"Where the hell is Alexander? Why hasn't no one been able to get in touch with him? Shouldn't you know where your own friend is?" Darius yelled questioning Leon on Alexander's disappearance. He sent a messenger to tell Alexander he wanted him back in the palace so that they could talk but the messenger did not have a reply back.
In fact, one of the servants working in Alexander's home said he went out to meet a woman but hasn't returned since then. It hasn't been a long time for anyone to be concerned with where Alexander was but Darius wanted to know where he was at all times. He had to keep an eye on someone like Alexander which is why he kept him in the palace.
It was suspicious to him how Alexander suddenly wanted to go back to his home and now no one could hear from him. Darius became worried that their disagreement days prior made Alexander want to distance himself. Darius could not afford to lose such a talented man like Alexander. Not right now.
"Who is this woman the servant spoke of? Alexander never once brought up a woman to me," he continued to question Leon.
'That's because you only want to talk about yourself when you're with Alexander,' Leon thought to himself as he knelt on the ground. So Alexander went somewhere for a while, was there really a need to get this worked up? Send out a search party instead of throwing a tantrum. Alexander was one of the best swordsmen in all the kingdom so Leon doubted anything bad had happened to him. Anyone who tried to hurt Alexander knew his father's army would be coming after them.
"He never mentioned a woman he was going to meet to me, your highness." Leon only remembered seeing Alexander walking with a woman at the festival but that wasn't anyone's business. Why should he allow Darius to know this even though he was the king? For him to hurt the woman as he did in the past? This obsession he had with knowing every single detail about Alexander had to stop.
"Of course, he wouldn't tell you. You're not as close as we are. The three of us grew up training together but you drifted apart from us years ago. I kept you here only because we were once friends. Your skills were never that great so you should be thankful to me, Leon. It's thanks to me that your father is so proud of you."
"Yes, your highness. Thank you for all that you have done," Leon answered just to please the king. He knew Darius' words were not true and the man was just angry about the time Leon won in battle against Darius and the previous king was disappointed. Their friendship started to drift apart from there. Even then, Leon hadn't come to dislike Darius until his obsession with God's and other creatures grew.
Obsessed. That was the best way to describe their king. Leon knew Darius was slowly but surely losing his mind.
"That servant must've lied to my messenger. If I find out that they were lying to me, I'll have them killed. I'm ordering you right now to bring back Alexander. Don't come back without him or it will be you I kill instead. Go!" Darius spat tired of having Leon before him.
"Yes your highness," Leon stood up, annoyed with the king more than ever. His skills were lacking yet Darius wanted to use him to track down Alexander? 'What a joke.'
On his way out of the king's bedroom, the guards opened the door to reveal Catherine Harlow, princess of the Harlow kingdom and Darius's younger sister. Leon was surprised to see her there because she had been on a trip to a relative and wasn't meant to return for another two weeks. Why now of all times?
"Your highness," he greeted her as always and then kept on his way.
Catherine looked over her shoulder to watch Leon retreating for as long as she could until the guards closed the door to give the two royals some privacy. "I thought you told me you hated him? Why were you here all alone with him? Change your mind?" She started looking around for one person in particular.
"Lovely to see you sister. Why have you returned without sending me a message first? I would have prepared a grand celebration for your return," Darius started to pour himself some wine to clear his mind from all of his problems.
Seeing that the person she was looking for was not in her brother's room Catherine turned her focus to her brother. "I thought it would be a surprise. The relatives were such a bore that if I stayed there for much longer I would have ended up losing my mind. Contrary to how they talk, their lifestyle is a letdown. I gave them an excuse that you requested my presence and returned. Hope you don't mind."
"Not at all," Darius said as it wasn't the first time she used him as an excuse. "I was going to request for you to return anyway. Do you want something to drink?"
"No," Catherine replied, taking a seat. She disliked her brother's love of drinking and knew it was a sign something was bothering him. "You didn't answer my question about Leon and where is Alexander? He wasn't in his room when I went to give him a visit. Did you send him off somewhere?"
"Of course, you should go visit him before you come to your own brother. Tell me, do you love Alexander or me more?"
"Alexander," Catherine answered right away. She loved Alexander from the moment she set eyes on him. It took her a while to enjoy her brother. Siblings were a pain to be around sometimes.
"Honest as ever. I expected no less from you and everyone else. They all love Alexander. He's not here, unfortunately. My dear friend has gone missing," Darius sighed.
"He's what?!" Catherine exclaimed at the news.