The Royal Quest

CHAPTER 8. Unpleasant Dinner

"Don't you know what time it is now?" Dahlia's upset father welcomed her when she arrived late for dinner.

"I'm sorry, father. I was so tired after my training with Baron and took a nap at the west tower and overlooked the time." She explained.

While watching the sunset with the soldier, the Princess fell asleep on his shoulder and didn't realize that it was already late. While Baron didn’t want to bother with her rest and hesitated to wake her up as he knew the king would never get mad at her. However, the situation is unusual from before as she arrived with an unpleasant welcome.

"You took a nap somewhere aside from your room? Is that the proper behavior of a princess? Even your servant can't find you around the palace. You’re acting stubborn. That’s why the ministers can't trust the throne with you. Could you please act appropriately?"

"Your Majesty, please." Queen Olive stops the King from scolding his daughter in front of the servants around. While Tala felt sad for the Princess.

"I'm sorry." Dahlia apologizes as she keeps her eyes looking down while biting a bit of her skin inside her mouth to suppress her emotion.

"Sweetheart, come here. Take your seat already so that we can start our meal." Queen Olive invited her, though deep inside, she just wanted to run away and lock herself inside her room. She could not do it as she knew that for sure, the King would get furious if she refused to have dinner. Slowly, she moved and sat on his father’s side.

The dinner seems to have a unique aura, unlike before. Princess Dahlia’s father has never been harsh to her ever since. He’s always the most loving and caring father until she refused to agree to what the ministers wanted for the sake of the throne. Even the servants that surrounded them knew how the King was very gentle to the young lady and suddenly changed in just a short period.

Princess Dahlia is slowly taking her food as she loses her appetite already because of her father’s bad behavior towards her.

“The presentation of the suitor’s competition, and you'll be joining us tomorrow.” Suddenly the King announced that made the Princess halt as she became confused while her father was already standing up and about to leave when Princess Dahlia abruptly stood up and responded.

“But, Your Majesty. I thought the ministers had agreed on giving me a quest instead.” She unbelievably inquired.

The King turned to her again and looked at his daughter with cold eyes.

“What quest are you talking about? Do you mean killing Massimo Gor? Do you think you can lay a finger on that monster?”

“Father, I was born with roaming vampires around. I have knowledge about their weaknesses, and I know how to keep myself safe. Besides, I will not be alone because Baron will accompany me to the mission.”

“Shut up!” Suddenly the King growled at his daughter in front of everyone, which made the Princess feel ashamed.

“Rainier!” Queen Olive quickly interrupted and stood beside her daughter.

“You are my daughter. You are the sole heiress of the Kingdom’s throne. How could you protect the entire realm when you can’t even make a proper decision for yourself?” The King added.

Dahlia took a deep breath while clenching her teeth secretly as the feeling of hate started to pour into her heart.

“Your Majesty, this is enough. Let’s talk about this again tomorrow. I believe the Princess was just shocked about the event. Besides, it’s our fault for not considering her opinion and deciding without her consent.” The Queen tried to reason for her daughter as she stood between them. At the same time, the servants leave the area to give the royal family some privacy.

"I don't need her consent because I am the King! And I must give my people everything that is best for them until my last breath. I have to make sure that they have a moral leader after me."

"You don't trust me as well? Is that why you agreed to the ministers to marry me off?" Dahlia suddenly inquired from behind her Queen mother.

"Dahlia, you know I always trusted you. I just can't believe that you chose to accept the risky mission rather than get married. Are you trying to kill us with so much worry!?" The King hissed at her and walked closer to her spot.

"Precious, why don't you try to open your heart, and you'll see that it wasn't hard to accept someone that seems stranger to you. Just like your mother and me. Our parents have also arranged marriage for us but look at us now, we live as one and learn to love each other even though we have a big age gap. I'm pretty sure you can do it too." He explained, but the Princess seemed not convinced by his words.

“No, father. Just like what I said before, that will not happen. Whether or not you agree, I'm still going out to face the Vampire King. And I will prove that you are all wrong. That I am strong, brave, and will bring Massimo Gor's head to the Haru Kingdom. I will show you I can rule our land." The Princess countered and turned, running away from her parents as she already felt annoyed by his father's assertion. She left the dining chamber.

"My King, " suddenly the Queen uttered from behind.

"You are wrong because I've been in love with you ever since before we became spouses, because if not? I will surely act like our daughter back then." She added.

"My Queen," the King was stunned by her confession.

"Please stop urging our daughter to do something that is against her will. Don't you notice? She's hurt already, and I believe you don't want her feeling that way." She held the King's hand.

"Sweetheart, I'm sure that there is still another way to convince the officials. I believe we can figure it out soon. Just spare our beloved Princess about this issue for the meantime and let her rest, please." The Queen begged and gave the King a warm embrace as she tried to soothe his troubled heart and mind.

*****

The following day, Tala was ordered to wake up the Princess early to attend the official presentation of the suitors. However, when she knocked on the door, no one answered, so she got in and walked straight to the Princess’s bed. Unfortunately, she saw no one on the mattress. She smiled, thinking that finally, the princess had woken up early on her own. She went to the bathroom and checked if Your Highness was there, but it was empty. Then, she heads straight to the closet, but still, the Princess is not there as well. Until anxiousness gradually spread throughout her system when she saw a folded paper on her vanity.

‘To my dearest King.’ She read the note on the top. Her hands trembled with the words, and she quickly went to Baron for help.

"What's the problem!?" It startled the soldier when she abruptly burst into his room without any warning, as he was currently dressing up.

“Tala! Don’t you know how to knock!? You almost saw me naked!” The soldier quickly wrapped his body with a towel as he hissed at her

"Ba-Baron, I-I can't see the Princess anywhere in her room!" She told him in her deep, whispering voice, ignoring his complaint.

"What do you mean? Maybe she has just gone somewhere around the palace." He said and went inside the closet to finish dressing up.

"I’m sorry, but I’m afraid you’re wrong.” She said and turned back to avoid peeking the man.

Baron immediately stepped out once he’s done, and the lady handed him the piece of paper.

“What is this?”

“I don’t know, but look!” showing the Princess’s handwriting on the paper.

Baron took it, and once he had confirmed that it was from the Princess, he immediately moved and dragged the lady, gripping her wrist.

“Hey! Where are you taking me?” the lady inquired as she almost stumbled.

“We need to report it to the King and Queen.” He told her firmly, without turning back, and kept on pulling her.

“Baron, wait!” the lady cried as she gasped for air.

The man halted and turned to see the struggling lady.

“My-my ha-hand,” she stammered, and when Baron looked down at her hand, it almost turned purple.

“Tala, I’m sorry!” He quickly grabs her hand again and gently starts massaging it.

“I’m sorry, I was just so worried about the Princess.” He mutters as he continues pressing her hand while the lady can’t help but stare at the man in front of her and start feeling something unusual towards Baron.

“I-I think it’s good already.” she withdrew her hand from his.

“I’m sorry,” again the man apologized, looking down at her eyes.

“I’m good already. Stop apologizing.” Tala said, looking down as if she wanted to avoid his gaze.

“Shall we? We have to notify the King quickly.”

“Uh, yes!”

Baron gestured to the lady to walk ahead before he followed behind while staring at her.

“Tala?” Suddenly, the man called for her attention.

“Yes?”

“You move so slow. Would you mind speeding up your pace? Time is running out!” He scolded her that made Tala frown as she walked faster. But suddenly, the lady lost her balance and almost fell to the ground. Luckily, Baron caught her.

“I really can’t imagine how you serve the Princess well with your careless behavior,” Baron remarks as he helps the lady to stand up.

“Thank you,” Tala said in an almost whispering voice.

“But what do you mean?” she inquired.

“Nah! Nothing, just forget it. We need to get to Your Majesty first,” he said and held the lady’s hand gently this time.

Tala can’t explain the foreign feeling that Baron’s touch is giving her. However, she was too worried for the Princess to figure it out now.

“Your Majesty, the Princess’s guard, and servant, want to have a word with you.” The guard standing outside the enormous wooden door got in and asked permission.

“Let them in.” The King demanded and was expecting that they would come with the Princess.

Baron and Tala enter the throne chamber, where the King and Queen are waiting for their daughter to arrive and accompany them to the upcoming trial for the suitors.

"Where is the Princess?" King Rainier inquired as the two bowed in respect in front of him.

Baron noticed how Tala was trembling, so he took the paper out of her hand then took the initiative to explain what happened.

"Your Majesty, when Tala went to the Princess's chamber earlier, to get her ready for today. However, Princess Dahlia was not in her room already, and Tala saw this letter." He explained and handed the paper forward to the King while his head bent down.

The King and Queen were confused as to what he meant as he is certain that the Princess would never do such a thing as sneaking out of the palace without any words, and the letter that Tala found has made the situation even more alarming. Then, the King's courtier that was standing beside the throne's platform stepped forward to Baron and received the paper before he handed it to Your Majesty.

King Rainier opened the letter while the Queen was shivering on her seat, waiting and expecting awful news.

Everyone was startled when suddenly the King crumpled the paper and slammed her hand on the armrest of his throne before he stood up to demand an order.

"Baron," he asked for the guard's attention.

"Yes, Your Majesty." He bent on one knee in front of the King, ready to take any charge.

"Lead the soldiers for the Princess's search. Close every Palace's entrance and exit! Princess Dahlia might haven't got too far yet, so assign the other group outside the palace." He decreed while the Queen felt her heart skip a bit as she realized that her daughter had run away to avoid the marriage.

She took the paper from the King's hold and read it.

'To my dearest King and Queen,

I'll be out of the palace for some time. Don't miss me too much because I don't want you to be sad. I'll be fine. I swear to return to the palace with Massimo Gor's head and pride, I will make you and the Kingdom proud of me.

I love you, you are the best leaders of Haru Kingdom, and I intend to prove to all that I'm the best Princess as well.

Loving, Dahlia.'

The Queen tears in so much sadness and fear for her daughter's safety after hearing the letter. However, she can do nothing but wait even though she already wants to jump off her seat to find her precious daughter.

Suddenly, her emotions were cut off when the King coughed hard while gripping his chest with his hand and covering his mouth with the other. Everyone immediately attended to him and supported his body to sit back on the throne.

"Your Majesty!" She cried as the ruler seemed to look weak.

"Call the royal doctor, quick!" The Queen Firmly orders.