Looking

layton's pov)

Please. Im begging them to help me find where she is.

Then, out of no where. A blood speck shows itself. Well it's been there but I'm blind as heck, so I'm not surprised I missed it. So, I follow it. I see more and more. I hope she's okay. It's been five hours since Alex ran off. I haven't seen Cole. This is great. He's probably killed both of them. I see a more defined trail and then.

" Ow!" I may or may not have just ran into the wall. But I look up and see that it just led right back to her room. Ugh. I'm at a loss for ideas.

" Clayton!" Says the first guard. He points to the ground and there's more blood. I walk up to the drops.

" Why is it just, here?" Then I remember. Lucy once told me that there were secret passages in the walls. She must have one in her room.I pull the bookcase and see a dark hallway.

" Common. It's a passage, they might have taken her down here," I say

" After you sir," one says

" Well then, lucky me." We walk down the dark passage, with only torches to light the way. Quite Creepy if you ask me. Mice run at my feet, and spider webs everywhere. Soon we come to a fork in the, uh, well, hall. I notice one has a broken web, so that's where I go.

I finally see a light in the middle of the hall. I run towards it and down the steps and look into the room. Empty. Great. I head back out into the hall. After an hour of searching I find the last door in the last hall of broken cobwebs. This means its been six hours. And still no sign of Lucy. Or Cole.

Then I open the door quietly. I hear voices! I think I finally reached my destination. I tell my guards to wait there. I creep down the steps and peek my head around the wall. I see someone on the floor. Wow. Torturing a butler to get information about us royals. Then I see two people in a cell. I see a girl and a masculine guy. I hear panicked whispers. The girl is tied to a metal chair, and the guy looks to be there freely. Then I hear the girl call out.

" Help," she says. And she sounds hopeless. Then I realize, that's Lucy's voice. I motion for the guards to follow. With my non-existent wit, and the two very real guns, I think we can take this idiot out in a swipe.

" No one can hear you darling." Alex says. I slowly make my way down the steps and Lucy sees me. I motion a finger to my lips, telling her to keep quiet. Then I go up to the desk and take the knife. Then I motion for the guards to open fire on my signal.

" Quite the improper move to kidnap the princess, when you're in France," I say. Alex's head whips around and catches sight of me. Then I open fire. Alex runs out of the cell and seeks cover for the desk. Luckily no one hit Lucy.

I run over to use the knife and untie her. She looks so grateful for my existence right now. Well, I'm grateful for me too. Bad joke, especially right now. I grab her in my arms and start to walk.

" I want to walk," she says. So I put her down and swing an arm over me. I help her to the steps and then I realize the guards are still here. Wait, one of them is behind me, and another is with Alex. Then I hear a gunshot. It was right beside me. I feel Lucy go limp.I look down and she is unconscious. Oh no. No please no. On her stomach is an expanding bloodstain. Holy crap. Alex shot Lucy.

. . .

I rush her in to the hospital wing and the nurses take her away. I remember I had scooped her up into my arms, and rushed back with my one officer. Shoot. I could have prevented this if I had thought this out more. If I had planned my attack.

" Clayton." Someone calls, " Clayton come here."

It's a doctor, and someone that looks important. They question me about what happened and who shot her, and all that crap.

" When can I see her?"

" We don't even know if she's alive."

" Heck," I say, I beg the lords to show mercy or whatever. I've never been the religious type, but maybe after all this, I'll be christian or something. Then I hear more footsteps. Cole walks in. Once he sees me he rushes over.

" What the heck happened." He looks rough. He must have had a hard time with Alex.

" Alex shot her. He shot her." Once the words come out of my mouth, it all seems more real.

" Shoot." He says. He knows this is bad too.

After about three hours, a nurse comes out.

" We have extracted the bullet, and patched her up. She will be okay, but she is in a coma. We don't know when she will wake up. You may come see her if you like."

I shoot up out of my seat. She will be okay. Thank God. I walk in a room to see Lucy on a bed, with machines hooked up to her. I walk up to her and sit in the chair next to her bed. I grab her hand and hope she will sense that I'm here. Oh my goodness. That was too close.

" Don't ever do this to me again Lucy," I say, hoping she understands.

" Clayton," I turn " we, the royal council, would like to speak with you."

We walk down the hall, and into the meeting room, and they tell me news, I never wanted to hear.

" We want you to lead in Lucy's absence, and Cole will be at your side."

I glance over at Cole. Later in the hall he tells me its because he didn't want to lead, but at least he agreed to help me right.

I'm in for a heck of a ride now.