Chapter 4:The Long Lost Princess

There was pin drop silence in the corridor and our voices were echoing when we engaged in conversation. But that did not matter to anyone of us, as we were too shocked to even care about our surroundings. I started to compare the features of the baby in both the pictures, trying to figure out any dissimilarities but failed to detect one.

"It just can't happen, Sein. Maybe me and princess had the same blanket." I shrugged at Sein when in reality my heart was pounding hardly in my chest.

"Are you crazy? How can't you not notice the similarities between you and the queen Bridget? You are almost like her!" he exclaimed throwing his hand in the air.

"Sometimes, there will be similarities between people even though they are not connected Sein." I calmly said him.

"Oh, so you think that huh? How about I prove you?" he challenged me with his eyes.

"Deal." I said, confident that I am not related to the royals.

"Just look the date when the picture was taken, it must be printed behind the picture." he motioned me to flip the photo. I flipped the photo and glanced at the date which was printed '25th december 1989'. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion as to why Sein urged me to check the date.

"I thought so." Sein mumbled, rubbing his face using his right hand to relieve himself of the sweat and stress.

"What do mean by 'I thought so'?"

"The princess was abducted on 23rd December, 1989. I was a one-year old child by then. Spain was literally a mire that period since their to-be queen was abducted and there was no sign of her. And you were actually placed at the church's doorstep after 2 days of abduction. Does that make any sense now?" he questioned me taking me off-guard. By his words I want to believe that I am the long lost princess of Spain but at the same time, my mind reasoned with me to know as to why these people did not make an attempt to find their princess.

"Why didn't they try to find me?" My voice wavered, making bad assumptions of unwanted being on earth. The same feeling of dejection and depression from 5 years is rushing back in my direction again.

He cupped my face in his large hands and said "Hey baby doll, just listen to me and listen to me good. The king and queen interrogated many people, they investigated a lot to get hold of their little princess but they failed miserably. Whoever actually abducted you may had all the information necessary to abduct in such a way that no one will doubt them. But now you are here, you need to prove your identity, I guess." he sighed and placed a small kiss on the top of my head.

Just then there was a 'bam' sound from the direction we entered into the hallway of portraits. We swiftly turned our heads in that direction to notice nothing but an empty hallway supported by light emitting from the ceiling. Sein brushed off the topic deducing it to be a cat. Apparently, queen loves cats and has nearly 8 cats under her protection which grow inside castle. The were not put under control and were free to roam around the castle. But my gut feeling says otherwise, there was something wrong with this place which needs to be rectified before becoming a problem.

"Now come with me, I only had an one hour appointment with the king and queen for introducing you to them out of which half of the time is already wasted discussing." Sein grasped my arm leaving no time for me to utter a word.

We crossed many hallways passing many rooms on our way before finally ending up in front of a large door reminding me of harry potter when he first entered into dining hall of hogwarts. My mouth was dropped open in 'aw' at its beauty and gargantuan size.

"Close your mouth and compose yourself princess, you are about to face your parents." Sein smiled at me brushing a strand of hair behind my ear.

When he said parents, my heart fluttered and a nervous feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. If they really are my biological parents, I would be glad to finally come across them and call them mine. But if my hopes were crushed and they were to be just my king and queen, I may not handle the pain that trails along with the truth. So it was better if I maintain my hopes down and not anticipate anything which was not my fate.

Sein pushed open the door to reveal three people having the time of their life and relieving their stress. Immediately recognition dawned me that the elderly couple are king and queen when my eyes landed on them. There was another young man who seemed to be as old as Sein and was having a free conversation with the royals.

All three heads snapped in our direction when they heard the screeching sound made by the door opened by Sein. I intertwined my hand with Sein's and tightened my grip due to nervousness. Sein looked at my tense stature and freed a little tension out of my body squeezing my hand in return.

"Sein, how nice to meet you again son. Come and sit with us." The king motioned towards the chair across him. They were seated around a table that consisted of 6 chairs. I made my way along with Sein across them and seated myself next to Sein.

Everyone smiled kindly at me with knowing gazes and queen spoke up "So is this the lady you wanted to introduce us?"

"Yup." Sein answered smiling kindly at her.

"You already know that my name is Isabella Habsburg and nice to meet you." Queen extended her hand for me to shake and I gladly accepted her soft hand in mine. When she introduced herself she did not seem to be rude and her eyes provided warmth.

"My name is Bridget."I managed to speak and all this time my body was tense and I did not leave Sein's right hand which was still intertwined with my left hand.

"My name is Philipe and this idiot is best friend." Philipe introduced himself pointing his right hand's index finger towards Sein for which Sein replied by rolling his eyes. There was a lot of tension in the room for me whereas, everyone else seemed to be normal.

"I have to say you something." Sein blurted out. I turned towards him with wide eyes when I realised what was he going to spill.

"Speak out child."King said softly.

"I th-think Bridget is your biological daughter. The same princess whom you lost 26 years back." Sein shuttered while explaining and I was biting my lip.

I jerked my head in the direction of other three people whose eyes were as wide as saucers and mouth was open in shock.

"Are you sure about this son? And if so, do you have any proof?" The king asked.

Sein removed my photo and explained when that photo was taken and how did he match the pieces to realise I am the 'long lost princess'. Philipe and King were paying concentration to Sein's explanation whereas the queen was gazing at me intently making me drop my head down. A soft hand was placed under my chin making me to lift my gaze and meet tear filled eyes of The Queen.

"You are really my daughter." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

She seated herself beside me and hugged me tight. Her tears were rolling down and falling on my bare shoulders notifying me the happiness she is feeling. I was just like a statue neither hugging her back nor shedding a tear upon meeting my parents. It's still not confirmed that I am their daughter.

"We should take a DNA test first, Sein." The king interrupted my thoughts.

"You can anytime Sir, I am sure that she is your blood." Sein replied.

"I hope so." King muttered gazing at me with care in his eyes.

"Can't you see the similarities Charles, she just looks like me when I was her age." Queen yelled at King in frustration.

"Darling calm down, we need to make sure before taking any steps." King tried to reason with her.

"The doctor's on the way." Philipe interrupted the conversation.

After 30 minutes of waiting for the doctor, my blood samples along with king's were taken for the testing and the results will be out in the next hour. I was biting my nails the whole time, the room was filled with thick silence. No one dared to utter a word for the next hour. I just started looking at all the pictures that were displayed on the wall, in the room we wwre in. They were photos of a baby smiling, crying, sleeping and in all the activities.

"They all are you." Sein said coming behind me.

"The results are not out yet Sein." I reminded him still keeping my hopes down.

"I am confident, so should be you." he said and moved to other corner of room. He was sky-rocketing my hopes increasing my fear.

I gazed at other people in room, Philipe was clutching his phone tightly waiting for the call from doctor. Queen was silently praying to God. King was speaking to Sein patting him on the shoulder for the matter I am unaware of. Philipe's mobile rang catching the attention of everyone in the room.

"It is from the doctor." he said.

"Put the call on speaker mode."

"Hello." Philipe answered the call.

"About the results, they are positive. The DNA's match." Doctor congratulated and the call was disconnected.

Immediately the room was filled with tears of happiness from both king and queen- mom and dad actually. They both hugged each other in happiness. The happiness was very much evident in their eyes. I couldn't bear the thought of living without Ethan for a day, let alone 26 years. I could compare myself with them and the feeling they were experiencing right now.

"What did I say princess?" Sein smirked walking towards me.

"They are really my parents?" I asked him with tear glistening in my eyes and a big smile on my face.

"They are." he confirmed. instantly I hugged him tightly saying 'thank you for coming in my life.'

"No problem baby doll." he patted my back. I was ripped away from him and was attacked by Philipe, my cousin into a bone-crushing hug.

"Welcome home, sister." he said releasing me from his hold.

I immediately took Sein's hand in mine as he was the only one I know here, even though the people here were my family. He gav me assurance of safety at that point.

"Welcome home, Sofia." mom threw her hands around me, embracing me into a motherly hug.

"Welcome home, darling." dad said patting my head.

"Now this will be in news and all over the world will get to know about the soon-to-be queen of Spain." Mom said grinning from ear to ear. But this matter made me uncomfortable, I just queezed Sein's hand for assurance but he was not returning the gesture making me worry.

Looking at the worried expression on my face, mom clarified "Don't worry child, first you will be trained to be an efficient princess, then will be announced as upcoming queen. Then you will get married and will be announced as queen along with your husband as king." At this point my breath hitched in my throat.

When she mentioned being a queen, it bought back my life with Samuel. Which means fancy dinners, restaurants, parties which I didn't want to take a part in. I was waiting for at least a gesture from Sein but he just removed slipped away his hand from mine and got out of the door leaving me in confusion and sadness.

The only thing I want to do was to confront Sein.

******

I said wednesday, but I was too eager to update. This like a filler chapter, so sorry and please bear it.

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