While Adrian and Arthur continued walking alongside the forest, the trees began growing denser, and the sounds of birds became clearer amid the morning calm.
And suddenly…
Adrian spotted from a distance the figure of a girl moving among the grass, bending down at times, and turning at others, as if searching for something she’d lost.
He and Arthur exchanged a quick glance, then headed toward her.
The moment the girl heard the sound of their footsteps, she turned quickly, placing her hand on the hilt of the sword hanging at her waist in an instinctive motion, wariness showing on her face.
But…
the moment she raised her gaze and saw their features, that tension vanished from her eyes.
Her eyes widened slightly in astonishment, then she said:
“Oh…
brother Adrian.”
She was a girl in the prime of her youth, with a calm presence and a dignity that didn’t match her age.
Her long silver hair, nearly touching white, fell over her shoulders like silk, part of it pulled back with a black ribbon, while dark black strands ran through that silver color, giving it a mysterious quality that drew attention.
As for her eyes, they were the color of golden honey, large and sharp, carrying a steady gaze that revealed strong discipline and self-confidence.
Her long lashes and fine eyebrows added to her dignity, while her fair skin and calm aristocratic features seemed to reflect a princess raised within the royal family, and a knight accustomed to standing in training grounds.
She wore a long black coat open at the front, its edges adorned with finely worked golden threads, and beneath it a white shirt with a high collar, at its center a large black and gold tie, threaded with dark green patterns resembling rose leaves, fastened with a small glittering gem at its middle.
Adrian’s gaze paused on her features for a few moments, then a faint smile formed on his lips.
“Oh…
Rosie.”
As for Arthur, he stood looking at her with curiosity, as it was the first time he’d seen her up close, while Rosie kept looking at her two brothers calmly, as if their appearance in this place wasn’t among what she’d expected for this morning.
Rosie shifted her gaze between Adrian and Arthur, then looked back the other way, scanning the area with her eyes as if still searching for something.
She said without raising her head:
“What are you two doing here?”
But she didn’t wait for an answer.
She turned again, then approached Arthur with calm steps, before crouching down before him, until she was at his eye level.
She stared at his face for a few seconds, furrowing her brows in thought.
“Hmmmm…”
She tilted her head slightly.
“I almost forget your name, man.”
Adrian sighed as he placed his hand on his forehead.
“It’s Arthur, Rosie.”
Rosie raised her head to him, then nodded as if finally remembering.
“Right…
Arthur.”
Then she returned her gaze to the little one, and said in a calm tone:
“Isabella’s brother…
same mother.”
She extended her hand slowly, and gently touched Arthur’s cheek as she studied him.
“But…
Arthur felt a bit flustered, and his face reddened from her sudden closeness.
He lowered his gaze, then said in a low, hesitant voice:
“Well…
I…”
He stammered for a moment, before continuing shyly:
“I don’t know…
what I should say…”
Rosie stood up on her feet, then ran her fingers through her strands of silver hair, arranging them with a casual motion.
“Strange…”
She looked at Arthur briefly, then said calmly:
“You weren’t this shy when you were little.”
She tilted her head as she tried to recall the past.
“I used to tease you sometimes…
when you were much younger.”
Arthur’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“I…
don’t remember this.”
Then the thought flashed in his mind.
“But she barely remembered my name…
while she remembered Isabella instantly…”
His gaze lowered toward the ground, and his smile dimmed without him noticing.
Adrian noticed the change in his features, so he gently placed his hand on his brother’s head and patted it.
Then he turned to Rosie and said:
“She’s Lady Rosalia Han’s daughter…
she’s also a knight like me, but at an intermediate level.”
Rosie breathed out slowly, as if suddenly remembering the real reason she was here.
The joking tone vanished from her voice, replaced by worry.
“Adrian…”
She raised her gaze directly to him.
“If you’re free right now…
help me look for Aria.”
She furrowed her brows, and began scanning the area with her eyes again.
“She was with me since morning…
but I can’t find her.”
Her calm features hid genuine worry this time.
Adrian’s features changed immediately, and he moved his hand away from Arthur’s head as he looked at her seriously.
“You should have told me from the start.”
He glanced quickly toward the nearby forest, then looked back at her.
“How long has she been missing? This story is hosted at g.com.
And was she alone when she disappeared?”
Rosie stepped forward several paces, looking between the trees with eyes still searching in every direction.
Then she began explaining quickly:
“I was with her the whole time.”
She gestured with her hand toward the depths of the forest.
“She was carrying her little squirrel, while I sat sharpening my sword.”
She took a short breath, then continued:
“And suddenly the squirrel got away from her, so she ran after it.”
She lowered her head slightly.
“I thought she’d come back in a few minutes, so I stayed where I was.”
She clenched her hand without realizing it.
“But when I called her…
no one answered.”
Adrian was walking behind her listening to every word, then he raised his hand slightly, calmly interrupting her:
“Wait…
slow down.”
He gestured with his eyes toward Arthur who was walking behind them.
“Remember we’re not alone.”
Rosie glanced at him over her shoulder, then turned her gaze back to the path ahead and said coldly:
“Let him go back to the palace.”
Then she added without hesitation:
“He’ll just slow us down.”
Arthur stopped in his place.
Silence fell for a few seconds, and his eyes lowered toward the ground.
Then he said in a low voice:
“…Alright.”
He swallowed hard.
“I’ll go back alone.”
Adrian stopped walking, then turned to him.
He approached with calm steps, and bent down until he was at his level.
He smiled a reassuring smile, then turned his back to him slightly and said:
“Get on my back.”
Arthur blinked in astonishment.
“…Huh?”
Adrian turned to him smiling.
“I won’t leave my brother alone on the way back…”
Then he gestured to his back again.
“And I don’t intend to leave you behind us either.”
“So…
climb on.”