Meeting Mathilda

At night, Zenia wore the dress that Vaughn had asked the maidservants to prepare for her. She refused to be attended and reassured Vaughn that she did not need any maidservant around. She would only stay for the night anyway.

Zenia had no intention to reveal her true face to these people yet. That would happen in due time, but at the moment she thought that it was best if they did not know anything. Her gut feeling was telling her that mishaps may still occur if she was not careful. Vaughn may trust his subordinates completely, but she was different. She needed to be cautious all the time, especially when the day of the wedding was almost near.

Zenia knew that there were groups that were trying to stop the marriage between the two kingdoms. She had a hunch that more than three groups were against the political marriage, and she had some few good reasons in mind. She also knew that there were people who wanted the entire Anisen family dead.

The room that Vaughn had prepared for her had the same vibe as her room in the Anisen Manor. She smiled and admired the Crown Prince's attention to details. He must've asked the shadow guards about her preferences and incorporated them into the room.

'Is this going to be my room after we got married?'

Zenia ran her fingers through the line of books on the shelf. They were all about military strategies and medicines. The entire room made her relaxed. She picked up a book and went to her bed. She began flipping the pages when she heard a faint knocking on her door.

"Wait a minute, I'm coming. Who is it?" Zenia put on her robe and decided to put a veil on her face.

She was about to pick up a piece of cloth when the person at the other side of the door spoke, "It is I, my Crown Princess."

Zenia quickly opened the door without covering her face anymore. Vaughn was wearing his mask and was stunned at what he saw. For the first time, he saw Zenia up close in a woman's clothes and not wearing a disguise to conceal her face. She was remarkably beautiful beyond words.

Vaughn was blushing behind his mask. He did not expect that Zenia could be more beautiful than when she was dressed as a man back in the Principality of Ismund. She was not wearing any makeup at all, unlike most women he knew. She was not afraid to show her bare face – it was refreshing.

"Do come in, Your Highness."

Vaughn stepped into the room, and Zenia closed the door quickly. She knew that the Crown Prince came in secret. She was aware that nothing good would come out if someone learned that the Crown Prince went to see her in the middle of the night when they were yet to be married.

Vaughn took a seat, and Zenia somehow knew that it was the real Crown Prince who came. She felt a big difference between the aura of the Crown Prince that she met earlier and the Crown Prince that was sitting there at the moment.

"Vaughn will take you to see Mathilda tomorrow at the Royale Palace Inn. It is not good if anyone else will see you here."

"I understand it well, Your Highness."

Silence enveloped them. Actually, Vaughn had no plan to pay Zenia a visit. For some unknown reason, his feet seemed to carry him to the direction of Zenia's room. Whatever plan she may have, he decided to ask her in the morning as Big Brother Vaughn.

Zenia was getting impatient and was totally annoyed at the sudden appearance of the Crown Prince, who seemed to be bored to death. Now he was dragging her along with him by letting her experience a long streak of silence. She could even hear her own breathing.

Zenia could no longer take it and asked, "What brings you here, Your Highness?"

Zenia waited patiently for Vaughn to state his business, but she was feeling sleepy already.

Vaughn suddenly realized that he had been there for quite some time now, and Zenia was waiting for him to state the reason for his visit. Luckily, he was wearing a mask.

"I was hoping you will divulge your plan before and after the marriage." Vaughn wanted to kick himself for lack of creativity.

He could not think of a better reason other than what he just said. Now that he was facing Zenia, he just wanted to spend more time with her like they did when they traveled together.

The corner of Zenia's lips twitched. They could discuss it after the wedding. She was beginning to think that Tissuria was actually a weak kingdom that their Crown Prince could not rest properly unless he knew the plan.

In truth, she really did not want to discuss everything in detail to prevent it from leaking out. It would no longer be a secret mission when too many people knew it already.

"Your Highness, I still need to discuss everything with my brothers. We still need to see what will happen when they set off to Tissuria. I hope you understand."

Although Zenia sounded apologetic, Vaughn knew that she really did not want to discuss anything with him. He also felt that Zenia was guarded against him, the Crown Prince. She gave her Big Brother Vaughn a kind of warm feeling, which was a mile different from what she was giving him as her fiancé.

'Does she suspect me?' This thought popped in Vaughn's mind, and he suddenly sensed that he could be facing what was called calm before the storm.

With that, he bid Zenia goodnight and left dejectedly. He never should've visited Zenia in the first place.

In the following morning, Vaughn waited for Zenia to get dressed. He would accompany her to the Royale Palace Inn. Zenia requested for a man's clothing and wore the same disguise. They went to the Crown Prince's hall to bid goodbye. Ruvin saw her and was once more disappointed. He only waved his hand and Zenia knew that the current Crown Prince was a stand-in and in a very bad mood.

They reached the Royale Palace Inn after a few minutes. The awkwardness of last night was completely forgotten as Vaughn introduced Zenia to Mathilda and gave some instructions.

"I will leave her under your care, treat her well," Vaughn gave strict instructions to Mathilda.

"Don't worry, I will."

Mathilda was one of the few people who knew Vaughn's real appearance and identity. She was Vaughn's loyal nanny who saved Vaughn from the assassins when he was still a baby. She used her body to shield the young prince from a poisonous arrow. She almost lost her life if not for Vaughn's great grandfather.

"I will see you tomorrow," Vaughn uttered affectionately to Zenia and gave her a smile full of warmth.

The simple loving gesture did not escape Mathilda's eyes. She knew that Vaughn put great value on his bride.

"Hmm, I'll look forward to tomorrow." Zenia smiled back at him.

Although he was reluctant to part with Zenia, he was in a hurry to return to the palace because they gathered some information that Verone would come in the morning to seek an audience with King Tarendino. Vaughn already knew the reason for that – to convince the king about letting him marry her first.

* * * * *

"What a bunch of useless imbeciles! There were so many of you who ambushed them and yet you still failed to bring Ovid Anisen down. How come there are only a few of you left?"

Damien was so angry at the foiled plot. Their plans kept failing, one after another, and he was running out of ideas. Why did it seem like someone could always read his next move?

Damien was certain that the five people who were involved in the plot were trustworthy and loyal. He was sure that there was no mole in the group. Even though he did not trust Gustof and his master, they did not know anything about the things that occurred in the Principality of Ismund.

Besides, Damien knew too well that the masked man only wanted to use him and his men to take over Venetia, which was under the protection of Ovid Anisen. If they could kill Ovid Anisen, they would be able to weaken the military forces of Ishelon. Damien was certain that Ishelon would not bother with Venetia anymore.

"Your Highness, we are waiting for your next command."

"Go and find out Vaughn's next move!" Damien roared and threw the cup beside him.

'Vaughn, you think things are going your way? Your bride is still in Ishelon. Let's see if she can make it to your wedding.' Damien leered as he imagined Zenia's carriage falling off the cliff.

Meanwhile, the messenger that Gustof had sent finally reached his master.

"Master, boss Gustof wanted me to deliver this to you." The man handed a wrapped package over.

The masked man unwrapped the package and found that it was the token that he had given to Zenia.

"What happened to the young man that Gustof had recruited?"

"He died."

"When?"

"That… I'm not clear about it, master. Boss just gave that to me and said that when you ask about that young man I must tell you that he died."

"Where is Gustof now?"

"I don't know master."

The masked man gave the messenger a hard slap and roared, "Get out of here!"

The masked man clenched his fist. He was not certain whether that young man really died or not, but he was sure that Gustof already betrayed him.

"Someone, come!"

One of the masked man's shadowed guard appeared.

"What is your command, master?"

"Go and take some men with you to search for Gustof's family. They may still be at the place where they are staying. Go, now!"

"As you command, master." The shadow guard disappeared to carry out the order.

They went to the place where Gustof's family was staying and found no one. Most of their things were still in that house, but the mother and daughter were nowhere to be found.

"Search the nearby areas, they could still be here."

Everyone dispersed to look for Gustof's wife and child. At the time, Gustof and his family were on their way to Ishelon. They abandoned the horse that they were riding and joined a caravan. They were expected to reach Ishelon in two days.

* * * * *

When Vaughn reached the palace, a multitude of people had already gathered at the gate. Everyone was murmuring and all sorts of expressions could be seen on their faces.

"What's going on?"

"The Crown Prince's bride has arrived."

Vaughn went pale.

'Did someone discover Zenia?'