9 A False Funeral Without A Body 2

Dedicated to my editor, supporter and friend @Aysel_Inara.

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The maid that was in charge of Prince Lane's room knocked twice before entering the dark lit room. She squinted her eyes before she could spot a lone figure sitting by the window with his back towards her.

"Your Highness?" she called and waited for a response.

When she didn't get one, she called again, this time much higher than before.

"Your Highness, I brought your suit for tonight" she clutched the black cloth back in her hands. It's a weird thing to be in a room with someone and you're talking to him without getting an answer, it made the maid feel like a fool.

So she took a few steps forward and drop the suit on the messy bed with a sigh.

"I dropped it here, Your Highness. You are expected to be at the royal ground by nine" she said and left, closing the door as softly as she could.

The Prince stared down the window, looking outside where drizzles of rain was staining the castle. Just the way a raindrop fell on the window, a tear fell from the prince's green orbs.

"Lane"

Prince Lane didn't turn when his mother called him. Anyone could have easily gotten a shock with the manner she entered his room without a single sound but the prince was too deep in thought to even acknowledge his mother's presence.

"Have you no respect anymore? I, your mother and Queen just called you and you didn't even turn around?" the Queen's shocked voice filled the silent room.

"What is it that you want to say mother?" Queen Sania staggered back from the raw voice of her son. She has never heard a voice as melancholic as his.

"Lane, how long are you going to mourn? It's about time you forget about her and start preparing to rule the kingdom" She moved and sat besides him on the sofa facing the window.

"Forget?" Lane stood up and looked down at his mother.

"Forget what mother? It hasn't even been a week, how can I forget? It was just a few days ago here when I embraced her into my arms and you want me to forget. Will I ever forget?" He cracked out the last statement in pain as fresh tears dropped out his eyes again.

His mother stood and pulled him into her arms.

"Oh, my dear Lane. You can't mourn her death forever. She was the one that made the choice to go-" she didn't complete her sentence before the prince snapped his head up to look at her accusingly.

"No, you were the one who brought that stupid mission in the first place. You knew she wouldn't survive it yet you still let her go, you didn't even made a single attempt to talk her out of it. Why? Did you wanted her de--" the sound of a palm making contact with flesh resonated against the walls of the room.

Lane looked down as tears kept rushing out of his

eyes.

"Tashina has been my daughter since she was just a child. I raised her like my own and not once did I ever discriminate between you and her. She was the apple of my eye. I only suggested that deal because I knew it would be impossible, I wanted her to give up on ruling the kingdom without getting married first. I did it all just so I could save her, yet you dare accuse me of trying to get her killed?!!" the Queen's speech moved the prince's heart to feel a deep shame and guilt.

"I am sorry, mother. I didn't mean it that way. I am just so sad and confused. I don't know what to do without her!!" Lane moved forward to hug his mother and she stroked his hair.

"You do what Tashina always wanted. For the kingdom to be ruled in the best hands and I know only you are capable of that. As the only heir to the throne now, you have to behave accordingly and prove your worth, is that understood?"

"I will do as you ask, mother"

She planted a kiss on his forehead and gave him a wistful smile.

"Now put on your suit. It's almost time for the funeral. Let's give your sister her last rites in the best manner" she said and stepped out of the room.

The Prince looked at the suit, laying on his bed. The sudden urge to tear it apart into pieces passed through his veins.

As the Queen walked down the hall elegantly with her blonde hair in its usual extravagant bun and her black, raven dress flowing down the carpet, she calmed her restless heart.

Although Queen Sania didn't think twice before killing the princess. that didn't mean she doesn't have a heart. When she saw how her only son was so heartbroken about his sister's death, her heart ached tremendously.

'It's all for your own good Lane' she thought and shaked off any form of anxiety in her and put up her usual ever confident mask on.

"We are here to be part of the ceremony of loss of our Crown Princess who was brave, kind and loving to each and every one of us here. And also for the brave heroes who didn't think twice before putting their lives at risk to save the princess. Let's all observe a moment of silence for the dead"

The royal ground of South-Mairak was decorated with black flowers to bring out the gloomy emotions of a funeral. The king and queen were sitting at an elevated throne as they watched down on the people.

Everyone who were present, wearing black outfits, bowed their head and observe a minute of silence for their princess and soldiers. The throne close to the king's was visibly empty as the Prince hasn't arrived at the ground yet.

The Queen looked around nervously, waiting for her son while the king had lost all hope that he will be here tonight because even King Luther himself was barely able to sit in this devastating event.

"Stop"

Speak of the devil.

The entire ground went into deadly silence when they heard their prince. The old man that was muttering a pitiful elegy about the dead princess froze as everyone's eyes fell on Prince Lane.

"Stop this funeral" he marched down into the ground and stood in front of his parents.

"Lane" The Queen let a warning.

"How can you even call this a funeral when there is no body to be buried?"

"Father, you sent your men to find my sister's body but they didn't. How could they have found the rest of the soldiers bodies except Tashina's?".

"Bodies are often not found during ghastly fights. It's not out of the ordinary" The Queen said.

"Are you trying to say that perhaps a beast came and took her body away? In a mountain that no single creature dares step a foot on? I don't believe so" The Prince shaked his head.

"If we didn't find her body then she must still be alive, out there somewhere. We can't just give up like this, at least I won't"

"What do you suggest must be done, my prince?" King Luther that have been silent all this while spoke.

"I will set out to find her" the prince said with determination.

The vampires that have been silent up till now began to whisper when they heard the shocking declaration of their prince.

"Are you insane? I have already lost one child, I won't be losing another. Everyone has accepted the princess's death and you will" the Queen uttered.

"I will go out there to find my sister and bring her back to her kingdom. I wouldn't rest in peace until I do that, your Majesty"

"Would you say something to your son, Luther? He has gone completely mad" the Queen begged her husband to persuade their son from doing something that could take his life.

"Is that what will put your heart at rest?" the King asked his son in a calculative voice.

"Yes, your Majesty" Prince Lane bowed.

"Then go"

"Luther!" the Queen stood up and stared at her husband and son that seemed to have lost their minds.

"Go but promise you will be back in a week if you didn't find her or anything clue relating to her. You will come back and learn how to be a King" Even King Luther didn't believe that his daughter was dead, that was why he was giving his son a chance to find his supposedly dead daughter.

"I promise you, father. I will find my sister" he said with certainty.

"You will not be going anywhere and that's final!!" the Queen yelled but the prince turned as though he didn't hear her and started to walk out of the ground.

"Guards, stop him!"

In the order of the Queen, five heavily armored guards came and stood as a wall to prevent the prince from moving any further.

"Stop me and you will be my dinner" The Prince menacingly glared at the guards.

Due to the ferocity behind the prince's voice, they made way for him to pass without another thought.

Prince Lane stepped out of the ground and embarked on the journey to find his missing sister.

The question was will he be able to find her and bring her back to her kingdom?

With uncertainty bleeding out of his feet, he didn't stop to look back at his grief-stricken mother.

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