Sebastian sits in front of Georgina inside the carriage as her escort. She's wearing a beautiful white dress. Her ginger hair is braided beautifully and her face wore minimal makeup to enhance the color of her lips and cheeks. She's the prettiest girl in the empire yet she looked depressing while looking out the window.
They were heading to the Imperial palace for her engagement ceremony with Prince Grey.
"Once we reach the palace, smile. The people must not see you looking like that." He expressed.
Georgina glared at him like shooting daggers. If her eyes could kill, he's been long dead.
He exhaled in frustration and then crossed his arms.
"You should be thankful that the emperor chooses you to marry Prince Grey. He will become a crown prince in the future and you will become a crown princess."
Georgina smirked in sarcasm.
"Crown prince? You mean a man born from a lowly origin?" She said with contempt.
"Georgina!" He reprimanded her.
"Why? Isn't it true? Why would I be thankful to marry someone like him?" She asked with disdain.
Georgina would usually insult Prince Grey's origin in front of him because she knows he is his close friend. She can't understand that the Prince is the perfect match for her. His shield ability could protect her and their future offspring from assassinations and attacks. He will be a great emperor someday and she will be an empress. And knowing the Prince, he would not take concubines. He will be loyal to his sister. And that made him approve of this marriage.
"First, he's a good person and will be a good husband for you. Second, he's a capable prince, and third, he has a magical ability and you don't. So don't think highly of yourself."
Georgina's eyes flashed in anger. Being the only person not having ability in the family is a soft spot for her. Although abilities are not common it's highly recognized in society, especially by the nobles. It's uncommon for noble women to use their abilities but having one will make you a good candidate for favorable marriage since it's a good indication of offspring with abilities.
"Bastard! If you like him that much why not marry him instead?!" She screamed at him in rage.
Sebastian gritted his teeth. This is one of the usual scenarios every time he talks with his sister. She just loves to give him headaches. She knows how to attack him with her sharp words.
Since they were young they used to fight a lot over small things like stealing each other's food from their plates or teasing each other until the other one cries. But even when they hate each other very much they still play together every day.
Georgina was adorable when she was younger but she became a spoiled brat as she grows up. She throws tantrums and screams like crazy over little things that she hates. She would insult him every time she gets a chance. He hated her so much that he even wished her death on her face even though he didn't really mean it. Isn't it what siblings do when they fight, they say hurtful words and regret it after.
Georgina only fears their older brother Claudius. When he gets mad, she would immediately shut up. Their parents spoiled her a lot when she was young and it's hard to control her now but Claudius is the exception. He's a cold-blooded person who will never laugh at the funniest joke. He also has a powerful ability. When Georgina throws a tantrum because of her engagement, no one could stop her but Claudius. Just by his eyes and a few words, Georgina would quit being a brat once their eldest brother intervened.
Georgina remained sulky and Sebastian just decided to ignore her for the rest of the trip.
A few minutes later, Sebastian heard something. A voice of a woman singing. Georgina also heard it and looked at him to confirm if he also heard the same thing.
The voice is very pleasing to the ear. The melody is like a lullaby. The sound is getting closer. They both peeked outside their windows to see who was singing yet they only saw trees and an empty pathway as the carriage passed by.
Sebastian suddenly felt very sleepy. His eyelids became heavy. Then the carriage stopped. He saw the coachman slump off like he suddenly fall asleep. Even the knight escorts that were riding the horses suddenly fall to the ground. Everyone is losing consciousness.
"Brother?" Georgina uttered with concern as she noticed him passing out.
"I feel very drowsy..." He even struggled to voice his concern.
Sebastian was about to fall from his sit when Georgina catches him in her arms. His eyes are completely closed now but he can still hear his sister calling him and trying to wake him up.
"Who are you?" He heard his sister ask in a trembling voice.
The next thing he heard is the scream of her sister calling his name while she was dragged from the carriage. Her hand holding his hand firmly soon let go.
"Brother! Help me! No! Please let me go! Brother!" The last time he heard her voice.
******
Sebastian stepped forward towards Luna. He stared at her with confusion and disbelief in his eyes. He lifted his right hand toward her. His fingertips touched her cheeks. Tears started to drop from his eyes. He looks really sad that Luna felt like crying too.
"Sebastian? What's wrong?" Luna asked worriedly.
Sebastian grabbed her and embraced her tight in his big arms. He's crying so hard like all the emotions he buried deep down in his heart suddenly burst into the open.
What made a tough man like him cry like someone just died?
"I'm so sorry! I'm sorry George. I'm sorry." He said again and again.
Luna embraced him too and tapped his back.
"Shh... It's okay. Everything will be alright." She tried to comfort him even though she failed to comprehend why he is crying. Time passed by and he started to relax a little.
"What's happening?"
Luna heard Grey's voice behind her. Sebastian let go and they both turned to Grey who is staring at them with an angry expression. But he suddenly looked dumbfounded when he saw her face. He looked very surprised.
Luna is now very confused by the reaction of the two men. She went to the basin with water and look at her reflection. She's trying to see if there is something strange about her face.
"Sebastian," Grey called Sebastian's name with concern.
Grey asked Sebastian to come with him. He also told Luna to prepare since they are leaving in an hour. He didn't explain what was happening. She just saw the two of them leave the camp. The curiosity is creeping her.
She finished washing and then headed to the knights who were busy prepping their stuff into the horses.
Collen saw her first. He looked startled but not the same as Grey and Sebastian's reactions when they saw her.
"Miss Luna? I almost did not recognize you. You're really pretty. Did you wash off the paint?" He asked. His face is blushing.
Pretty... No one would cry like that if she just looked pretty. Besides, he called her by someone else name. And Grey's reaction is more like Sebastian's when he first saw her face.
Luna heard something fall to the ground. Luna glanced and saw Darius looking at her like he saw a ghost. She immediately grab the man and dragged him into the corner where no one is around.
"Tell me! Why are you looking at me like that? Do I look similar to someone?"
Darius must have known something since he has the same expression as Grey and Sebastian.
"It's just... Miss Luna, you look exactly like Sir Sebastian's dead sister..."
Luna then realized. She felt really sad for Sebastian. Does she resemble her that much?
"I see... Poor Sebastian." She muttered.
After an hour, Sebastian and Grey returned. They saw her face with fresh paint. She can't let Sebastian cry again by reminding him of his sister.
"You..." Grey uttered as he saw her face painted with dark lines.
Sebastian smiled. But his eyes were still red and puffy.
"I apologize for acting like that earlier and... Thank you." He said in a hoarse voice.
Luna responds with a comforting smile.
"Don't worry about it. How are you?" She asked.
"I'm alright now."
Grey gazed at Luna. Her face is now painted again but he is sure of what he saw earlier. The familiar face of someone. He would also believe she is Georgina but her hair is brown, not ginger. She is very skillful in surviving in the wild forest but Georgina would trip on the slightest bump on the floor. She acts nothing like her.
However, the resemblance is uncanny, He can't blame Sebastian for acting that way. Since his sister died, he struggled to move on. He blamed himself for not being able to save her. Even he blamed himself for not being able to protect his fiance. If he was there, he could have saved her since he's immune to magical abilities.
For months after her death, Sebastian would wake up from a nightmare where his sister scream for help. Grey feels sorry to watch his friend in pain.
The purpose of the abduction is unknown. But he highly believes it's related to their marriage. Randolf is a rich and influential family in the empire. A lot of people also envy them and would stop their rise to power.
The last trace they found of her is her blood, and strands of her hair on the tip of the cliff. They believed that she was thrown there after they found pieces of her clothing and her shoes floating in the water.
After a while, Grey commanded everyone to start their journey back to the gate. Sebastian is back to his old self again.
When they were able to safely exit the dark forest after days of traveling, Luna whistled to call Porcha.
"What are you doing?" Grey asked with curiosity.
"I'm calling Porcha but she's not coming." She said as she looked around the trees.
She whistled again but this time it was louder.
"Miss Luna, will you teach me to do that? You sound so cool." Collen asked enthusiastically.
Luna just laughed but nodded.
"Who is Porcha?" Grey asked again.
"She's my bird. It seems that she is not here. I have to go back to my dwelling first and look for her. I also have to retrieve something."
Luna remembers her golden ring. She keeps it in the cave.
"I'll come with you," Grey said.
Luna has no chance to refuse when Grey commanded Sebastian to lead the knights to the camp and start to pack everything to leave. They only have a few hours left before nightfall and the gate closes.
Luna look at the sky. It's the middle of the day.
Luna went to her dwelling with Grey but Porcha is not around. She called for her but she's not showing up. Luna started to feel concerned after two hours of looking for her.
Grey glances at her and noticed her worries.
"Where did you last see her?" Grey asked.
"I left her outside the dark forest." Her voice started to quiver.
"It's okay. We will look for her." Grey said in a comforting tone. Then he asked Gideon and Coco to look around the area outside the dark forest. Both of the mystical beasts transform and run away as fast as they can.
They walk around the place where Porcha usually stays but she's nowhere. Her concern and fear are very imminent on her face. She is starting to feel helpless.
Luna looked up at the sky and saw that it is almost sunset and the mystical beasts returned without Porcha. She lost all hope.
After all, she can't leave this place...