One glance of King Rozalez and it was obvious that he was now very different from the fallen King who was locked up for more than a year.
His long hair was now cut and his beard was shaved. He was thoroughly cleaned up and even his clothes now resembled the clothing of an average person. The spies did all this so that it would be easier for them to bring him out of Helsia.
When Crown Prince Andres shifted his gaze to one of the spies, the spy lowered his gaze and said, "King Zaro Aventine ordered to tighten the security but we were able to pass every gate before they received the order. We disguised ourselves as merchants and it wasn't that hard to pass, Your Highness."
The Crown Prince nodded his head in satisfaction. "Great job. You may leave now."
With that said, the two spies bowed and walked out of the dungeon.
"Why did you do this?" King Rozalez asked the young Crown Prince. "You have nothing to gain by doing this."
"You might be wrong," Andres Francia pointed out. "It seems like being locked up for a year indeed affects you. You don't even know what happened during the past year."
"What do you mean?" the fallen King promptly asked.
"You don't have to know that. It won't be of use to you anyway," Andres simply said. "But don't worry. I have nothing against you, so I won't hurt you. Just consider it as a simple change in a dungeon."
He turned to Zane and said, "Remove him from the chains and put the shackles on him. Assign capable guards here. He shouldn't be able to escape no matter what."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Just when Andres tried to turn his back at the fallen King...
"This is not like you, Andres Francia," King Rozalez spoke up, halting the young Crown Prince. "You are not the type to do things without a good reason and if you have nothing against me, that means your target is Zaro Aventine."
"Then you should be glad that you're not my target," Andres Francia stated. "If you are, you will already be dead."
"Help me reclaim my throne before Zaro Aventine has full control," King Rozalez said. "Keeping me here won't be enough. That young King is crazy! He will do anything to get what he wants!"
"To put you back to power just so you will get a chance to harm Iria and Orius to avenge your sons?" Andres Francia murmured but his voice was so low that the fallen King failed to hear.
"I'm not interested," he uttered in a cold voice. "I will stop the crazy Jerivian King in my own way."
He turned his back at the fallen King and approached the exit of the dungeon.
"What did Zaro Aventine do to offend you?"
King Rozalez was curious.
The young Jerivian King was crazy enough to offend the Crown Prince of Cedore?
"You don't have to know," was Andres's only response before he finally walked out of the dungeon.
*
Crown Prince Andres sat alone in his working chamber for a few minutes before Zane walked inside and bowed.
"Your Highness, I did as you ordered. King Rozalez won't be able to escape even if he tries."
The Crown Prince nodded. "Did you say that Zaro Aventine arrested the ex-officials for interrogation?"
"Yes, Your Highness. That's what the spies reported," Zane replied. "The Jerivian King ordered to kill anyone who refuse to cooperate and some were killed because of that. However, they are released now. Maybe the King now know that it's not the doing of internal forces."
"Let's see if he will be able to track me down or not," Andres Francia simply said with a little smirk. Then he looked at Zane and said, "I want you to arrange one more thing."
Another? Zane barely refrained from raising his brows.
What triggered the Crown Prince's rage?
He became curious as he had no idea at all.
Once Zane received the Crown Prince's order, he walked out of the chamber. However, Andres wasn't alone for long as his wife immediately entered his working chamber.
"Are you still busy?" Ophelia asked. "It's time for dinner."
"I'm done now," the Crown Prince replied as he stared at his wife who was walking towards the desk.
His face was just calm and nothing like what he just did or the order he just gave to his right-hand man.
Well, even when the spies scaled the palace walls of Helsia and took King Rozalez away in his order, he was simply drinking some wine with his wife.
"Then let's go," Ophelia said to him. "Your father and mother are waiting for us."
With a nod, he rose from his seat and made his way to the dining room with his wife.
* * *
In the royal palace of Helsia, Zaro Aventine was having a hard time. Apart from being unable to find King Rozalez even though it had been almost a week, he didn't know if his wife reached Jerivia safely or not.
He might not love her but... she was still important to him.
After all, she was the only one who stayed beside him in the lowest time of his life.
Putting aside Iria, she was the best friend he had.
"Don't you send soldiers to check on the Queen?" he asked Derin who was standing a few steps away from him.
"I indeed sent them as you ordered, Your Majesty. They might reach Jerivia by now and we will soon hear the news. Please be patient," Derin responded with his head bowed.
"She is not even feeling well when she departed for Jerivia," Zaro Aventine uttered. "Why did she refuse to be escorted by the soldiers whom I prepared?"
As he was sitting on a chair behind a desk, he propped up his elbows on the desk and rubbed his temples.
What if something happened to her?!
"Her Majesty will be fine, Your Majesty," Derin spoke up. "Aziel is with her and he is capable enough. Please rest assured. We will hear the news soon."
Though his wife had never suffered any mishaps or assassination attempts when she go out, Zaro Aventine couldn't be at ease this time.
Why did he can't brush off this bad feeling?
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶