Lydia’s POV:

I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. Serah was…a princess?

“You’re a…a…a royal?” I demanded.

Serah winced, “Lower your voice Lydia, please. And I will explain everything.”

“Everything?” Colten demanded.

“Wait, you knew, Colt?” I asked.

He hesitated, “Well…yes.”

Serah suddenly reached out, grabbing my arm and dragging me farther away from the royals.

“I’m a princess, Lydia.” She said simply, “I ran away from home with my older sister when I was fourteen. I had a stepmother who just wanted to get rid of me, so that her five children could get the throne. So Sammy, my sister, and I just made a run for it.”

I stared at her, “And…Colten? What do you have to do with this?”

“I was a stable boy. Serah and I have been friends for a long time. So when she ran…I did too.”

“And you have a sister?” I whimpered.

Serah was silent for a moment, hurt flashed across her face, “Had. She…died. Right before we met you guys.”

“Died?” I asked, “How?”

Serah swallowed hard. I could see it was hard for her to talk about it, but I needed to know.

“How?” I repeated.

“I don’t…know.” Serah said slowly, “I woke up one morning, alone. I found her sword, and her jacket but nothing else. I searched for days, but I couldn’t find her. I even snuck back to the palace to find her, but she was gone. Eventually, I managed to grow my hair over my face, so no one would recognize me. I asked around towns, around the isles, but no one had seen her. My father eventually gave up the search, convinced that we were gone.”

“So you…moved on?” I asked.

When Serah didn’t answer, Colten did. Watching his words carefully, he said, “Serah moved on from anything in life. Family, emotions…” He hesitated, “…Love.”

I looked back at Serah. She seemed to have drifted off to some far off place, where she was alone and no one could join her.

A sudden yell behind us made me turn around. The royals were waving me over. I ignored them. This was more important.

“So what now Serah? You’re a runaway princess, who became a pirate captain.” I froze, “Will you ever tell Perryn?”

Immediately Serah looked horrified, “What? No! Never!”

“But he fancies you! And don’t even start to make up the excuse of, ‘oh I don’t like him’ because I know you like him.”

“He’s a prince.” Serah said coldly.

“And you’re a princess, so nothing is keeping you two apart except you.”

Serah sighed, “I don’t like princes Lydia. They get a wife and they’re all about showing them off to the public, or making peace with a neighboring kingdom. That’s why I ran away in the first place, because I didn’t want to be some trophy that a prince held out for a while to show off but eventually just forgets about and shoves into the closet.”

“I don’t think Perryn’s like that.” I protested.

“So what do you want me to do?” Serah sighed.

“Be sweet!” I said, “He’s not that type of prince, Serah. He’ll never forget about you.”

Serah sighed again, defeated, “Fine.”

I nodded as I turned to go back to the royals, who seemed to be in a panic.

“Lydia.” Colten said suddenly.

I stopped and turned to face him.

“Don’t tell anyone.” Serah said slowly, “I’ll tell them when I’m ready.”

I sighed, “Okay.”