***
In the palace, Lady Raine made her way to the queen's chambers. Though she now had the entire palace to herself, she was still to move into the queen's palace. Still, this was a protected location and she needed privacy. Moving quickly, she entered the now deserted Palace. Inside, her maid, Ria was waiting for her along with an older man garbed in black.
"My lady," the man knelt when he saw her.
"Stand. What have you found?" she asked.
"He entered the city three days ago. We are not sure where he is, but we have the city covered. Today, we are combing through lower town," he reported.
"That slime. He thought he could arrive early and block the Jade Hand from coming? How would he feel to know, I already had you arrive weeks ago?" she smirked.
"Find him. Mother will be with him," she instructed.
"We have narrowed it down to one area of Lower Town. We will find him tonight," the man swore.
"Prepare the men. Make sure to come back with mother or a head," she instructed and the man vanished from sight, leaving Lady Raine with her maid, Ria.
"My lady, people have been probing into the palace, sending in new maids and guards to mix with the old. They think we do not know they are trying to get information on you," Ria said.
"They don't know who they are looking for at the moment. Have all the spies killed off tonight; I don't want anyone of them seeing the prince," Lady Raine instructed.
"His Majesty knows you are keeping Prince Thelmus on house arrest but is doing nothing. Do you think that boy is really his son?" Ria asked. She had always been wary of this king. He did nothing even though his son was treated this way. Though they had made sure not to harm him or mistreat him, he is still unable to move around.
"I did ask him once. Why he completely ignores the boy, I don't know," Lady Raine answered, then left the way she came
.