Chapter 5 THE ROYAL BROTHERS

• 5: The Royal Brothers
• Caleb stands here with wide eyes and I can tell that he has waiting all his life for this great news. I have never seen him looking this happy. “You are serious?” He questions with a smile.
• Caleb does have such an infectious handsome smile.
• “Yes.” Thibaut answers.
• And with that simple word, Caleb threw his fists in the air and rejoiced loudly as he chanted the word "Yes" and "I'm finally going back home" repetitively. He hugs each of his brothers happily and I could feel his happiness overflowing in this room. He looked really happy to be going back and I know he has been wishing this for a long time.
• Malcolm and Thibaut seemed to be happy for him too and they were all cheering for him which seemed really great to see knowing they are his brothers. I was happy for Caleb as well since he told me before when he was drunk one time that has been wanting to go back home but he couldn’t and now he can. I don’t know why he was sent here but they sure do have a weird way of calling their father.
• I mean, why not use the common thing called dad?
• “I knew father cannot resist me.” Caleb commented, still having that wide smile on his face.
• Gregory, the ever protagonist, butts in. “Actually he didn’t want to yet.”
• Ugh, I swear this person is such a party poop. I thought to myself while I rolled my eyes at no one. When Gregory caught me rolling my eyes, he gave me his strict and evil glare which caused me to look back down.
• Caleb looked confused now as his eyes glancing to each of his brothers, “What?”
• “He was forced by Maggie.” Gregory answers and as he mentions the name Maggie, it reminded me of what Caleb had told me before about tutoring someone named Maggie.
• Gregory continues, “He was planning a year or more for your stay in Vancouver without any financial aid coming from any of us and a year or more from stripping you off the title.”
• Title?
• Malcolm nods, “You should thank Maggie.”
• Caleb stares at the floor before looking back at his brothers, “Father really wanted that? He actually wanted me to be deprived from everything.”
• Gregory and Malcolm nods together but my eyes travelled to Thibaut right away who looked back at Caleb with pitiful eyes. He seemed to feel sad for his own brother and to be honest he is the only one who looked sorry for what Caleb found out about their father's original plan.
• “I mean you left a huge mess Caleb. It—”
• “Humiliated our name.” Caleb cut Malcolm off and he sounded sorry and miserable.
• What in hell did he even do?
• “Father warned you many times before yet you never listened. I guess that was his last straw. I mean it was the biggest issue you got yourself involved in.” Gregory sounded serious and those words would actually come from an eldest brother scolding his younger siblings but it’s actually coming from their youngest.
• “Well what can you get from a rebellious son, right?” Caleb laughs humorlessly but I know he’s hiding his sadness behind that weary smile and dry laugh.
• Thibaut sighs inwardly, “Think of the brighter side Caleb, you’re finally going back home. That’s what matters. Prove to father that you aren’t the same as you were months before you left the kingdom. You’re changed now. You know your faults and you’re sorry.”
• “Kingdom?” I asked softly to myself.
• They went silent and as I look back at the four handsome men in this room, synchronically they all turned their attention to me when they heard me speak. My mind swirls back to the conversation I just heard among the four of them and I try to analyze every word in the back of my head. I don’t know if I should hear what I have heard earlier since this was supposed to be a family matter and I clearly do not belong in this conversation but this was a little bit disturbing to me
• Damn Thia, you should have left earlier already.
• “Title? Kingdom?” I chuckle as I remember the words Caleb would always tell me every time he is drunk but they didn’t say anything else. They didn’t answer me anything else.
• I look back at Caleb, “Tell me honestly, who the actual fuck are you?”
• “Wow. I have never heard a woman curse like a sailor in front of us.” Malcolm commented with a wide smile. “Indeed a feisty one Thibaut.”
• Gregory glares at me, “If we were at home, she’d be considered disrespectful.”
• "Well I'm glad I am not." I answered back Mr. Eyeglasses.
• "Why you--"
• “Stop it Greg. You too Mal.” Thibaut sounded firm at his warnings.
• Caleb glances at his brothers but he remained silent. He must feel really sad for what he just found out that his own father didn’t want him back home yet. Now I wonder what he must have gotten himself into before reaching to Vancouver since it practically involves putting their names at risk and humiliation.
• Rebellious, huh? I wonder what he did.
• “You shouldn’t have heard all this.” My attention turns back to Thibaut who was speaking to me
• ‘Well I did. Clearly.” I answered correctly. “Caleb has always told me a little about himself every time he is drunk but I didn’t believe any of it since it sounded pretty…… absurd.”
• The three of them instantly looked mortified with what I just confessed as they turned all of their attention to the guilt-filled face of Caleb.
• “Oh Lord. Not when he is drunk.” Malcolm shakes his head then turns to me. “He is the most honest person when he is drunk.”
• He has mentioned that to me before too but I didn’t believe him. Well, first and foremost the things he drunk-said sounded terribly unbelievable. His father is a king. He is a prince. He lives in a palace. He has brothers from different mothers. I mean shouldn’t the king be loyal to his queen? If he had different mistresses then he would set a bad example to his people.
• At first I almost believed it since he spoke with a very thick British accent but as his story keeps repeating every time he is drunk, it didn’t sound more believable. It sounded like a mantra he keeps repeating only when he is drunk. Plus he never mentions anything about it when he is sober so I usually drop it. But now, I am on the verge of almost believing it. I glare at Gregory who kept his mouth mum and just shakes his head as he darts his eyes at Caleb.
• Thibaut catches my attention, “What things did he tell you exactly?”
• Caleb holds my hand, “Don’t. Please.”
• Thibaut gently grabs Caleb’s hand and told him, “Let her speak Caleb. As your older brother, I command you to let the lady speak.”
• I was astonished to how actually formal he spoke to his younger brother. I glance at Caleb who slides his hand away from mine as he strides away from me too. He leans his back on the wall and gestured to me to speak to his brothers. I felt sorry to even say those words to them.
• Caleb smiles at me. “Please, tell them. It’s alright. Link isn’t here to bark at me.”
• He keeps mentioning someone named Link. Is that his father?
• I turned my attention to the other three before taking a deep breath in and exhaled out of my mouth, “I have the right not to say a thing about what Caleb and I talked about when he was drunk. I don’t think they are real anyways.” I said firmly and I have promised him when he was sober that I would never tell anyone the things he had told me when he’s drunk.
• Gregory chuckles under his throat, “You don’t know Caleb when he is drunk.”
• “I don’t think they are that believable.” I responded.
• Malcolm cocks his head to the side, “Why do you think they’re not believable, love?”
• We were suddenly interrupted when there came a few knocks on the door and as soon as it swings open, I see another tall man, who looked slightly older than the rest of them, wearing a gray suit and stands outside the doorway.
• “Lewis!” Caleb chimes happily.
• He smiles at Caleb and curtsied, “Your Highness it is so good to see you again. I’m sure Princess Maggie would be so glad to see you back at the palace.”
• I blinked my eyes a few times and I felt my world has completely stopped for a few seconds with what I just have witnessed right in front of me. He actually curtsied and addressed Caleb so formally. He called this woman named Maggie as princess. Is she their sister? She must be, since he has mentioned that she is mute.
• Caleb’s words when he was drunk echoes on the back of my head, You don’t call a prince Your Majesty. You address me as Your Highness.
• I turn my attention back to the four brothers who looked at me impassively and I guess they realized that I just found out something I never believed before.
• Caleb is an actual freaking Prince?
• “We told you love, Caleb’s the most honest when he is drunk.” Malcolm smiles at me.
• I travelled my eyes to Caleb when he finally says, “I am Prince Caleb of Lindenrogue North England, Thia. These three are my brothers. They are also from the royal family.”
• I just raised my voice, cursed and argued with the three prince.
• What now? Are they going to behead me?
• My attention was captured by the guy named Lewis when he said, “Did I say something so wrong Prince Thibaut? The lady seems to be so surprised.”
• Thibaut smiles calmly, “It’s okay Lewis. You just helped her realize something believable.”
• Well crap, these guys are indeed from the Royal Family.