Meanwhile in the Welerian palace...
Queen Rebecca remained seated on her throne, with an uneasy grimace marred on her face, her fingers tapped repeatedly on the arm of her armrest, staring at the lines of disappointing guards before her.
Her teeth grinded. "This is almost noon..." Her voice trailed with a hint of irritation, "... And not a single person! Knows of the princess's whereabouts!?!"
The guards looked down.
Rebecca sunk into the cushion of her throne, feeling the thudding sensation in her skull spread as she massaged her temple.
"First, it was my son, now his newly wedded wife," she snarled. "Just when will all these end?"
"Maybe it is a good thing, Mother," Wilhelm's voice drew her attention and gaze, watching him pace forth casually up to her throne before halting to lower his head to a bow.
Stretching forth her hand, Wilhelm gently grasped her fingers to place a kiss on the back of her hand. He straightened his back to stand next to his mother, continuing with his previous statement. "Like I was saying, Mother... Maybe her disappearance is a blessing in disguise."
"And how exactly will we explain to the Phoenix and her Adviser when they ask about their selected bride?"
"Nothing," he shrugged. "We will tell them nothing but the truth. No one knows how exactly she disappeared and where exactly she disappeared to."
Rebecca sighed before glancing at a guard. "Send a letter to the Duke and Duchess and notify them of their missing daughter."
The guard nodded at once, immediately pacing out of the room.
Another dragged sigh escaped the exasperated queen's lips as she took a moment before asking. "And where in heaven's name is Anthony? Is he not aware of the gravity of the situation involving his own wife?!"
"He is in his study, Mother. And trust me. He looks anything but bothered by the news of his missing wife."
Rebecca rolled his eyes. "Can he not even forge concern? With such a nonchalant attitude, the Phoenix will obviously assume we had a hand in her disappearance."
Wilhelm chuckled.
"Anyways, call him for me."
"Yes, Mother."
Wilhelm excused himself from the room and, in a few moments, returned with his older brother, who carried on a somewhat annoyed expression as they both strode up to their mother.
Anthony stepped closer to kiss the back of his mother's offered hand before stepping aside. "You called, Mother?"
"Anthony..." Rebecca's gaze fell on her fingers as she began picking her nails.
"Where is your wife?" She glared at him from the corner of her eyes.
Anthony stared back with an unhinged expression. "I sense an underlying accusation at your question, Mother. Mind being more direct with your words?"
"Of course," Rebecca's glare hardened. "Just after you disappeared throughout yesterday, the moment after you returned home, your newly wedded wife went missing from your bedroom. Coincidence? I find that very hard to believe."
His blue eyes remained stoic as he remained silent for a moment longer before speaking. "I did not even lay eyes on my new wife. How could I possibly have a hand in her unexplainable disappearance?"
Rebecca frowned.
"But if it is my honesty you seek, Mother, then I'll be elated to confess," his eyes darkened. "Whether to the saints or devils, I pray she doesn't return from wherever hole she disappeared to."
A tut escaped his mother's lips as she looked away, rubbing her temple. "You both won't be the death of me in this kingdom."
Anthony's lips tugged into a smirk before bowing, "If that will be all, Mother. I have some paperwork to attend to—"
"Your Majesty!!"
With the heightened voice of a guard, all three turn to the doors that were pushed open, sighting the guard rushing forward.
"Now what!?" Rebecca was on her last strand of sanity at the moment. "Who is missing this time? The bishop!?!"
"Her Highness has been found!"
There was an abrupt pause of the air around.
The royal family of three blinked twice.
And surprisingly, the least person expected to speak suddenly broke the ice, "What?"
Rebecca turned to her oldest son, Anthony, watching him stare at the guard with wide eyes as his knuckles whitened to his tightened fists.
It was clear as day that the news was far from anything pleasant to the crowned prince.
The guard bowed. "We just received a letter from a remote village at the borders. They said Her Highness stumbled into their village early this morning from the forests."
Rebecca slowly stood from her throne, gazing at the displeased grimace on Anthony's face and back.
A sly smirk crept on her lips.
"At least that's one good news today," she turned to Anthony. "And I'm sure it will be no bother to you, to go and pick up your wife, yes?"
A vein popped on Anthony's forehead as his glare hardened.
"I mean, you said it yourself; you haven't set eyes on your wife even once. Now is the chan—"
"I refuse!" He retorted. "If you want her back in this palace, then send Wilhelm, or a guard or even a fucking maid to get her! But I will not slaughter my image by getting close to that thing. Talkless of bringing it back here!"
Rebecca's jaws clenched as she took a moment to gulp down her anger before speaking.
"This is not a request, Anthony." Her green eyes gleamed. "You will go and bring back your wife!"
"I said n—"
"DO NOT ARGUE WITH ME!!" Green energy surged above Rebecca's figure, nearing the ceiling as her hair elevated.
Anthony's lips sealed.
"I will say this once again. Go and bring back your wife, Anthony. And you both must sit in the same carriage as you both will share the same room!"
Anthony's eyes slitted.
"And if you dare disobey my orders again. I will strip you of your privileges."
His brows shot high at her threat.
"You can't do that..." He snarled.
"I am still the queen of this land, boy. Dare not test me."
With the air growing thinner and charged between mother and son as their threatening gazes dared not faint, Wilhelm awkwardly cleared his throat before stepping forward to touch the shoulder of his oldest brother.
"We should probably get going, Brother—"
"You will follow him nowhere!" Rebecca's words cut as sharp as blades, clenching her fists. "He should learn to bottle his responsibilities as the crown prince and husband now."
Anthony's eyes bore daggers at his own mother as he could feel the boiling blood coursing through his veins and his tongue soiled with the distasteful words he held in.
To stop himself from saying something he would regret to his mother, Anthony immediately turned to storm out of the room, slamming the doors hard to almost loosen their hinges.
Wilhelm grimaced. "Was that really necessary, Mother?" He turned to her as she sat back on her throne.
"The sooner he accepts his reality, the better king he will be to rule..."
Rebecca grimaced.