Chapter 2. Bits and Pieces

“When we grow up, you’ll be my prince,” she said while laughing gleefully. I took one of the flowers from the grass. All kinds of them were scattered there between us. I tucked the flower on the side of her ear. She looked pretty for a 6 year old.

“I can’t be your prince. I’m a girl,” I told her. “We both are.”

She snickered and held my eyes. “Sometimes Prince Charming is a princess.”

I woke up in surprise and quickly realized that I fell from my bed. With a loud groan, I hauled myself up and stood on my feet. That dream again huh? It was so vivid this time. It was as if she was right there with me. Like it was just yesterday when we were. My train of thought was stopped when I heard the princess calling out.

She didn’t know this but my room was just across from her. My real room was actually a floor below, but I’ve been sleeping in the spare bedroom nowadays. You know, just in case.

“Miss kidnapper,” she said loudly. “Are you there? Yoohoo!”

I shook my head in disdain and grabbed the white tee on the bed. I wore it quickly before going out of the spare room and punching the code for the metal door to enter her holding area. The princess sat on the floor hugging her knees.

“What do you want?” I asked with a frown. “You ruined my sleep.”

“For someone so pretty, you have a foul attitude,” she said and pouted. I stifled a smile and leaned against the door. “So you think I’m pretty?”

“Give me a break,” she mumbled. “Don’t fish for compliments because you’re not getting more from me.” I stared hard at her and scanned her body. She lost a pound or two. I’ve been feeding her good food for two weeks, maybe she was depressed. She looked pale too. Her usually pink lips were dull, and her honey colored hair was not set into a half braid.

“What’s wrong? Why did you call for me?”

“Aside from the fact that you’re holding me hostage here?” she mocked and glared at me. “Miss kidnapper. If you haven’t noticed, I’ve been inside this room for the last two weeks. I’ve been cooped up inside this room too much that I think I’m going crazy.” She raised her arms in defeat. “You rarely talk to me and God knows what you’re doing on the other side of that door.” She hugged her knees again. “I give up. If you want to kill me, just do it. This is torture.”

“I already told you that I’m not going to kill you.”

“Then please talk to me,” she said in frustration. “I can’t stand this. Sitting around in this room doing nothing is maddening. Please,” she whispered. “If there is an ounce of humanity left in you, please talk to me.”

Those puppy dog eyes of hers got me walking to her. I sat down on her left side. “What do you want to talk about?” She scratched the wooden floor with her nail. “I don’t know. Tell me about you. And please don’t give me that crap about being my kidnapper and all. Even if you tell me things about your life, I won’t be able to do anything about it.”

I decided what I could and couldn’t tell her. Just a teensy bit of information wouldn’t hurt. I faced her and crossed my legs. “I grew up in England.”

She turned her head to me and I could see the surprise in her gray eyes. “You did? But you don’t have an accent.”

“That’s because I went there when I was around ten. My adoptive parents took me to their country and raised me there.”

“Oh,” she said. “Did you also study there?” She turned to face me and mirrored my position. By now, both of us sat crossed legged in front of each other. “Yes I studied and graduated in that place,” I said. “But I was born here.”

“So what was your course? You did graduate right?”

I almost laughed at her question. I graduated at an Ivy League school. The best in that country in fact. My millionaire parents made sure of it. But I shouldn’t tell her that. “Yes I did get my diploma. And I studied different things,” I answered. “You’ll get bored if we discuss about it.”

“Okay,” she said. “Can I ask you another question? What’s your name?”

I gave her a look, making her shrug. “I’m tired of calling you miss kidnapper. Surely even someone like you was given a name.”

“My adoptive parents gave me the name of Iris. But my name before that was Cybele. You can call me either one.”

She thought about it for a moment. “I think I’d like to call you Cybele. It’s a really cool name. It’s like I’ve heard it before somewhere and I just can’t remember.” I smirked at her and held her gaze. “That’s because you’ve heard of it before,” I said.

“Where?”

“It’s a Greek name,” I explained. “You probably read it in a book somewhere or watched a movie with a Cybele character.”

“Maybe,” she replied. “Anyway you can call me Talia. Drop the princess name okay? You don’t really treat me like one anyway.” She reached out a hand to shake mine. “Nice to meet you Cybele,” she said with a dimpled smile. I looked at her and felt goose bumps crawling on my skin. Her smile gave me déjà vu. I missed it.

“Aren’t you going to take my hand?” she asked with raised eyebrows. I grabbed her hand and gave it a quick peck before letting it fall. She blushed furiously because of my action. Still a blusher I see. After she recovered, she continued her string of questions. “Aren’t you too pretty to be a kidnapper?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I dismissed. “Oh come on,” she said. “Green eyes, toffee colored hair, straight nose, perfect teeth. And what are you, 5’9” or something?”

“It’s 5’10,” I corrected. “See?” she said as if proving her point. “The last time I checked, kidnappers were supposed to look grizzly and I don’t know, scary?” I rolled my eyes at her. “Flattery will get you nowhere Talia. I’m still your kidnapper and I won’t let you go.”

She pouted. “I’m just telling the truth.”

“In this case, the truth won’t set you free,” I snickered.

“You have a dark sense of humor. Do you know that?”

I gave a shrug. “Only on Fridays.” I stood up from the floor and sat on the edge of the bed. “So what’s it like being the princess? I bet you can do whatever you want without being punished.”

She lowered her head and thought for a while before responding. “It’s pretty much like this. I wasn’t allowed to leave the palace. Not on my own. I have like 20 men and women guarding me. I wasn’t allowed to go to a normal school either. I was home schooled.” She laughed to herself humorlessly. “The only difference between here and there is I had my books and a laptop to keep me company.”

“What about friends?” I asked.

“I didn’t have friends. I had acquaintances,” she said honestly. “All of them came from noble families. But I know they just suck up to me because I’m going to be the queen someday. Even my fiancé is as boring as crap.”

“You have a fiancé?” I gasped. My little outburst made her look at me in surprise. “Yeah. His name is Lance. We are to wed on my 20th birthday.”

I swallowed hard. That information escaped my knowledge. The thoughts of kidnapping her consumed me for years that I didn’t know she got a fiancé. “Do you love this boy?” I asked.

She answered me with a laugh. Her cute voice echoed around the room. I waited for her to finish. “Of course I don’t,” she said. “Who would want to marry that twit? Not me! I’m only going out with him because the queen told me so.”

“And does her majesty know that you hate the guy?” She gave me an are you stupid look. “Duh! If she knew that, she’ll behead me. You don’t know my mother Cybele. She can be pretty difficult.” Oh I know her alright, I thought darkly.

“How’s your relationship with your mother?”

“I don’t really want to talk about it,” she sighed. “But what I do want to know is how you managed to kidnap me right under my guard’s nose. My lead guard Keira watches me like a hawk. She must be worried now.”

So Keira was her name. That slim Latina gave me a hard time. She was constantly on the lookout. Too bad for her she had to sleep for 8 hours. I grabbed the opportunity to seize the princess at that moment. Years of looking at their pattern and hacking on their main security server helped me with my plan. I didn’t graduate at an ivy league for nothing.

To Talia I said, “Your guard had a moment of weakness.”

Both of us stayed silent for a while. Being true to herself, Talia spoke up. “Why did you do it Cybele? You’re not as bad as you make yourself sound.”

She wanted to open up this topic again and I just couldn’t let her. Too much was at stake. Time, effort, and years of sacrifice would have gone to waste if I let her get to me. I mustn’t deviate from the plan. I shouldn’t let her within my walls. I have to hurt you Talia, I thought sadly.

I stood up quickly from the bed. “If you ever say those words again, I’m going to force feed you with porridge.” I leaned near her and tilted her chin so we were eye to eye. “I’m not your friend so don’t act like you know me. I’m not a good person either. Always remember that.”

I left the room in a hurry and paced back and forth on the hallway. You’re stupid Cybele, I thought. That pretty girl inside is the enemy. You’re going to screw up if you let her come any closer. She must despise you at all cost and you should hate her in turn.

I yanked my shirt up and stared at my tattoo near my hip bone. Long live the queen, it said. Remember your promise Cybele. Never forget why you have to do this. Talia is not Talia anymore.

With newfound determination, I walked in front of the metal door and punched in the security code. Talia opened her mouth as I grabbed her hand and pulled her out. I lead her past the other rooms and into the laundry area. This building was unique. There were four floors in total, plus the rooftop. Each floor houses several rooms, its own kitchen, and a laundry area.

The second and third floor had security system all over the place. I designed it that way to prepare for this day. All the windows were barred and almost all rooms had a security lock. We were currently on the third floor.

“You may be a princess in the palace. But here and now, you’re nothing,” I said harshly. “Since you’re so bored you’d rather die, why don’t you become my servant instead? From now on you’re the one who’s going to launder all your clothes. I want this whole floor cleaned. I also want you to cook thrice a day. If you even skip one meal, I’ll feed you porridge for months.”

She gasped and stared at me incredulously. “That’s right princess,” I said to her. “You’re in my world now. What I say goes. You hear me?”

She gave me a sad smile but still nodded. “I understand Cybele. But you have to run me through things. I have no idea how to operate the machine.” She pointed to the washer on the right.

“Well aren’t you an ignorant little kid,” I huffed.

“Excuse me for not using one of those all my life,” she snapped. “I just happen to be a princess. Do you think I’ve ever seen one up close?” She placed her hands on her waist.

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” I snapped back. “Princesses are supposed to be bright right? Imagine if you become a queen. You haven’t washed your freaking clothes yet, let alone use a washing machine. How can you rule a whole country?!”

She glared at me and walked to the counter. I didn’t think anything of it when she grabbed an opened carton of laundry detergent. But when she threw the white stuff all over my face and clothes, I knew I had enough of her bratty behavior.

I scooped some powder that have fallen on the floor and threw some on her own face. She growled loudly before pouncing on me. We both fell to the ground and rolled while shoving powder on each other. The beastly girl bit me on the ear and I accidentally scratched her back with my fingernail.

Her fingers got tangled in my hair and when she pulled it free, she accidentally yanked my hair, causing me to scream in pain. In turn, I grabbed her shirt and felt it rip in my hands. We were squirming like lunatics on the floor.

“Stop!” I panted. “You’re mental!”

Instead of objecting like I thought she would, she giggled like a schoolgirl. “What are you laughing for?” I asked while wriggling. She was currently straddling me on the floor. I didn’t know how it ended this way. I never lose in a fight. She was such a pain to deal with.

Talia grinned and said, “Your accent came out back there.”

I raised my eyebrows. “It did? I didn’t notice.” She tickled me on the tummy and I laughed hard. “Stop it!” I said. I tried to move my arms but it was pinned on my side.

“You don’t look mean and scary to me,” she teased. “But on a serious note Cybele, please don’t be harsh. I know you’re just trying to intimidate me but you don’t really mean it. I can see right through your act you know.”

“Stop imagining things,” I retorted.

She touched my face without thinking about the consequences of her action. When she spoke, she had that tender look on her gray eyes. “Every time you lie, you get that sad look in your face,” she whispered softly. “Now I don’t know the reason why you decided to kidnap me. I also don’t understand why you’re trying to act mean. But as long as I’m here, can we just be friends?”

“I’m not the best person to be around with,” she continued. “I was pampered. I was sheltered. And God knows I don’t act like a real princess. But since you’re going to keep me here with you, you might as well be kind to me. You said that you’ll hold me for months. If we continue like this, we’ll just burn out.”

She stood up and dusted herself before offering a hand. “What do you say Cybele. Truce?” I looked up at her beautiful face and smiled to myself. You’ve really become a beautiful princess Talia.

I took the hand that she offered and hauled myself to my feet. Once I did, I pinched her butt for revenge. “You’re a pervert!” she said and moved a step back. A laugh escaped from my lips. “What? I can’t touch the royal butt? That’s for yanking my hair and biting my ear.”

She tried to hide a smile but I still noticed it. “Don’t do that again. I mean it.”

“Sorry. The royal goods are just too hard to resist.”

She grabbed some white powder on the floor and threw it to me. I was able to dodge it in time. She placed her hands on her waist. “Stop trying to hit on me. I’m not lesbian,” she said with a smirk.

“Didn’t you hear the saying that girls are like pasta? They stop being straight when they get wet.”

She gave me an amused look. “Sorry Cybele. No matter how cute you are, this girl is straight as a pole.”

It was my turn to smile at her. “Even poles bend Talia, especially one that hasn’t been straight to begin with.” In my mind I said, challenge accepted princess.