THE ROYAL BALLROOM
A man fiercely plays the violin standing on an elevated platform at a corner, accompanied by other people playing other instruments as well.
Aidan sits receiving pleasantries from vairous dignitaries who managed to make it through in such short notice.
"My King. My son, King Hermick sends his warm regards. He'll be coming to pay his regards, later. He couldn't make it tonight because his pregnant wife is almost due with their first child and he doesn't trust anyone to stay beside her or protect her more than himself." The former king of Argani says laughing.
Aidan nods with a small smile as his father joins the conversation, pulling his old friend; the former King to be joined by other dignitaries.
Aidan scans through the crowd looking for Griselda. He makes his way to his seat positioned high in the the ballroom and sits.
Soon, a guard comes up to him, bows and says something in his ear which makes his blood run cold.
*****
Aidan walks quickly through the hallway with a dozen of guards following right behind him. He goes into the royal quarters and approaches his chamber.
As he approaches, a guard standing before the door bows and opens it swiftly.
Aidan steps into the room and spotting the body on the floor, frantically searches the closet and bathroom but couldn't find her.
He goes over to the woman's body and gently pushes it but is shocked at the cold temperature and hardness of her body. The skin looks pale and her eyes looks lifeless.
The younger girl in the room with her earlier barges in and bursts out sobbing.
"What happened here?" Aidan asks standing.
"We… my madam and I came into the room with the dress earlier to help dress her up." She said pointing at the dress still on the mannequin in the middle of the room.
"Then?" Aidan asks impatiently.
"Then… then, she ordered that we leave. My madam insisted and suddenly she lashed out, stood up and stared at her looking like she was peering into her soul.
Her eyes turned bloodshot and her skin looked pale… so pale and suddenly, my madam dropped to the floor and I ran away." She said sobbing vigorously.
"Utter no word of this to anyone, else…. you'll lose people closer to you than this." Aidan says and opening the door to leave, the girl says,
"I saw her personal servant leaving this room when my madam and I were pulling the mannequin in the hallway."
Aidan leaves and walks to the guard positioned to the door.
"Where's she?" He asks.
"I'm sorry, my King. I don't have any idea." He stutters.
"Where were you earlier?" Aidan asks calmly.
"I… I went… I went to reliev…." He doesn't complete his sentence as he splutters blood, with Aidan's claw deep in his chest.
"Dispose the bodies, get me Aine and restrict entries and exits in this house and kingdom." He says walking off as some guards follow him while the rest leave to do his bidding.
Aidan whistles while walking through the hallway muttering, "My fiesty dangerous mate. Griselda, where are you?"
He smiles maniacally and with his finger, directs some of the guards to follow another path different from him. All in search of Griselda.
*****
Alyssa with her hair now packed into a ponytail walks quickly with Zelda in her arms. The other men follow behind carrying an unconscious Kayden.
They get to the cart and find the rest of the men there with Robert's body inside. Gingerly, Alyssa places Zelda into the carriage, followed by two men who shuts the door.
The horses neigh a little and start treading to the gates. Suddenly, the carriage stops moving.
The coachman knocks on the window, informing them that exits and entries have being restricted under King Aidan's command.
Alyssa hisses and looking at the two men with her gives a command,
"Be sure to guard her at all costs with your lives." She says and makes a move to open the door before being asked by one of the men.
"Alyssa, why don't we teleport? I'm sure that'll be quicker and easier than this."
"You think I haven't thought of that? Only a high standing member of the Venine Temple with much inhibiting power can teleport someone of her power and status.
If we try, it'll be useless because she'll remain here, our powers can't work to an extent on her. So since Kayden and Robert can't help us right now, we'll sort ourselves." She says and opens the door.
She goes forward to the gates before being blocked by some guards.
"The instructions are clear and concise. Nobody leaves till the king gives the command." A buff guard shouts, giving orders to take her back.
"Okay, since it's come to this." Alyssa says and starts muttering spells which causes a small wind to start up.
The guards approach her but retreat when her voice increases in the muttering spells. The wind accelerates, from throwing objects around to being directed to the guards who fall or are being thrown aside. Those still farther run away and shouts of command are given.
With the wind calmly settling, Alyssa goes back into the carriage with two men from the other carriage opening the gates.
Soon, the warning bell is being rung as the two carriage leave the premises in speed.
******
Aidan rushes through the hallways before being stopped promptly by his father, Edward and other council members.
"What's going on?" His father asks.
"I'll explain later, there's..." He says before being cut off by guards who rushes in their direction.
"My king." He begins with a bow.
"What's the cause of the commotion outside." Edward asks.
"A woman suspected being a Gilmorsh attacked some guards at the gate and two carriages suspected to have some Gilmorsh in them has left the building." He says panting.
"Gilmorsh? How did…." Edward asks but rushes after Aidan who runs off.
Aidan runs through the staircase ascending the upper floor. He gets to a verandah on the top floor which overlooks the whole compound and also some of the kingdom.
He holds the brick railings as his eyes turn pitch black with his fangs and claws elongated.
Holding the railings, he jumps over it as suddenly his wings come into sight and spreads out before he's not seen again.
Edward runs over to the railings panting and running his hands over his face, walks back to the guards standing behind giving out commands to them.
****
The two carriages move in speed on the rough ground. Alyssa holds an unconscious Griselda against her as the men sitting opposite her scan the bushy sides, on the look out.
"I can hear the army far behind us, they're catching up slowly." One of the men says.
Alyssa ignores him and gently positions Griselda to lean on the seat.
"I don't think we can leave that easily. Our powers put together can't help that much…." He continues before being startled and stopped by Alyssa's long hiss as her head turns sharply to him.
In fear, the man shifts and slides back in his seat, moving his gaze to the windows.
Alyssa looks at him a little longer and shifts her gaze to Griselda.
Suddenly, the carriage wheels harshly bumps over something causing them to jump in their seats.
The horses neigh loudly and soon stop. Alyssa looks out through the windows, they're on a lonely path not usually used by the villagers. The both sides are filled with tall grasses and the ground uneven and rough.
The path is dark as the moon becomes only source of illumination. Only the chirping of crickets and the hooting sound of an owl in the distance can be heard.
Alyssa steps down together with the men in the other carriage who pulled to a stop seeing the situation of their carriage.
The coachman walks over to them to explain the situation. One of the carriage wheels got stuck in a muddy pothole and got damaged when being pulled out with force.
After a while, a decision was reached; Alyssa with some men are to continue the journey on the other carriage while the rest fix the wheel and join them.
Robert's body was pulled out from the carriage, with Kayden's unconscious own decided to be carried along with Griselda's to continue the journey.
Alyssa enters the carriage, lifts Griselda out of the carriage and make her way to the other carriage before being stopped by a voice.
"Where're you taking her?" A voice asks amused.
The men become startled as Alyssa gently lays Griselda beside the carriage walking towards where she thinks the voice came from. The men come together to walk behind her.
She unsheathes a dagger strapped to her thigh and walks a little more looking into the darkness.
"Come on, show yourself! Let's get this done with." She says swallowing tepidly and holding her dagger tight.