The Second Princess is missing!

"The Second Princess is missing!"

The panicked cries of the maids echo through the halls of the West Palace, where Yetsune resides, sending alarm and chaos throughout the entire palace. Maids and palace guards scramble in every direction, desperately searching every nook and cranny to locate both Yetsune and Erya. Lord Azryn, alerted by the commotion, hurriedly makes his way to the West Palace.

"How long has it been since you last saw her?" Lord Azryn questions the maids as he hastens toward her courtyard.

"Last night, my Lord," one of the maids answers with a quivering voice. "She returned from dinner upset and stormed into her room."

Lord Azryn waves his folded fan urgently, signalling the guards to open the doors to Yetsune's room. He scans the place with a frowning face and sharp eyes. "What of the guards?"

One of the guards steps forward, bowing his head. "We've been stationed outside the room all night, but none of us witnessed the Second Princess leave."

"Nonsense!" Lord Azryn's rage shoots through the sky. "Do you mean to say the Princess simply vanished from her room?"

The guards and maids, trembling under his fury, instantly drop to their knees with their heads bowed deeply. Given his deep affection for the princesses, they fear he may order their execution.

Lord Azryn exhales deeply, reining his anger in for now. He glances at the windows. "What of the windows?" he questions.

A guard stutters out, "We found one window open."

Lord Azryn approaches the window and carefully inspects the seal. He wipes the seal and his finger comes away untarnished. Then he heads into the study, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings as he walks towards her desk. He sees a torn piece of clothing and drops of crimson pigment on the floor, a stark contrast to the otherwise pristine surroundings. He drops to one knee, wiping the stain with his finger.

"Blood…" he breathes with dread. He shoots up to his feet, gathering the stained papers on the desk into his hands. His eyes shakily glance over the writing of the Analects on virtue and obedience in Yetsune's handwriting.

Lord Azryn's grip on the papers tightens, his mind swirling with horrendous thoughts of what harm might have befallen his niece.

Meanwhile, in the East Palace, Arya sprints towards the Princess's bedchamber.

"Your Highness!" she calls urgently as she bursts into the room, pushing aside the drapes around the Princess's bed. "There is trouble, Your Highness," she announces breathlessly.

Alerted by the word 'trouble', Yettiri is immediately stirred awake, her hand instinctively reaching for her whip resting nearby. "What is it?" she asks, kneeling on the bed with the whip in hand.

"The maids in the West Palace couldn't find the Second Princess this morning. Lord Azryn has searched the West Palace, but he found… he found…"

"He found what?!"

"Blood," Arya blurts out. "He found the written copies of the Analects on virtue and obedience stained with blood," she clarifies, her words tumbling out with haste.

Yettiri's eyes widen in horror. She jumps out of bed at once and throws a black cloak over her shoulders before rushing out.

In the assembly hall, the King and Queen sit atop their thrones, flanked by officials on both sides. Lord Azryn storms in with a small retinue of palace guards and his aide.

"What is this about the Second Princess missing?" the Queen asks at once, shifting forward in her seat.

Lord Azryn bows deeply before the throne. "Your Majesties, I regret to inform you that the Second Princess is missing from the West Palace. I discovered bloodstains on copies of the Analects and a torn piece of clothing in her room," he reveals, casting a wave of murmurs throughout the hall. "I have deployed the palace guards and soldiers to search the entire palace and the capital," Lord Azryn adds.

Gasps ripple through the assembly, whispers spreading like wildfire. The Queen's hand flies to her mouth in devastation, while the King's expression darkens ominiously.

One of the officials voices his concern, "What if she is not found? We can't possibly tell Aushasal that their Crown Princess is missing."

"That's right, Your Majesties. Surely we can't hand over the First Princess who is the future heir to the throne," another adds, and more of them echo the concern.

"Are you not ashamed!" Lord Azryn's voice booms through the court. "A Princess of the Asana Kingdom has vanished, and all you care about is the alliance marriage?"

He glares at each minister, their heads hanging low in shame. Their silence speaks volumes as guilt and shame wash over them.

"Now is not the time for such discussions," The King breaks his silence. He turns his attention to Sersi standing guard beside him. "You will assist Lord Azryn in the search for the Princess."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Sersi accepts the order.

The King declares with finality, "The news of the Second Princess's disappearance must not reach the other clans of Asana or Aushasal."

The officials bow and chorus in unison, "Yes, Your Majesty!"

"What is this about my sister's disappearance?" Yettiri demands, barging into the court in a dishevelled appearance. The ministers avert their gaze from her.

"You shouldn't be here in this state," the Queen chides, disapproving of her unsightly appearance and sparse clothing.

"I couldn't care less about my appearance when my sister is missing," Yettiri retorts. She turns to Lord Azryn, grasping his forearm, "You found blood?" her heart pounds with fear, hoping he'd tell her otherwise.

"Yettiri…"

"Uncle!" she lashes out, frustrated by his hesitation.

"I am still unsure whose blood it is," Lord Azryn reveals to her.

As her uncle's words settle on her, Yettiri's vision blurs with tears, her hand sliding off his arm. She nearly slumps, but Lord Azryn holds her up just in time.

"What about Erya?" Yettiri asks as she regains her composure, and Arya steps forward, anxiously holding her breath. If he doesn't know whose blood it is, it could very well be her sister's. Erya could have engaged in combat to protect the Second Princess.

"She too is missing," Lord Azryn answers. Arya stumbles back, his answer striking her like a heavy blow.

Yettiri glares at the King and Queen, whose countenances are that of rulers rather than parents whose daughter has gone missing. "This is all your fault," she accuses them, her voice tinges with resentment. The ministers are tempted to turn their heads, intrigued by what the Princess has to say.

"Yettiri," Lord Azryn calls to caution her, sensing the direction she is going. The presence of Yetsune's blood on the paper raises the possibility that the previous night's incident was to blame.

"Am I wrong?" Yettiri steps forward boldly. She has remained silent, but this time she cannot forgive them. "If you had treated her like a daughter instead of a tool for alliances, perhaps this would not have happened."

"How dare you!" the King bellows while the Queen gasps lightly. But Yettiri gives them a final glare and storms out of the hall.

Lord Azryn glances at the Queen, his sister, who leans on the armrest of her throne for support, while the King seethes in anger. The pair have treated Yetsune indifferently from birth. In their eyes, their actions are merely a means of preparing Yetsune for the unavoidable day of separation, so she doesn't suffer the same fate as the King's late sister, who married Aushasal. The late Empress of Aushasal was subjected to isolation and the Emperor's disdain, leading to her untimely demise at a young age. Her passing was rumoured to be a result of immense sorrow from longing for her family and succumbing to illness.

Lord Azryn lets out a deep sigh. If Yetsune never returns, even he would find it difficult to forgive them. With nothing more to discuss, Lord Azryn leaves the hall. Sersi, who has been assigned to work with Lord Azryn follows him.

"Go," Lord Azryn instructs him as they depart from the palace.

"Where?" Sersi asks in confusion.

"Yettiri is likely to act recklessly, so keep a close watch on her," Lord Azryn replies. He had already noticed Sersi's desire to follow her earlier.

"Very well, my Lord," Sersi bows and leaves while Lord Azryn departs the palace with the mobilized troops.