Chapter 13: The Little Princess Secret
The night in Arendalle was dark and scary for a prisoner has recently escaped the dungeons of the kingdom, Arendalle was not safe for the time being. Soldiers and Knights roam the grounds to keep the streets safe from the threat, to keep the people from panicking the knights were ordered to keep it steady and calm just treat it as a regular routine, meanwhile I walk towards the dark hallways with a torch at hand to check the Escapee's dungeon cell.
The cell seems cleaner than others, much like maintained for many years, according to the prison guard the prisoner was here for a long time since the year I actually came to start working in the castle, I continued my investigation and felt a little breezy beneath my feet, I tap my foot on the ground checking if there were any possible holes created, after one more step my assumption was correct the prisoner used the soft soil to dig his way out of the cell, I used the sheath of my sword to break the ground making the hole visible, I went inside the hole and lit up another torch and followed the path of this dark pathway leading somewhere where water flows slowly into the stream.
The pathway leads to the outside of the kingdom walls, heading straight towards the forest, as I continue walking out of the man-made cave I hear voices coming from the forest, I crouch to the nearest bush and listen carefully.
"This was the last place he was seen, who knows what he will do, or who he will be looking for." One girly voice panicked.
"Don't you think I know that?!" The other girly shouts angrily.
"Calm down, panicking won't do anything right now, we got to lay low for a while."
"Mulligan is right, we got to be strong or we will be the same kids we were back, he may be even…" she stops as she hears bristling in the trees.
I took a little peak as one of the voices I heard was quite familiar to my ears, as I did my ears do not deceive me, it was the new princess Mariel, preparing to attack whatever it was that moved in the woods, my instinct told me that I should stop this before something or someone could get hurt.
I said as I stand behind the bush from where I hid. "I would advise you not to do this Milady, someone could get hurt."
The princess and her friends were startled as they point their hands on me, I prepared a stance as well, but as I hold my hip to draw a sword, I felt no hilt or any sign of a sword on my side, I maintained the stance anyway.
"Who do you think you are mister?" The girl in a red dress and yellow blouse.
I answered, "Oh…I am just a knight of Arendale."
"Just a knight, huh. Pathetic, don't you know is this person is?" She said pointing at princess Mariel. "She is the newly adopted daughter of Queen Elsa, Princess Mariel."
I looked surprised and quickly bows before them, the girl smirks, while Mariel just looks down and shakes her head before the girl makes anymore demands Mariel just whispered something to the ears of her friend.
Her friend nods and pulls the other companion by the hand and walks towards the deeper parts of the forest, disappearing in the night. Mariel approaches me and told me to stand.
"What is the Queen's personal knight doing here in the forest?" Mariel ask.
I stand and said, "I was just investigating the surroundings, your highness."
"Investigating what?" Her voice sounds shaken.
"The recent escapee, your highness," I informed her. "It seems that this place was the last place he was seen."
"I see." She bluntly answers looking far to unto the dark woods.
"Well, for now, it is best that we leave this place, it is difficult for the new princess to be seen like this without an escort."
She nods in agreement and followed me back to the castle the maids were worried sick when we arrived, of course, they were looking out for the princess, they then took over escorting Mariel back to her chambers.
As they do I went to Elsa's chambers to report for my investigation and to at least talk casually like always, but when I arrived she was not in her quarters, I asked where she went but the maid did not know.
I figured that she was at distress as a new problem has occurred right after they had solved her uncontrollable powers, I went to one of the places she always goes to when she feels dismayed of something, her parent's portrait.
And as I figured she stands there staring at the portrait of the late king and queen wearing her mother's robe, I approached her and stops 3 steps away.
"What is it that troubles you?" I ask.
"With all this commotion it feels so heavy being the Queen, was she like this James, was she this troubled." She asks turning around facing me.
"Yes she was troubled, worrying about what you could do, the kingdom, and it's people."
"What kept her going?"
"You, Anna, the king, and most especially the people of Arendale, her love for you and the people was so great that it made her one of the greatest queen known to Arendale."
"How can I achieve such great heights such as that."
Her face was frowning, a single tear fell from her left eye, I drew a napkin from my pocket and reached it to her, she took it and wiped her tear.
"You don't." I bluntly said. "You will have your own great moments but it will come to you eventually. For now, you should rest, your eyes tell me that you are tired."
She smiles nodding in agreement "Perhaps you are right, I shall leave you here first."
I smiled and watch her walk towards her room, I stayed and looked at the portrait.
"Will I be able to tell her about that or would that stay hidden for her to discover?"
I shake my head and continued searching for the escapee, the night continues and my search for the escapee remains to be clues, my investigation for the escapee still makes me wonder, "why was he captured in the first place?"
The thought made me think about the princess and her friends, surely they have an explanation from the way they acted, eluded by these thoughts I decide to continue my search until I found myself in the middle of the forest, dark shadows were appearing and growling noise were heard, I quickly drew my sword from its sheath and pointed it to the wolves that surround me, the wolves slowly crawls out of the trees, getting ready to prowl towards me and have me for a midnight snack, the winds started to feel's a bit chilly than usual, I took a step back and the wolves then charges towards me.
The night was filled with whines, scars, and bruises, I left the forest unscathed, I stayed in one of the windy hills and sat on the green pastures staring at the morning sun rising from the horizon, a wonderful moment I missed since I left after 3 years of Isolation to find the protector of Arendale from the upcoming threat, that Grandpappie has prophesied before.
The morning was bright and energetic, the market was full and the people were happy, enjoying the beautiful day, the palace guards roam the kingdom walls with cautiousness and have a happy vibe, I left Jason in-charge of protecting the royal family while I went to continue investigation about the missing prisoner.
Half the day my evaluation in regards to the prisoner remains the same, I still wonder how or why did he escape after all the time he has been locked up, did something happen to him or to someone else?
This question eluded my senses and then I remember something the princess has spoken with her friends, the weirdly one said that the man may look for someone, they seemed threatened, and they have exactly the same description of the last place the prisoner was seen, could this all be a coincidence or some kind of conspiracy is at work.
I went to the Princess' quarters to ask a couple of questions about the night I saw her, but as soon as I arrive, one of the palace maids blocked my path and told me that the princess was not there, realizing my intentions, I grew more suspicious of the princess, why would she anticipate that I will try to talk to her?
Nevertheless, I convince the maid that I have authority to talk to the princess, and thus I shall be able to wait for her until she returns, she tried to protest, but she stops and just let me through, I enter the room of the princess and saw a couple of bed sheets and curtains tied together trailing down to the window.
I smirk and pretended to leave by closing the door, and sat on the floor waiting for something to happen, fortunately, the princess suspected that I left and steps out from her hiding place, the closet, she quickly jumps to her bed and cuddles her pillow.
As much as it was enjoying her celebration I cut it short by standing up and coughing pretendedly, her eyes widen and look embarrassed, I greeted her to break the silence, she nods and sat on her bed.
"What do you want?" She asks regaining her composure.
"Forgive me, princess, for intruding in such a manner, it's necessary for me to perform this, to know if you knew who escaped, he is quite a dangerous person I have heard," I answered.
She looks out to the window and closes it, "Would you promise that you won't tell anyone?"
"You can trust me."
"The prisoner's name is Jean Claude, he is my Father."