The Dandelion System

Chapter 32

"I have a guest." I turned to Otto, who stood there. "Come in."

"Oh, Karlina, you surprise me again and again. Don't tell me it's another member of the royal family." I chuckled.

"It is." Catalina shook her head in disbelief at my words. "Introduce yourself, Otto."

"I'm Prince Otto of the royal family," he said, beaming. "Its a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, same for me. Thank you for always being with Karlina—and I'm sorry for all that you've been through. The news of your imprisonment has traveled through the kingdom. How are you two here right now?"

"It's fine," I assured her. "The castle is chaotic right now."

"Oh, then let's go in. It's very small, so I hope you don't mind, Prince Otto."

"No," he said, a bit awkwardly.

We were in the biggest room we had which served as a guest room. There were a few chairs and a table. I guided Catalina to one and she sat down, and then so did us.

"It's so nostalgic," I said softly.

"Yes, I'm so glad you'll be returning," she said.

I swallowed. "There's something serious I want to talk to you all about." Her eyes seemed weary, and I knew she knew what I wanted to say. "I don't want to return back home yet—I want to stay in the palace."

"What?"

"I'm going back." She halted, eyes widening.

"I don't understand."

"I made a lot of friends in the palace, and a lot of them aren't able to leave like I am able to. I have to be there to support them—Prince Otto, Princess Oda, Aideen, and Oscar."

Catalina was quiet before she asked.

"Who is Aideen and Oscar?"

"Aideen was my lady in waiting when I was a contestant, and a good friend of mine," I said. "And Oscar is—"

I found myself unable to answer. How could I tell her about the other personality in Otto, about the dead boy no one knows that I'm in love with?

"My brother," Otto answered for me. I looked at him in surprise. He stared right ahead. He was neither afraid nor sad. He raised his head. "My younger twin brother."

"Twin brother?" Catalina repeated. "But wasn't there only one prince?"

"He's erased from history. He also lives inside me."

"Inside you?"

"Sometimes he comes out, but usually when I'm asleep, so he doesn't have to meet me." Catalina nodded slowly, but I didn't know whether she understand or not.

"But why doesn't he want to meet you?"

"I don't know. I think he's scared."

"Of you?" Otto fell silent at her question.

"No," he finally answered. "I think it's me. I'm scared of him."

"But why?"

Theres was a heavy tension in the air.

"Catalina, that's enough—" I started, but he cut me off.

"I always ignored him, ignored him when he was calling out to me, ignored him even it was the two of us alone. I didn't want to talk to him. I think he knew, so he stopped. Then he didn't appear for a long long time. He didn't appear until Karina came."

At the mention of my name I stiffened.

"After he met Karina he came out more frequently. I could feel him reaching out so I would let him take my place. I knew—I knew he wanted to see her."

"Did Oscar like Karlina?" Catalina asked him.

I couldn't talk. I was holding back my tears.

"Yes, he does. I don't talk to him, but I could feel his emotions. It used to be only anger and sadness, but after every meeting her, he would be happy. We still don't talk—but I don't know, sometimes I think of him, and I feel lonely and strange inside. Almost like—"

Otto was suddenly looking at the floor, his head down and his voice low.

"Like what?" Catalina asks, her voice soft, her tone gentle, coaxing the words out of him.

"Almost like I miss him."

Otto turned around to me, and his eyes are filled with tears.

"I miss him. This whole time I missed him. I didn't want him to die, I didn't want him to leave me!"

He wiped at his face furiously, still bawling. 

"It's not true that I'm afraid of Oscar! When we were children, he protected me from mother and father when they scolded me. He played with me. He understood me. He told me we could rule the kingdom together and not fight for the throne. He was a wonderful brother. I loved him," he told me. It was almost like he was pleading for something. Like something he forgot had finally returned to him, and he was never going to let it go.

"But," he whispered, "then he was locked up and he died, and then no one acknowledged him anymore. He had no where left to be but inside me, so I shared my body, my memories, my all with him!"

"Yes," Catalina whispered. "I would never want to lose Karlina, and I know you don't want to lose your brother either." I reached out over the table and held her hand.

"I will return, but for now, I need to go back there. I'm sorry." She sucked in her breath and tried to stop crying. "Tell mother and father I'm well, and tell them I love them. And I love you, Catalina."

Her grip on my hand tightened.

"Go then. Go to where you belong." I squeezed her hand one last time before pulling away.

Something between us had changed, too. I no longer had to hide behind her and always be by her side. I trusted her, and she trusted me.

I stood up from my seat and Otto followed.

Catalina and Karlina, Otto and Oscar, we were all siblings who loved each other more than any other.