"What!!?"
From a look of shock to anger, but Lorelei didn't flinch, she just stared at him. She knew what he was going to say but he was the one she trusted most and he was skilled.
"Why did you send him on the mission!" He bellowed.
Prince Owen and Gerald were not expecting that reaction from the King, thus they were shocked by his outburst.
Everyone knew the King doted on Cullen but as to why, they weren't particularly sure. Majority thought the King loved him because of his uniqueness, he was smart and skilled and became a general at a young age. Who wouldn't love him!
"He was fit for the job."
"What do you mean fit for the job" he hissed.
"You know anyone better I could have sent?" She fired back.
There was calm after her own outburst, no one spoke, Gerald and Prince Owen just stared at the fighting pair.
"Look at what has happened Lorelei, what would you have done if you had lost him?" He asked more calmly this time.
She inhaled deeply as she release her furrowed brows and calmed herself.
"I didnt, I wouldn't have. I got there in time. I only miscalculated."
"Miscalculated! Your miscalculation almost cost him his life and their lives. What is happening Lorelei? You are falling apart. We would discuss this later, dismiss" he put his head down trying so hard to calm himself.
"There is nothing more to discuss your majesty. I would take my leave now, I need to tend to Cullen" she bowed her head and left the throne room.
"Your majesty?"
"Not now Gerald. Not now" King Bayard waved his hand with his head still down.
Prince Owen looked at his father with a blank expression as he clenched the handles of his chair so hard, it tore the foam on it.
"Father, I would... " before Owen could finish, King Bayard cut him off.
"You may go too. Everyone dismissed" he ordered in a low tone.
"Yes Father."
"As you wish your majesty" Gerald bowed and left along with Prince Owen who left in anger.
--------------------------
Far away, in a cave in the Elven forest, Jareth walked out with his cloak and hood over his head and a bottle guord in his hand.
He walked in the opposite direction from the cave and diverted in search of a river to fetch clean water.
**********
Soldiers running everywhere, some on the trees some beneath, all scattered around in search of something.
"Lieutenant!" One of the soldiers on a tree at the east side shouted.
"What is it Clive?" The man in question asked his subordinate.
"Sir, there is a cave far towards the East" he called out again.
"I'm coming" being an Elf it wasn't hard for him to climb and jump on the tree branches to meet his subordinate.
"Where?" He asked the soldier.
"There, up ahead sir, a little to your left hidden behind those trees" with the heightened senses of the Elves, the Lieutenant could see the cave from that distance.
It looked small as it was far, but nonetheless he still had a good view of it.
"Interesting, that is a possible lead. He beckoned on Clive, "Let's go" then jumped down from the tree.
"You, you, you and you" he pointed to four other soldiers.
"Sir, Sir!!" They all answered.
"You would follow Clive and head towards the East to check on a cave there."
"Yes sir" they chorused.
"If you find the hybrid, send the signal and we would be there in no time. Dis... "
"Halt" a voice interrupted him.
All heads turned in the direction the voice came from, it was from the west.
Immediately the owner of the voice came to their line of sight...
Gasp!!
Half Knelt!!
Bowed!
"Your highness" they all chorused.
"Prince Blade, Lieutenant Flynn George at your service" he bowwd to the young prince.
"Rise" he said calmly as he walked closer to the Lieutenant.
They all rose to their feet and waited for further command.
"You ordered a search at that cave" he asked more like stated which confused the soldiers.
"Yes" the Lieutenant answered all the same.
"No need, futile, I have searched, nothing. Spread far, for all we know the hybrid could be leaving the forest now not advancing further in. Nevertheless I would scout the area again."
"True, as you wish your highness. Men you heard the prince, search far and wide, we go back south. The hybrid must not escape" he ordered the soldiers.
"Any other thing I may be of assistance with your high... " before he could finished his sentence the prince jumped to a near by tree and went off into the distance.
"Ness... Hmm mysterious as always Prince Blade."
Clive came to meet the Lieutenant, "Sir, don't you find it strange?"
"Find what strange Clive?"
"His highness came from the west not east, so what if... "
"Silence" he yelled at the young soldier. "What I find strange is a subordinate questioning the higher ups."
Clive's face became gloomy but he tried to show no expression and failed miserably.
"Just looking at you I'm going to have an headache" Lieutenant Flynn pressed his index finger in between his brows.