"Get going!" said the King. Nathania turned around for a moment, looked at the face of her father who was sitting with dignity beside her.

"Thank you,"

"Please accompany the Prince to the toilet!" asked the Empress to one of the guards.

"No, I'll just be a moment. I'll be right back," she said as she ran out. Everyone looks at her confused, even though he is still a child, but he is a prince, can be said to be 'great prince' because Lithonia is the largest kingdom and respected by other kingdoms, as the most powerful kingdom for more than 1000 years.

"Running in the middle of the meeting, the ethics is very lacking," said Queen Mother Margaritha who deliberately insinuated the Queen for not being able to educate the prince properly. Meanwhile, King Roderick was silent and did not show any reaction.

"Relieved..." she said. Nathania thought that royal meetings were the most boring thing. The adults kept talking about things she couldn't understand.

Princess Nathania took a leisurely stroll through one of the gardens of the Sapphire Palace. Seeing the beautiful trees and flowers made his heart feel happier. If only she could skip the meeting and prefer to sit in the garden, looking at the flowers and the wide sky.

"Huh? why?" Princess Nathania was shocked to see the lavender field burnt. The fragrant lavender flowers turned to dry dust.

"Wh ... what is this? who did it?" she shouted hysterically. She didn't see anyone in this park. But why? Princess Nathania was crying, seeing her favorite flowers burnt.

Suddenly, the big tree in front of her moved. Nathania turned slowly. A boy is sitting on a tree, the boy she had never seen before.

"Wh ... who?" she muttered seeing a strange figure staring coldly at her.

A white boy, with shiny black hair, very sharp and shining turquoise eyes, a very handsome boy.

He looked at Nathania with a strange look, looking very cold. Suddenly, the flowers around Nathania burned again, fire magically appeared. Nathania was silent, she didn't understand what was happening. Why a fire arose and burned the flower garden? and now, she was surrounded by a fire that kept burning the flowers.

The boy looked coldly at her, without a word, he let the fire continue. Meanwhile Nathania who was already in shock was unable to scream.

"Why? what about ...?" she thought. Her body was trembling, she was really afraid to see those eyes. Eyes that seemed to want to kill her.

***