"Pardon?" Titan asked in confusion.
'Wasn't she requesting to search for Captain Hades and bring him back? Why is she refusing to send the men now?' Titan thought.
"I think it would be better if you go along with them. After all, if he has seriously faced some problem, it would be better to take more people together. Anyways I am sitting here without any dangers, I don't need these many men and safety. Nothing will happen to me." Ether explained, thinking rationally.
"No, your highness, I am afraid we can't do that. We have orders from his highness to not leave your side. I will send two men instead." Titan said.
"Take them as my orders. I seriously feel he might be in some problem because it's been a long time now. Let's not risk it." Ether said in a little flustered tone as she wasn't used to ordering people around her.
Even back at the palace in Fire country, her parents had assigned specific people for her who were nice to the core and did everything for her even before she could ask.
If anything she would request them and the thing would be done. Hence she and the order were still miles apart.
"Your Highness-" Titan spoke up again, only to be cut off by Ether.
"Take it as a request and order both." Ether said.
"As you wish, your highness." Titan paid his respect before taking another man along with him, leaving two behind.
He could already imagine the kind of treatment the crown princess must have received in her own kingdom to be this way.
He only hoped everything would go on smoothly after this wedding.
"Let's speed up so we can go back quickly. The Crown Prince would hold us accountable for leaving her highness with only two of our men when he had left five behind including his captain and vice captain." Titan said as they raced towards the direction Hades had gone.
The terrain was a little difficult to ride as one side had mountains and jungles while the other side was dead end with a valley.
They hardly rode for sometime before they found Captain Hades' horse standing near a tree, chained to it.
They instantly got down from their horses, frowning. They walked near the tree only to find their captain resting leisurely near it with eyes closed.
"Hades! Get up." Titan said, his voice low.
The years of friendship had slowly removed all the formalities that used to exist between both as captain and vice captain.
"What is it?" Hades asked, already knowing that Titan was here.
"Weren't you supposed to bring water for her highness back? What do you think you are doing?" Titan asked.
"As if I am doing something for that good-for-nothing princess." Hades shrugged.
"You have no right to treat her like that. The Crown Prince asked us to take care of her, and that's the only thing we should care about." Titan said, trying to show Hades that his duty definitely didn't include ignoring the Crown princess.
"She plotted against the Crown prince and even her own sister to get married to him. I am not bound to do anything for a gold digger like her." Hades said while opening his eyes.
"Look at your sense of duty! Have royal politics ever kept you from doing your duty of protecting royal members? No. Plus you don't even know what has exactly happened and you are calling her highness with all those names. It's still not late, Hades. Let's go back and treat this like nothing happened. Don't let your personal judgements hinder you from performing your duties." Titan explained with great efforts.
On the other hand, Ether was feeling restless after none of the men she had sent had returned.
'I shouldn't have sent him asking for water. What if something has truly happened? I won't be able to answer his highness on this account.' Ether contemplated.
'Maybe I should send the remaining two as well and ask them to signal once they have found the rest. Anyway nothing would happen to me, I can save myself. Nobody knows but I had already tamed the beasts in the jungle, hence even if they were to appear, I can manage.' Ether thought before peeking out.
"I think you both should go and check on them. It's been late." Ether said.
"No, your highness. We can not leave your side, no matter what happens." One of the two said.
"Look, we have been here for the entire day yet nothing happened. But what if they really need you? Just do one thing, signal me once you have found them, or even if you face any dangers. It hasn't been that long since the other three went, so if you speed up, maybe you can catch up." Ether said.
"But we can not leave you on your own. Even the man driving this carriage has gone with them. We can not risk your safety." The man said.
"Do one thing then. Give me one of your signals. As promised to his highness, I will stay put inside this carriage and not move. If anything happens, I will signal you and you can come back immediately." Ether said.
"No you highness. If you want, you can punish us later on, but we are not leaving you alone." The man said firmly, knowing what his duty was.
"Don't w-" the man was still speaking when they suddenly heard a sound speeding their way as the ground beneath them started shaking.
"What-" Ether was still confused when the other man said.
"Look over there. Let's move!" The man cried.
A huge rock was rolling down the hill with great speed, and if they didn't move fast enough, they were sure to get crushed beneath it.
"Your highness, please leave the carriage quickly!" The first man said.
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Hello peeps!
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- Kizy