I stared at the girl who boldly said things that if spoken by others, are considered as treason. She was small with silver hair like mine and purple eyes that now reflect the calmness of the night. She was wearing a dress and a cape with a brooch pinned on it, a crescent moon stabbed by a sword. A Castellan.
"Do you really think they are still alive?" Duchess Brouette asked her with tears in her eyes.
"Yes." She answered without a hint of doubt. "We have someone on our side who has the ability to check and she just informed me that the missing people are alive."
"Th-then our husbands?" Mother asked with trembling voice.
"They are all fine at the moment." The Castellan lady answered. "But I cannot guarantee until when."
Her answer made my mother and the other duchesses shiver. In a mountain filled with demon beasts, the rate of them staying alive is not high.
"Then, do you know already where to find them?" Mother asked hopefully.
The Castellan lady shook her head lightly.
"We do not know their exact location but it's fine as long as we know for certain that they are still alive." She said.
Mother nodded, seemingly in thought about her next question.
"We will leave for the mountain in exactly thirty minutes, if any of your men wishes to come with us, they are to meet us at the clearing by then." The Castellan girl stated as if evading to be questioned further. "I need to go back now, I still need to get ready."
Without waiting for any reply, she turned and exited the tent.
"Can we trust her?" Duchess Brouette asked doubtfully.
"A Castellan never lies." Mother whispered. "Felix, can I trust you to lead our men?"
"Yes mother." I replied, determined to bring back my father.
"I trust you my son." Mother came close and hugged me before whispering. "Bring that idiot father of yours back to me, to us."
I nodded.
"Yan, are you coming?" I asked my friend who was in deep thought that he did not even hear me. "Yan?!"
"Huh?" he asked unsure of what was happening. "What?"
"I asked if you are coming with us or staying here?" I narrowed my eyes at his stupid face.
"Yes.. I mean, of course! My father is also there, you know?" He answered before looking at his mother, Duchess Brouette. "Don't worry mother, I'll find father and bring him back for sure."
Duchess Brouette gave him an approving smile and gave him a hug.
"I'm coming too." A soft voice suddenly spoke from the behind the other Duchess Brouette. "Father and brother are both missing, I must go and find them."
The duchesses that are currently in our tent are the two Duchess Brouette and my mother, Duchess Salvatore. Both duchess Brouettes are sisters-in-law of the current king, married to his younger brothers.
Duchess Emerald Brouette, formerly Princess Emerald Al Sumana, a princess from the kingdom of sand, Sumana. She married the then, second prince and now Duke Dorain Sarino Brouette. She had received a ton of bullcrap from other nobles due to her skin color which was a rich caramel, contrary to the usual porcelain white of the nobles from Elleveire. Still, she stood her ground and protected her position as the Duchess Brouette with pride in her own color.
The other Duchess Brouette is Duchess Margarette Brouette, a baron's daughter that the then third prince met when he was fighting in the eastern border. She was part of the medic team as a healer at that time and healed the prince one time.
"Graciella, I know you are worried about your father and brother but we cannot take you with us." Yan stopped his cousin.
Graciella Brouette is the daughter of Duke Dorain and Duchess Emerald. She was the youngest among two children with the older one being a son, Marco, who went to hunt with his father. Marco was only two years older than us but his capabilities and fighting ability are highly acknowledge by the entire kingdom as one of the best.
"Why? Because I'm a girl?" Graciella asked, her anger seeping through her teeth.
"That's not it." Yan immediately disagreed.
"Then I'm going." Graciella decided. "The one who is leading the Knights of Noktis is also a girl with the same age as me."
"Let her go Yan." Duchess Brouette smiled.
"But auntie..." Yan tried to reason out but the duchess shook her head.
"She can take care of herself." She said with a confident smile.
Yan hesitantly nodded and let out a defeated sigh.
I could understand him though. Graciella is the only female in the whole Brouette family. The king has two sons, the second prince has a son and Graciella while the third prince has two sons too. Graciella is the current holder of the title, Royal Princess, as she is the only girl in the family. She has been protected not only by her father and brother but also by Yan and his family. So, it's only normal for him to disagree with her to come with us on such a dangerous mission.
"It's fine." I slapped yan's back. "We are there with her, we can protect her."
"Yeah." He smiled, still not liking the idea of his cousin being in danger.
"Let's get ready, it will be time to move soon." I said and started to wear my armor that was not even cleaned yet.
'Father, please stay alive until we arrive.' I pleaded silently.