A guard went patrolling around the palace for the second time, some of his comrades said they heard whispers near the garden and they were scared it might be something unknown. He was the bravest one to volunteer because he didn't believe in such things. He mocks the others by being guards who fought for their lives protecting the royal family and they're afraid of ghosts, he laughed quietly. Holding his flashlight he moves it from left to right searching for every corner and he finally reaches the garden's entrance where the other guards heard whispers.
"Hello? Is anyone out there?"
He switches his light brighter so it can cover the entire entrance, no one was there until he heard a rustle inside the bushes. It surprised him, the rustle becomes louder as he goes closer to it, and just when he's about to touch the leaves an animal came out from it, running towards another direction.
"So it's just an animal"
Looking back again at the garden there was no movement anymore after that creature so he went back to tell his comrades it wasn't a ghost.
Back in the gardens, Tayne and Beck were close to being found out thanks to the creature who ran. They were also hiding behind the bushes and keeping themselves quiet.
"I guess the coast is clear, phew"
Tayne was still looking at Beck angrily.
"What are you mad of Tayne?"
"You lied, Beck, you said Victoria was a person but she's just a system"
"Oh, so you've met her"
"Of course, the King led me to her"
"The King? Ehhhhh" Beck's face was closer to Tayne's it made her fluster.
"Wh-what are you doing! You're just a kid"
"No, I was checking if he did something to you"
"What do you mean?"
Beck knew that Tayne won't let him go if she doesn't have an answer so he sighs and sits on the ground crossed leg.
"Nevermind. Darvan will hate me if he finds out I told you"
Tayne's eye brightened. "Beck!" she brushes the lad's hair.
"Hey, cut it out will you!"
"Sorry, sorry, hehehe, your hair is still soft as ever"
Beck gives her a light smile "You never changed after all these years huh, I thought you wanted to live a normal life when you left the group and now you're here, you become this Kingdom's King's bodyguard. Well not that I care about it, this Kingdom's problem got nothing to do with us but ..." he paused
"But?"
"Angels of the Abyss, have you heard of them?"
"Of course, why does everyone keep talking about it. The previous king just told me a side story"
"The story of the true king?"
"How did --"
"We have sources but enough about that, the Angels of the Abyss is real Tayne, they are an organization and its members are extremists with regards to that story, they believe the true king will rise and creates a new utopia killing those who didn't believe"
It was just minutes ago she knew about the story and now BEck is confirming it.
"How is this connected to you and the others?"
Beck went silent, "When you left, we got hired by someone to do some assassinations...Money was good until Darvan realized we were being used for a bigger cause, it was the Angels of the Abyss"
Shock by Beck's sudden confession the boy went into a slouch position as if he was disappointed about what he did "We manage to escape but were being hunted by them now, our comrades died they were all killed, only Darvan, Deck, Me and a new member manage to survive, they took everything from us, our family"
Beck was about to cry and Tayne rubs his back comforting him. She did not know how to react but she can see Beck is trying his best not to shed a tear.
"We got information that their next target is this Kingdom of Saveria so I got ordered to check the situation but seeing how calm the people were, they still haven't made a move yet."
"And Victoria?"
"Darvan was the one who got the information, but it's odd"
"Why? She's not human"
"I know she's not but Darvan told me to locate her, that's why I'm here"
"What are you going to do if you find her?"
"Take her"
"No! You can't do that, she's the main system who extracts Etheria, sustaining this Kingdom"
"But that's why the Angels of the Abyss is here, we fear they might use the system for something much sinister"
Tayne paused and had put a thought about it, she finally understands now, the Kingdom of Saveria is in danger and King Blythe knew about it, the only thing she can do as of the moment is remembering what exactly happened that day"
"Beck, how long are you planning to stay here?"
"I can't, I can't leave without taking the system"
"Work with me..."
"What?"
"Trust me, I'll explain to you why so listen carefully"
-----
Claude felt a bit edgy the next morning, he was greeted by Mary who brought him his usual coffee and Tseng guarding outside his door. After his morning routine, it was time to go to his studies and from there he was greeted by Caleb who brought him new documents for signing, his morning was normal and he starts to feel anxious about it.
"Tseng" he calls him in
"Yes, your majesty?"
"Are you sure that brat went to work after she left my room?"
"Yes, your majesty, she was patrolling the entire night" Tseng lied
"Hmmm, I see"
[Then why isn't she barging inside yet?] he thought, he pulls out a pen from his drawer and starts twirling it between his fingers, it's a sign he can't stay put. He has been thinking a lot about what was happening in his Kingdom and he really can't connect the pieces. He gets a document from his table and starts signing when he heard a knock on his door.
[Ha! I knew it!]
Much to his surprise, it was Allen, the young guard who was with Tayne on their rescue mission from Starria.
"Good Morning, your majesty" he greeted
"What is it?"
"Miss Tayne sent me to give this to you" he hands out the letter "I'll be off then, your majesty"
"Huh? Y-yeah sure"
He held on to the letter feeling doubtful about it but he opens it still, when he read halfway he got up from his chair and went outside, Tseng was caught off guard and followed him walking hastily.
"Your Majesty? Are you going somewhere?"
"Yes, I'm going to the hospital"
"Hospital? For?"
"I need to see Vincent"
The car was ready when he gets out of the palace and Tseng drives him to their destination. Still holding Tayne's letter he continues to read it.
[Is this true?] he thought.
When he arrived in the hospital he saw Vincent walking inside and calls his name.
"Vincent"
Vicent was surprised to see him so early in the morning.
"Your Majesty? W-what are you doing here? Does your mother need another batch of medicine?"
"No, can you take me to where Tayne's room was when she was admitted here?"
The doctor looks at him confused but Claude was firm on his request.
"O-okay, sure"
He leads him to a private elevator and presses the seventh-floor button, after Tayne's accident the floor was shut down due for safety reasons. Her room was located at the farthest end east of the intersection and when they arrived Claude looks at the surrounding first, it was just your typical hospital room, a single bed on the side and small table, a flat-screen tv in front, a small bathroom and a cabinet, nothing was interesting but it's not the reason why he's here.
"Familiar to you?" he asked Vincent
"What?"
"I ask if this place looks familiar to you?"
"Of course, I've been here after Miss Tayne's accident"
"I wasn't talking about after"
Vincent confusion finally got answered, "I see now, you think I was with her before she jumped?"
"I don't know, you tell me, Vincent"
"Claude is this still about my family getting involved with the bandits?"
"She slowly starts regaining her memories about that day, you asked her about it at Mary's birthday party, you didn't drag her because you wanted to helped her am I right Vincent?"
Vincent was quiet, he looks at Tayne's bed and sits on it. "What did she remember?"
"She has two visitors that day, my father and someone else who has the same color of our eyes, my father already admitted it and I'm sure in hell it wasn't me"
"Then you think it could be me?"
"Who else? Only heirs between our families phave it, don't tell me it's your ----" Claude's voice starts to shakes when he said the word "---father"
Vincent realized it as well as if he also remembered something "---my father"
"What?"
"He was there that day, I even asked him why, he just said he has a friend who was hospitalized, why didn't I think about that?"
Claude only looks at him.
"I'm telling you the truth Claude, it wasn't me, but if it is my father what will you do?"
"Then he knows why Tayne jumped of the building from this room, one more thing I wanted to ask Vince"
Vincent was glad Claude called him by that name, its what he usually calls him back when they were kids. [Claude must have been relieved it wasn't me right?] he thought
"What is it?"
"Did you have a new employee named Rell?"
"Yeah, why?"
"When did he arrived?"
"Three weeks ago, I think"
"Did you hire him?"
"Oh, no, I don't need an adviser, you know that very well, but my father was the one who hired him though"
"Your father again, huh?"
Judging by Claude's reaction, Vincent could understand that he was giving him the answers he wanted to hear from him, although he did not understand why.
"What do you mean by my father again?"
"He was the man we've been looking for, Rell, he was the man who escaped when we fought him along with bandits in the slums"
Vincent was dumbfounded, "Really?" was the only thing he could utter
"Something is going on Vince and your father might be controlled by that man, we must help him"
"I'll try to talk to him about it"
"Make sure that man, Rell, is not listening"
Vincent nodded.
"Very well, then I expect a result later"
"Yes, your majesty"
The two boys went to the exit and Claude paused for a moment.
"I apologize for my actions back there, I don't know what to react if I find out you were involved in this mess"
Vincent smiled at him "I told you to trust me, my words are not to be taken lightly you know"
Claude smiled at him back "Thank You"
-----
When Claude went back to the palace, Tayne was still nowhere to be found. He had asked Caleb where to find her but the chancellor couldn't answer him as well.
"Is she missing work in purpose? I couldn't find her the other day"
"Hmm" Claude brushes him off, he couldn't dare say she was sleeping inside his room.
"Nevermind, I'll go look for her"
"Very well, your majesty"
Claude walked everywhere in the palace in search of her, he even tried asking the other palace guards about her.
[Where the hell is that brat? I need to tell her about Vincent's father being involved]
He was about to pass by his mother's garden when he sees two servant-maids waiting at the entrance.
"Your Majesty" the two bow their heads when they see him
"Why are the two of you here? Shouldn't you be with the queen?"
"We apologize for your majesty but your mother instructed us to wait here until they finish talking"
"They?"
"She's having tea with someone, your majesty"
"My father? He's the King you know" he was worried about how they called his father 'someone'
"No, your majesty, she's not with His Majesty, King Blythe"
"Huh? Then who?"
"It's Miss Tayne, your majesty, the queen is having tea with Miss Tayne"
---- End Of The Chapter.