A/N: I hope you enjoy this joy ride.

Chapter 7:

Yozak made his way to Conrad's room, he made a knock on the door but there was no response. He sighed, of course the Taoisho wouldn't be here, he would be somewhere around the castle trying to find some clues. Everyone had been brooding, he even found himself trying not to snap at one of his comrades when the king had kicked them out of the room.

The young king had never made such an order, it surprised him but at the same time he understood. That, however, didn't help the matter or ease the young prince's older brothers.

He sighed again and started to make his way up the hall. He stopped when he heard a distraught voice that belonged to a girl talking to one of her working companions in a room not so far from that of Conrad's.

"I just don't know if I should be working here if things like this happen." Yozak frowned, concluding that he perhaps had better things to do then to listen to one of the castle servants whine about work.

He was stopped on his tracks when he heard Conrad's title name escape the girl's lips.

"Lord Weller never seemed that type of person." The girl said. "He always seemed so kind and composed."

"Stop talking about it girl," her older companion sharply said. "He has good connections with the king. It is perhaps wiser to keep our mouths shut."

"But Marie," the girl protested.

"I told you to bite that tongue of yours." The older woman order named Marie directed.

Yozak cocked his head and decided to integrate.

"Girl, what's your name?" he asked the girl, she wasn't entirely a girl but not yet a woman either.

She looked at him with embarrassment, her cheeks went red, she fixed her eyes to the floor.

"Please excuse her," the plump Marie woman interfered. "She's only new, she doesn't know all the rules of the castle. Please forgive her. I will make sure she doesn't say another word."

Yozak didn't have time for this. He ignored the older woman and he fixed his attention back to the girl.

"Your name?" he asked again.

"Tesera" she said in above a whisper.

"Tesera." He tried to make his voice seem calmer and nicer. "Just what were you saying about Lord Weller?"

"Nothing important really, it is just some servant talk sir Guire." Tesera followed her superior's desperate heed.

"Forget about the formalities Tesera and talk. Continue what you were going to say. What is it about Lord Weller that doesn't leave you at peace?"

"It's just" she began but was interrupted by Marie.

"It is nothing, sir Guire, like she said it is just servant nonsense."

"If you interrupt her one more time I'll make sure that you are taken away from the castle!" he barked at the older woman. "Now please continue. I'm not mad at you, and you are not in trouble. I just really need to know what you know. Did you hear anything? See anything? What is it?"

Tesera stuttered at first but then she rushed in at the sight of Yozak's dark face.

"It was late at night. I was finally done with my chores. I'm only a scullery maid so I was working late. I was making sure that everything was put at their place and then I heard screams. It came from Lord Weller's room. I didn't know what was going on until I reached his door. I heard someone crying and begging them to stop.

I was so scared. I didn't know what to do. So I called one of the guards, but when he reached closer to these halls he told me that I should just forget about it. He ordered me so cruelly that I ran to my room. I've never been so scared in my life sir Guire, but most of all I never felt so bad because I left someone there to suffer. I didn't sleep at all that night."

Yozak stared at her with disbelieve. He didn't even want to consider what she was saying was true; but he knew better. He knew of what she was talking about. But still he needed proofs; he wanted proofs that would make his worst fear to be a lie.

He turned around from them and rushed to Conrad's room. He knocked, but he once again got no answer. He took the liberty to open the door.

The room was clean, all was tidy. Yozak looked around, taking the freedom to open drawers of his best mate's room. He found nothing. With relive he sighed. He opened the drawer to the side table.

In there was a handkerchief that had once belonged to Julia and on top was a small pendent that Yozak didn't recognize. He could almost kill himself from doubting Conrad.

He turned around to leave but bumped against Conrad's trunk at the end of the bed. He stared at it and went around opening it.

Conrad's clothes and other personal belongings were neatly place there. He saw a box wrapped by a cloth, he went to open it.

In there his worst fear did come true.

Lord Wolfram von Bielefelt, the third Prince of Shin Makoku, fiancé to the 27th Maoh's uniform was placed there, in pieces.

xXx

TBC…

A/N: Please Review!!