BMP: Chapter 9

Chapter 9

“Hail! Hail our abundant land! Hail our Wolland!”

POV: Candice Regerett

After our visit to St. Therese’s Orphanage, it was already mid-morning. And we still have to stop at Orzagen City before we reach Verseed, our main course for the day.

We took the same chopper to Gopezt International Airport (GIA), and boarded a Royal aircraft, that held the Royal Insignia on the exterior of the plane. The flight will take forty-five minutes, so we were given enough time to catch up on some sleep before it lands at Orzagen.

Though I tried to doze off, my mind was wandering off elsewhere, outside the aircraft, lost in the clouds, and the distance.

“You should be sleeping,” a voice spoke. It was so familiar I need not to remind myself. Prince James was on the opposite couch, expected to doze off as well.

“So do you,” I said, not breaking my gaze from the clouds, which seems to be forming shapes as I stare closer.

“I liked your speech, by the way, Prince,” I added.

“Good, your last sentences inspired it.”

I finally broke my gaze, and turned to my left. I was surprised to see the Prince staring back at me.

“Do you think we’ll be giving more speech for the day?”

“But of course,” Prince James smiled, and turned to his own window. “Perhaps, Jackson will hand us the folders on the way to Verseed.”

“I doubt it’s necessary.”

He didn’t reply, so I looked away.

After a few seconds, he spoke again, “How do you find the aircraft?”

He’s teasing me. He knew it to be my first anyway.

“Quite comforting, I doubt I will want us to land,” I said, and he laughed hysterically for the first time that he was holding his stomach in.

“You are quite something, you know that? You continue to amuse me.”

He was looking directly at my eyes, but his expression was once again blank.

Finally, it broke off, and he shifted his weight.

“So, tell me. How long has Henri been working for your Father?”

I arched my brow, not expecting such question from him.

“Henri?”

He nodded.

“For as long as I can remember.”

“You know,” his tone changed to something calmer, “You kind of look alike.”

I laughed at his observation.

“Well, I’ve known him for as long as he has worked for my Father. Maybe that’s why.”

He was silent, perhaps considering my answer, which technically isn’t close to passing at all. “Maybe,” he said.

“Do you like him?” He asked, out of nowhere.

“What?” I sat back up.

“Just kidding,” he waved his hand on the air, “I guess not, for I remember you telling me you are not in love.”

He paused.

“But have you been in love?” He asked shyly, and then quickly added, “There’s a difference!” He sounded defensive.

“No.” It was a straight answer.

It satisfied him though, for he only said, “Ah, I see.”

By that I thought the conversation was over, so I lay back comfortably and forced myself, once again, to sleep.

But Prince James opened another topic.

I opened my eyes, to let him know I wasn’t dozing off.

“Ask me anything,” he offered.

I was surprised.

“Anything?”

“Any question you like…” He sounded intrigued. He brushed his hair back, and leaned closer.

“Hmm…” I tried to make him believe I was thinking, but I already hold a question, one that I’ve always been curious about. “What’s your first impression of me?”

He laughed, and leaned back at his couch. “A thief,” he said.

I laughed along, and I remember exactly our first meeting, at the Royal Library.

“Ah,” I said after I caught my breath.

“Actually,” he sounded serious, “My thoughts of you are always intersecting.”

“Intersecting? That’s an awful description,” I laughed softly, to make sure he didn’t take it the negative way.

“Let’s just say I’m glad we’re friends now.”

He reached out his right hand, and for a moment I didn’t know what to do.

It must have been showing on my face, for he said, “You meant to shake it, Candy.”

And I did.

“Friends.”

***

We all took breakfast on the plane, and I couldn’t take a lot. I was so amused by the idea of an engine floating on air, without wings that flap that my stomach refused to take in food.

By the time we reached Orzagen City, it was almost already lunch time. Perhaps if I take it food on land, I’d be able to digest as much.

The Orzagen Airport, officially pronounced as Bevelhan Airport, is still a half-hour away from Verseed. We were greeted by a few officials, but we didn’t stay as longer. A Royal car awaited us, and drove directly to Verseed. Inside, the Prince, Henri and I shared the back seats, and Jackson was seated on the passenger seat next to the driver. As the Prince suspected, a folder was given to each of us.

I tried to browse through it, but my whole body trembled when Prince James leaned closer to me. He was on my left and Henri on my right. He whispered to my ear, “Don’t tell me you’re still memorizing this crap?” He held his folder higher for emphasis, and I was astounded by his changed choice of word.

“What?” He backed away.

I eyed him, and he must have understood.

“Oh!” He laughed it off, “You need to get out more!”

I was about to reply when Henri grabbed my arm. I looked back at him, only to see him shaking his head. I didn’t know what it meant, and I didn’t bother asking, for at the time, the car pulled over, and when I peeked out of the window I saw the City Hall of Verseed. It looked very familiar, and it reminded me exactly of Holbæk Palace. A clock is fixed on the top of the old building made of bricks that looked as if it existed a century ago. And at the same height, are statues of angels in different poses. A Wolland flag dances with the wind at one of the towers, and the Royal Coat of Arms on the other. There are countless windows covering the whole front view of the City Hall. The only difference of it with Holbæk Palace, which is the official meeting place of the Parliament, is the size. Holbæk is much bigger, and with exquisite details. But this City Hall looked older.

“Verseed used to be the central of everything, from merchants to politicians, before the World War,” Henri spoke, but no one responded to his statement.

Of course, I thought.

We were greeted by the Mayor, a woman of probably fifties, and her Councilors. Verseed’s response of our arrival is more majestic than our previous stops, and it took longer for us to actually reach the doors of the Hall. A lunch banquet was prepared for our presence, and it would have been as grandeur as the dinners at the Palace if the Queen was actually here. A rectangular table sits on a massive room. Live music was spectacular, even the interior design of the room. Framed pictures of the Royal Family surround the walls, and I saw a portrait of the Queen with the Mayor of Verseed on the far end of the room.

An ice fountain depicting the statue of King Alexanderth sits on the serving table, and the varying dishes revived my appetite.

The actual lunch lasted only for mere minutes, but what took so long to end was the discussion of the Councilors who sits at the far middle, down to the end of the table. Prince James sits at the head, with the Mayor on his left beside Jackson, and I on his right beside Henri.

Finally, past noon, a man entered the room and whispered something to the Mayor. And that was the cue. She rang her glass and spoke, “Your Highness, Ladies and Gentleman, I have been told that the parade is about to begin. We shall all be heading to Verseed Square.”

***

As medieval as the City Hall looked, Verseed Square is the opposite. I understand exactly why it’s called a square, because it has a square. A park on a shape of a square, and surrounded it are commercial establishments. As the Royal Car drove past each building, I can’t help but notice the most expensive and demanding of friends. Couture and boutiques made my heart limp as never before. I saw famous brand names and titles in shimmering lights. Each window of each shop has to have a flag of Wolland. And from afar, one can see, like blood spattered on each window, the flag of Wolland, which is diagonally half red, with the vertical curved line that symbolizes the one eye, and the other diagonal half, pure black.

The square was filled with citizens that shout patriotism. And a stage was propped on the middle. The backstage was empty except for railings and Royal guards. The car stopped there, arranged prior so we get to avoid the public’s attention.

There are chairs prepared for us backstage to idle over while we wait for the floats that represented exported goods of Verseed like seafood, since it’s near the ocean bay, and handmade Wollish bags and shoes. The parade started from the Church at the back of the City Hall, but will make its final stop here at the Square, where a mass will be held, followed by a short program that will take up the half of our afternoon.

“Sometimes, I forget you’re a girl too,” Prince James spoke, who was seated next to me. And I seem to notice the sweat coming down from the side of his face, making a few strands of his hair to stick.

“Huh?” I said innately.

He laughed, “I mean I swear I saw your eyes pop over some shoes a while ago.”

“Is that the only hint you can get that would suppose me as a girl?”

“No!” He sounded as if I have offended him, “I didn’t mean it that way!”

I looked at him intently.

“I mean, you just don’t strike as that kind of girl.”

“The shoe kind of girl?”

He nodded. “I always thought you as the book kind of girl, or the Palace kind of girl, or a Princess kind of girl.”

His expression changed, and I seem to notice that overtime I have been seeing more expressions from him, besides the usual blankness that he’s been trained to portray. He looked unsure of his own statement. It was like he wouldn’t have said it if he could take it back.

“The Princess kind of girl?” It was too late for him, for he has already uttered the words.

“Yes. You could have been a greater Royalty than I. Are you sure you’re not my long lost cousin or something?” He succeeded in making it sound like a joke.

By that, I frowned, unintentionally, not because of his joke, but because of the direction of the topic.

I sighed, “I don’t know. I could never know.”

He tried to follow my low gaze. “What? What do you mean? So there’s a possibility?”

I returned to my posture, breathing in, “Should we resort to a DNA test?” I laughed, and he seemed to laugh too. On his expression, I read the thousand questions, but he didn’t say more. He didn’t push, and that I have appreciated.

If he can turn his statement into a joke, so can I.

***

Before the floats entered the sight, we were instructed to transfer on stage, on the velvet seats on the side. I looked around for Henri but he was nowhere to be found.

Jackson, however, was with the Mayor.

The crowd cheered as each of the float entered. I found it hard to hide my laughter, when the first float revealed an image of Queen Margarett. I lowered my head before I ever show disrespect.

“I wonder if there’s a float for me,” I heard Prince James comment. And for a second I was glad I wasn’t alone through all of this. I just hope the Prince see it the same way, not just because I’ve scored higher on the assessments.

The next floats were of the goods expected of Verseed. There was a crab float, a squid float, and a salmon float. There were also the famous peanuts and dried chips, and of course came last are the Wollish bags and shoes. In the end, all floats aligned the center of the Square. And finally, after the singing of the Wolland’s National Anthem and Royal Anthem, the mass began.

The program didn’t last for more than an hour, and before we took off from the venue, we are once again standing on the podium, with a memorized speech, and with a bigger crowd.

Jackson spoke first, before me, and then the Mayor, and then the Prince.

As I was about to speak, I remember the Prince’s speech back at the orphanage. I flipped over the memorized speech, and began speaking on my own. It was spontaneous, perhaps out of organization, but it was honest. Jackson didn’t seem to mind anyway, as Prince James, instead of reciting a speech, sang instead. He sang the National Anthem of Wolland. And it was the first time I heard his singing voice, not that I knew he sings.  There are tremors in between notes, but he carried it out smoothly, ending it perfectly when he reached the high notes. I realized then that he doesn’t only play the piano and the violin, but he sings just as great.

Hail! Hail our abundant land! Hail our Wolland!

The nation which we call thy home. I call thine!

And thine the blessings of God.

As citizens of thy home I call my motherland, I will triumph.

The heroes that sowed and the King bestowed.

Let me see the light thou had poured.

Let me thrive from the poor

And I shall be carrying thy flag of eye

Brought by the mighty High.

Thus, we conquer the darkness

And flee and rest

And by the time, thee, will come forth

And proclaim thou worth

Hail! Hail our abundant land! Hail our Wolland!

The nation which we call thy home. I call thine!

And thine the blessings of God.

As citizens of thy home I call my motherland, I will triumph.

Hail! Hail our abundant land! Hail our Wolland!

Hail! Hail our abundant land! Hail our Wolland!

Hail our Wolland!