When Zara left, Aiden, Eric, and Ryn turned to themselves. "Eric, I think there's more to what aunt Zara told us," Aiden muttered, then twirled in the direction of the secret passage.
Eric pouted his mouth, then he said. "So are you saying aunt Zara lied to us?"
"I don't know Eric, but she looked suspicious, like she was hiding something," Aiden added.
Ryn sighed. "Then I think we should go inform King Carl about it."
"No Ryn, if aunt Zara didn't tell Carl, she must have a good reason. I think we should wait until Carl asks, if he doesn't, then maybe he really did fight with aunt Zara, because of Nadia," Aiden reasoned, and both Eric and Ryn nodded.
Meanwhile, Nadia and Draco were in her chambers, as Draco paced around impatiently. "Queen Nadia, I don't think your plan worked, why has queen Zara not left the palace yet, even though I stated in the letter that her father is on the brink of dying," Draco rasped.
Nadia scoffed. "Draco, you have to calm down. I'm sure there's is a reason why Zara, hasn't left yet, maybe it's because of Gwen's issue. Besides, if she decides to leave the palace, Ariel will inform us, I've asked her to watch Zara's every move.
"Fine Nadia, I just hope you're right," Draco mumbled, looking annoyed.
AN HOUR LATER
Ariel(Nadia's servant) walked into the chamber, and immediately she did, both Draco and Nadia bombarded her with questions.
"Ariel, what happened? did Zara leave Everton?" Nadia inquired.
While Draco came to stand in front of Ariel, giving her a questioning look.
Ariel sighed, then she said, "I'm not sure queen Nadia, I don't think she left."
Nadia sneered. "What do you mean by you're not sure I specifically asked you to monitor Zara's every move," she rasped.
Ariel shivered slightly at Nadia's tone of voice, and from the angry stare Draco was giving her, then she quickly added, "What I mean to say is that Zara entered someone's chambers, and since then, she hasn't come out."
Nadia and Draco turned to themselves, then back at Ariel. "Whose chamber did she enter?" Draco asked in his deep baritone voice.
"I don't know sir Draco, but I think it's either queen Catherine's or prince Aiden's," Ariel replied.
"Ariel, you need to keep an eye on that chamber, while I go to Carl, and console him for his lost friend, Gwen," Nadia ordered, and with a smile on her face, she left her chamber, going to the throne room to meet Carl.
...
The soldiers and men sent by Carl and lord Francis had now returned without Gwen. "Your majesty, our search for lady Gwen was futile. we searched everywhere for lady Gwen, but to no avail, we didn't find her.
Carl turned to lord Francis who was looking as pale as a ghost. "Lord Francis, please calm down, I promise to send soldiers in search of Gwen, every day if I have to."
"No my king, I don't think there's need for that, I just have to accept the fact that my daughter is gone, and that there's nothing I can do about it. If Gwen were alive, she would have already returned to the palace," lord Francis muttered.
Carl sighed, and wanted to say something, but decided against it. He couldn't just accept the fact that his childhood and one of his best friends are gone. No, he just couldn't accept it, and although he look alright on the outside, he was greatly disturbed inside and prayed that a miracle would happen, and Gwen would show up.
At that moment, Nadia showed up, a smirk playing at the corner of her lips because she overheard their discussion.
"Carl," she called, sounding pitiful and her eyes full of crocodile tears. Carl twirled, and when he met Nadia's gaze, he scoffed, turning back to Lord Francis.
Nadia saw his actions and clenched her fist in anger, but the fake tears remained in her eyes, and since Carl ignored her, she went to lord Francis instead.
"Lord Francis, I overheard what the soldiers said about Gwen, and I'm sorry for your loss. Although Gwen and I didn't start well, I never wish ill for her," Nadia mumbled.
Lord Francis took his gaze to Nadia, then back to Carl. For some reason, he didn't like Nadia. He was suspicious of her, but still, he nodded his head and thanked her, then he said, "My king, please can you investigate the matter? I mean there's no way Gwen would leave the palace without telling anyone."
Carl nodded, finding sense in what lord Francis said. "Lord Francis, I'll do as you say and if Gwen's disappearance is because of someone in this palace, then I won't spare the person once I get them," Carl muttered.
Nadia went pale immediately. "What if he finds out that I was responsible for Gwen's disappearance, oh God! he won't spare me," Nadia pondered.
"Uhm, Lord Francis, Carl, I'll take my leave now," Nadia announced walking away hastily.
Lord Francis observed her reaction, and he was now convinced that she had something to do with it. That was the main reason he suggested that Carl investigated the matter, was to see Nadia's reaction.
Once Nadia left, Lord Francis turn to Carl, then he said, "Your majesty, I'll also like to take my leave."
Carl nodded, and allow him to leave, then he went in search of Zara, while Lord Francis went in search of Roxanne.
...
Lord Francis walked into Gwen's chamber, to find Roxanne pacing around worriedly.
"My Lord, did you find lady Gwen?" She asked immediately she saw him.
"No Roxanne, but I need you to answer my questions. Do you know if Queen Nadia is responsible for Gwen's disappearance?"
Roxanne was taken aback by his question. But her mind instantly wandered to Nadia. She recalled every that happen on the day Gwen disappeared, how Gwen had ordered the molestation and killing of Nadia, but instead, Nadia came back alive, the Gwen went missing, and apart from that, she noticed that Draco, was now working with Nadia.
"Answer me, Roxanne," lord Francis yelled, getting impatient.
Roxanne shivered slightly. Although she wanted to lie about everything, she thought against it and decided to tell the truth instead, since Gwen's life was at stake, and her father was the one asking. she narrated everything that happened that day to Lord Francis, leaving no secret.
Lord Francis sighed, and a drop of tear fell from his eyes. "I warned you, Gwen. I told you that if you played with fire, you'll get burnt, but you didn't listen, now look what has happened to you," he lamented.
"My lord, do you think queen Nadia killed Gwen?" Roxanne asked, panicking.
Lord Francis scoffed. "Of course, she did. she even came to me and apologize for my loss, which means she didn't overhear the soldiers, she knew already that Gwen is dead."
Roxanne fell to her knees, crying. "My lord, we need to tell the king, so that Nadia would be punished."
Lord Francis chuckled, but not of amusement, then he said, "And tell him what? that Gwen ordered the execution of Nadia and got executed instead, no we can't tell him that, but I'm surely going to take revenge for my daughter, whether she's at fault or not."
CARL'S POV
I went back to my chamber with a broken heart. I was feeling sad and guilty at the same time. sad because I lost a friend, and guilty because I failed to protect her.
Lately, it seems like I can't protect the people I love. First Zara, and now Gwen.
I walked into the chamber expecting to see Zara, but she was nowhere in sight, maybe she might be with Catherine and Lady Anna, or the children.
I walked out of the chamber in search of Zara. Right now, I need her. I needed to talk to someone, and that person was Zara.
I first went to Catherine's chamber, and she said she didn't see Zara, then I went to the children's chamber.
I knocked on the door, and I heard Aiden's tiny voice telling me to in. I walked in, taking a quick glance around to see if Zara was there, but she wasn't.
"Are you looking for my aunt Zara?" Eric asked as if reading my mind.
"Yes child, do you know where she is?" I asked, giving him a questioning look.
"My aunt Zara left the palace, she said you two fought."
What! did he just say Zara left the palace, how come I didn't know? and what did she mean by we fought, I thought we were fine?
"Eric, what else did Zara say?"
"She didn't say anything much, just that she fought with you, and it was because of princess Nadia," Eric explained.
I sighed. I guess she's still angry with me for marrying Nadia, and I understand her. I gave the children one last look, before turning around to leave, but Aiden stood in my path.
"Brother, I think sister-in-law Zara, is hiding something, when she left, she looked suspicious, and she even followed the secret passage in my room and was disguised as a boy," Aiden told me.
I was speechless, digesting everything he said. Why else would Zara leave the palace without telling me, and even leave through the secret passage, something doesn't seem right.
"Aiden, did Zara take any bag or anything with her?"
"No brother, she didn't."
I nodded and thanked them before leaving. I have to question the guards in front of our chamber if they know something about this.
When I got to the chamber, I gave the guards a questioning look. "Did you see queen Zara, disguised in a boy's outfit, and did she say anything?"
They both turn to look at themselves, before bringing their gaze back to me. "Yes, your majesty! we saw the queen in disguise, we also offered to go with her outside the palace for her protection, but she said you knew, and you already assigned some guards to her."
I was gobsmacked and scared at the same time. Many thoughts started running through my mind at that moment. "What if she left me? what if she's in danger?" I hoped and prayed that won't be the case. I immediately sent for Jerald and asked him to organize a search party, this time, I'll be leading them myself to search for Zara.