Aubrey's Missing

"Father! Please be rational about your decision!" Philip yells at the King.

The king remained calm and tries to answer his son without getting out of hands. "Son. I understand you have your concerns, but I and your mother have discussed this situation and we are not changing our minds."

Aubrey was now curious as what was being discussed. She was thinking that the king and queen must have agreed with another kingdom for him to marry a princess that he does not want to have as his wife.

"This Aubrey woman has poisoned your mind!" He yelled.

"You will lower your tone with me!" The King yelled.

He has now risen from his throne to show his power.

"I may be your father, but I am your king. Now, I have decided to make Aubrey a part of our family and that is final." The king stated in stone.

Aubrey couldn't believe that they are fighting over her being in the castle.

"Father, Please think about it. I will accept that my departed uncle passed down his estate to her but giving her a royal title. She has done nothing that great for her to deserve it."

Aubrey was beginning to feel some type of way of how Philip is speaking about her. She wanted to walk in there but she didn't want to be rude, but she couldn't help but feel the anger building up within her.

"Philip. What about Aubrey has you feeling like this." the king asked. He has calmed down and returned to his throne and awaited Philips answer.

"Father. I have no ill will towards her, but we know very little about this woman. And she is also different." Philip stated his facts to his father.

Aubrey wanted to know what he meant by "different". The king asked what she was thinking. "What you mean by different my son?"

"I mean she is not from around these parts, but…" Philips paused before he continues, but he said to change the atmosphere.

"Her skin is not normal and people will question her origins and they may think she is a witch or who knows."

As soon as Philips let the last word left his mouth, the doors swing open. The King rose from his seat in who has entered the throne room. Philips followed the king's gaze and he was also surprised to see was there.

"Lady Aubrey," said Philips.

He didn't have to be close to see that she was upset at what she heard. She walks straight towards Philips. Philips braced himself by placing a hand on the helm of his sword. She didn't stop walking as she got closer and closer to him.

She sees what Philips has his hands on and she gives a small smirk. "If you are going to pull a sword towards an unarmed opponent. Let alone a woman. Then draw it then, but I will not back down." Aubrey firmly stated.

Philips never met a woman who was so outspoken the way that she was. "Lady Aubrey. What are.."

"Stop right there!" Aubrey interrupted him.

"It's my turn to speak," she said.

"I see that you have a problem with me being here in the castle, and I can understand your concern. But! For you to state your reasons, and one of those to be because of my skin. Now we have a problem." She coldly tells him. Philips was getting nervous at what she might do, so he held his stance to be prepared for anything she might do.

"Let me tell you something that I learned at a young age." Aubrey takes another step to Philip. She was close enough that if Philips wanted to pull out his sword, that it would it will do extreme harm to her that could possibly kill her. But she did not care, she was going to speak her peace.

"You don't have to like me, but you will respect me." She placed her hand over her heart. "And who I am is more valuable than a title or a crown."

The room was silent. Philips was speechless at what Aubrey has said to him. She drops her hand to grab the side of her dress and bows before Philips and the King and exited the throne room. She wanted to getaway. Far away. She headed back out of the castle walls instead of returning to her room. She wanted to be alone.

Philips looks back at his father and can see that he was disappointed at his son. Philips bow before his father and takes his leave.

Aubrey walked around the garden area to try to clear her head. She eventually finds herself in the royal stables without knowing. She felt a nudge from the left side of her shoulder. She was startled, but she relaxed when she saw it was just a horse. When she looked closer, she realizes that it was the blue knight's horse that she rode that day.

"Hey boy. You remember me." She walks up to the horse and calmly pets him. She looks around and sees that she was the only one in the stable. She took that as an opportunity and unlocks the gate to step in where the horse was. She saw a stool and takes a seat. "Shhh. don't tell anyone that I am in here," she said to the horse. The horse gives a light neigh.

"It's not like they will be worry where I am anyway." She started to sit there and started to get sleepy. After a few more minutes she has fallen asleep.

Sophia has finished her lessons and has been looking for Aubrey, but could not find her. She heads to the dining hall where her mother, father, and Philips were eating supper. The queen looks to see Sophia entering and greeted her daughter.

"Sophia, what's wrong?" The queen asked as she can see that something is bothering Sophia.

"I cannot find Aubrey," she said.

"What you mean? She's not in her room." The queen asked.

"No mother. I have even asked Mary, the maid, and she hasn't seen her since this morning."

The queen is now worried and looks at her husband. The King already knew what to do.

"Guards!" The king yells out.

"Yes sir," said one of the guards that were standing outside.

"I need for you and the other guards to search the castle for Lady Aubrey and bring her here hear safely." He ordered

"Yes your Majesty," He said.

The guards immediately left to start their search. Some time has passed and they return to the dining hall where they waited for Aubrey to returned, but they returned without her.

"What is this?" The king asked.

"We looked everywhere your Majesty, but we could not find Lady Aubrey anywhere." The guard said.

"What?!" The Queen is now worried that something bad has happened to her.

The King has to get extra help for their search.

"Go bring me the knights!" The king yelled out.

It did not take long for the knights to appear before the royal family.

The red knight approached first and bow before them and the other knights follow suit and bow as well.

"You summon us, your Majesty." The red knight spoke.

"Yes. this is a grave matter. Lady Aubrey has gone missing and fears that she may be lost or in danger. I need you to go out and find her and do not return until you do."

The knights understand the king's order and headed out to execute his order.

They headed out with hast and begin searching the grounds for Aubrey. They searched everywhere and could not find her.

"You don't think that she would have gone beyond the castle wall into the village?" The blue knight asked.

"If she did, then she would have to get passed the guards at the gate, but the guards have not let anyone women out of the castle today," said the red knight.

"Let's keep looking and if all else fails, then we will ride out into town."

They went opposite directions to continued their search for Aubrey. The blue knight passes the stables and hears his horse making more noise than usual. He quickly went to check up on him to make sure that he was alright. When approached his horse stall, his horse calms down.

"What wrong with you Midnight," he asked.

There was a faint moan that was heard from the stall. The blue knight tried to pinpoint where it was coming from and realize that it was coming from his horse's stall. When he looks further into the stall, he saw a woman leaning on the up against the wall.

"Lady Aubrey!" The blue knight rushes to her to make she was unharmed. He checks her to see if there any injuries and found none. He was so relieved to see she was safe. Aubrey was in a deep sleep.

"She must have been tired," he said to himself.

He slight taps her on the shoulder to wake her up. She started to open her eyes. When her eyes finally adjusted to her surrounding, she saw herself staring at a pair of deep blue eyes that she has become very familiar with.

"Blue knight," she said.

"What are you doing here," she asked.

He laughed at her question because he knew that she doesn't know what has been going on.

"We have been looking for you." He told her.

"Me? Why me?" Aubrey looks and sees thas has become dark outside. She quickly jumps up but her legs gave weigh. She thought she was going to fall, but felt a pair of arms around her waist. The blue knight has caught her from falling.

"You have to be careful Lady Aubrey. You are still in recovery." He politely said to her. He holds her up until she could stand on her own. Aubrey was thankful for the blue knight being there to help her stand. She will be so glad when she has fully recovered for sleeping all those days.

They started to walk to the castle once Aubrey was able to walk, but she held on the blue knight's arm for some extra support.

"Thank you." She said to him

"It's my duty. Think nothing of it." He responded.

"Of course, but it's good to know whenever I need. You are always there for me." She warmly expressed.

The blue knight's face started to turn a slight red and was speechless.

"Um, If you don't mind me asking Lady Aubrey. Why were you sleeping in the stables and not in your room?"

Aubrey suddenly stopped walking as she remembers what has earlier that day. The harsh words that Prince Philips said to her and wanting to getaway.