บท 24: Panic within the City

Celestia looks outside and saw that the area is getting more and more isolated, her eyes turns cold in disgust.

"The heroine truly is despicable."

She turns towards the window that is connected to the driver.

"This isn't the way back home why have we come this way?"

"My lady, the other route is close so I need to go around, I'm sorry."

"That's ok, please hurry Sir Keane is waiting for me."

"Yes my lady."

Celestia close the tiny window to block the unknown man and her. She closes her eyes as she releases her power to see the area around her with her powers.

"Citrine once we're on the bridge attack the man, I can feel that there are 3 other people waiting on the bridge ready to attack the carriage."

"Yes master."

Citrine sat on the opposite side of Celestia alert ready to protect his master.

As soon as the Carriage slows down in the middle of the bridge Celestia kept quiet, and Citrine disappears attacking the four men outside.

"Ahh!"

"Who is this, didn't you say it was a young miss!"

"I don't know where he came from! Ah!"

"Wait...Wait don't kill me. Someone paid us to hurt her."

Citrine ignores the men and use his magic to silent them as he ties them together and knocks them out, as he puts them in the carriage compartment. Celestia got out of the carriage and uses her magic to clone the four men.

"Let's go and continue the next scene, hopefully my father is able to understand my plan and alert the snake."

Celestia steps into the carriage as it moves to the place where the scene begins.

_____________________________________________

"What do you mean, she is pretending to be lady Riverdale!"

Siting inside the guest room was Layla, and Celestia whole family. Layla looks pale as she is too scared to look at Celestia brothers.

"Like what I said Tia she volunteered to lure the culprit that poison lady Riverdale. I'm sorry it's my fault I didn't stop her. I'm scared in case they hurt her."

Layla cried as her tears fell down her cheeks like small crystals, Marchioness pulls Layla into her chest to calm her down as she worriedly looks at her husband.

"Tia said not to alert the culprit since they are after lady Riverdale. Then make an announcement saying that my daughter has gone missing, lock down the capital and send all our men to every check points strictly check everyone's carriages I don't care about their status. Send some men to the isolated area anyone suspicious stop them."

"Yes master."

The Captain exit out the room and order his men to the routes Celestia may have gone to. Soon the news spread throughout the capital, and everyone panic, of course the heroine heard it too.

"Haha, that's what happens when you're very arrogant."

The heroine laughs loudly in her room as she quickly got change and steps outside to go and meet Keane.

"Now that lady Riverdale will be dead soon and Celestia that nuisance isn't here, I can go and raise my love interest."

A little girl quickly ran throughout the hallway and soon saw the person she wanted to see in the training room. she took a deep breath as she catches her breath.

"Big brother, sister Tia is in big trouble!"

Cepheus who was having a sword practice with Xavier drops his sword and looks at his little sister.

"What do you mean explain to me properly!"

Cepheus ran up to his sister, she saw her brother looks scary as she has never seen her brother like this before. Xavier saw Cepheus look and tries to help meditate the situation.

"Cepheus calm down let's here the situation first from Willow, you're scaring her."

Cepheus realise his reaction must've scared his little sister. Willow calms her heart as she caught her breath.

"I was out to buy some cake and heard from the villages that Tia got kidnap when she was on her way from the clubhouse. I also saw the Septihanus knights around the capital stopping all the carriages to check for suspicious activities. The Marquess has also got approval from the king to block the gates, people can come in however cannot leave until Tia is found."

Cepheus didn't stay any longer as he has summon Soul and flew out of the Duke's estate, Xavier and Willow was left watching the master and the beast flying further from them.

"Xai, what should we do. Sister Tia is probably very scared right now."

Willow started to cry, as a 10 years old girl she didn't know how to handle the situation. When she heard about Celestia gone missing the first thing she did was to tell Cepheus as he is her fiancé but she trust Cepheus strength.

Xavier pats her head.

"Don't worry trust Cepheus he will definitely be able to find her and save her."

Willow nods her head.

Celestia of course heard about the accountment too, as she sits in the carriage by the lake, she watches the blossoms falling in front of her calmly. Citrine opens his eyes as he looks at his master.

"Keane is here with count Riverdale am I right?"

"Yes master they are 20 minutes away from us."

"Is the heroine with them?"

"Yes master."

"Good the show is about to beginning, let's get into position. Wake them up."

20 minutes earlier.

The heroine went to find Keane at the usual place he is always at however she was surprise to see the count with him.

"What do you mean she is missing!?"

"I don't know, I saw her maid come back by herself she was injured and she looks panic, she said that the driver was missing and someone else was driving the carriage they pushed her off and took off with my daughter."

Keane looks panic as he rushes out the room meeting the heroine face to face however he ignores her and went downstairs from the restaurant. She looks inside and saw count Riverdale walking out exhausted.

Count Riverdale only has one child, which is lady Riverdale, his late wife had a difficult childbirth at a old age. Since lady Riverdale was born he has spoiled her and given her everything, hearing from his daughters personal maid that she got kidnap Count Riverdale felt like someone dug out his heart. His wife passed out, his daughter missing all Count Riverdale could do was request help from Keane as he has some power with a few knights.

Suddenly Count Riverdale remembers that the Marquess daughter also got kidnap and in rushes out leaving the heroine alone with a ugly expression.

"What is going on they are supposed to find out in three days. Is this what they call a butterfly effect."

The heroine follows after them with her spiritual beast.

Back to present.

The men woke up and Citrine use his magic to brainwash the four men mind. Celestia sat in the carriage quietly as she waits for the men to make their move. The four men eye signal as one of them opens the carriage door. Celestia looks up frighten as she screams alerting Keane and the count on their horses.

"What are you doing, help someone help me."

Cepheus on the other use his magic and follows Celestia's aura. from the air he also saw Keane on the horse rushing to where Celestia aura is glowing strongly.

"Did the marquess ask for him for help why didn't they ask the Duke?"

Cepheus heard a scream panicking Soul speeds up quickly however he was still slightly behind Keane's group.

Celestia quickly opens the other side door of the carriage and rushes out running away from the men. Keane saw her rushes out and the men running after her, he raise his hand and attacks the men.

"Ah!"

The other three men looks behind them and saw a group of knights rushing to them. however the men are too late to run away as Keane attack them furiously. Celestia watches as the men gets caught by Keane's men. She was about to ask Citrine to take her away however before she could leave Keane caught her pulling her into his chest.

"Giselle, I'm sorry for being late. Are you ok, are you hurt?"

Celestia body went stiff as she tries to figure out hoe to get out of the situation. Cepheus finally arrives and saw the scene, in front of him he sees Keane hugging his fiancée however he was confuse why she has the same aura as Celestia.

"What's going on?"

Soul looks closely, as a beast he will never mistaken a humans scent. Soul looks around and sees Citrine in the tree, Citrine notice someone starring at him he looks up and saw Soul and Cepheus. Knowing Cepheus possesive personality he panic.

'Master this is bad, Cepheus is here! Master quick find a way to get out of this situation!'

Celestia body shook as she moves slightly away from Keane keeping a distance and faces her back towards Cepheus.

'Citrine quick what do I do?'

'I'm sorry Master, Soul saw me.'

Citrine light up a candle for Celestia.

'Wait Citrine!'