A day more passed since Zaro Aventine briefly saw Orius and when the King was informed about the scaling of the prison walls for the second time, he started to fully believe that he wasn't wrong that night.
Orius was at Helsia and he was the one behind this!
"Is the security of the prison that bad?" the King asked the new Chief of the Prison Guards who was kneeling before him.
His dangerously low voice and the fact that he ordered the execution of the previous Chief and other prison guards due to the disappearance of King Rozalez... these were enough to send shiver down the spine of the new Chief.
"They seemed to be outnumbering us, Your Majesty," the Chief spoke up as he braced himself. "When I reach there, the guards on duty were all dead. All the 20 ex-officials were gone too."
The young King was immediately overwhelmed with rage!
King Rozalez was gone and now the ex-officials! He wasn't foolish enough to not know that there was a rebellion in the making.
"Look for them," he commanded the Chief of the Prison Guards. "If you failed to find them, you will pay for it."
With that said, the Chief hurriedly left the King's chamber.
"Your Majesty, do you suspect the Duke of Larica?" Derin who was standing a few steps away on the King's right promptly asked once the door was shut.
"The plan is smooth just like last time," the King uttered in a voice that hinted at rage. "A year ago, Orius was the one who imprisoned the ex-officials. That means he knows the structure of the prison very well. This is his doing."
He turned to Derin and said, "While the prison guards look for the ex-officials, I want you to continue looking for Orius in secret. Inform General Trevor too."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The King thought of a rebellion in the making that will be a great threat to him and his face turned dark. "Seems like it's time to meet my little brother again. We should find him and crush whatever plan he has."
* * *
"Did you make sure that the other ex-officials are at a safe place? Zaro Aventine will surely come after them," Crown Prince Andres said to Zane who was standing before him.
They were at their room in the inn and Orius was also standing near the window a few steps away.
"Yes, Your Highness. They are in the same place as the rescued ex-officials. They will be safe for a while but it will be enough as everything will start soon," Zane responded to the Crown Prince.
"What about the remaining soldiers?"
"They are with the ex-officials to ensure their safety."
Andres Francia nodded. "Send a letter to General Ellis. I want him to dispatch 100 soldiers from the private army. They should be the best and also tell him to be careful when they enter Helsia. They must find a way not to draw suspicion."
"I understand, Your Highness."
The Crown Prince rose from his seat and walked towards his cousin who was standing near the window.
"What are you thinking of?" he asked.
Orius briefly glanced at Andres who was now standing next to him and said, "Valerie and Ophelia are going out. I'm worried about them."
"The guards are with them," Andres Francia pointed out. "They will be fine. It's not like this is their first time leaving the inn."
The two ladies often spent their daytime outside and Orius knew that. However, a bad feeling bothered him and he struggled to brush it off his mind.
*
It seemed like Orius's torment was continued. It was already evening but Valerie and the Crown Princess haven't returned yet.
They were never gone for this long. It's the first.
At the latest, they were always back by afternoon.
"Something's not right, Andres," he said to his cousin who was sitting on a couch a few steps away from him. "They are gone for too long. The sun will soon set. We should send someone to look for them."
One glance of the Cedore Crown Prince and it was obvious that he was also worried now. "Alright," he promptly said as he rose from his seat. He was about to walk out of the room, until...
The door was suddenly opened and Zane rushed inside. "Your Highness! Your Grace! It's bad news!"
The cousins raised a brow when they heard Zane and with the latter's instruction, one guard came inside and he kneeled before the cousins. When Orius saw the wounds on the guard's body, his anxiety grew!
"What happened?!" he promptly asked in a stern voice yet his tone hinted at panic.
"Her Highness the Crown Princess wished to go to a river and we go there. But the Jerivian King's men attacked us during that. They outnumbered us, Your Grace! They came prepared!"
"Where are Ophelia and Valerie?!" Andres Francia asked. By now, his usual calm face was long gone!
"They took them away. They killed the other guards and sent me here to inform you," the guard replied in a nervous voice as he thought of their demand. "They want His Grace to go there alone."
"That's nonsense!" Andres Francia spat as he glanced around with a troubled face.
"Your Highness, those men don't know the identity of Her Highness. They only know the identity of Her Grace. It seems like they don't know that you're here too. Just the Duke," the guard informed the Crown Prince.
While Andres was thinking of a way to solve the problem...
"I will go," Orius spoke up in a low yet determined voice. "Zaro Aventine want me. He won't hurt them if I do as he said."
"It's the same as walking into a lion's den!" the Crown Prince argued.
"I know Zaro Aventine, Your Highness. He won't kill me," Orius insisted. His mind was occupied by one thing.
How did they know Valerie's identity?
"We don't have another choice," he continued as he looked at his cousin. "Believe me. I will never allow Ophelia or Valerie to suffer in their hands."
The Crown Prince wiped his face as he struggled to be on his clear mind. Then he turned to the guard. "Did anyone follow you?"
"No, Your Highness. I make sure that no one follows me."
Andres nodded and turned to Orius.. "Let's make a plan first."
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