Trapped

Lyn and her maids arrived at the princess royal's quarters as always the place looks quiet and deserted, Lyn suddenly thought of ways to make the place sparkling again, she was the oldest surviving member of the dynasty, and she can't be living like some old abandoned maid. Lyn thought as a soft smile appears on her face.

"The Queen is here on a visit," Pana announced boldly. The pride of serving the queen does get to her sometimes since it considers the highest position among the palace maids.

"Your Highness, the princess royal wanted to have a walk but run into the old palace. I'm afraid her old memories are coming back and she refuses to leave," the maid said bowing her head sounding almost convincing.

"Why will you leave her there alone? Lead the way!" Lyn ordered worried her situation might get worse if she remembers things from the best. Sometimes forgetting could be bliss. She thought.

"Your Highness," the maid nervously mumbled going on her knees.

"What now?" Lyn asked. "Your Highness, I'm afraid the princess royal will hide and it will be difficult to find her when she hears too many footsteps," the maid informed.

"Fine, I will go alone, you can stay behind," Lyn replied taking the basket of cookies from Pana.

"But you can't go alone your highness, what will happen to us if the king finds out?" Pana protested.

"Nothing, tell him I ordered you to stay behind," Lyn ordered taking the basket from her as she walks towards the old palace. The maid calls after her but she didn't stop.

"Your Highness," Lyn stop on the way to ask two maids where the old palace was located.

"Tell me which way leads to the old palace?" Lyn questioned with their gaze still lowered to the ground.

"To the left, your highness," they replied after staring at each other. Lyn smiles and happily went her way.

Jetaime and Byron were going over some military strategic plans. They spent the entire day at the secret chamber making plans. Only people with military power can enter there except one person.

Madam Yina walks in after the guard at the door had announced her coming.

"Is everything alright? Is the queen okay? You look worried." While standing at the entrance without taking any step further, Jetaime asked her.

"The...the queen," Madam Yina hissed nervously.

"What new trouble has she gotten herself into now?" Jetaime slammed the table with full force making Madam Yina startled. He didn't know what got to him.

"S-she went missing, your highness," Madam Yina muttered.

"Missing? What do you mean by missing??" Jetaime roars running his hand through his hair for God knows how many times.

"Is she a piece of jewelry that is missing from the palace," Byron added shocked as well.

"You had one job and that was to look after her," Jetaime screamed at Madam Yina, the poor woman already felt guilty and was on the verge of crying but she knew crying now wasn't going to find her.

"Now is not the time for blame games, please tell us what happened?" Byron asked much more calmly walking to weeping Madam Yina.

"I was told she went to visit Princess Royal but the maids can't find her after," Madam Yina narrated what she was told. They quickly left to find her.

"Apparently, the maids left her alone to visit the princess at the old palace, it was getting dark. The princess royal returned but the queen didn't, that was when the maids check the old palace but found her missing," Byron mumbled explaining what he found out to the king.

"The guards did not see her going out of the boundary. So, she must still be inside the palace," Byron added.

"Let's go I will look for her myself," Jetaime said leading the way. 'I swear once I get hold of her, I was going to kick her sweet self to the old palace for good since she likes to play hide and seek over there, ' Jetaime angrily thought.

Reaching the old palace, Jetaime and the rest of the guards searched everywhere in the old palace but was nowhere to be found. Jetaime didn't know why he was starting to feel a terrible sensation in the pit of his stomach.

They started searching all the chambers around the area, the guest chambers, private chambers, and the storerooms, Hell! Where was she? Did she run away because I was about to take other wives? Jetaime thought when he turn to the left side leading to the old chamber that once belong to the former queen, Jetaime's mother.

He walks in that direction and saw a few cookies on the floor, he takes it and smelled it. He realized it was still fresh. They search all the rooms there except his mother's private chamber.

Jetaime pushes the door but it seems to be locked.

"Bring me the keys to this room," Jetaime ordered the guards guarding the area.

Within a few minutes, the guard came with a set of keys and started trying them one by one. Jetaime's patience was running thin with each passing minute.

"Will you open the door already?" Jetaime yells making the guard more nervous than he already was. "Y-Yes," he whispered finally getting the right key. At least when the door was open he went inside. He ran a careful gaze in the room.

No. She wasn't there. They were about to turn and leave when they smell something odd. A smell of smoke but they couldn't tell where it was coming from.

"Your Highness, the smoke is coming from the other side of the wall," Byron whispered covering his nose. Jetaime thought for a while and remembered her mother's chamber had a secret door that leads to his father's chamber.

He quickly started moving things from the wall, Byron effortlessly help him not knowing what he was looking for.

They finally found the secret door and went through it. On his hunch, the former King's chamber was on the blaze.

Without thinking twice Jetaime knocks down the door. The fire was high making them step back.

Byron tried to stop the king from entering but was in vain he ended up joining him as they search for the queen in the room that was on the blaze.

Smoke was starting to fill up their lungs making them cough. Jetaime turn around to one corner and saw a thin figure lying on the floor unconscious. Jetaime's heart skipped a beat when he saw her in that state.

He carried her in his arms as Byron made way for them to escape the room. They escape through the secret door back to her mother's chamber.

Byron pulls the white sheet covering the couch. Jetaime slowly lay unconscious Lyn on the couch.

"Lyn," Jetaime gently calls her and held her wrist. He taps her face a few minutes making her half conscious. Lyn yanks his arm away feebly.

The room was dark and she presumed it was her attackers.

Jetaime slowly pulls her towards him.

"Please. Don't touch me. Let me go. Please let me go," Lyn mumbled still half-conscious.

"Lyn, it's me. You are safe now." Jetaime hissed moving away a strand of hair from her face.

"Lyn look at me," Jetaime cupped her cheeks with his palm. "Don't get scared. No one will harm you while I am here," Jetaime assured her softly.

"Who did this to you? Tell me," Jetaime asked already knowing the answer. He tired her messy hair at her back. She could hardly open her eyes, looking at Jetaime, her lower lip cringing like a child.

"She needs the physician right now, my lord," Byron reminded him.

"Yes," he mumbled carrying her in his arms.

No! That was not possible. She was in my palace under my protection. Yet they dare to do something like this. Jetaime was extremely mad and was determined not to spare the culprit.