Deceive not my love-The prince and his maid II

Where is Bella ?

*Will*

“How far is it?” I ask Ben, as my horse walks up beside his, as we leave the harbour. Unfortunately for me, Bella's great aunt Deadra lives some way from the city and we have rented horses to go there.

He looks thoughtful,for a moment. “It Took about 3 hours when I took Bella there, but that was in a carriage, so about 2 hours I would say”.

“So maybe we could go a little faster ?” I can’t wait to see her again, even if I am nervous too, wondering what she will say and if she still loves me.

“Will, I know you want to get to her as fast as possible, but we are not running the horses into the ground… or me, I am not as young as I used to be”. He gives me a stern look.

I grin. “Oh stop it Ben, you don't look a day past thirty and no one would ever guess you had grown kids”.

“But you just had to remind me”. He half rolls his eyes, then he kicks his horse into a trot. “Come on”.

I laugh as I urge my horse to follow. I always feel good in Ben’s company, he is a bit more relaxed and… un-royal than my dad or my uncle, so I can relax a bit more as well.

Normally we would talk and joke, but I have to admit that I do not talk much during our ride there, I am too busy thinking about Bella. What I will say, how she will reach and what she will say.

Finally we spot the almost castle-like mansion, and I can’t help but urge my horse on, galloping into the courtyard, just like an elderly, very tall butler opens the doors, looking at me like he wonders what star I fell down from.

“Hi Butler”. Ben says, as he pulls up beside me.

“Butler ?” I whisper. “Isn't it… bad manners to call him that ?”

Ben looks at me. “Why ? It’s his name”.

“The butler's name is Butler ?” I almost start laughing when Ben nods.

“Captain Ben ? We did not expect you”. The butler looks surprised.

Ben grins. “Well it is a bit of a surprise visit. Let me introduce crown prince William of Agreydor”.

“Your highness”. The butler bows and waves over some stable boys to take our horses. “Welcome to Elm’s meadow, come on in my lords… the ladies are in the white pavilion”.

“Thanks butler”. I say, giving him a smile and a nod, hurrying through the door, then stopping. “Uhm where would the white pavilion happen to be ?”

The butler named Butler smiles at me. “Down the long halfway there, and then last door on the left young sir”.

“Thank you … Butler”. I grin and hurry off down the hallway.

Reaching the door I stop and knocks, hearing a surprised. “Yes ?!“

Of course the dutchess is used to her butler introducing people and her deciding if she wants to see them, not to people just knocking. But I have no time for formalities.

“Bella …”. I stop in my tracks.

The elderly dutchess and the two younger women all look at me rather weirdly and the older woman huffs. “And who might you be ?”

Ben shows up, smiling at the elderly woman. “Lady Deadra, so lovely to see you again. This is Prins Will, King Finn’s son”.

“Oh so you are the little bastard who broke Mirabella’s heart”. She huffs, glaring at me. “What do you want here ? Nice to see you by the way, Captain Ben”.

“Where is Bella ?” I look around, confused that I can’t see her anywhere. The two pretty girls are smiling at me, but none of them are Bella.

Ben smiles at the duchess. “Thank you, your grace… we came looking for lady Mirabella”.

“But why would you look for her here ?” The old harpy says.

“Uhm because this is where she is… right ?” I am starting to feel confused here, very confused.

The old lady and the two younger ones shake their heads in unison and the duchess says. “No… she only stayed for about two weeks, then she informed me that she had gotten a letter that her dear papa was quite ill, and she had me lent her money to pay for a ship home… she left almost two months ago”.

“What ?” I know my jaw has dropped.

Ben looks confused too. “She left ? She said she went home ?”

“Yes, her father is sick, she wanted to be there”. Great aunt Deadra says, like we are the unintelligent ones. “She is a good girl”.

“But she hasn’t come home”. I say, feeling panic well up in me. “And her father isn’t sick”.

The Duchess looks at me. “She isn’t ? Are you sure ?”

“Uhm yes, very much so”. I desperately look at Ben.

“Would you happen to know which ship she sailed out on ?” Ben looks at the woman.

The elderly woman looks thoughtful. “Yeah she told me… hmm what was it… it was something fancifull, yeah.. like from a book or something… I always preferred simple names but…”.

“Could you please just tell us the name of the ship ?” I burst out.

“The wind dancer”. One of the girls says with a smile. “It was The wind dancer”.

I give her a quick smile, and then bow to the duchess. “Sorry for the quick visit, but we have to leave”.

“Sorry my ladies”. Ben gives a quick bow too and follows me.

“So what do we do ?” I ask Ben, as we hurry out of the mansion.

He sounds slightly out of breath. “I suggest we go to the harbour and inquire about the ship, where it went and if it has returned”.

I nod. “Yeah, let's do that”.

We have to find her, she has to be okay.