Hearing a knock on the door , I shouted "Coming".

Keeping the book I just finished reading back in the shelf, I made my way towards the door.

I was astonished by the beauty standing in front of me. She's ravishingly beautiful. She's got the beautiful eyes anyone could ever want which are unlike her brother, chocolate brown in colour with thick lashes & perfectly shaped eyebrows. She's got the perfect naturally brunette wavy hair. I just noticed that her hair colour is different from the Queen's

"Uh, Hey" She waved her hand in front of me. I pursed my lips to contain my smile. She looked cute.

"Hi" I said awkwardly, not knowing how to start a conversation with a complete stranger. If she were my friend, she would've get to know my crazy side right now & I would've hugged her instead of waving my hand awkwardly in front of her.

"Did I wake you?" She said embarrassed, probably thinking that she woke me up which is definitely not true. I was reading a book. I woke up probably like 3 hours ago. I estimated the time by the pages of the book I just read. I can read exactly 400 pages in 3 hours & the book I just put back in the shelf contained 400 pages.

"No, Not at all. I was reading a book" I said enthusiastically.

"Can I come in?" How rude of me! I didn't ask her to come in. She didn't even have to ask that. This palace belongs to her.

"Of course you can. It's your house-- I mean castle. I AM the guest here" I said in a-matter-of-fact tone, emphasizing on "I AM". I step aside to let her in.

Coming inside, she sat on the bed & the way she was smiling at me made me feel homesick. I was missing my home. I felt so comfortable around her. She's got this aura of comfort.

"You're name's Eloise, right?" She asked, looking anywhere but me. Probably because she was embarrassed to ask me my name, again.

"Uhmm. Yeah" I replied, smiling at her. She reminds me of Alex. They'll look cute together. Shut up El! What are you thinking!!!!

"You're name's beautiful just like you" She said out of nowhere. I don't think my name's as beautiful as hers & my beauty isn't of comparison to hers.

"You're a beauty yourself" I said, trying not to sound like a dumbass.

We chatted for like hours & became friends instantly. I'm actually pretty good at making friends as long as the person's nice & sincere. & she was the kind of a friend I've been waiting to have here. She's sweet & humble, unlike her brother.

"So... Did something ever happened between you & my brother?" She asked out of the blue.

"What? NO!! Absolutely not. I saw him..." I trailed off & was about to tell her that I've seen him in my dreams actually & had this huge crush on him after my dreams but hated him the second I met him in real when she snapped her fingers in front of me & I completed the sentence that I left midway, thanking myself for not letting it all out "I saw him when I was in the woods" I said, clearing my throat.

She looked at me definitely not convinced with my answer, as if she could read me. She nodded & got up.

Suddenly sadness overcame me & I started to miss Maddy. But wait, If Jason's a supernatural then is Maddy too......

"Hey, I think I've to go now. Since you can't leave your room until mother says so.. & I'm sorry about it but I promise you'll be free soon enough" She said while leaving the room in a hurry.

Shit, I forgot to ask her for a watch or something so I wouldn't lose the track of time.

After she left, I changed into something casual. Mia sent some of her clothes by her maid & I loved her collection. I couldn't pick from the clothes in my room's wardrobe since the clothes weren't of my size. I got lucky yesterday that I found clothes of my size. I picked a simple T-shirt with a ripped denim jeans & sneakers.

I've been waiting in this room for Queen to call me for hours now. I had my breakfast after Mia left. The breakfast was delicious but looked kind of odd. It looked more like a medicine, a sort of energizer. It wasn't an ordinary sort of breakfast. I didn't know the name of the things but since I was starving so I had no choice but to eat whatever it was & it energized me.

I was pacing in my room when a book caught my eye.

A Cursed Prince

Opening the book, I was disappointed because the language looked Spanish & I knew nothing about Spanish. My mother was Spanish but father was French. I've never even thought about learning Spanish nor French since I grew up in Manhattan.

Utterly disappointed, I placed the book back. But there was something about this book & I WILL DEFINITELY READ IT NO MATTER WHAT. Maybe Mia will know the language. I thought

As I was about to pick a novel, a voice came from behind the door. It was Jason's.

"El, the Queen wants to see you"

I opened the door & looked at him
"Did you tell her that I'm not a threat?" I asked him confidently.

"How the hell am I supposed to persuade her into believing that you're not a threat? I work for her, El" He said the last sentence with sadness in his voice. Maybe because he can't help me here.

"You're right. Let's go" I said moving past him. Stopping in my tracks, I looked at him & asked him one last question "Jason, Can I go back home? Is there a way for me to go back? I miss my home, you know. Alex & Aunt Chelsea must be worried by now" there was urgency in my voice.

He took a deep breath & looked at me with a sad expression "Look, we'll have to find that out if you can go back. & yes there is a way you can go back : through a portal" He placed his hands on my shoulder & looked me in the eyes.

"Don't worry, El. Everything will be fine. Queen Isabelle is a kind-hearted woman. And so is everyone else" He said, maybe talking about Mia & Sebastian. But seriously I don't fine Sebastian kind-hearted.

I nodded my head & he motioned for me to start walking.

The palace a looked majestic, beyond my imagination. I was given a room that's at the left corner of the palace. I couldn't notice much yesterday since I was in no position of admiring anything. No one showed me around, though. As soon as I came here yesterday, I was escorted by my best friend to my room that was right in the corner of the main hall. As I looked at the paintings in the hall, I wondered who might have made these. I'm a painter, too. Just never got the right time to mention it. I admire artists. Since my parents died, nothing ever worked out for me. It was like part of me died.

The paintings were beautiful & held so much emotions in them. But only one caught my eye. I inched closer to the painting & placed my hand on it, touching it gently with my fingers. It looked so much familiar to me. It was definitely a child's painting but was beautiful & neat. The painting was of a girl on the swing that's attached to the tree & a boy pushing the swing. Both of them looked around the age of 6-8. It was the painting about friendship. & the painting was of earth.

"The Queen's room is this way, El" Jason said, putting me out of my where-have-I-seen-this-painting session.

"Okay" No one would let me have a good look at the palace before leaving.

Jason motioned me upstairs, telling me that 'Your Majesty's' room was on the left side & warned me not to ever go the third floor since that belonged to the obnoxious, self-loving prick Mr. Sebastian. As if I'll ever want to face him again. Never! I asked him about Mia's room & it's on the right of second floor.

When we reached Isabelle's room, two guards were standing near her door for her protection. Jason whispered into one of the guard's ear & he knocked on Isabelle's door. Waiting for our call, Jason was asked to stay outside while I was allowed to enter.

Her room was beautiful. Nothing compared to mine's. Obviously, She's the Queen. Her room's like a perfect magazine cover. I've been brought up in a luxurious environment but beauty of my mansion was nothing compared to the beauty of this place. Everything here looked ethereal & magical. Over the mantle was a picture of two young girls, one holding the other's hand. A sister, I thought. The couch was cream but inlaid with a fine red silk. On walls were the handmade paintings, again. I think maybe they paint themselves or maybe Mia paints because people like Sebastian can't. So he's out of the question.

The walls were painted red. I guess Isabelle's got a liking to the red, just like my mother because almost everything here is red. Even the covers on the bed & the curtains are red. Mother used to love red, as well. Almost all of her dresses were red. I smiled at the similarities between my mother & isabelle.

"What are you smiling at?" Came a voice from beside me & pulling me out of my trance.

"Uhmm. Nothing" I cleared my throat not to sound too much awe struck by the beauty of her room.

"Sooo... Eloise, my child. Would you explain to me how did you get here? I mean what were your intentions? & how could you possibly see my son?" She asked me, but I was perplexed by her last question. I could obviously see her son though. Anyone could, as long as those who were looking at him humans.

"Uhhm yeah, sure. I was at a homecoming party & when I felt suffocated inside, I came outside to get some fresh air & that's when I saw your son in the woods & heard him talking to you via that watch he was wearing. As for the part where you asked about my intentions, I never wanted to end up here. I didn't even know that a place like this could exist, let alone imagine" I breathed out.

"And I'm human, so is he. That's how I could see him" I said biting my lower lip, waiting for her next question.

"Hmmm. But you must have to be special for having the sight" She just hummed like that & smiled at my response, flashing her white teeth.

"What do you mean I must have the sight?" I asked, wide-eyed.

"What I mean is that our world, our people & anything related to magic is protected from the normal beings as in humans via magic" She inched closer, placing her hands on my shoulder & leaning in "invisibility spell" She whispered in my ear which sent shivers down my spine. What the hell? Why would they need protection from us? From Humans?

"I know what you're thinking" She looked ravishing in that red gown that clung to her body, perfectly.

"You must be thinking 'How could you possibly see us while no one else can' & 'Why would we supernaturals need protection from humans' right?" She looked right through me. She knew what I was thinking.

"Well, for that my child you must be special which I feel like you are. & as for the secons question : We need protection because humans hunt us down, they hates us after what he did to them" She said.

I was shocked & I couldn't really understand what she meant by 'after what he did to us'. She must be talking about that guy who raped her. Or maybe I was just being a dumbass. So... Come to think of it, maybe that's why Aunt Chelsea couldn't see that door in our mansion, maybe mother protected it with an invisibility spell because it contains millions of books, & above all, important ones.

"What was your full name again?" She asked, pulling me out of my metal debate. I blinked a few time & looked at her. She was looking straight outside the window.

"Eloise Richard" I said looking straight at her.

"Who were your parents, Eloise?" She turned her head & looked at me with intensity in her eyes & too many emotions that I couldn't decipher.

"Verlac Richard & Jacinda Fernandez Richard" I said bluntly.

Her eyes widened on my response & she turned her body & rushed towards me. She hugged me after her eyes welled up. Maybe she is the one I thought who she is. Aunt Isabelle

"Looks like we've got a lot of family secrets to discuss" were her words before she sent me back to my room & told me that she'll talk about it later when Sebastian's around so that she can let me stay here, with her. She didn't even explain if she really was my Aunt Isabelle. I mean I guess she really is my Aunt but I wasn't confirmed either.

Tossing the book I've been reading since I got here from Isabelle's room, I jumped onto my bed. Reading's the only thing that has kept me sane here. Everyone's so busy here that no one has the time for each other. I was about to turn the lamp off when I heard a knock on the door.

"Welcome Home, Eloise" hugged me a cheerful Isabelle. "You are blood, Eloise. My blood. Daughter of my older sister Jacinda Fernandez" So I was right, this whole time.

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A/N

Hey. If you love the chapter, vote & comment. If you find any mistakes, then let me know. I'll appreciate that.
Xoxo
- Kainat :))