365: Shock And Disbelief

Shock And Disbelief

Alex arrived at Arlan's side in the afternoon, shortly after Arlan had concluded his session with the royal court.

"Your Highness, all preparations have been completed. I am standing by for your orders," Alex informed Arlan.

Arlan, lost in contemplation, responded with a simple nod.

"Your Highness, what should be our plan if the girl is not with the old man when we arrive?" Alex inquired.

"We will apprehend the old man and patiently await her return. We must compel her to emerge. The old man has concealed her well, it seems. If she holds any regard for her grandfather, she will make herself known to us at any cost. If she chooses otherwise, then someone of her like who doesn't value her own family, does not deserve to live. In either case, death is her inevitable fate," Arlan declared with unwavering resolve.

Taking in Arlan's instructions, Alex posed another question, "When does His Highness wish to depart?"

"We shall depart immediately," Arlan affirmed.

Arlan rose from his seat, and together, they exited. Arlan settled into his carriage, leaving the palace in the company of his trusted knights, including Alex, Imbert, Rafal, Kerry, and a select few who had earned his utmost confidence.

-----

Meanwhile, within the King's study, Lord Soren, the king's trusted adviser, delivered the latest update.

"Your Majesty, Prince Arlan has departed," Lord Soren reported. "In accordance with His Highness's instructions, he is headed towards the northeast territory instead of the Northern Territory of Wimark."

The king let out a light chuckle and remarked, "Let us not be fooled by his apparent course. He is likely to change his route without a word."

"We are well aware of that, Your Majesty. Our men have already set out to discreetly track him, along with our covert operatives," Lord Soren assured.

"I have faith in my son and his abilities even more than I have in myself," the king declared. "I am confident he will reach Wimark by any means necessary. Your primary task now is to safeguard that family from Arlan. You must intercept him before he reaches the girl."

"We have also been keeping a watchful eye for the girl's appearance. If not for that, we could have apprehended the Verner family before Prince Arlan even discovered them, Your Majesty," Soren explained. "However, it appears that Prince Arlan is unwilling to wait and intends to compel the girl to reveal herself. I am curious as to what has spurred him into such haste this time."

Ailwin remained silent. In the past few months, something had changed, and he sensed a transformation in Arlan. There was an undercurrent of events unfolding, unknown to the King.

"Have you noticed anything unusual about the Prince?" Ailwin inquired cautiously.

"There is nothing out of the ordinary. The latest news we received pertains to rumors circling the prince, particularly regarding his favoritism towards a young boy who serves as his aide. Apart from that, Prince Arlan remains unchanged," Lord Soren reported.

"The young boy?" the King inquired. "Are you referring to the one who occasionally serves as Erich's aide?"

Soren confirmed with a nod. "Yes, that's the same boy. I heard he departed for his hometown this morning."

"Hmm," the King mused, recalling Erich's mention of the capable young lad. "Upon his return, have him placed in the Royal infirmary to work alongside the royal physician. We cannot allow any more unfounded rumors to circulate about the Prince. If Arlan objects, instruct that boy to leave the kingdom."

Soren hesitated, well aware of the Prince's staunch protectiveness when it came to his associates. "Your Highness..."

"If he wishes to ensure that boy's safety, he will comply. He must remember that he is still the King's son. Once he ascends the throne, he can exercise his own discretion," Ailwin affirmed.

Soren concurred promptly. While Prince Arlan could be obstinate, the King's commands were final. He added, "Furthermore, the Commander has already departed for Wimark as per Your Majesty's instructions. Even if Prince Arlan locates the Verner family, he will not dare to defy Your Majesty's orders and harm them. The Commander will arrive there before the Crown Prince and secure the family."

The King could only nod, though he harbored inner anxiety. He understood his son better than anyone, and unless there was a compelling reason to deter him, Prince Arlan would not be dissuaded. All he could do was hope for the, King's guardian knight, the Commander of the knights to palace of Oak to succeed in his mission.

-----

Arlan's entourage halted for the night after a long journey since noon, seeking refuge at an inn along their route. Unbeknownst to them, spies from the King's squad were diligently shadowing their every move.

"It appears Prince Arlan intends to take a rest tonight," one of the spies commented, maintaining a discreet observation from a distance while concealed in the shadows of the nearby woods.

"That seems to be the case. If the Crown Prince uses this night for rest, our Commander and knights will arrive in Wiamrk before Prince Arlan's group," replied the other spy cautiously.

"Still, we mustn't jump to conclusions. We need to remain vigilant. The Commander warned us that Prince Arlan is prone to deception."

"Indeed, you're right."

An hour passed, during which Arlan's knights remained visible, while Arlan himself had retired to his room to rest.

"Captain Loyset and Vice-Captain Rafal are still present. As long as we see both of them here, it signifies that Prince Arlan is here too. The Prince would never depart without these two knights," one spy remarked as he continued to monitor Imbert conversing with his fellow knights.

"I can confirm that all the knights are accounted for. The Prince wouldn't venture forth without his loyal knights and substantial support if he were planning to confront us. Let's continue to watch for a few more hours."

While these spies diligently observed the activities of Arlan's retinue, Arlan had already changed into inconspicuous travel attire and departed, accompanied solely by Alex, on two horses. He left behind all his knights from the Palace of Thistle, purposely placing them outside to be observed by the spies.

As they rode through the dark forest, Alex spoke softly, "Your Highness, members of the dark forces are waiting for us a few miles ahead. We can rendezvous with them."

Arlan merely nodded and urged his horse forward, continuing on their journey.

The usual rule of daytime travel only did not apply to Arlan when he was not on an official mission. He moved according to his own agenda.

Following Alex's instructions, the members of the dark forces were strategically stationed at certain points, allowing some to rendezvous with the Prince. Here, they exchanged their tired horses for fresh ones, eliminating the need for frequent stops to rest the animals.

These members of the dark forces possessed exceptional strength and endurance, far surpassing that of ordinary knights. They were well-suited for relentless, nonstop travel.

Morning broke, but the spies who had been vigilantly monitoring Prince Arlan's troop at the inn didn't so much as blink. The time had come for the troop to depart.

"Did you spot His Highness seated inside the carriage?" one of the spies inquired.

"I didn't catch sight of him. It appears we may have been looking in the wrong direction, or..."

"Or His Highness has already departed?" the other spy speculated. "But why are these knights behaving as though the Crown Prince is inside the carriage, even if he's not?"

"Then it's possible we missed seeing His Highness when he was in the carriage."

"I find this rather suspicious. Let's alert the Commander. Send a discreet message."

However, by the time the two spies became suspicious and decided to act, Arlan had traveled throughout the entire night, covering a significant distance as he rode through the dense forest.

---

A day had slipped by for Oriana as she journeyed alongside the royal merchant caravan. As she enjoyed her breakfast following a night's rest at the inn, she couldn't help but smile. "Just one more day, and I'll be home," she thought to herself.

Seated comfortably in the carriage, she let her thoughts wander. "First, I'll prepare the new medicine for Grandpa, just as my master instructed. Then, I'll whip up a delicious meal for him. I'm certain he must be missing the food I cook. I'll prepare all his favorite dishes. Perhaps I should pick up some ingredients from the market before heading home. Yes, that's a splendid idea, and then..."

She continued to brainstorm various ideas, her grin stretching from ear to ear.

Another day passed by and by the morning she reached Wimark. As she decided, she bought the vegetables and various things before heading home. She got on the shortcut way she had discovered to her home through the forest and happily headed to her home, not knowing what was awailing for her. 

She reached the boundary of the village which looked deserted to her. her home was near the boundary so she walked ahead. 'Did something happen?'

She continued to walk on narrow pathway and spotted her home but....

"What's happening?"

Oriana's heart raced as she hurried towards her home, finding it surrounded by strangely dressed individuals brandishing swords. Fear gripped her mind as she fled the scene. The villagers she encountered along the way looked at her with pity, but she had no time to inquire further.

As she drew closer, she approached the men encircling her home, her voice trembling with anxiety. "Who are you? Why are you surrounding my home?"

Upon her inquiry, those men silently parted, allowing her to step forward. Yet, the moment these towering figures stepped aside, a nightmarish scene unfolded before her eyes.

"Grandpa?" Oriana gasped in shock.

Before her stood a man, whose sword was pierced into her grandfather's stomach.

Upon hearing her voice, both her grandfather, old man Philip, and the swordsman turned to look at her. Her grandfather's teary eyes were filled with anguish and an apologetic expression, while the swordsman bore a look of shock and disbelief as he looked at her as he pushed the old man away with his free hand and pulled the sword out.  0

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