Ch 12: Missing Princess

"How can she do that mother?!," Prince Maticus questioned his mother as she stepped away from the radar and went back to take her seat on the throne.

"Where's Latifa!. Guards!, Maid, Go call Princess Latifa for me," Prince Maticus commanded. Just then Princess Latifa came downstairs from the women's quarters and went to the hall. "What's going on brother?," She asked as she came into the living room turned meeting room, standing in front of her brother and mother.

"I should be the one asking you, have you seen Tata, Where's she?," Prince Maticus questioned.

"How am I too know?. I haven't seen her either. I can't remember the last time I saw her too..," Princess Latifa replied as she elegantly went back to take her seat on the couch.

"Latifa!."

"What?!," She turned. to stare at her brother.

"I haven't seen Tata, where's she mother?," She asked her mother.

"Maticus you need to calm down, I think she's safe and fine wherever she might be, let's just calm down and search for her," Queen Antonia said and Prince Maticus sighed.

"Guards!," he called on the guards as he stepped away from the blank white wall and went back to the living room which was a hall. The head guard Martin came in and he ordered, "Send the guards to search the whole town for Princess Tata and bring her back here, go now find her!."

Princess Latifa stood up and walked up to meet him. "You need to take it easy brother, probably she decided to leave this palace for us who knows.."

"Latifa!," Prince Maticus turned to stare at his younger sister. He liked her too but he wanted Tata to be the queen. It was his fault, he shouldn't have fallen for Latifa's charms now she ruined his chances. He went back to his chambers and she followed him. Reaching his room he stepped in and she came inside his room too.

"Latifa this is not the time for. this, we need to find out sister," Prince Maticus said, not turning backward to stare at her as he felt her presence. "I know," She replied him and went to take a sit on his bed.

"You have always known I want to become queen and yet you're picking on Tata over me.."

"Latifa!, Let's just hope you don't have a hand in Tata's disappearance from this palace.."

She ignored him and stretched her legs placing them on his bed.

"I gave you everything. I gave you two sons and yet you want to humiliate me.. "

"Latifa!.." Prince Maticus turned to stare at her and she bursted out into tears, something he hated as her tears could cause the rain. He walked closer to her on the bed to comfort her as she was crying, even though it was fake tears.

"Am sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you, just that I don't want anything bad to happen to Tata either, we need to find her."

"I know.," Princess Latifa finally calmed and wipe off her tears, she stood up from his bed and walked towards his door and said, "I really don't know where she's is but am.certain she's fine and safe as I can still feel her energy." Then she left his chambers and went out back to her room.

Prince Maticus later came downstairs to see the report of the first set of guards that had been sent to search for princess Tata. They came back without her and he was losing his patience

"Go find her again, search all the houses and bring her here, Go!," He ordered the guards to leave. His coronation was in five days time and he couldn't skip it or postpone the date. As they must perform some cleansing ritual and sacrifice to crown him as the new king. He shook his head getting impatient and decided to summon for the royal priest to search for her..

"Why not wait for the guards to complete their search first before inviting the priest," Queen Antonia said as she heard him instructing Setus to go call on the royal priest.

"Mother!, Haven't I waited enough. My coronation is in five days time."

"I know but what has that got to do with Tata's disappearance..?" Queen Antonia questioned as she wasn't aware of Prince Maticus proposal to Princess Tata.

Prince Maticus sighed ignoring his mother's question and turned to Setus, "Invite the royal priest to visit us tomorrow, he's needed in this palace."

"Okay my prince," Setus replied and left to carry out the prince's orders.

"You haven't answered my question Maticus," Queen Antonia said. "Do you know why your sister left this palace?," she questioned him again.

"Mother, I don't really know. But she needs to be found as she didn't give any of us notice of where she's gone too. Let's just search for her."

"Okay, " Queen Antonia replied, still sitting on her throne and he left his mother and went back to his own chambers.

Princess Latifa came downstairs to meet her mother as she overheard her conversation with Prince Maticus.

"Are you minding him mother?," Princess Latifa's voice was heard as she took the stairs. "Ain't you aware that he wants to make Tata queen?."

"WHAT!," Queen Antonia turned to look at her daughter as she approached the throne. "No he wouldn't do that. You are in the rightful position to become the next queen, not Tata."

"I know mother. Remember cousin brother proposed to Tata, but Maticus didn't accept of it as he also wanted her."

"What are you talking about Latifa?. Tata is to marry Joel," Queen Antonia said

"I know mother but Maticus was planning to crown her Queen on his coronation day," Princess Latifa stated and Queen Antonia stared at her in shock.

"No he wouldn't do that. Was that why she left this palace. You are the next queen not your sister. He cannot marry you both. It's Forbidden."

"Okay mother, is a good thing Tata left, and am.glad she took the right decision. This will be in my favor and I really appreciate her for that. I cannot think of the humiliation I would face if she was crowned."

"Enough Latifa!. I don't believe you. Your brother wouldn't do that. He knows our custom better than you do." Queen Antonia stared at her first daughter with blazing eyes and Princess Latifa stood up from the couch to leave the living room

"Okay mother, If you didn't believe me is okay. But am glad she left. I beg to take my leave now mother." She bowed at her mother and left, going out of the royal mansion and outside to the garden.

Queen Antonia was quiet about the information she just received, she wouldn't believe that. No she wouldn't. She stood up and left the living room and retired to her chamber.

The following morning, The royal priest arrived at the palace and waited downstairs at the meeting hall which was also the living room. Other members of the royal family and the extended families also arrived at the meeting hall and waited for the crown prince to arrive as they took their respective seat.

Queen Antonia went and sat on her throne seat while her mother sat on her extended right. Other relatives also sat on their respective seat and waited for Prince Maticus to arrive. Later he came downstairs with Princess Latifa walking behind him and they went and sat beside their mother in the their respective seat facing the rest while the royal priest placed a mat on the floor at the center of the large hall and sat down.