Chap 3.2

~•~

11:03AM, in the little prince's private chamber ---

It was quiet, not because they can't talk, but because the baby prince is sleeping. Prince Kazimir and Prince Clyne silently watches over the sleeping Ellios; the little prince is still an infant, but that iconic white hair is undeniable.

Compared to theirs, a vibrant red and the other one is a dark blonde --- a trait that is inarguably indistinguishable to that of a pure blood. Sure, they have the same father, but they didn't inherit the same features. It was obvious who will become the next king in the future even without the Queen's support.

It shows that they're not meant to be sitting in that throne.

Kazimir gritted his teeth, "I hope the servants takes care of our little royal brother; the night is yet to come, I wouldn't wish for him to be awake during the long hours in darkness."

Did this birdbrain just threatened the people of Her Majesty's? Clyne cursed inwardly.

He eyed the two wet nurses of the baby prince, the three knights stationed inside the room, and lastly his half brother. The servants didn't react, only hanged their head in the presence of the three princes. Still, Clyne discreetly distanced himself away from that idiotic red haired Kazimir.

"Elder brother, please be careful of your words. Little brother Ellios is sleeping."

Two wet nurses at present is reasonable, but stationing three noble knights inside, not to mention the other five other skilled men they saw earlier coming in guarding from the outside, is a feat that should be written in history. Who else would be this too overprotective over her son in this time of peace and no war?

Aside from their personal servants they brought from home, the servants in the entire palace is Her Majesty's eyes and ears. They're not stupid... Even cursing people in such a roundabout way can still be decoded like a magic scroll from the ancient times. This dunce is asking for his early death!

"I do not wish to wake up our royal brother..." Kazimir is only a thirteen year old child, but he managed to bit back his bitterness.

"Little brother is sleeping, but I still wish to express my greetings." Clyne ignored Kazimir as he steps forward, kneeled in front of the cradle and faintly smiled, "Blessings and glory for his highness and the kingdom..."

He then stood up with a straight back and gave the wet nurses a smile, "My only hope is to see him grow big and well and, hopefully, become brothers in arms. I thank the servants for serving his highness with utmost care."

"We are not worthy, your highness..." Says the two women before adding that they're only doing their job.

Kazimir clicked his tongue at the display, but he followed Clyne in kneeling and greeting the baby prince. Although Kazimir is only months older than the blonde one, Clyne already acts like a true dignified and matured prince. It's no wonder, after all, the second consort Iris' temperament is only second to Her Majesty the Queen's.

Too bad, he inherited the blonde hair of the foreign Creolstones family. Clyne doesn't belong in this kingdom, he should've been sent to his home kingdom and busy himself there. If only not for the fact that her mother is a foreign royal princess gifted for the King.

Tsk, I already have this annoying kid as my rival, and now a replica of the King appeared. Talk about my luck!

"Blessings and glory for his highness and the kingdom."

The moment the two princes bowed their heads, three needles swiftly pushed through over their scalp, like bullets seeking for a life to kill. Before they knew it, the three knights suddenly dropped on the floor, unmoving.

"Eek---" The wet nurses shrieked, but they each received a bullet needle on their nape and they, too, dropped dead on the floor.

Kazimir was first to scream but his mouth was quickly covered with a black clothed hand. He struggled, forgetting to use the lessons he learned to protect his life, and soon his eyes went at the back of his eyelids. The moment he dropped off the floor was also the moment Clyne lost his consciousness.

The other five men guarding from the outside didn't notice a thing as the black clothed men emerged from the dark corners and silently took the baby prince.

They came in out of nowhere, and also disappeared like a puff of smoke, along with the newly born prince.

~•~

12:30PM, inside the courtroom --

It was twelve in the afternoon following the day of the newborn prince's disappearance. The King was first informed before he summoned for the Queen.

It was a shock, His Majesty was so furious that he punished the five guards who were supposed to protect the prince to be brought down to dungeon and never to be seen again. Their families were not spared either; the adults were all brought to jail to be sentenced for a lifetime while the younger ones were sold to slavers.

Her Majesty fainted, her steel heart suddenly cracks for her child, and she was brought back to her chamber with a priestess to watch over her health.

Her highness the princess just came back from the comforts of the Messengers. When she learned about Ellios' kidnapping, she didn't understood what she felt but she was in a complete state of shock. She went to her queen mother's chamber, and her tears started falling down.

The knights and wet nurses were killed on the spot. Needles were spotted on each of their neck and napes which were covered with a type of poison that can instantly paralyze the victim's body, including their lungs. When left alone without assistance, they die out of suffocation due to lack of air as their ability to breath was disabled.

The young princes, Kazimir and Clyne, were fine. There were no damage done to their health as they were only drugged to sleep. This means that whoever's behind the kidnapping is solely targeting the infant prince.

The King sighed in distress. Looking down at his sleeping Queen and his weeping daughter, the King made a decision. He went back to his study and summoned his three most trusted and capable men; the Bright Sun's Knight Commander Hevans, Fresto the King's aide, and the King's advisor Elder Lim.

They all stood at the front of the desk with the most poker face they could possibly muster in front of a seemingly calm, but raging King.

His Majesty's voice were clear, but every word is heavy with emphasis, "Lim, speak."

"Y-yes, Your Majesty..." Elder Lim is old, he has seen many blood shred in nearly every part of the kingdom, but the most terrifying of all is a King who is caging his demons in his heart. "I... I think that this incident is merely not done by somebody else ---"

"To the point, Elder."

"Y-yes! What I mean is that we should first keep this incident from the public, including all the nobles. Deal with the witnesses and investigate the young prince's kidnapping. It would not look good for the image of the royal family when the perfect heir suddenly disappears..."

The King turns to his knight, "Commander Hevans, you know what to do."

The commander nods, "Crystal clear, Sire."

His Majesty then calls for his aide, "Fresto, who else is involve in this matter?"

"The two princes, Sire. However, they are yet to be awaken and their mothers are waiting for your explanation."

First and second consorts Shinral and Iris were both shock upon hearing their sons' situation, and both bolted straight to their son's chambers and are demanding for explanation.

Elder Lim bravely asks, "Permission to speak, Your Majesty?"

"Granted."

"Thank you... I suggest to let the mothers of the princes unaware of this incident. Your Majesty, the young prince's disappearance is highly confidential and we can trust no one. By no means do I think that the consorts are involved, however ---"

"Understood, Elder Lim." The King closes his eyes, "Anything else?"

"Sire..." Commander Hevans waited for the King.

"Speak."

"Two months, Your Majesty. If we can not find the young prince, I'm afraid we may need to go public to aid with the search. The situation in the north..."

The north is not the perfect place. It is cold most of the year and full of blood from the soldiers fighting against the Frelgors. Most goods and recruits are sent there to help and guard the boarder, but with the young prince's disappearance, Commander Hevans is afraid that the King may send back troops from the north to help with the search.

The commander thinks that if the infant prince is hidden carefully, assuming that the enemy don't kill him, then the metropolitan soldiers won't be enough to look for a lost baby prince. The Bright Sun is the palace's strongest Knight squad with a sole purpose of protecting the royal family from danger, but the Commander knows that it's not enough, and that they have already failed once.

"Elder Lim?"

"I -- ah, I agree with the commander, Your Majesty. We can not let the northern boarder to loose. Let the people search for the prince and give them a price for their service. A-and, if in two months there is no good news, then I'm afraid we may have stumbled upon a bigger enemy..."

The King didn't reply as he close his eyes. It took a few moments, but finally the meeting was adjourned.

First is to deal with the witnesses. Every servants present in the King's courtroom earlier during the prince's kidnapping report were eliminated and replaced. Even the messenger man was quietly thrown to a river with his neck sliced.

Consorts Shinral and Iris were given a vague explanation, and they had no choice but to swallow it down and don't question the power of the King.

All nobles are forbidden to enter the whole palace without a signed permission from the King, except for those who have official business. The royal family including the consorts are a special exception for they already live in the palace, however, there is a new strict rule where they could not roam around freely anymore. All planned and approved visits from noble families are cancelled, as well.

All palaces specially the West Palace which is where the Queen lives is closed from visitors. Prince Ellios' chamber was also heavily guarded by the Bright Sun's knights, and visitors are strictly not allowed.

It was a shock, the nobles were bewildered to these sudden changes, but they don't have enough courage to question His Majesty, and had to quietly accept it.

With this, the investigation begun.

~•~

2:05PM, present time --

"Mom," a little girl pulls her mother's sleeves and points at a group of people gathering at a poster. Both the mother and child couldn't see the post, for it is covered by a bunch of bodies, but the murmurs between the passerbys are enough to draw a vague picture.

"Did you know? Apparently, the newborn prince was kidnapped recently from the palace?"

"What? Are you sure? You know you'll get in trouble if you spread rumors about the royal family, right?"

"It's not a rumor, idiot! The *myrzo* from the capital had ordered a search for the missing prince, it's been posted in the board over there! Haven't you taken a look? It's literally have been distributed from all the towns surrounding capital!"

"I didn't, there's just too many people over there... Goddess, how in the world did the little prince got kidnapped."

"That's what I'd like to know too, after all, isn't he the son of Her Majesty the Queen? It hasn't been officially declared yet, but the little prince will surely become the crown prince. Hey, there are other princes right?"

"Right, Prince Kazimir and Prince Clyne... Hey, what are you thinking?"

"Nothing...but, doesn't this suggest that they might have targeted the little prince and got rid of him so they could--"

"Shut it, man! Do you want to get imprisoned and beheaded? Slandering a member of the royal family, even if their mothers are just consort, they still possess the blood of His Majesty!"

"Shit...ok, I get it. I still want to live."

"Better watch what you say then!"

The little girl heard it well and stopped glancing at the poster. Her mother, Sena, poked a woman passing by and asked about the commotion. The woman happily gossiped, and by this Sena confirmed that the newborn prince, Ellios de Alcantara, has truly been missing. She warily smiles at the woman and thanked her before looking down at her six year old daughter.

"Rai, we should go home and talk to your father. Are you done searching around the market?"

Rai smiled, fixed the small locks of her hair that covers her eyes, and answered, "Yes, I didn't find what I need here, but I'll continue searching at the village instead."

Sena nods and pulls her daughter out of the market, "Then, let's go."

The mother and daughter pair got a ride off an oxcart to go home from the town back to their village.

_________

A/N: Hey ya pretty girls and boys and non-binary folks! It's a late chapter, 2 days after my schedule on Sunday. But honestly I decided to change my updates from Sunday evening to Tuesdays instead.

I recently found out that I am actually pretty busy on weekends. It's because of my games. There's lots of events going around starting at Saturdays usually and yes I have my priorities ???

Tuesday evening at my timezone!! As always, it's not a refined chapter again! Yahoo! And thank you for reading!!!! See y'all next time ?