King Luther arrived at the courtroom the next day dressed in an elegant purple robe with a crown made out of pure gold on his head.
He looked so majestic and yet so serious and intimidating as he walked to his throne.
The people in the courtroom; the guards, elders and some commoners all knelt and bowed their faces to the floor, no one daring to look up at him until he was fully seated.
Orson stood next to him, dressed in his special uniform with his hands held firmly on his sword.
He held a cold look on his face just like Luther but the people felt more trepid and tensed from the aura emitting from the king's body.
As usual, it nearly choked them and heavily reminded them not to dare annoy him.
"Your majesty..." One out of the fourteen elders spoke, standing with a bow towards Luther.
He was in his mid fifties, which could be simply guessed from the hairs turning much grey on his head.
Infact, all the elders in the courtroom were pass forty and were much aged than Luther.
"Here are the parents and close relatives of the missing boy...." He stared at the commoners standing at the side of the hall who looked tearful and pitiable.
"They are ready to testify and tell all that happened."
He nodded towards one of the commoners who sniffed and rushed forward towards Luther.
"Your highness!" The commoner cried out, dropping to her knees rapidly with tears dripping like raindrops onto her cheeks.
She seemed to be the mother of the child. It was quite obvious even with her not yet saying so.
"Greetings to you, your highness! My c..child, James has been missing for eighteen days now, he is only eight years old, my Lord. Where could he had gone to? Your highness, please help me, I beg for your help! I only need him alive and well, please your majesty!"
She sobbed quaking, her head dropping to the floor.
Another person rushed forward, a man near to her, kneeling and bowing in a jiffy towards him.
"Your highness..."
Thankfully his voice seemed to comfort the woman and help lower her high cries.
"I'm the father of the child. As my wife said, James doesn't have much friends in the capital. The few he has, we had asked and they all admitted not knowing where he was. We also had done searches on places we could but yet we couldn't find James or his corpse atleast. That's why we are here, your highness, to beg you to help us find James. We beg you! Please your majesty!"
His face fell to the floor just as his wife's and although he didn't cry but the sorrow in his voice did penetrate the hall.
"How did he go missing?" Luther briefly asked, his voice echoing in the silent hall.
His voice held authority and a command, causing the father of James as claimed, to instantaneously speak up.
"We went with him to the palace stable to feed horses as usual, when returning back home, he asked to go urinate. We let him go to the public privy but he never returned your majesty! He never did! He is our sole child! We ask nothing but just to see him alive and well."
His voice cracked as tears rolled down his face.
This was one of the things Luther hated — Seeing his people go through hardships.
He thrived to be a good king — that was what his parents would have wanted and so, he had vowed to provide his subjects with the best of his reign.
"Orson..." He called and Orson who was standing by his side immediately went to his front, quickly kneeling towards him, his hand crossed across his chest and his head bent towards the floor.
It was the usual formal salutation.
"Yes, your majesty?" His biased voice rang through the hall.
"Investigate on this and provide with you some men to conduct a search around the capital city with a portrait of James. Be sure to find him within the next five days."
"Yes, your majesty."
"And also..." He stared at the crying parents of the child. "Provide these persons with some bags of grains and other foodstuffs to support them through this hard time."
"Your highness! Thank you so much!" The parents amazed, bowed repeatedly, tears of joy and sorrow running down their faces.
Luther left the hall, stressed and tired.
He had woken up quite early that morning, busied himself with lots of scrolls before he could even have the time to prepare himself for the courtroom.
Now, he felt weary and needed more sleep but he knew that wasn't possible, atleast not today.
He still had some scheduled meetings for some important persons who had arrived at the kingdom today.
They were the ministers of trading from other kingdoms who wanted to trade with his kingdom.
He would have to welcome them, invite them in for drinks and then discuss business matters.
But he wasn't ready for that. Somehow, he wished he could even skip it but that would be too rash.
He had to go through with it.
He arrived at his chamber and first of all, pulled off the heavy robe and the golden crown on his head.
Orson though didn't return with him. He had left to carry out his orders.
Luther wished he had return with him.
Orson although stoical, was a very good stress reliever.
Even though he rarely shows it to others, he was humorous and carried a hidden wave of friendliness with him, which comes out only out of his own will.
"Your highness..." Ruth's voice broke into his head, distracting him from his own thoughts. She seemed to behind the door.
"Greetings your highness, the princess sent a request, requesting you to have lunch with her."
Charlotte?
He was surprised.
Wasn't she still angered over what conspired yesterday?
The Charlotte he knows would had most likely shunned and ignored him for days if he angers her, why then is she alright now and that too, requesting lunch with him?
This was strange.
She had indeed changed a lot. He wasn't sure he knows her now.
But... He couldn't go meet with her today.
He wasn't that busy, he still has some little time before the trading ministers come but yet, he felt no interest in dining with Charlotte.
Yesterday incident had ruined his mood and he also didn't desire to engage in any argument today.
"Decline it." He briefly said, not concerned about the fact that Charlotte would be hurt.
In all honesty, he didn't care.
~~~
"Send a message to Luther, requesting him to come join me for lunch."
Minutes ago, Charlotte had declared, dressing up in a fancy blue dress.
She had originally planned to take a tour with Luther around Sihasin's capital but was informed of his busy schedules.
Now she fortunately received news that he was done with court matters and was resting in his room.
At first, she didn't want to disturb his rest but then she also didn't want to stay away from him.
She couldn't afford to still be sulking and miss chances to get Luther to like her.
Of course yes, she was still riled over their arguments yesterday but she came here with a mission which must turn out successful.
She can't back out on her ambition and remain seated, giving room for a certain wretch to come steal him from her.
Never.
She would never allow such a thing to happen.
She applied a bit of powder on her face, shoving some strings of hair off her face.
She looked elegant as always, like a young wife eagerly waiting for her husband.
"Hoosh." She blushed at the thought, her dreamy eyes staring down at her reflection on the standing amber mirror.
"Tina." She called and the maid behind her immediately came forward.
Her hands were crossed above her waist while her eyes were pointed towards the floor.
"Your highness...?" She bowed as she spoke.
"Has the message been delivered to Luther?"
She asked, a beam adorning her painted lips.
Of course, Tina was now made her personal maid. She was good at dressing her up and doesn't speak much unlike Benita.
"Yes, your highness."
"How many minutes ago was that."
"Few minutes, my lady."
"Has he responded yet?" Charlotte eyes rose in anticipation as she asked this.
"No, n..not y...."
A voice behind the door cut them off. "Your highness..."
Charlotte turned. "What is it?"
She was annoyed. She was in the middle of a conversation and didn't like being interrupted.
"Princess, his majesty has declined your request to join you for lunch.."
"What?" Charlotte yelled as she stared into space, astonished.
Was this true?
She couldn't get herself to believe it!