The Lost Princess

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CHAPTER 4 - Her Triplet Brothers

~Silver Crest Pack~

Aurelia slowly opened her eyes, whilst she was greeted by the soft glow of golden sunlight filtering through a delicate, silk curtain. 

At first, her eyes squinted slightly from the light, unable to grasp the reality as she assumed she was meant to be dead. 

But when her sight adjusted to the penetrating light, giving her the ability to access her surroundings, Aurelia’s eyes cautiously took in the grandeur of the unfamiliar room she was in.

The chamber was a symphony of wealth, adorned with fanciful furniture, gilded accents, and rich tapestries. 

The air carried a faint fragrance of roses, whilst the canopy bed beneath her was draped in regal fabrics, and the pillows cradled her like clouds—a kind of comfort she knew lacked prior. 

This was definitely not her home.

For a moment, Aurelia remained dazed—she wanted to imagine that this was her room, that maybe everything that happened was nothing more than a figment of some nightmare, but of course, this chamber appeared more regal and spacious in comparison to her actual room.

‘Was this heaven?’ Aurelia questioned inwardly.

Confusion flickered in her eyes as she sat up, but a painful wince escaped her lips when a sore pain shot from her lower body up to her spine, a reminder of what she had incurred overnight. 

‘That bast… urgh, no cursing, Relia,’ she chided internally as she took one more glance around.

"Where am I?" she murmured, concealing her pain and coming to the conclusion that she was dead. 

But if she was still alive…then where was she?

Just then she heard the sound of footsteps approaching but before she could trace them, a loud gasp resounded from her left. 

“Bless the Moon Goddess.” Aurelia’s brows creased. Mentally she did not think she was prepared to see anyone. But if she was to find out the truth, then most definitely. Conversing was inevitable. 

“The princess is awake!" came the strange feminine voice that belonged to a lady. 

Aurelia nearly sprang up from the bed due to the unexpected startle, and when she whipped her head to the direction of the voice, her gaze fell upon a strange, elegantly dressed lady seated nearby, whilst the lady's blue eyes were excitedly fixed on her.

And…there were tears to Aurelia’s surprise. But from the smiles adorning her beautiful face, it was no doubt—they were tears of joy.

Aurelia's heart still raced from the mini-panic attack, and her eyes sized the auburn-haired lady.

The unfamiliar lady gasped once more and stuttered, "M…my Princess!" She spoke with grace, addressing the disoriented Aurelia with an elegant curtsy.

However, Aurelia's eyes widened, a mixture of surprise and disbelief dancing across her face. The lady was for real. 

"Princess?" she uttered, bewildered.

The lady nodded ecstatically, moving closer to her bed and merely forgetting her position for a minute. "Yes, my princess. You've been asleep for quite some time.”

She took note of all Aurelia’s expressions, ranging from her shock, fear and pain. With hurried precision, she continued, hoping her next choice of words would ease her up a little. 

“You were found in a terrible state and I didn't know what to do. I was afraid you might not wake up. The kingdom has been eagerly awaiting your awakening.”

“My awakening? Wait, how long have I been asleep for? Isn’t it just a couple of hours?”

The lady raised her brow quizzically. She obviously didn’t know then. “I’m sorry but you’ve been asleep for two days.”

“Two what?!”

Her mind went into overdrive. This was the first—no second time such was happening to her.

Sensing her confusion, the lady pried once more, “Does Her Highness remember me?"

 Aurelia's mind raced as she tried to piece together the fragments of her memory, and she eyed the unknown lady warily, forgetting about her own pain for some second. 

“I am Labana but you named me Ariel, Your Highness.”

Seriously? Who was she to go about naming people? Ariel wondered.

Right now she did not know if fleeing from Eretria was better than this new situation. What if it was all a facade?

“But... I don't remember being a princess. You've got the wrong person, I assure you.”

The lady shook her head in response. Still, Aurelia ignored her. She had no time to argue. What mattered now was where this place was. 

“Where…where am I?" Aurelia's eyes scanned the room again, slowly holding her breath as she awaited the worst possible answer. "Did you bring me here?"

She interrogated the woman who seemed to be at a loss for words. From her awed expression, it was obvious she hadn't expected Aurelia to say she didn’t recognize her. 

The woman simply blinked, quietly taking note of the lady's vigilance, as if she was a prey trying to detect a hunter. 

She had found the princess in a horrible state two days ago, and it was the same time the lost princess of Silver Crest Kingdom was found.

"You don't recognize me?" The woman pointed at herself.

Before Aurelia could comprehend the situation, the lady suddenly rose and exited the room while muttering, "This is bad."

Moments later, a soft buzz of excitement and hushed voices permeated the air. 

Soon after, the grand doors swung open in a swift manner, revealing three remarkably similar figures who rushed in. 

At that moment, Aurelia was struggling to get out of bed, but had paused in her attempts when three men, strikingly similar in their own way, entered without knocking. 

With their identical dark silver-white hair—each strand gleaming like precious metal, and blue eyes that held a mysterious depth—the triplets almost seemed like mirrored reflections of each other. 

Their features were finely chiseled, exuding an ethereal charm that set them apart in their shared beauty.

Dressed in attire befitting their royal status, the young men did not show any manners due to how fast they had surrounded her bed in a flash. 

Aurelia swallowed, holding her breath as her eyes raked from one brother to the next. 

“Kieran.” the youngest looking one voiced while keeping his eyes glued on Aurelia.

Similarly, the man in the middle nodded at his brother’s indirect comment.. “Yeah. My eyes aren’t deceiving me, right, Ivan.”

Wanting to be sure, he asked his brother in a deep voice, hoping for a different point of view as they each studied her in their own way. 

“Yes, it is really her, Kieran, Leo.”

Aurelia, quite startled and inexplicably flustered by their presence, found herself studying the subtle nuances that distinguished each brother, eager to unravel the unique facets of their personalities.

She gazed at the three men with caution, but she couldn't help being captivated by their dashing looks. 

One of them had taken a step back after sensing her alarm, and Aurelia slowly eyed the dark-silver-haired man.

His sharp features were accentuated by the gentle glow of dawn, seeping in through the curtains, whilst his steely-blue eyes, framed by stylish glasses, met hers with a mix of curiosity and concern. 

His demeanor suggested a keen intellect, and there was a quiet intensity about him that both intrigued and fascinated her at the same time.

"Good morning," he was the first to speak to her, his velvety voice resonating in the room. 

His tone was laced with an inexplicable relief, and although Aurelia's mind was still groggy, she tried to piece out the event that was happening before her eyes, but it seemed impossible as there was a mysterious man standing before her.

His tousled hair fell effortlessly, and his chiseled jawline added an air of sophistication. 

His body frame was tall and majestically built, and the same went for the two other men still crouching by her bedside.

Although they seemed alike, the three of them possessed a distinct allure that differentiated them. 

The second triplet was equally an embodiment of charm. His tousled silver hair had a playful quality, and his mischievous blue eyes sparkled with a hint of humor. 

The smile he flashed her could literally disarm anyone, and there was an infectious energy about him that made her feel an instant connection.

When he raised a hand, as if he wanted to touch her face, Aurelia instinctively backed away, leading his hand to pause mid-air, and then she heard the other one speak. 

"She's still recovering, don't touch her." His authoritative voice stuck out more clearly, and unlike the other two, he exuded an air of strength. 

His dark-silver locks framed a strong jawline, and his piercing eyes were fixed on his brother who quietly obeyed. 

He radiated a calm confidence, and a faint scar on the side of his left cheek hinted at a past marked by battles.

Minutes passed, still Aurelia did not say anything and watched them—not until he mentioned something strange.

“Alia?”

Enh?

Ever since they started assessing her, after the little exchange they did earlier, this was the first time either of them spoke to her. 

Prior, they conversed amongst themselves as though she wasn't there, pointing out some notable traits that only a few knew or ignored but to them it was as visible as day. 

What shocked Aurelia most was when Ivan, the triplet with glasses, asked, “do you think she’ll have the scar on her lower back?”

How the hell did they know? Did they really know her?

Aurelia’s thought would have revolved around this had Kieran not mentioned that strange name. No doubt this was a mistake.

“Alia?” Aurelia repeated after them, mindlessly though. 

“Yes. That is your name.”

“My name?” she looked lost for a moment. When she lifted her head to speak, Labina beat her to it, voicing out her concerns for how her brothers bombarded her and treated her like an experiment. 

Understanding the situation, Leo was the first to break up the tense atmosphere with the most thrilling laughter and when he did, Aurelia couldn't help but smile as it warmed her heart. 

“Your smile remains the same, little sister. Just like old times.”

“And only he could make you laugh that way,” Kieran added. At once her smile faded, as she soon found her initial wariness begin to drop. “I know this must be hard for you but where have you been?”

Confusion flashed in Aurelia’s eyes. How was she ever going to answer that? Where has she been, from where?

Always the sensitive one, Ivan was quick to pick up on Kieran’s mistake and took a step closer. When he spoke, his cool voice enchanted the room, leaving a spark in its wake. “What he meant to say was, what was the last thing you remember as far back?”

They gave her a minute to think. Taking hold of this moment, Aurelia did think as far as she could recall.

Her eyes lit up a spark as a thought came to mind. Immediately Ivan added, hoping to jog her memory further, “We lost our sister and thought she died when she fell into a waterfall.”

“Wait what?”

As if on cue, Aurelia’s chest tightened as her heart thudded wildly in her chest and a familiar feeling made chills run down her spine.

Although she could not remember much, she recalled flashes of water each time she tried to think of her past—something she never got across till now.

This was also what Lena said, perhaps her memories might be what was blocking her from wolfing out.

“Do not be scared,” Leo’s charming deep voice echoed from behind her, breaking her from her reverie. “Your brothers are here. You are safe.”

“I…” she swallowed but when she spoke, it felt like a heavyweight had been lifted from her chest. “I was found." 

Her voice came.out more scared than she had hoped for, so she tried again. "My first memories were about water—lots of it. And when I woke up, I found myself in a room, a pack and I was adopted by a couple there.”

“Hmm, if you were adopted, meaning you lived better than wandering alone,” Leo uttered, “if that is so, why were you covered in bruises and…”

“That’s not important for now,” Kieran dismissed as he took a seat on the bed beside Aurelia. Instinctively she moved back a bit but the smile in his eyes eased her up. “Relax sis. You’re home now.”

“B-But… I’m not your…”

“Sister?” Kieran interjected. “If you doubt any of the things we’ve mentioned, then do not doubt these silver-white strands of hair on your head.” He reached for her hair and wrapped a lock of her hair around his fingers, softly caressing them as he gazed deeply into her eyes. 

“Trust me, Alia. No one but the Devlin family has these.” His gaze darted over to his brothers, emphasizing what he meant. 

Following his line of sight, she caught sight of Ivan’s nod and Leo’s cheeky smile. Suddenly, she felt the weight on the bed lessen as Kieran stood up. 

No longer did the sharp smile of her brother remain. Rather, the sternness in his eyes was like that of a leader. 

Turning to face Labina, he ordered, his deep voice sending goosebumps down Aurelia’s arms. 

“Send word. Prepare a huge feast.”

“Invite guests,” Leo chimed. 

“All are welcome,” Ivan quipped as he adjusted his glasses and placed a hand in his trouser pocket. 

“The Princess has returned,” Kieran added. 

Dipping her head, Labina replied, “Yes, Your Majesties.”

"Rest up A…" Kieran paused. Just before he took his leave, he turned to Aurelia and asked, “What is your name, sister?”

Aurelia felt a sense of relief wash over her. It was the first time anyone bothered to ask since she woke up. “Aurelia.”

“Aurelia,” Kieran cooed. “Nice name. I bet mum would have loved it too.” With that, he walked out of the room, his brothers trailing behind him. 

Aurelia felt a wave of joy wash over her, hearing such a handsome man call out her name in a lovely manner. 

But her happiness was short-lived as Labina immediately jubilated before exiting the room. “I’ll be back, Your Highness.”

Right outside her chambers, two men dressed in a guard outfit walked up to Kieran, giving a bow to greet the brothers before they took their leave. 

“Your Majesty,” the first man uttered. 

“Speak.”

“There’s news. The Lycan King has been spotted close to the kingdom. He’s returning from a trip.”

Kieran’s eyes narrowed for a moment as if in deep thought. It was unexpected for the Lycan King to travel out of the blue.

Dissing his thoughts, he responded, “Perfect timing. Have Lord Nixon invite him to the celebrations. We have important business to discuss.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”