บท 48: CHAPTER 47 - AM NOT HERE FOR PLEASURE.
"No need. I have a letter from my father to search this town for my lost sister, Princess Anna... I didn't come for pleasure." Andrew said not giving the other any face.
Being rejected this way, the mayor smiled embarrassingly.
"Aah... Your sister? The one I heard went missing on her wedding day... She is still not found?? " He asked, though he already knew the king had been searching for one of his daughters. He had only been to the palace once and never got the chance to see those beautiful princesses. Small-town leaders like him did not have much business with the royals. After seeing the crown prince, he wanted to suck up to him and gain some favor. Unfortunately, he had been turned down after the first attempt.
"No. And as you are the town mayor, it's only right that we seek your consent before my men and I search this town." Andrew said indifferently, Although it wasn't entirely necessary. He could have searched this town with or without his consent. He was doing this out of respect.
"This is very sad. Of course, you can go ahead and search. Yo...you don't need permission at all. This is a small town, and searching for her will not take too much time. I will let my men join in the search, to make it faster. But ma...may I see her portrait? I have never seen any of the princesses." He said nervously wiping the sweat on his forehead with his hand.
"John, show him the portrait," Andrew ordered his Knight who hastily brought out a parchment and handed it to the mayor. The mayor took the parchment and looked at the portrait drawn on it. It was just a portrait of a female, a girl to be precise, but it looked striking and captivating. The girl in the parchment was dressed princess-style, making her look more alluring. She is a beautiful girl from just a look at the picture, and that sweet smile, though just a painting, was heartwarming. Whoever drew this, must have taken his perfect time to carve the girl's true beauty on the sheet.
The pressing thing here was that something about the picture looked oddly familiar. Could it have just been a coincidence? He had heard clearly, the prince called her Anna. No, it wasn't possible. If it was, then he was doomed. He had tried having one Anna girl in this town for himself but was painfully rejected. Out of embarrassment, he had gone all out to make her life miserable. He had to admit that he played a part in the town folks presuming her and her little family as disgusting and a curse to the town. Well, most of it had to do with her strange son of course.
Though she looked so much like this girl in the portrait, it was impossible. Also if it was her, what was she doing leaving so poor in this town when she could have just traveled back to the palace? It was not her. This one looked even way younger. Coming to this conclusion, he smiled pretentiously and raised his head.
" She truly is a beauty..."
"Have you seen someone like her?" Andrew asked. Of course, that seemingly little change of expression on the mayor's face did not go unnoticed.
"No, I doubt I would ever forget if I caught a glimpse of such beauty in this town... I was merely captivated by the picture..." He said, noticing the prince must have realized his uncertainty.
"Let my men join you in the search. Will you begin today?" He asked, wanting to change the topic.
"Yes, it's still daylight. Your men can join mine at the field. Since they know the town better, they can assist." Andrew said and took his leave. He didn't know whether the mayor has seen his sister or not. And he couldn't accuse him just because of a change in his expression. Also, it had been ten years. If his sister was still alive, she should have aged a little. It would be hard to find her.
Andrew left with John and gathered his men who met with the mayor's men at the field. He mixed them up and divided them into three groups.
"John, lead the second group. Gary, you lead the third group in the search. I'll lead the first." Andrew gave his order and they all dispatched. They each held a portrait and Gary looked at his own curiously. This was the second time he was seeing the portrait and it still amazed him how beautiful it looked. He had lived in this town for many years, he didn't think he had seen or met any girl that looked like this portrait.
Honestly, Gary could not be blamed. He wasn't as sociable as his son, Nate, who would have done well if he was given the 'town's mayor' post. As he knew almost everyone. Also, he had only met with Anna twice, and all of it he hadn't had a good look at her. Folding the parchment, he asked his group to follow him. They were going to start their search in the southern part of the town.
In Lucian's little cottage, the family sat nervously. Nate stood in front of them looking worried. Yesterday, Arthur had exhausted them during their training and hence had spared them the time of waking up too early to meet him in the woods. As he had not woken up at his usual early hours, he got the chance to see the royal carriage that had made its appearance in the town. He had seen that emblem before because his father used to work in the palace. Knowing people would be coming in search of Lucian's mother, he concluded it might be that, or what else was a royal carriage doing in a small town like theirs. Hence he rushed to Lucian's house to report this.
The family of three sat without speaking after hearing what Nate had come to announce. Anna most especially, looked so down.
"Nate, you go home and look out for us. Your house is directly in the town so you can get any information. When you hear the search is over, come to us. Don't worry we'll be safe here. With the illusion spell intact, I doubt they would find us..." Liz spoke, as Anna looked in no position to think straight.
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