16

The sounds of birds chirping filled the air and my usual wake up time had not exceeded, it was still early morning and the sun had barely made its way to the sky yet.

I forget that I was at the cottage soI ran out of the room to get the Princess's morning tea, the hallway looked different but it took a while before I remembered that I wasn't at the palace.

That still didn't stop me from going towards the entrance, and prayed I'll meet the sorceress who may be of help, the princess would needed the tea to relax after the painful experience of the previous night.

I remembered the last night as well and stared at my foot in awe, I remembered the sudden loss of control over my own body after staring into Allesio's eyes and worse I remembered being told that there would be a future between me and Allesio and my I frowned.

As I got there, she sat at the fire place as usual but there wasn't any fire burning, just charcoals from the wood burnt the previous night, and ashes scattered all over the fire place, She just sat there and stared at it and in my mind I thought,

"This lady must be insane,"

"Believe what you want Sage, but an old lady like me can never be insane,"

My body trembled at her words, I had to learn to control my thoughts since it she could read them.

"Good morning wise one," I greeted her just like Allesio does.

"You have come to request for tea for the princess I see, have you checked if the princess is still asleep in the place you left her last night?" Her questions confused me.

She was right by the way, I walked out of the room without checking on the princess but I didn't think she could have disappeared over the night.

"I do not understand what you mean wise one but do you by any chance have the tea?" I inquired.

"You don't listen do you Sage? Go check on the Princess first and then return for the tea if you see her," She said and I didn't argue further.

I walked away grudgingly, and wondered why she asked me to do such thing, I was certain that she was insane. When I came out earlier I was lost in my thoughts that I didn't know when I got to the end but returning, it seemed like the same hallway I faced in the Palace.

I had no time to stroll or lazy around so I ran until I was at the door, I opened it up with confidence but was dump struck when the princess was absent.

I felt scared and rushed into the room, scattered the bed and checked every corner and searched for the princess, I knocked gently on the bathroom door but never got a response and I opened it and she wasn't there either.

My heart skipped a beat and I dashed out of the room towards Allesio's. I knocked roughly and loudly so that he would opens up immediately.

"What is it?" He roared at me and opened the door faster than my knuckles could knock on them.

"The princess is missing!" I exclaimed in panic and he was shocked as well.

"Missing! Excuse me," He brushed past me and ran into our room, he checked everywhere I checked but not even a trace of thr princess was seen.

"How don't you know where she went to?" He questioned me in a harsh tone.

I responded almost crying "I don't know, the sorceress told me she wasn't here anymore and when I came back to check on her she was gone-

"How?" He interjected and I couldn't control myself so I yelled back

"Don't question me like this Allesio, we should find her and fast please," I cried but he grabbed my hand before I could say my last words and dashed out of the room hastily.

We got to the entrance in no time where the sorceress still sat without a care in the world, it surprises me because how could a woman who claimed to be so powerful know about the Princess's disappearance and do nothing about it?

"Good morning wise one," Allesio greeted and she responded by standing up with a smile on her face.

I felt disgusted by that attitude of hers, "how could she be smiling at such critical time, she must be insane." I thought to myself again.

"You may wonder why I smile like this Sage but a young child like you would never understand,"

The fact that I couldn't have a private thought was uncomfortable and yes she was right, I never understood her reason for smiling because to me it made no sense.

"Do you have any idea what happened wise one," Allesio asked her in a calm manner, I didn't expect that from him.

"All this old lady could say is, not every battle is what it seems, not every love is a bed of roses,"

I pushed Allesio out of the building before she ended her statement.

"We shouldn't be in there listening to those things she has to say, we have to find the princess," I tapped his shoulders and he stopped my hand.

"You stay here and I'll find her," He said but I refused have that.

"You must be joking Allesio!" I scoffed and walked away leaving him behind, the forest was still dark but not as it was at night, dawn had its way of illuminating the place.

"Sage!" He called but I didn't respond, I had no idea where to start either but I wanted to get started. Keeping the princess safe was our responsibility and death sure awaited us I she wasn't be found.

"Sage!" I heard him scream my name, and I could tell he called out of concern which made me to turn around but I felt myself being pushed to the ground without a hand on me, it felt like a tremendous amount of force swept me off my foot and caused me to land on my back and that's when I realized an arrow had just missed my head and found its way into the stem of a nearby tree.