unwanted TREASURE

Chapter six

Richard

The sun was dipping behind the horizon as I led my knights back from the forest. We had made good progress, and morale was high. Training was crucial—if a war was coming, we needed to be ready. My mind was focused on the task at hand, but as we entered the castle grounds, I saw my father standing atop the tower, looking down at us. It was unusual for him to be so high up, but then again, he had always kept a sharp eye on everything, especially when it came to the kingdom's safety.

I didn’t waste time with pleasantries. I could sense his urgency.

A guard came up to me as I dismounted. “My prince,” he said with a respectful bow, “the king demands your presence.”

I nodded, and within moments, I was striding toward the throne room.

"Father," I greeted him, the weight of the day lifting slightly as I saw him standing by the window, his expression unreadable.

“How are the knights doing?” he asked, his voice deep but with a hint of concern.

“They’re getting better every time,” I said with a small nod. “We can survive a war if it comes to that.”

King David gave a sharp nod, a hint of approval in his eyes. “Great. But that’s not why I called you.” His gaze shifted, studying me as if he were waiting for something. “I don’t see your brother among the knights.”

My heart skipped a beat. “I didn’t go with him,” I replied quickly, trying to keep my voice steady.

“I was informed that you went with him,” he countered, narrowing his eyes at me.

I felt a cold stab in my chest. What was this? Why would Harry lie to our father? “No, Father,” I said, trying to keep my tone calm. “He told me he had plans of his own.”

King David’s expression darkened. “Why would he lie to me?”

I paused, unsure how to respond. The truth was, I didn’t know. I could only assume that Harry had his own reasons, but I wasn’t about to speak for him. “I’m not sure, Father.”

Before he could respond, the door to the throne room opened with a rush, and Queen Alice hurried in. Her face was pale, eyes wide with panic. Something was wrong.

“I’m sorry to walk in like this, your Majesty,” she said breathlessly, but her voice trembled with barely contained fear. “I can’t hold it anymore.”

My father’s face softened, though his concern deepened. “What is the matter, my queen?”

Tears welled in Queen Alice’s eyes. “Harry…” She choked on the word, her breath coming in ragged gasps. “Harry has been missing the whole day. It’s getting late, and no one has seen him anywhere.”

At her words, a cold chill ran down my spine. My mother was rarely this distressed. Something was very wrong.

“Guards, search the whole land for my son,” King David commanded, his voice now sharp and forceful.

The queen shook her head, her face stricken with worry. “They did that already.”

“Search probably,” my father muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. His eyes flickered to me, but before he could speak again, the door opened, and a guard entered.

“Your Majesty,” the guard said, bowing low.

King David turned sharply, his tone hardening. “Speak. If you know where my son is, tell me now.”

The guard bowed again and stepped forward, handing the king a sealed envelope. “A messenger from the Middle East brought this.” The guard’s face was grim as he presented the letter.

King David took the envelope with a heavy hand, his brow furrowing as he broke the seal and began to read aloud. His voice, normally steady, wavered as he spoke the words written inside:

“Greetings, King David. I have your son in my dunjan. He was caught spying and causing trouble in the village.”

A weight seemed to drop into the pit of my stomach. I felt my heart pound in my chest as the king read on, his expression hardening with each word.

“Have a nice day, Prince Cyrus.”

I stood frozen, the world around me suddenly spinning. Cyrus. The Middle East. Harry. The implications of this message hit me like a wave. Harry had been caught. By Cyrus. In the Middle East. He had been spying. What was he doing there? And why had he kept this from us?

The queen let out a soft gasp, her hands flying to her face. “What?” she whispered, the shock evident in her voice.

King David looked up from the letter, his face a mask of anger and disbelief. He crumpled the paper in his fist. “I should have known,” he muttered to himself, his eyes hardening. “Cyrus. Of course. It had to be him.”

I could feel my own frustration rising, my breath shallow in my chest. “What do we do, Father?” I asked, my voice tight with concern. “How do we get him back?"

King David didn’t answer immediately. His thoughts seemed to be racing as he paced in front of the throne. “We will send a messenger to the Middle East,” he said finally, his voice low but filled with determination. “I will not let my son be imprisoned.”

But I could see the unease in his eyes—the fear that his authority was being challenged by Cyrus. This was more than just a rescue mission. This was about pride, about proving who was in control of the lands between the two kingdoms. I could feel the tension in the air, thick with unspoken words.

“I’ll go, Father,” I said, stepping forward.

King David looked at me, then nodded, his expression grim. “You will go with a party of knights. You’ll ride to the Middle East. Bring Harry back.”

I bowed low, my resolve hardening. “It will be done, Father.”

The queen stepped forward, her eyes wide with concern, her voice barely above a whisper. “Please, bring him back to us, Richard. I can’t lose him, too.”

Her words cut through me like a knife, and I felt the weight of her plea settle heavily on my shoulders. We would get him back, I thought to myself, no matter the cost. I couldn’t let Harry fall into the hands of Cyrus. I wouldn’t let anything happen to him.

As I turned to leave, my mind raced, calculating the risks ahead. This mission was more than I had bargained for. But I would not fail my family. Not this time.