The Mountains of Death

Princess Sofia held the teacup while her thoughts were busy strolling around the name her bodyguard had uttered last night; Heinrich. 

If the man Heinrich had stepped into the Mountains of Death, there was no coming back. But the Princess just couldn't understand why a grown man would enter those mountains. There was no way he didn't know the terror around those mountains. 

"Princess Sofia," The King called her out. "You look troubled." 

It was a custom to have meals together with family hence the entire Royal Family would always have meals together, no matter what happened in the internal and external court. 

Spacing out while having breakfast with family wasn't like herself, so Princess Sofia was quickly brought back to reality. 

"Nothing to worry about, Your Majesty." Princess Sofia replied. "I am just a little tired from yesterday's strolls." 

"Going out every day is not necessary." The Queen scowled. 

"My Queen," The King frowned at her, "Do not constrict the Princess." He ordered.  "Killian," 

"Yes, Your Majesty." Killian, who was standing behind the Princess, bowed. 

"Make sure the Princess returns to the Palace before sunset every time." He ordered, "Is that okay?" Then proceeded to ask his daughter. 

"Yes, Your Majesty." Princess Sofia smiled, "Thank you for your boundless generosity." 

The Queen turned her eyes away from the Princess. The Consort and the Crown Prince shared a glance or two. No one present in the hall liked the King's boundless mercy toward the Princess. She had the pass to do everything, at any time and for as long as she desired. 

"Your Majesty," Princess Sofia called him. 

"Yes, my Princess?" He replied gently. 

"May I dare ask your respected audience after breakfast?" She asked, hoping to ask for his help. 

Killian frowned behind her, knowing exactly what she was thinking. 

"Of course!" But the King loved his daughter a little too much. "Come to my garden." 

"I will, Your Majesty." She smiled back at him. 

After breakfast, the servants escorted Princess Sofia as per the agreement. Killian was tempted to follow her as well and she didn't object to it either. 

"My lady," Killian sighed, "Reconsider your words." 

Princess Sofia looked at him from the corner of her eyes as he walked alongside her. 

"You know what excuse I made when Maya asked me who I was thinking about?" She asked him nonchalantly. 

"What, my lady?" 

"I told her I was thinking about you." 

Before Killian could even react to it, they reached the King's garden and Princess Sofia walked inside without hearing his response. All her servants, Killian alongside, were required to stand by the gate of the garden unless told otherwise. 

The King's garden was precious to the King. Gardening was his pastime hobby. Only the Royal Family entered it occasionally - the regular visitors being the King himself and his beloved daughter. 

"My Princess!" The King opened his arms wide and hugged his daughter as she walked inside the garden. 

Princess Sofia walked right into the King's arms and received his heartfelt hug, his never-ending love, and his boundless grace. 

"What is it that my beautiful Princess desires?" The King asked, holding his daughter's arms with his hands as gently as possible. 

"I have a request, Your Majesty." She uttered hesitantly. 

"What is it?" The King was all ears, ready to bring the most expensive stone for his daughter. 

"During yesterday's stroll, I saw a commoner with a quill. The quill looked unique and I wanted it but the man disappeared into the Mountains of Death." The Princess twisted her words and put forth her request. 

"A quill?" The King raised an eyebrow, "I shall get my Princess the most expensive quill there is to offer." 

"I do not think that quill can be duplicated. I have never seen anything like that ever." The Princess tried to divert the King's attention to that particular quill. "What if it is from the past civilization? If so, should it not be with Miraculum as an artifact? If other nations got their hands on it before us, our economy would suffer against theirs." 

The King hummed to give it a thought, "If the quill is in the Mountains of Death, how can the other nations get their hands on it when we cannot? The Mountains lie in Miraculum and are off-limits. I do not understand how a commoner made his way there when it was so strictly protected. However, people from other nations can never enter." 

"If a commoner entered just like that, how can we be sure that others would not enter?" The Princess raised her concerns, "Your Majesty, order your servants to look for the quill in the surroundings of the mountains. They do not have to go inside, just search the surroundings." 

The King was forced to think about it once again, "A few people going inside for a valuable artifact would not harm us either." 

"Yes!" 

"I will see to it. Rest assured." 

With that, the Princess walked out of the garden with a victorious smile. 

"My lady, what became of the conversation?" Killian asked her right away. 

She smiled brightly, "His Majesty will find the man for me." 

"Impossible." Killian failed to believe. 

"Huh?" The Princess raised an eyebrow, "Why are you so upset?" 

Killian shook his head, "I am not." 

"You are." 

"I am not upset, my lady. I am worried." Killian clarified it. "I did not mention it because I felt it was unnecessary to worry you, however, the man you are searching for is strange. While searching for him, I heard all sorts of things about him. I cannot believe His Majesty agreed to find him for you. Allow this servant to ask His Majesty to change his mind." 

"Killian," Princess Sofia said, "I never asked His Majesty to search for the man. I asked His Majesty to search for the quill. The quill will bring me the man. I only have a set of questions I want to ask. After that, I will let the man go." She explained. 

"Is one of the questions going to be about marriage?" Killian asked blatantly. 

She frowned, "That is none of your business."