Elise!

 "Who the hell is she?"the duke asked.

    "Elisabeth Rosalia Dilenhart. My newly found sister." answered the crown prince, still surprised by the duke's demeanour. Hearing the lady's name, David darted his eyes full of shock to the crown prince then to the lady in front of him , taken aback.                                                                                                              

     "Elisabeth, you say." He said, dumbfounded.

 ' Is it really her?' he asked himself .He walked two steps forward but then stopped. A little girl's voice answered his question: ' No, that can't be. she fell in the ocean. You saw it yourself Devy, and she didn't know how to swim.'  He bowed his head and closed his eyes. A debate in his mind.

 'But what if she survived?' he said in hope. ' really? A fourteen years old girl, had a fatal injury then fell in the dark ocean. Water is her weakness, remember? I can't see how she could possibly survive. ' The girl replied. ' If it's her, then it's possible.'  He said in certainty.  

' humm. Then why didn't she come back to you? or contact you even once? It's been six years since then.' She said. When he didn't reply, she sighed then said: 'I guess you've made your mind already. But I won't help if you fall in the abyss again.'

He opened his eyes. "Even if I do fall, you can't help. You don't exist anyway." He mumbled.

He lifted his head, his eyes on the lady once again. "I need to go." He said in a determined voice.

  Before the crown prince even had the chance to utter a sound, the duke strode in the lady's direction. The crown prince heaved a long sigh then followed.

                                                                                   *****

  It has been two hours since the party began and the whole royal palace became packed with gests. Nobles walking in the royal gardens after getting bored in the party, roaming here and there. But there was one uninhabited place, completely abandoned, and no one dared to go near it. The west castle.

  There was a rumour that roved around the palace grounds, that the west castle was haunted by ghosts.

 Two decades ago, a lady of the Roham household  was crowned empress. She was the exact opposite of the Emperor. She was so kind hearted and wise. Never mistreated anyone, even maids were treated fairly. She helped the poor, financed the new craftsmen and the young merchants who just needed funds to start their business. Her economic projects beat all expectations with a huge success. She loved her people, and the people loved her back. She was the perfect ruler.

   Too perfect that she became a thorn in the emperor's way. The subjects began to compare their two rulers' capabilities. Everyone favoured Empress Liana than the incompetent Emperor. She had all the support she needed to rebel against him. But she had no plans to do so saying that it will only bring misery to the commoners and death to her beloved subjects.

   One day, Empress Liana got arrested at the Emperors orders, accused of treason. She was executed the very same day in her royal residence. The west castle.

  In that same west castle, a watch tower stands all tall and mighty. It was built solely of black granite stones which makes it more durable and strong.

  Inside of it was a long staircase, built of black lava rocks which is less durable than the granite stones, leading to a room in the top of the tower. The room was dim lit. A silhouette of a man can hardly be seen even if one gets closer. The man dressed fully in black. A mask covering his face letting only his cornflower like blue eyes bare to the eye.

  Putting a couple of black leather gloves on, he opened the drawers, searching through the piles of papers. There was a lot of documents, secret contracts and illegal dealings factures, but nothing of use to them in their current case. Of course this will come of use in their next step, so he took some documents he thought to be of value. Still searching, he went to the bookcase in the left side wall. He rummaged through the books when his blue eyes caught sight of a peculiar one.

   The book's cover was made of silver. In the centre, four animals shapes surrounding a human were engraved on it. The human was standing straight, his arms extended with a black Onyx in both his hands. A legendary bird on the right shoulder and a hawk on the left one. A big southern wolf and a lion laying on the ground beside him.  Strange letters were carved surrounding the engravings.

   The man opened the book after giving up on reading the letters. The first page was blank, he turned it. Another blank page. He flipped the rest of the pages, but nothing was written in there. "How fishy." The man said in a low voice. He was about to put the strange book in his pocket when he heard footsteps outside the door. He immediately put back the book and hid behind the long curtains, concealing his presence.

The door went open with force and a man's voice roared in anger "And here I thought I'll finally be able to meet her, but she sends you instead. " 

'the Emperor? ' the intruder thought.

  "She didn't want to raise suspicions. That kid has been quite wary of our moves lately. Please understand, your majesty." Said the second person in a womanly voice. "he's been a fu**ing pain in the ass recently. I'll personally kill him. No wait, I'll torture him slowly, cut his tongue and skin him while enjoying his screams, hahahahah"  the man laughed hysterically. When he calmed down, he said:"quickly now, what do you have to relay? I still need to attend that stupid custom."

 "There has been some changes in the plans, your majesty." The woman said.

 ' This voice is.... ' the hiding man thought, his cornflower-blue eyes wide in realisation.

                                                                             ****

   "Elise!" a man called out. The surrounding nobles darted their gazes towards the striding blond man with ice blue eyes.

   He was wearing a dark blue shirt and black trousers. Matching them with a long black coat embroidered with silver threads. At the upper left side of it, was the man's household symbol: Two southern wolves standing tall facing each other, holding a full moon with their paws.

  The man was none other than the duke of Krams, with the crown prince, Nickolas Arthur Roam Dilenhart, right behind him.

  Following his gaze, the attendants were now looking at the black haired princess in a pink silky dress. The princess got uneasy with the sudden attention. She was getting anxious. Why in heavens would the duke of Krams be coming her way. And with the crown prince at that. ' No, calm down Bethy. He called "Elise" not "Bethy" or "Elisabeth" , so it can't be you. Maybe someone behind you, so calm down." She comforted her anxious self. 

   As if to mock her previous thoughts, the duke stopped right in front of her. A look of disbelief in his eyes. he extended his arms, cupping her angelic petite face with his large cold hands. She instantly flinched because of his touch. His hands were too cold like ice, but the way he held her face was too gentle and soft, like she was made of thin glass that applying more force could break her. It was cold but soft.

  ' Like snow.'  She thought to herself. She then felt perplexed looking at his now teary eyes.   "S Sir, are you alright?" she stuttered not knowing what to do in such a situation.

   Hearing her voice, he couldn't stop his tears from falling down his cheeks anymore. He breathed heavily like he was in pain. His lips parted several times trying to talk, to say what he wanted to say. But what could  he possibly say?

  He caressed her left cheek with his thumb then said in a low trembling voice: "Elise, is it really you?"