Chapter 26

    

    

   Princess Ana Mae's POV;

    

    

    I woke up to the sweet scent of fresh jasmines and was greeted by my mom's worried face. She seems exhausted, her eyes are swelling and her lips were not as pinkish as before. My mom looks so pale and it looks like she haven't slept for days.

    

    "Sweety you're awake!" she screamed happily. There's a big smile plastered on her face.

    

    

    "Mom, you don't look good," I commented.  She sighed and kissed my forehead.

    

    "I always look good when you're around my dear daughter," she said. 

    

    "Mom, how long I've been sleeping?" I asked her. The last thing I remembered was the snake's bite on my skin. 

    

    She smiled at me before answering, "It does not matter, what matters now is that you're finally awake! Finally the dark nights are over, the sun has finally risen for our family!"

    

    

    "My princess." I saw my father running towards our direction with a happy face.

    "Finally!" He hugged me as tight as he could and I felt safe in his arms.

    

    "Dad, I missed you," I mumbled. 

    

    I don't know how long I slept but it feels so good to be back and feel my parent's love once again. 

    

    "What happened to Amira? Did you dismiss her already?" my mom asked dad. And it made me confused.

    

    "Why dad? What happened?" I saw anger in my dad's eyes but there's this glimpse of sadness that he's trying to hide.

    

    "Amira hired a snake hunter to catch a venomous snake to bite you," mom explained. My eyes widened and for a moment, I felt like I don't want to believe her. I know that Amira hates me but she's not capable of doing such things.

    

    

    "Mom, are you sure about that? I mean, I know her hostility towards me but she's still my cousin. She can't harm me," I insisted.

    

    "Unfortunately, she can. And her mom instead of punishing her daughter she dared to rebel against me!" dad said angrily.

    

    "Aunt Anatalia? What happened to her dad?" Aunt Anatalia was never good to me. But she's still my aunt and I care for her.

    

    

    "She's gone. She tried to attack me, luckily a palace guard shoot her on time before she could struck me with her sword. But Anatalia is still my sister, she's my one and only sister." Tears started to fall from dad's eyes. I know it's hard for him to lost his only sister. No one wishes to lost someone you love, but cruel situations will put you in difficult times. You will have to choose between your life or your loved ones. Especially when it includes greed for power.

    

    

    "Dad, aunt Anatalia was so obsessed with power that it was too hard for her to realise her mistakes," I told him.

    

    "Our daughter's right hon. Anatalia caused her end, not you," mom added. 

    

    Dad nodded his head and kissed both my mom and I's forehead. 

    

    

    "What happened to Amira dad?" After what happened to her mom, I'm pretty sure that she's suffering right now.

    

    "She's demoted as a princess and I sent all her belongings to the charity," dad stated that made me shocked.

    

    "Why dad? You don't have to do that. I will forgive him despite of what she did." My poor cousin, she's suffering because of me.

    

    "Your aunt requested it before she died. She wants Amira to realise her mistakes. Don't worry sweety, this is just temporary," dad explained.

    

    Greed definitely destroys a person, and will make you betray even your loved ones. I just hope that one day ,people will let love reign in their hearts instead of greed.

    

    

    ***************

    

    

   The whole kingdom rejoices for my return. But I could not be as happy as them for I lost both my aunt and cousin. 

    

    "Your highness, are you okay?" Leana asked as soon as she returned from the palace garden to pick some roses.

    

    "Yes, I'm fine. Just put those flowers on the vase and then you may take your leave," I ordered her. 

    

    "Are you sure?" 

    

    

    "Yes, I'm a hundred percent sure," I assured her with a smile. 

    

    She then did what I told her before she goes out of my room.

    

    I stared blankly at my window and started to reminisce my past memories with my cousin Amira.

    

    Some may think that I have the ugliest memories with her. But for me, those were the most beautiful memories of my life. Because back then, we were all together despite our arguments. She did not lose her mother and my dad did not lose his only sister.

Destiny played a painful and unforgettable game for our family. Something that will serve as a lesson for everyone. That we must not let jealousy and greed take over our hearts. Love should always reign in whatever situation or time you are in.

"Sweety, are you alright?" Mom stepped inside my room with a worried face.

I turned around to face her and gave her a warm smile.

"I'm fine mom, it's just that-" I wasn't able to continue my words because mom cut me off.

"You are still blaming yourself for what happened to your aunt and cousin?" she asked and I nodded.

No matter how much they tell me to stop blaming myself, still it won't changed the fact that it all started with me. My cousin is jealous with me causing her to be cruel and her mom to rebel as well.

Mom moved closer to me and caressed my cheeks. 

"Listen my princess, what happened to them is the result of their wrong decisions. It has nothing to do with you. So please stop blaming yourself for their downfall," mom explained.

"But mom, I think I made them do those things." Tears started falling from my eyes and mom wiped them with her bare hands.

"No, you didn't! Never ever say that again. People commit mistakes because of too much greed and selfishness. That's why it is important to free our hearts from those things before it's too late. Because the consequences of wanting too much is unbearable," she told me with a smile. 

I smiled and hugged her. I'm really thankful that I have a mom like her. Despite being the crown princess she never taught me to be proud. Instead, she taught me to be nice and love everyone with all my heart. She also taught me not to look down on others no matter how homeless they are. Because it is my duty to protect them and give them home instead of mocking them. Mom is a very righteous queen and someday I want to be like her. A queen who loves her people and give beneficial advices to her king.