"He was caught by the Emperor's guards during his survey of the Imperial treasury." Judson said with a shaky voice.
Damien sighed knowing there was nothing that could be done as raging a straightforward war with their minimal population was outright foolishness.
"We'll steal him back..." Damien said breaking the cold silence in the room. Judson looked up at the man with gratitude in his eyes.
***
Cecilia was feeling better after a few days of rest and feeding. She decided she'd go pay her father a visit.
She was now in front of the Imperial palace as she'd asked Poppy to stay behind after much convincing that her health was now up for the task.
Cecilia sighed as she entered the palace. The place was the same as the last time except the decorations had been removed and the place was a lot quieter.
The palace was painted gold from head to toe. Even the crystal chandelier hanging above her emitted a golden light enhancing the royal effect.
There were two stairs in front of her that arched on the left and right leading to the next floor and there were passageways beside both the stairs.
She expected her father to be in his study and when she didn't see any maids around to ask for his location, she decided to go meet him there.
She ascended the staircase and for some reason, she felt another presence in the room. As though someone else was walking beside her.
It felt was and reassuring. She recognised this feeling, someone's thought was about to be exposed to her hearing.
She quickened her pace to the study. When she finally decided reached the top of the staircase, she turned towards the corridor to her father's study.
But as soon as she took a step forward, should felt a cold breeze brush her right ear and the familiar scent of Cecil drops.
"I can't die like this. Master please come save me!" The voice yelled into her ears causing her to stumble a bit. The voice kept pleading in her ears.
She walked towards the study and the voice became louder and louder. She kept walking slowly so she'd know the source of the voice.
The person seemed to be in danger, the person needs help. She walked towards the study but stopped in front of a room along the corridor.
This is mother's room, but why does it smell so…unfamiliar? She thought as she slowly placed her hand on the door.
Her eyes widened and glowed a light blue hue. She saw blood patches on the floor and a man tied up in a chair with several injuries vividly caused by whip lashes.
She then saw flower pot of wilted Cecilia drops, a lot of them in various corners of the room. The man inside was obviously holding his breath and his face was turning blue from lack of oxygen.
The blue hue of her eyes slightly dimmed until the crystal blue colour of her eyes returned to normal. She thought, since when can I do that?
And since when why does mother's room look like a torture house, a human slaughter house? And who's that man in there? I better go save him before he turns blind or dies from suffocation.
She immediately opens the door and inhaled the familiar homely scent of Cecil drops. Oddly,they didn't cause her blindness or even discomfort. She felt at home around these flowers.
The inside of the room was exactly the same as in the vision she saw earlier. She stared pitifully at the man who was at the brink of death due to suffocation.
She hastily rushed to him and began unting the ropes that kept him bound. She carried him on her back out of the room.
As soon as they stepped out, the man took a deep breath making him cough a little at the sudden oxygen intake.
"Who are you?" The man asked in a shaky voice and Cecilia smiled at him reassuringly. She successfully carried out of the Imperial palace through the hidden exit in the kitchen.
She was now carrying the man was towards the Empress's garden. Poppy stood there, awaiting her mistress's arrival.
When she saw her carrying a heavy looking man behind her back, she immediately rushed to help her carry the person in worry of her health.
"Oh dear goddess, who in Cecil's name is this?!" Poppy exclaimed and Cecilia immediately beckoned her to keep her voice down.
"I stole him from the Imperial palace…" Cecilia said as they both carried the man towards the kitchen window of the Empress's palace.
"Not surprising my lady, this isn't the first time. But what's so special about him?" Poppy asked looking at the injured man pitifully.
The three the man into the window after making no one was inside the kitchen. They both jumped in afterwards before lifting the unconscious man up.
"I'll tell you everything, for now let's get this man treated okay." Cecilia said in a coaxing tone and Poppy immediately agreed.
They carried the man to Cecilia's room as Poppy protested all the way there. Cecilia kept working on instinct as she followed the voice directing her in her head.
They finally got the man to Cecilia's room and gently settled him on her bed. Poppy sighed in relief as the man was too heavy for her to carry.
"My lady, I still think we should take him to another room." Poppy began her earlier protest once again and Cecilia sighed heavily.
"Go get me the first aid kit and some warm water from Flora, okay?" Cecilia ordered and Poppy didn't dare utter another word in opposition. She ran out of the room to do as she'd been told.
Cecilia turned to the unconscious man and held his hand closing her eyes. Her blonde hair glowed white as a light blue forcefield engulfed the two of them.
A thick blue liquid like substance emerged from the Cecilia's palm and slowly flowed down to the man's arm.
As soon as the substance make contact with the man's wounds, they instantly healed. She substance slowly spread across his entire body until all his wounds had disappeared without leaving any scares.
The substance the returned into Cecilia's palms. The man's eyes snapped open as the field around them was still up. He watched as the field slowly dissipated right in front of his eyes.
--To be continued...