25 Lies After Lies

"You lost her?" King Maximillian snarled, grabbing his hair in disappointment.

The clock just struck past 12 noon.

After the guards arrived in the castle with nothing but failure to report, King Maximillian called for his sentries to enlighten him about the debacle.

He was wordless with rage. He risked his image and country to do the Vervalian royalty a favor, and they couldn't even get it right.

If the wrong person discovered what happened last night, it would have been the end of them.

His son, he saw it. But he wasn't an 'other'. King Maximillian was sure he could still talk some sense into him. If only he was here, but he's gone and it's because of these three flops.

The only best thing that happened was that most of the castle functions were already active after no signs of threat were identified after last night's patrol.

The Great Hall was still in fiascos, though. But the castle already began its reconstruction as soon as most of the staffs were back to their normal duties.

A few of the personnel and guests raised questions when they noticed the prince and princess were missing after getting out of the underground keep. Even the princess's siblings had something to say. They were curious but confused at the most.

The King and Queen had no other option than to announce the distressing news at first light.

The statement said:

"Vervalian princess to face criminal charges for Windamere Castle bombing

CAPITOL, Vervali - Allyria Estella Aleshkovsky, 19, is charged guilty behind the September 20 bombing incident in Windamere Castle, Capitol that killed 13 people and injured 45 others, King Averardus Aleshkovsky said on Sunday.

As of writing, the princess is still on the run along with the prince of Cesparia, Kaius Vansandair who is suspected to be abducted following the recent attempt of the princess to end the marriage agreement.

The castle has already sent a search party for the missing royals.

Moreover, a bounty of 100,000 qintars will be offered to anyone with information of Allyria Aleshkovsky's whereabouts."

Printed in newsletters and tabloids, the information was disseminated so fast that even the neighboring countries were already aware.

The castle forces couldn't believe the news. It was so sudden. They never saw Allyria as a threat, but the story was thread so well that it made them easy to believe.

"So?" King Maximillian waited for a response.

The guards were eyeing at each other, shoving one another as no one had the intention of speaking for the group.

Finally, one guard stepped forward and braved his fear, "I apologize, Your Highness. It was–"

"I don't need your apology. I need the princess executed. And my son..."

"We couldn't stop him. He–"

"So you had to bring him along? It was my son you took," he pointed to himself, his voice low, rumbling, but louder than he had intended, "My son!"

The guards took a shameful bow, they already lost two of their companions but they couldn't think about that now.

"Get out of my face and don't come back unless you already have them in your grasp," those were his last words and walked out.