"What the.. He was just here!" I looked everywhere for my father but he is nowhere to be found.
"Prince, calm down. Remember what the King had taught you."
I took a deep breath. "Yes. Even in dire situations, the leader has to stay calm and strong to lead the people to the right path and to victory."
The doctor, who is a close friend of my father, nodded. "What would you like to do now, my prince?"
"I'll look through the camera footage. You, and the few I trust, ask the guards about any suspicious people, don't alert anyone as of now. I'd also like the records of the past few weeks of all those who entered and left the palace. Even those with VIP permit."
"As you wish, my prince." The doctor then rushed through the door to gather the people I referred to.
I clasped my forehead tightly, a headache forming.
"I was only gone for two minutes! Where the hell are you!?" I slammed my hands against the desk. The papers flying everywhere. "-Where the hell are you?" My voice cracked and turning a few volumes weaker.
I gathered all the papers that escaped the desk when a certain title caught my eye.
"Unsolved cases of kidnapping and human trafficking?" I read the title over and over again. I already had a few unanswered questions but one thing I know for sure, who ever got my father also got my mother and neither of them are safe.
I grabbed all the papers off of my father's desk then made my way back to my own office. It would be stupid to read them in my own room. I have to get these papers somewhere safe, where only I know of their existence.
Stashing them underneath one of my closets after I have sealed them in an envelope, I decided to read through them later.
Now, the top priority is to find out what actually happened when I was gone.
Making my way to the security office at the very top floor of the castle, I heard people screaming and panicking.
"How is this possible!? ANSWER ME!"
"I swear sir! I don't know what happened!"
I knocked on the wall to alert them of my presence. The head security pointed his gun at my direction. He realized what he had done then put it away.
"I apologize, sir. We seem to have a slight problem with the footage. I thought you were the criminal." He swallowed with fear.
"It's alright. You were just doing your job. Now tell me, what's wrong with the footage?" I made my way closer to the screens and the latest technology underneath them.
"The screens went black for a few minutes not too long ago and weirdly enough, the cameras were also shut down. We can't retrieve the footage since nothing was recorded."
"Could it have been a power outage?"
"No, sir, this is impossible. The systems here work perfectly without electricity and we always have backup in cases like these but neither worked. It seems as if someone knew of all this arrangement."
"It's obvious that this was deliberately done." I sighed then turned to the rest of the employees in the room. "Guys, do you mind leaving us for a moment?"
"Of course, sir." They bowed slightly then left in a hurry. I quickly locked the door and gestured for Hazel to have a seat.
I leaned on the table, my arms crossed over my chest as I bit my lip nervously.
"What is it, my prince? It seems to be serious."
"It is in fact. Only you and Mark know of this." Hazel nodded.
"I suspect that the cameras were malfunctioned as my father was taken." He jumped from his seat.
"What now? The king kidnapped? How did this happen?"
"Well, I thought I'd try to find out through the footage but whoever it is, thought a few steps ahead."
"I apologize, my prince. If I would have been here sooner.."
"You wouldn't have been of help either way. If you can't figure out the problem now, then you wouldn't have back then. No one else needs to know of this. I trust you will handle this?"
"Yes, sir. I'll check every single camera myself if I have to."
"I trust you will. Not a word to anyone of this, understand?"
"Yes, sir."
I squeezed his shoulder. "Thank you." Hazel nodded then I unlocked the door and left. The employees waved me goodbye then swarmed in.
"This is more of a problem than I thought." I whispered. "This is not good at all."
**Later to the night**
"Prince, these are the reports of everyone who has entered and left the castle in the past month." I nodded.
"Thank you, Mark."
"Don't mention it, Prince. Your father is a very close friend of mine. I still remember the big smile he had when you were born." Holding back my tears, I put the papers down.
"I don't know what to do.. There's no footage and no one has seen anything suspicious. I feel so hopeless right now even with everything that my father had taught me."
"May I speak as your friend?" I nodded. He made me stand before wrapping his arms around me.
"It's understandable, David. First your mother, and now your father. No one expects a person to be normal after experiencing this but look at you, you may not feel or see it- but you are a born leader. All I have to say is, deep down, you know what to do just halt being self-less for a few days and you'll find the right path and the answers that you are looking for. Sometimes, you have to act careless to get what you want even if it means using us."
"But I don't want to be like that. I don't want to be like him." Mark separated himself from our embrace then shook his head angrily.
"Don't you dare compare yourself to your grand-father. He was the emblem of evil but everyone in this castle, including your parents know that you are not like that. Not even close. You have never asked of anything, even if you did it wasn't too difficult for the maids and you have no idea who much everyone here love you, my prince. So all I am asking of you is to use us. Be selfish and do whatever it takes to find our rulers, your parents. Understand?"
Wiping my tears that have fallen silently against my cheeks and hardening my resolve.
"Yes."