Chương 26: Princess in Hiding (1)

Ting!

Teacups clinked against each other as the sound of laughter echoed through the garden. Maids bustled in and out while serving tea and small snacks to the two noble ladies.

"Hehe, Now that the rumored stone is nowhere to be found, how do you suppose you are going to have a breakthrough now Your Highness?" An elegant and well-poised lady in a blue dress teased the Empress in front of her.

Crack!

Tea was spilled all over the edge of the marble table. There were pieces of broken teacups on the floor while a hand stopped in mid-air. The Empress quickly regained her senses and smiled. "Apologies Noble Consort Yhessa, this Empress's hand slipped causing this...small disaster." Her venomous words did not match her exquisite golden robe attire adorned with a phoenix in flight. Her words targeted the other woman. Just a small disaster can happen with just a slip of a hand from the Empress. For whatever disaster she might be referring to, people are more than aware of it.

"Hehe, please be more careful Your Highness, you might hurt yourself if you are not careful enough." A sly smile crept on the concubine's white face. Her fingers combed the few strands of her yellow hair hanging on the sides of her face.

"This Empress will remember your kind reminder. I wonder if this kind of 'carelessness' is not your son's trait? The prince doesn't seem to know how to behave like a 'prince'. Chasing a merchant's daughter all day and causing a ruckus at their estate, Noble Consort should also advise the prince." The Empress smirked inside while uttering word for word.

"Is Your Highness referring to the Saber's Estate? The one with a 'small disaster' recently? I wonder how the prince had the idea that the Eldest Miss of the estate would be begging for his help. I heard that the stone Your Highness was looking for is in the hands of the Sabers. I wonder..." Her eyes displayed a dangerous glint.

"Greetings Your Highness, Noble Consort. Mother, I can't find Yrah." If Yllana were to see this young lad, she would know those same sea-green eyes and yellow hair.

"Prince Devon seems to have arrived at the right moment." The Empress was all smiles as she surveyed the sour face of Noble Consort Yhessa. "Where do you think could that Saber Estate's First Young Miss have gone?"

"Your Highness, I assume that a girl has taken her away." His blue eyes dimmed as he recalled catching a girl with red hair inside the estate. His chance of having Yrah at the palm of his hands slipped away. He was not sure if that girl has something to do with Yrah's disappearance but he feels that that girl is somewhat familiar.

"Oh, really? I pray, who would that girl be? Do you know her?" Noble Consort Yhessa was intrigued by the girl who pick up Yrah. Who would dare to rescue a girl whose parents were punished by the royal family? That would just mean that whoever that rescuer is has guts to go against the royal family.

"She dares to put her finger in the royal family's affairs?" The Empress's eyes twitched.

"That girl, I am assuming as the culprit, has red hair and red eyes. I know she is not a member of the Saber estate. This prince has never seen that girl. Such devilish eyes may contain malicious intent. She ruined this handsome prince's plans." He gritted her teeth and clenched his fists. Yrah should have been begging him for help to rescue her parents who are in the Empress's hands but everything did not turn out the way he wanted.

"Red hair and red eyes...I have never heard of anyone-"

Bang bang bang.

Three loud knocks interrupted Noble Consort's words. A servant entered almost stumbling on the ground as she scurried over three people. Her face was as white as a sheet and her lips pale.

"My my...what a rude servant you have." The Empress teased Noble Consort Yhessa.

"F-forgive this servant, your highness. This servant dare not to delay any further the b-big news." The servant's stammering proved how nervous she was with her sweating forehead as she bowed deeply on the ground.

"What is it?!" Noble Consort Yhessa hissed. She threw her irritation to the servant since she was the only one the consort could aim for at this moment.

"T-the knight has r-returned."

"Oh, it is just a stupid knight. What do you have to be afraid of?" the Empress snickered and continued to drink her tea.

"Your Highness, it i-is no ordinary knight. It is the ranked number 1 Holy Knight w-who has returned." her timid voice silenced the whole garden. The air grew tense. The Empress's eyes widened and her teacup froze in mid-air. The eerie silence brought shivers along the servant's spine.

~~~~~~~~~~

As the news spread around the kingdom, inside the palace, the news spread faster. Behind heavy drapes, her short curled black hair shines under the light of the oil lamp inside a high tower. Her lips were as red as a rose and her skin, devoid of sunlight, was as white as snow. The fairytales did her justice. But her story has just begun.

The servant by the door looked at her mistress. No matter how much she has seen this locked princess, she will never get tired of the innocent beauty she beholds. "Milady, there is news about the number 1 knight. He has returned."

"Returned? The Empress said that that knight died in the battle with the demons. Why did Empress Mother lie to the kingdom?" she smiled softly as she gazed outside the window and looked over the kingdom. "The Empress is hiding something."

"What would milady order this servant?" the servant muttered gently.

"Find Kheera. And I need a dagger and a poison too." She walked elegantly around the table and picked up an apple.

When the servant vanished, the princess faced a flat ornament covered by a white cloth. It was hanging with golden chains from the ceiling. She bit her lip and closed her eyes as she pressed a hand gently over the cloth.

"Mirror mirror on the wall... Who's the one who can kill them all?" Until her last words fell, a small golden light flashed within the white cloth.