Finding The King.

**

The king was not in his quarters when I got there. Percival instructed the maids to clear the table. I stopped to ask if he knew where his master was.

"Good morning, princess," he bowed deeply. I was surprised that he did that. The day I was captured, he acted like he will take my eyes out if anyone asks him to pay me such respect.

"Morning, Percival" I said, with my eyes searching for the king. "I was wondering if you might have seen the king or know of his whereabouts."

"The king is not in the quarters," He began to attend to the maids again. I suspected something. He did not want to tell me where the king was. His eyes moved left and right as he spoke to me. "Is that all my lady?"

I shook my head and took a step forward "Do you know who you are talking to?"

"Yes, your highness," Percival answered. His hands clasped in front of him. "You are the future queen of this kingdom."

"And who do I ask after?"

"The king, your husband to be," his head was low now. He was beginning to understand where I was heading to.

"Good, I shall let him know when he comes back that you stopped me from meeting with him," I said. Percival raised his eyes. It was becoming interesting. "He asked me to accompany him …"

"He went to the graveyard, my lady," Percival bowed. He was afraid of the king more than I imagined. Maybe there was more to this smiling faced Alistair. I heard many stories about the king of Aerendia before coming.

Everything changed when I came. There was nothing in line with the rumors. My mother always told me that in every nonsense talk, there is a sensible information. Something was wrong somewhere and yet I could not figure it out.

"Thank you, Percival. I shall go to meet him," I turned to leave but he asked.

"Should I accompany my lady to …," he started but I cut him.

I waved my hand in the air "You don't have to. Take care of the palace. I know where the cemetery is."

Outside the king quarters, I could still hear his response. However I did not pay attention to it. Emily and Liza were waiting for me. They did not follow me into the quarters because we thought the king will in.

"I don't think I can remember which path leads to the cemetery," I said, looking at the seven paths in front of us. "Emily, you shall lead the way."

"W-hat?" Emily asked. Her voice was low and I could barely hear her. She was scared of leading the way.

"The king is there. We shall go to meet him," I told them.

"We have been there before with the guide of Roland's," Liza added.

Emily stared at the path for some minutes before taking the third one. We walked behind her not knowing if something was right or wrong. Was she forbidden for coming here or she was just afraid of graves.

If the king was there, then it was nothing to worry about. We walked in silence for ten minutes before we reached the cemetery. The gate was halfway closed just like the other day.

Emily who was our guide stopped. I held the dress in one hand as I blew my fan in the other. The heat that followed us from the men's quarters left as soon as I walked into the cemetery.

It was as cold as Norway. I looked left and right, there was no sight of the king.  He must have left after the cleaning.

From a distance, I could see the graves. I have never seen beautiful stones before. They were used to burry the late royal members.

'leave this place, silly girl,' I told myself. Taking another step was suicide. I was not afraid even though this place seems scary. No one was here except for the bats on the trees and old building.

The building was half burnt. I wondered what happened here. It would have been many years ago. The painting on the other side of the wall was still there. I was tempted to go in but something was stopped me. The bones in front of the entrance stairs.

I did not get to see if they were human or not. I quickly turned around go to leave this mysterious premises. I hit my head on the tough surface.

I missed my steps, closing my eyes tightly for whatever to come. I felt light and then, strong hands grabbed my tiny waist right before I could fall.

Whoever this person was, I knew he was not a savior. His hands were as cold as ice. With my eyes closed, I was able to tell the darkness that hovered around him. He was different from all the people that have come in contact with except for one.

It was Alistair. In Emberfall, I felt the same coldness when he touched me. I thought it was because of the feelings I have for. It was different now that I almost fell.

"Arabella, please open your eyes now," he said, as held me in his eyes. I was scared but I managed to opened them. His eyes were staring at me like two dark holes ready to swallowed me.