4 Run

<p>David and Astraea had to walk since the horses they rode to the small town had been stolen. Of course, because she was indoors and didn't have to do anything for herself, Astraea had a small amount of stamina. And, to David's delight, he has carried her at times, but she is eager to improve herself, so she toughs it out most of the time.<br/>They had passed a few merchants and asked for directions to the nation governed by the most powerful monarch, and thankfully, they arrived at a small town that was believed to be the home country of the only and strongest vampire-witch in existence.<br/><br/>Astraea was panting profusely. David reached out to pick her up, but she went to sit down on the grass beside the road on the way they were travelling. David shook his head in sadness before reprimanding and reminding himself that she had already decided to marry the king.<br/><br/>David strolled up to where she was sitting on the grass and extended his arms and legs. David was delighted to feel the sudden release of his muscles. David grinned to himself before laying down on the grass, which felt nice on his skin and temporarily made him forget about all that had occurred today. Before he went out like a light, he had a serene smile on his face.<br/>Astraea gave him a quick glance before collapsing on the grass alongside him. She glanced up at the bright blue sky, devoid of clouds, and wished her life was as clear and pretty. Astraea offered a sorrowful grin as she stole another peek at the peaceful-looking David.<br/><br/>Astraea realized David wasn't simply looking after her because she was his princess. She was aware that he harbored romantic sentiments for her. Astraea had spent her whole life imprisoned in the palace, but she wasn't stupid and was adept at reading people. Astraea had no emotions other than appreciation for David, which caused her to have conflicting feelings.<br/><br/>Astraea was a little disturbed that she didn't like David as much as he liked her. David has been nothing but kind to her and has risked his life to aid her when he could have stayed in the secure castle and assisted her brother in whatever he was up to. Unfortunately, she was unable to persuade herself to like the lad.<br/><br/>The second issue was that she was relieved she didn't like him, and for good reason: with her fate fixed in stone, Astraea was destined to marry the king of the nation, and liking him may have produced issues in the future. Astraea pondered if she would come to love the king or whether he would come to love her. She then wondered how she intends to persuade him to marry her. Astraea sighed as she realized she had no ideas at all.<br/><br/>Astraea sighed and closed her tired eyes, falling asleep for a few moments.<br/><br/>_____________________________<br/><br/>"Did you find her?" In the council room, Prince Astrophel sat in the chair at the head of the table and questioned the man who had disturbed their crucial meeting.<br/><br/>"No, your highness, but we discovered that they were seeking instructions to the country of Zlork." We think the princess intends to dwell for a while. Astrophel gave a nod.<br/><br/>"Send a few guards after her, the guard who stole her is strong, and if the princess is harmed, I will have your heads." The man quickly exited the room, and Astrophel turned to face the council members, gesturing for them to begin their work.<br/><br/>"With all due respect, your majesty, I believe you are hastening the coronation." Jafar, one of the oldest council members and one of the few who believes Astrophel assassinated the king and queen, stated.<br/><br/>"Jafar, I believe we should hasten the coronation in order to minimize misunderstanding among the inhabitants of Valens in the absence of the royal family."<br/><br/>"You say to avoid uncertainty," Anastasia, the youngest council member, said, "but wouldn't they be puzzled by the rapid change of kings?"<br/><br/>Astrophel made eye contact with Anastasia, who flushed at the unexpected eye contact. When Astrophel saw this, he scowled but made no comment on her conduct. "We should issue a statement stating that King Alon is ill and has chosen to designate me as King sooner than planned."<br/><br/>Astrophel came to a halt and peered around the council for a reaction. He proceeded since they appeared to be deep in contemplation. "Until we find out who killed the King and Queen, and the only clue we have is the guard who abducted my sister,"<br/><br/>Since what prince Astrophel was saying made sense, the council members nodded in accord. "Furthermore, I believe we should issue the announcement tomorrow and have the coronation in two days," Astrophel said. Some council members still believe it is too hurried, but they have agreed to go along with it until they find the princess and figure out who killed the King and Queen.<br/><br/>Astraea sat up and opened her eyes. Her tummy let out a furious growl as soon as she did. She blushed in shame when she noticed David staring at her. Astraea stood up and smoothed the back of her gown. When Astraea crossed the road, David stood up and dusted his bottom before following her. "If we need to get some food quickly, we need to start heading to town."<br/><br/>Astraea nodded, and they resumed their journey. When Astraea spotted a town gate up ahead with a sign above it stating 'Welcome to Zlork,' she exhaled in relief. A large grin crept across Astraea's face as she went over to the gate, speeding up her pace, and ran over to it.<br/><br/>She was stopped at the gate by the guards. "Pay the fee," Astraea considered. Astraea had a few gold coins left over from her previous trip to town, but she didn't know how much the charge was, and she needed money to pay for meals for both herself and David. She grinned as she realized she hadn't returned her ID to her room.<br/><br/>She reached into her pocket and brought out the card, which she showed to the guards. Astraea's image was on the ID card, along with her name, title, and her parents' names and signatures. The guard's eyes widened when he saw the card, which couldn't be a forgery because no one could replicate Royal's signature. "We apologize for the inconvenience, princess," they said as they bowed. "If we're not going too far, may we inquire why the princess is here without the King and Queen?"<br/><br/>David had caught up to her by this point, and he was the one who answered the question. "We went out for a bit and were separated from their majesties," the guard explained, he let them in by opening the gate. They didn't think twice about going inside.<br/><br/>When they were gone, the guard nodded to the other guard beside him and walked away. The soldier went to the castle, pausing every now and then for a rest. When he arrived at the palace, he knelt and placed his hands on his knees. Panting excessively, he reached out to a nearby servant and whispered the message to her. She nodded and proceeded to deliver the message to the king.<br/><br/>When the servant was eventually granted an audience with the king, the guards unlocked the entrance to the throne room, and she entered with her head down. One of the two thrones was occupied by a 20-year-old guy. Next to him was an empty one for the queen. With disdain, he glanced down at the servant. She bowed and passed on the message. "The princess of Valens has just arrived in the nation and has stated that she has been estranged from her family."<br/><br/>"Oh?" The king grinned, his eyes mischievous as he spotted a chance to launch a conflict. The gleam of life could be seen in his eyes as he envisioned the slaughter he misses on the battlefield.<br/>________________________________<br/><br/>Many people have praised Astraea on her looks, and she has smiled and thanked them. There have even been a few men who have proposed to Astraea, promising her a luxurious life, but David has scared them all away. They inquired for directions till they found themselves in front of a little eatery. The scent seeping through the closed door of the dining restaurant caused Astrea's stomach to grumble once again.<br/><br/>They entered and sat at the first available table. A waitress approached the two and handed Astraea and David a menu card, asking what they wanted to eat. Astraea and David bought the cheapest food they could find in order to save money for the next day. The meal for both of them cost one silver cent in total. When Astraea spotted 40 large gold coins with the royal seal on them, she scowled and pulled one out, inquiring how much it was worth.<br/><br/>The waitress' mouth dropped to the floor as she told Astraea that it was worth 10 times the value of little gold coins, and that the small gold coins were very valuable. Astraea reached out with one of the coins to pay the girl, but she was stopped. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but there aren't enough gold coins to give you your change."<br/><br/>"Uhm...keep it,". She handed the girl the royal gold coin, and you could see dollar signs in her eyes as she beamed, accepted the money, and thanked Astraea.<br/><br/>"I appreciate it...Uhm..."<br/><br/>"Astraea"<br/><br/>"Thank you so much. My name is Alice." The waiter smiled and walked away from the table. Astraea and David ate their food quietly before getting up and leaving the eatery. When they stepped outside, they noticed a few persons dressed in guards' uniforms with the royal seal on them, and the guards recognized them almost instantly. The guards spotted Astraea and began approaching her.<br/><br/>David gave Astraea a sidelong glance and mumbled one word.<br/><br/>"Run."</p>

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