Chapter Thirty

'What is going on here?'

On my way back to my bedroom I noticed how the servants of the palace were acting weird.

They seemed nervous, and they were gossiping more than usual.

"Do you think it was them?" Asked a maid near me to one of her coworkers.

'Them, who? What are they talking about?' I asked myself, curious, getting closer to them.

"Yes, probably. Who else could have done that?" The other maid answered, nervous.

"B-But how could they invade-" The maid was stopped by her colleague nervously making a sign with her index finger telling her to be quiet.

She pointed to the other side of the hallway, and not just them, but suddenly all servants as well stopped what they were doing and bowed in reverence.

Then, I realized why.

It was because of Noah's presence, accompanied by two royal knights.

'Knights? Why are there royal knights following him?' I thought, confused.

Usually, the royal family doesn't need knights following them inside of the palace.

'Is that related to what the maids were talking about?'

The maid was talking about an invasion before she was stopped.

'Is that why the royal knights are following Prince Noah, to protect him?' I realized, anxious.

Worried, I decided to follow Noah. Since I was invisible, I didn't have to worry about being seen by anyone.

While following them, I realized where they were going.

They were going to the King's office.

Standing in front of the door there were fours royal knights, and when they saw Prince Noah, two of them quickly opened the door for him, announcing his presence.

'S-Should I go in?' I asked myself, unsure.

I knew I didn't have much time to think. Suppressing my fears, I quickly entered the room, just soon after Noah.

'Wow… It's way prettier than I thought it would be.' I thought after entering the King's office.

The royal office was a large and extravagant room. There were so many golden furniture and ornaments everywhere, that the room seemed like it was shining.

I was surprised to see that besides the King, Dylan was there already, they were both sitting on the couch, each in front of the other.

"What is going on, father? Why did you order the knights to bring us here?" Prince Noah asked, serious, soon after the doors were closed behind us by the guards.

"Did something happen to Isabel on her way here?" Dylan asked, worried.

'Isabel is coming to the palace?' I realized, surprised.

The King looked at them with a gentle smile on his face and said, trying to comfort them. "Don't worry, my sons. Nothing happened to your sister, Isabel is fine."

Dylan and Noah seemed relieved knowing that nothing happened to Isabel.

Noah took his seat next to his brother and then curious, he asked. "Then what happened, father? Why did you call us here?"

The King stared at them without saying anything, then for a moment he stared at the floor. The King seemed unsure and tense.

After composing himself, he looked serious at his children he announced. "Lady Elizabeth, the late Queen… Is dead."

Noah and Dylan were surprised by his words. And so was I.

'Lady Elizabeth died years ago. Why is he telling them that now?' I asked myself, confused.

"...How did she die?" Dylan asked.

I could see the worry on Dylan's face.

But I knew he wasn't worried about his family member's loss, but how this was related to him and Noah being scouted by the royal knights on their way to the King's office.

The King looking at his son's eyes, this time with no hesitation, he answered. "Lady Elizabeth was murdered."

"M-Murdered?!" Prince Noah shouted, surprised.

Even I almost gasped surprised hearing that.

'Lady Elizabeth died because of sickness, that is what Lena told me. Then, why is the King telling them she was murdered?'

The King nodded and said. "Her body was found this morning in her room."

'Huh?' I thought, surprised looking at the King.

"Who killed her?" Dylan asked his father with a serious face.

The King was looking away when he said. "We are not sure yet, but we suspect that Lady Elizabeth's maids are the murderers. Somehow they escaped from the northwest area after killing Lady Elizabeth and stealing her jewelry."

"But how did they even manage to escape from there? Isn't the northwest area like a royal jail, with guards everywhere?" Dylan asked, suspicious. His eyes remembered me from that he threatened me when we were alone.

"It seems that they had the guards' help. None of the guards were found as well." The King answered frowning, serious.

They were all in silence for a moment. I could see how surprised Noah and Dylan were.

'Well, for them that grew up as royalty being served their whole life, it may be hard for them to realize that even these "loyal" servants can betray them.'

"If they ran away, then why did you order the knights to escort us?" Dylan asked, breaking the silence.

The King's countenance became darker when he announced. "It is because it is suspect that the anarchists are involved in Lady Elizabeth's death."

'Anarchists?' I asked myself, confused. I've never heard about them.

The King got more serious when he started to speak. "It's hard to believe that the maids alone convinced the guards to help them with this plan. No sane person would betray us, not without strong support to help them. I can't imagine the guards being so foolish to exchange their stable and honorable job to help these wicked maids if they weren't certain that they would have a chance of escaping from me."

'S-Scary…' I thought looking at the King.

It seemed like I could feel his rage. The King's eyes had nothing but a murder intention.

But his countenance suddenly softened when he looked at his sons.

The King took a deep breath, probably trying to compose himself. "In the forest side was found a hole in the wall. It's suspected that they used this way to escape so anarchists could also enter through the palace and infiltrate themselves here. So, until we are sure that is safe, you both will be scouted by knights all the time."

None of the princes said anything.

Prince Noah was staring at the floor, nervous. And Dylan seemed tense, looking at his own fists, pensive.

'Well, it's understandable they being scared, hearing that your life might be at risk would make anyone scared, it's even worse for children like them.' I thought, feeling guilty.

After all, it was me that made that hole in the wall and helped the maids to escape, and now everyone is scared thinking that some kind of a terrorist group invaded the palace.

Suddenly, the King left the couch and approached his children. Leaning one of his knees on the floor, standing at eye level with them he said holding their hands.

"Don't worry my children, I won't let anything bad happen to you no matter what." The King said, serious, trying to comfort them.

Prince Noah nodded and said with his head down staring at his father's hand. "We know, father."

The King had an affectionate smile on his face looking at Noah, he was about to say something when someone knocked on the door.

"My Highness, Sir Edric, the Knight Commander arrived." One of the guards outside announced through the door.

The King got up from the floor, and looking at his children with a sad smile he said. "It seems that Sir Edric came early than I expected. Please, my children, excuse us, we have important matters to discuss right now."

With no complaint, they both nodded and raised from the couch and went to the door.

The door was opened for them, and they left the room. I quickly followed them.

Standing in front of the King's office there was a handsome young man in formal military clothes standing on the other side. He had short dark hair e blue eyes.

'For some reason, he remembers me of Nicholas...' I thought, surprised staring at him.

"Greetings Prince Dylan and Prince Noah." Sir Edric greeted them with a gentle smile on his face and patting their shoulders.

"Greetings Uncle Edric." Prince Dylan said smiling.

'U-Uncle?!' I thought, surprised.

"Did something happen, Prince Noah?" Sir Edric asked him, confused.

Prince Noah was staring at him with a grumpy face. "Tsk. It's nothing." He said looking the other way. "I'm leaving now." He suddenly said, getting away from his Uncle.

"I see… Have a good day, Your Highnesses." Sir Edric said giving a small respectful bow.

Prince Noah left and quickly the same knights that were following before, were following him again.

'Why did Prince Noah act like that?' I asked myself confused.

"It was nice to see you, Uncle Edric. I hope we can meet another time, it has been some time since you passed some time with us." Prince Dylan said with his usual polite and forced smile.

"Of course, next time I have some free time I will make sure to see my nephews." Sir Edric said, gently smiling.

Prince Dylan's smile faded away hearing his Uncle's answer.

"Actually, I would want you to meet just with me, if possible." He said, with a serious and cold expression, giving me chills.

"A-Alright, I will do so." Sir Edric said, nervous. He seemed pretty unsure of what was happening.

Prince Dylan nodded and said again with his usual polite smile. "Have a good day, then, Uncle Edric."

And then he left, followed by two knights.

Sir Edric sighed low after Prince Dylan left. But then, after recomposing himself, he entered the King's office. The door was soon closed behind him, and then I knew it was too late for me to enter again.

'They probably will talk about the incident the King was talking to Prince Noah and Prince Dylan.' I realized it too late.

I sighed, frustrated, knowing that I lost my chance to gather more information about the maid's escape and the "death" of Lady Elizabeth.

"Did you hear that?" One of the guards who stayed asked, surprising me.

"Hear what?" The other guards asked, confused.

"It's weird I swear I heard someone sighing here." He said, scratching his head confused.

What the guard said remembered me that though I am invisible people can still hear me.

'I-It's better if I just go now.' I thought, anxious.

***

"Tsk... This doesn't make any sense." I whispered, frustrated.

I was still thinking about what the King told Prince Noah and Prince Dylan.

The King told them that not just the maids but the guards also had run away.

'I saw them with Klaus last night, how could he even let them escape after seeing Flora's corpse? And why did the guards even run away in the first place?' I asked myself, confused.

The King said that Elizabeth's body was found this morning and that the maids and the guards were gone. But, last night I saw that the guards were there with Klaus when they found Flora in her room dead.

'Why did he tell them it was Lady Elizabeth if it was Flora that was recently found dead?' I thought, suspicious.

I had too many questions and no answers.

I sighed. 'Why did he say that Lady Elizabeth was found dead this morning if she died many years ago?'

"Was it because… I was gone?" I asked myself not wanting it to be true.

When Klaus went to the northwest area and found just Flora's dead body, realizing that the maids and I were gone, did he think I had escaped with them?

It would make sense, after all for them where else I could be?

After realizing that I and the maids were gone, they had to think of a way to find the maids and me as fast as possible. They couldn't let the chance of a person with Arhan's royal blood like me leave this kingdom.

If they openly searched for the maids, soon everyone would know that Lady Elizabeth wasn't alive, so they took advantage of that Flora was found dead to announce Lady Elizabeth's death, placing the blame on the Anarchists and the maids.

That way, declaring the maids as criminals and guilty of killing a royal member, they can make this a big deal to find them, just so nobody would realize the actual truth behind their actions.

The King doesn't want to reveal my existence, and more importantly, to let another nation have an Arhan's royal family member under their liege. That is probably why he came up with all those lies.

I wanted to be wrong, that I was just exaggerating things. But I couldn't find other reasons for the King make up these lies.

The image of the servants scared and anxious, and how Prince Noah and Prince Dylan seemed worried and scared thinking that they could be attacked at any time by terrorists was passing through my mind.

'He made them fear for their lives on purpose, just so he could keep his secrets?' I asked myself mad.

Then, the words that Lady Elizabeth let to me in her letter came up to my mind.

"The royals are cruel, Alexander, they kill their own just so they can keep the perfect image they have today.

I can't even imagine what they could do to you.

That is why I ask you, Alexander, please, leave this place as soon as you can."

She wasn't lying, they manipulate and kill their own kin like it was nothing, just to protect their egoistic interests.

"But… What if the King wasn't lying after all? What if he truly believes that the Anarchists are involved in this and he indeed just wanted to protect his sons?" I asked myself after remembering the King's expression while talking about the Anarchists.

He seemed really furious while talking about them. I don't think he was faking it.

"Tsk." I clicked my tongue frustrated.

'Why does everything I do just make things get even worse in the end?' I asked myself, tired.

It all happened because I helped the maids escape from here. Now Flora is dead and everyone is thinking that terrorists invaded the palace and will attack everyone at any time.

I sighed, exhausted.

"I should leave here." I whispered, thinking about what Lady Elizabeth told me. "Maybe everything will be better if I just leave."

***

"Huh?" I asked, surprised.

There were two knights standing out of my bedroom. Looking closer I remembered who they were. They were the same knights that were following Prince Noah earlier.

'What are they doing here?' I thought, confused.

"Wait does that mean…?"

I quickly rushed to my room after realizing why they were there.

"Stop right there. Who are you? What are you doing here?" One of the knights shouted looking at me. I wasn't invisible anymore.

"I-I am… I am Alex… A-And this is my bedroom." I answered, feeling a bit frightened. Looking closer the knights seemed pretty scary.

Before the knight could say anything the door was quickly opened for the inside.

"Where were you?!"