PALACE GROUNDS

When Robert went to look for Gabriella in one of the concert halls set up within the broad palace courtyard to deliver an urgent message from the serene highness that required her presence, he was certain that he had heard from the royal maidservants that she hadn't been seen around the palace grounds for at least four hours after sunrise and was sure that he only got to know of her return back to the palace when he was informed of her arrival in the hot afternoon but It was only when he had to wait until he had completely settle matters with the palace press director that he had the perfect chance to visit her chamber which was located at the east wing of the palace building. After a long walk to eastern section of the broad palace, Robert finally found himself striding within the corridors of the east wing leading to the heiress's chambers. He didn't mind the fact that it was usually luxuriously silent in this part of the palace and kept heading to where the heiress's chamber lies though he was feeling a bit uncomfortable having to walk through the same corridor twice in a single day.

As he had done earlier several hours of ago, he knocked thrice as soon as he arrived at the door of the heiress' chamber to ensure that the report which he obtained from the royal maid that she was inside her private quarters was not a hoax.

"Come in." Gabriella promptly replied from within after hearing the knock on the door. Robert walked in unsure if he was intruding and found Gabriella almost dressed up in one of her elegant red suits and trousers. He found her sitting on one corner of the bed whilst fixing one of her golden earrings on her left ear which she was finding it difficult to put on.

"Am I interrupting?" Robert asked easing his posture as he stood aloof behind her.

"Not at all." Gabriella replied still battling to fix the earrings while looking away from the face of the intruder who was quite transfixed and perplexed as to why she was struggling to fix a single earring but he knew what he came for and wasn't going to distract himself with unnecessary chatter although at first, he had to make sure he knows what Gabriella was up to all dressed up elegantly in an obvious apparel that she was heading out.

"Are you headed somewhere?" Robert asked curiously despite knowing the obvious.

"Obviously, I am leaving." She replied faintly, trying to hide her irritation.

"I see." He replied, thinking on how to begin with interrogating about her whereabouts.

"I figured you have something to say to me, isn't that right, Robert?" she asked unexpectedly which caught Robert slightly off guard.

"To be sincere, your grace, I do have a word to speak to you about." He said not minding the fact that he was facing her back."

"Go on and speak but please try not to be too formal and feel free to express what you have to say." She said after perceiving Robert's formality in his statement. Since Childhood, she had never like the personality of behaving according to the formal nominal etiquettes within the palace grounds particularly manners of being a royal princess which she had to put up with in order to perform a lot of her ceremonial duties along with her father but she had to live with the way the maidservants and the guards including her father's personal secretary had to behave when addressing them on matters of great importance which resolves around the way things were being operated in the prince's palace. She had never fancied the extreme formality of the court within the sovereign house and wished her father had authorized the reduction of such formality but she knew it was almost completely usual for the royal family to be treated with utmost formal respect and every officer, particularly her father's personal secretary was drilled to suit the palace's etiquette system. It was one thing she had to accommodate with whenever Robert or the maidservants had to talk to her. Even she had to adapt to the formal occasional meetings of the palace guards whose words were never informal whenever she come across them during formal events within the palace.

"I appreciate your patience with my manners and I will make sure to be less formal in explaining my intentions." Robert said further unwilling to concede to the princess's request.

"Just go ahead and say it." Gabriella said with utter frustration. As a result, the earrings she had been trying to fix on her ears, fell from her hand and she let out a deep groan. Robert was taken aback by this and watched her bend down to pick up the earring before she sat back on the bed.

"Pardon me for the delay, your grace. I'll try to be brief."

"Yes, please." She replied returning back to sit down on the bed after finding the missing earring.

"I've noticed that you were absent from the palace the entire morning…."

"And?" she asked, knowing what Robert actually had in mind to say.

"And it has come to my discovery that you snuck out to fulfill one of your greatest wild adventures." He explained further. At once, Gabriella stopped what she was doing and turned to face Robert.

"By wild adventures, you mean…?" Gabriella asked pretending not to know what Robert actually meant.

"Princess, you know exactly what I mean." He replied and stopped talking despite perceiving that Gabriella was slightly infuriated by his statement.

"Are you referring to my own free time in partaking in a music concert a wild adventure or is there a misconception here?" She desperately inquired.

"Trust me, I mean no harm by stating my honest opinion about your recent disappearances which has gotten frequent."

"But yet unnoticed." She rejoined.

"Until now", Robert retorted, "I'm sure you are aware that your father would be furious if he finds out about this charade."

"Robert, you can't be serious. My music career has never been a topic to talk about."

"Oh, yes, it hasn't but what happened today rightly questions how you set your priorities." Robert replied, unfazed by Gabriella's stare which quickly transformed to that of curiosity rather than a face of contempt.

"Tell me, did I miss something?" she inquired, suspecting Robert knew more than his unusual reproaches.

"Of course, your grace, a brief press conference was held in the palace ground this morning and your father wanted you to be part of that conference but you were unavailable." Robert explained and Gabriella returned his stare with a guilty look. "His serene highness had to invite the Chief of Staff to speak in your stead."

He explained further and Gabriella was speechless.

"I hope he wasn't mad that I wasn't present when he needed me although it was the first time."

"I'm not sure but your father was greatly annoyed of your disappearance."

"Of course, he must be infuriated right now, anything else?"

"He also requested an audience with you as soon as he returns back."

"As expected of him." She whispered to herself. "I'll make sure I go see him when he comes back."

"Then I'll be on my way. If you'll excuse me, I'll be leaving your room now."

Robert said politely and left Gabriella wondering on what to do without saying another word.