THE UNKNOWN WORLD

CHAPTER EIGHT

The silence was normal, the two men were reminiscing about things that had happened in the past. Prince Li-Amh thought about Dong Shira, she has been in his thoughts lately, he wished she was here, she was the only one who could help him survive the loneliness in this palace.

Eunuch Zee drew forward, bowing.

"Your highness, a messenger from the lady's mistress is here to see you"

The messenger's head was bowed, the prince and Elidad turned to face him.

"Speak" Eunuch Zee commanded.

"Your highness, pls forgive my boldness in meeting you without an appointment, but...."

"Go straight to the point" Elidad snapped.

Prince Li-Amh side eyed him.

"Madame Tirzah is extending her utmost apologies to you for causing you so much trouble, she thanks you from the bottom of her heart for helping the young lady..."

Elidad glanced at the prince.

"Tell her, the message has been delivered"

"Yes, your highness"

"You can leave now"

"Yes..., your highness, pls forgive my boldness in still talking to you, but is the the lady fit to go home now?"

"I'll have the healer check her now to see if she is fit"

Eunuch Zee led the man away.

Elidad glanced at the prince again.

"What?" The prince asked. "what do you want to ask?"

"Nothing"

"She is just a girl ok, she was hit by the carriage in the market today, I just wanted to help"

"Help a dancer??"

Prince Li-Amh said nothing.

"The people will misunderstand your kind gesture and anyone can use this against you, that woman... Madame Tirzah, has a bad reputation"

"Do what you must, then, I don't care if she stays here and goes tomorrow, I just don't want to be responsible for another disgruntled citizen, at least we didn't leave her on the streets"

"Eunuch Zee?" Elidad called as soon as the eunuch came back.

"Yes, master"

"Make sure you find transport for the young lady back to her mistress tonight"

"Yes, master" He said and left.

Prince Li-Amh looked away.

There wee more important things to think of.

Two eunuchs passing by to check the garden before lights out, bowed their heads, they were holding incense burners.

Prince Li-Amh looked at them until they were out of sight. The incense had a strong smell, it smelled like something he was familiar with. Then he remembered where he had perceived the smell, it was from the sash in the young lady's bag.

"That incense..." Elidad was saying. "It is rare, it's smell is marvelous, like apple vinegar, I think I have perceived it somewhere before..."

Li-Amh turned to him suddenly.

"That day on the mountain..." He said.

"The assassin!!" They shouted in unison.

Prince Li-Amh dashed into the room, the healer was just packing up his things to leave.

"Where is the young lady?" He asked.

"She just left, your highness" The healer bowed, Prince Li-Amh ran out of the room and Elidad followed.

He rode out of the palace on a horse, Elidad didn't know his reason for that, but he followed him along with three other horsemen.

The carriage slowed down a bit and Rebecca leaned by the side of the carriage, nursing a wound on her arm.

"Herbal medicines does not work on me" She said, removing the cloth the healer had tied on the wound. "What even happened" She wondered.

The carriage stopped, she heard the horse neighed, followed by two other and three more, she brought out the pocket knife, alarmed.

"Your highness"

She heard the servant and carriage rider say.

"Search the carriage" A man ordered, she opened the curtains and saw two men standing by a side and three more were advancing towards the carriage, she gently stepped out of the carriage.

"What is going on?" She asked the servant, ignoring the two men at the side and the tough looking men.

"Madame, they are going to search the carriage" The servant said, bowing a little.

"What?" She turned to the three men, they bowed a little and proceeded to searching the carriage.

"Are they immigration officers, or what?" She mumbled.

"What?" The servant asked. "Immi..?"

She glared at him, he bowed his head quickly. Despite the fact that it was dark already, the moon was bright and her glare under it was as scary as seeing a ghost.

She turned to the other men, they were looking at her direction, she furrowed her brows.

' Bunch of annoying idiots... What's their deal '

She walked to them.

The first one was wearing a princely robe with symbols on it, she looked up from his feets to his face.

She couldn't believe her eyes, it was Xander.

"You punk" She was about to complete the statement when one of the other men called out.

"Your highness, we found nothing suspicious"

She looked at him, she had been looking at him the whole time, he was different, didn't even act like he knew her.

What was going on, first Theodore Suarez (Amraphel) now Xander?

And why were they calling him with a title, and not even a normal title at that.

The other man stepped forward, she looked at him critically, he was a bit taller than her.

"My lady, if you would pls show reverence to his majesty, the crown prince" He said quietly to her.

"Him?, I didn't know" She replied, and to the prince, she bowed her head.

"Forgive my manners in failing to notice you, your highness"

She looked up and turned to the carriage.

"But then, why am I being searched like this? Perhaps you think I stole something from the palace?"

No one replied to her, she frowned.

"Have you found the sash cloth?x The prince asked.

"No, your highness" One said.

'Sounds like Xander too'

"Your highness, I am afraid there is nothing here"

"There is a linen garment, your highness"

" That's a lady's things" Rebecca shouted.

Everyone shouted at her. "Is it right that you are doing that, searching me like I am a thief....is it because I am a dancer?"

Elidad motioned for the men to stop, Prince Li-Amh climbed unto his horse and without saying a word, he rode off. The others followed him.

"Cowards!!" She spat on the floor and sneezed. "I can't be getting a cold already, I am so far from home..." She cried out on frustration. "I miss my bed....."

She noticed that there was a strong smell, it was the cause of her sneezing.

She looked at her feets, there was a cloth under her shoe, she picked it up. It was a black sash cloth and it smelled horrible.

She sneezed again.

"What is this.... is this what he rode all the way here looking for? Pathetic" She scoffed and pocketed it.

"It's mine now, Xander, you chose to ignore me first"

"Are you not coming, Madame? We still have a long way to go" The servant shouted out.

She sighed.

Today was just full of drama.

She couldn't get it off her mind. The Xander age knew wouldn't ignore her like that prince did, he would at least winked at her if he didn't want the others to know.

There was so many questions she wanted to ask him, to ask Theodore Suarez,to ask the book woman; if there ever was one.

Why was Xander here in the first place.

Did he find the book too?

How did he end up as the prince, or did he choose the character first?

What was going on with everybody.....

Now dying could wait, she had to first figure out what Theodore Suarez, AKA Amraphel was planning and why Xander didn't recognise her.