HIDDEN PATH

"Where were you last night, My Lord? The guests are looking for you and asking for you," said Simon as he poured a drink into Albert's glass.

"Last night I had a great time with a noble princess," Albert answered honestly.

"Are you polluting it? It will make your name bad My Lord. You have to keep your good name to fight over the land inherited from the kingdom that should be yours. Your good name will be taken into consideration in the working parliament."

"Is Falkner causing trouble again?" asked Albert furiously when Simon talked about the land being fought over between him and Falkner. It seemed that Falkner was deliberately making his life uneasy.

"I heard if he submitted new evidence to parliament, that the land belongs to the Falkner family."

"He is a sly man. I'll check and make sure again, if the land deed and all legalities belong to the Louis family. I won't let Falkner take it from me."

"Yes, My Lord. You better do it. We have to be careful when fighting a cunning guy like Falkner."

That afternoon Albert and Simon went to the land that had been in dispute with Falkner. The land was indeed separated from the castle where Albert lived. They had to use horses to get there. The land was so fertile, it was only natural that Falkner desperately wanted to defend the land.

The land is right on the side of the forest, bordered by a wide river that flows through the forest. The river that forms a waterfall, where Annabelle often swims below. Fruits thrive on the land, and even 50% of the income that goes into the Louis family's pocket is the produce of the land.

For decades, Albert did not realize that on the east side of the land there was a high hill, as the boundary between his land and other noble lands. Curious about what was behind the hill, Albert finally climbed the hill.

To go up there was not as easy as imagined, the horse seemed overwhelmed through the steep path on the side of the hill. Albert and Simon decided to leave their horse at the bottom of the hill and walk to reach the top.

Albert's breath was panting with beads of sweat dripping down his forehead and shirt, when Albert reached the top of the hill. His eyes swept across an extremely admirable sight. A dense forest with towering trees, was on Albert's right. While in front of it there is a green and fertile farm. The horses seemed to be running freely there. There are also fruit plantations that look very fertile.

"Whose land is under this hill?" Albert asked Simon.

"The Taylor's' land, My Lord," Simon replied.

"Do you mean Miss Annabelle Taylor's?"

"Yes, you are right, My Lord."

Albert's eyes narrowed suspiciously when he found out that the land belonged to Annabelle. He remembered what Annabelle had said about her family's debt to Falkner. Falkner also wanted Annabelle's estate, Albert was sure it wasn't just about fertile land, or Falkner's enjoyment of collecting land. There must be something bigger than that.

"We have to go home now, I have to check more carefully about this land. I'm sure there's something bigger than arable land, because Falkner also wants the Taylor noble family's estate."

"How do you know if Falkner also wants the estate of the Taylor nobles?"

"Annabelle told me about it."

"Miss Annabelle told you? Miss Annabelle Taylor?" Simon asked in disbelief. His Master shouldn't have had anything to do with Miss Annabelle because her name had become the subject of negative gossip all over London.

"Yes, of course Miss Annabelle Taylor."

"How did you know Miss Annabelle? When did you meet him?" Simon's question of course made Albert glared at his servant. Simon who noticed Albert's gaze immediately bowed his body respectfully.

"Forgive my impudence, My Lord, but you must avoid Miss Annabelle, given Miss Annabelle's status."

"I don't care about Annabelle's status, I believe Falkner has scheming against his family that Lord Taylor owes Falkner so much."

Simon finally fell silent accepting his master's anger. They finally came down from the hill and raced their horses back to the castle. Arriving at the castle, Albert went straight to the library followed by Simon. He picked up a map that was on the bookshelf in his library.

After opening it, he seemed to be looking for something there. His brow furrowed, his expression unreadable. He was silent without saying anything. Simon just stood in front of him, staring at his Master who was still concentrating on the map in front of him.

"Find me a map that is older than this map!" said Albert later.

"Okay, My Lord," said Simon who then started climbing the stairs to look for a map that was older than the map his Master had taken. After finding it, he immediately handed it over to his Master.

Albert retraced the map and studied it. His brows furrowed again. "Is there an even older map? This is not enough to prove it," said Albert.

Simon was again struggling with the dust, in search of an even older map. After searching for it with difficulty, Simon found the map stored on the top shelf in the old library owned by the Louis family.

Albert also received the map. The thick dust immediately made Albert cough when the old map was held up. The picture was very different from the map image that Albert had previously seen. There was even a link between the estate belonging to the noble Taylor family and the estate belonging to the noble Louis.

A wide grin tugged at Albert's lips. "I know now what Falkner was looking for that he fought so hard for Louis' land and tried to take control of Taylor's estate."

"What is it about, My Lord?"

"Do you know what path this is?" asked Albert, pointing out a strange path not visible on the new map.

"I don't know what path it is, My Lord. It's like a path, but there's no path connecting the Taylor's' estate with the Louis's."

This is not a path, it is a golden path. Underneath these two families was a golden path of immense value. This is what Falkner wants so that he wants to take the land from the Louis and Taylor families.

Simon's eyes immediately went wide, hearing the news from his master. If there really was gold under their soil, Simon could not imagine how rich his master was.

"Prepare for my wedding to Miss Annabelle. I will meet him in the near future. I won't let Falkner get hold of that gold. Now all I have to do is make sure in advance that all of our preparations for defending the Louis family's land, are completely done. I don't want us to lose."

"Are you sure you want to marry Miss Annabelle?"

"Yes, of course."

"Isn't that a double-edged sword? Your good name is at stake if you marry Miss Annabelle."

"I can keep my name on my own, Simon. Are you doubting my abilities? I can silence everyone who looks down on Miss Annabelle," said Albert furiously.

Simon also thought, if what his master is doing now, is not only because of the gold that is in the underground. If it was only for the gold, the Master would not have been able to defend the noble lady from the gossip that hit her. Simon was sure that his Master had played with his feelings.

Could it be that the noblewoman who made his Master disappears from the dance party was Miss Annabelle Taylor?

Not wanting to make Lord Albert angry, Simon finally resigned and prepared what his master wanted, namely Lord Albert Louis' marriage to Miss Annabelle Taylor.