Adrian only gave a brief nod, then continued forward without stopping.
But one of the guards noticed Rosie’s pale face, so his features changed and he asked with concern:
“Your Highness Princess Rosie…
did something happen?”
She didn’t answer him.
She kept walking in silence, her eyes still distant, as if she hadn’t heard the question at all.
Adrian suddenly stopped at the gate, and turned toward the guards who were watching them with concern.
His calm features shifted into the features of a commander accustomed to giving orders.
He said in a firm voice:
“Guards.”
Everyone immediately stood at attention.
“Your Highness.”
Adrian gestured toward Rosie, then said quickly:
“Princess Aria is missing.”
Silence fell for a moment, and the eyes of a number of guards widened.
Adrian continued without giving them a chance to comment:
“She was last seen near the edge of the forest.
We searched for her ourselves, but found no trace of her.”
He looked at the guard commander at the gate, then added in a commanding tone
“Summon all the reconnaissance teams.”
“Close all exits, and don’t allow anyone to leave the palace or enter the forest alone.”
Then he gestured toward the forest stretching on the horizon.
“Divide the search teams into groups, and begin combing the area from the last place she was seen, while maintaining constant communication between the teams.”
The guard commander nodded firmly.
“Your orders, Your Highness!”
The guards quickly began moving in every direction, while some rushed inside the palace to inform other units, and others hurried toward the weapons storehouses in preparation to form search teams.
Then Adrian turned to Rosie and Arthur.
And said calmly despite his urgency:
“Stay here.”
Then he gave Rosie a reassuring look.
“I’ll go now to inform my father myself.”
He didn’t wait for a reply.
He turned directly, and set off with quick steps toward the main palace, his red cloak fluttering behind him, aware that every passing moment could be decisive in finding Aria.
Meanwhile, Arthur remained standing in his place, his eyes fixed on Rosie.
He saw the sadness covering her features, and the worry she couldn’t hide no matter how hard she tried to appear strong.
He hesitated for a moment.
He opened his mouth, trying to say something…
anything that might ease her burden.
But the words failed him.
He only looked at her in silence.
Rosie sensed his presence, and turned to him for a moment.
Their eyes met.
She kept looking at him for seconds, but didn’t utter a word, then turned her face away and turned around, heading toward the gate as if she’d made her decision.
At that moment, one of the guards hurried to block her path.
He extended his arm before her respectfully and said:
“Wait, Princess Rosie.”
He tried to speak calmly.
“We’ll handle the mat…”
But his words weren’t finished.
Boom!
Rosie’s fist shot forward with startling speed, and struck directly into his face.
The guard was violently thrown back, before being hurled several meters and hitting the ground with force, while his helmet rolled away.
Silence fell.
The guards froze in their places, their eyes widening at the horror of what happened.
As for Rosie, her facial expression didn’t change.
She stared at the fallen guard with a cold gaze filled with contempt, and said in a low but scathing voice:
“Get out of my sight…”
Then she added, looking at him with disdain:
“You worthless thing.”
The guard trembled as he tried to get up, while the rest of the soldiers exchanged glances in silence, none of them daring to approach her after seeing the anger overtaking her.
Rosie clenched her fist tightly, then suddenly turned and dashed out through the gate at her utmost speed, unconcerned by the guards’ calls behind her.
“Princess Rosie!
Wait!”
But she didn’t turn back.
The guards exchanged glances, then a large number of them rushed after her, having realized the search operation had already begun.
Within minutes, the gate turned into a beehive of activity.
Guards mounting their horses and commanders distributing orders in every direction, while the sounds of footsteps and clanging armor rose throughout the place.
As for Arthur…
he remained standing at the gate, watching all that movement with eyes full of worry.
He didn’t understand everything happening, but he realized the matter was far more dangerous than he’d imagined.
And after a few moments…
Adrian emerged from within the palace, accompanied by two heavily armed guards.
His features were serious, the smile having completely vanished from them.
The moment he approached the gate, Arthur called to him in a low voice mixed with worry:
“Brother…
Adrian!”
Adrian stopped immediately.
He turned to the two guards and said firmly:
“Go ahead of me…
I’ll catch up with you shortly.”
“As you command, Your Highness.”
The two guards set off toward the forest, while Adrian headed toward his brother.
The moment he reached him, he knelt on one knee, to be at his eye level.
“Arthur…”
Then he raised his hand and gently patted his head.
“I’m sorry…”
He smiled a calm smile tinged with regret.
“That our adventure ended this way.”
Arthur shook his head quickly.
“I…
it’s okay.”
He kept looking at his brother, trying to appear strong despite the worry filling his heart.
Then Adrian’s smile grew warmer.
And he said in a voice full of kindness:
“I promise you, brother…”
He paused for a moment, then continued with confidence:
“Once all this is over…
I’ll go out with you again.”
He patted his head one last time.
“And I also promise…
we’ll have a great time together, and no one will spoil it for us that time.”
Arthur smiled a small smile, and nodded his head.
“Promise?”
Adrian extended his small finger toward him as he smiled.
“Promise.”
Arthur hesitated for a second, then finally smiled, and extended his small finger in turn, hooking it with his brother’s.
Adrian smiled as he looked at him one last time, then rose and turned around.
And in moments, his face returned to the seriousness befitting a knight leading a search mission, and he ran off toward the forest, while Arthur remained standing at the gate watching his brother move away, holding onto that promise in his heart, and hoping everyone would return safely.