Unlike the original version of the story, where a chapter like this took place later than I felt it should have, Rodrigue—a character I have always intended to use at some point, even in the original—will play a role sooner. His inclusion is going to alter the next arc to a great degree, to the point where it may actually take me longer to get chapters out because of the many differences between this version and the original. It will reach a point where it's almost a different story, even though the general plot remains the same but is better written and expanded.
This chapter is not as long as my normal chapters are, but I don't feel like it's necessary. Next time, we'll focus on Sasuke and Mercedes. See you next chapter!
Chapter 16 The Lost princess
Elizabeth was currently visiting her friend, Bella, the mother of Annette. She is a woman in her early forties; unlike most women, she married a man who was over 10 years older than her—not that Elizabeth thinks that's a bad thing. Younger than Elizabeth by 2 years, the two had been friends in the academy. Unlike her, Bella joined the Blue Lions and was good friends with Hitomi. From what she has heard from her daughter and letters, Hinata is also friends with Bella's daughter. It seems like friendship has transcended generations.
Bella's hair was down to her shoulders; it was an orangeish-red, like her daughter's, and her eyes were blue. She would still be considered beautiful despite being a woman of middle age; she was still sought out by younger men. It always amazed her how superficial men could be; they look for women who are older than themselves, but they don't want to go for women who actually look their age. She didn't really care one way or the other, though. Elizabeth was also a woman in her early forties, though she wouldn't be in a few months. Her hair was short, unlike it was in her youth; she was wearing a robe that a nun wears, brown with red shades on the side. Bella, on the other hand, wore white. Despite being spring, it was still cold in the territory of Dominic.
Where she was going, she would not need to wear as thick clothing. She was determined to see her daughter after hearing about the experiences she had gone through while helping her friend in her reckless endeavor of trying to save her family. She wouldn't be satisfied unless she saw for herself that Mercedes was okay, regardless of whether a magic spring healed her wounds on her right foot.
There was also this thing with a boy that she was currently seeing; she was convinced that her daughter was hiding the fact that she was seeing someone. The necklace on her neck obviously came from a boy, even if she says he is just a friend. She talks about him from time to time in her letters—Sasuke Uchiha, five years her junior. Elizabeth wasn't sure if she felt comfortable with someone like that, essentially a boy. She wasn't going to let her daughter be involved with anyone unless she was sure he was right for her.
"Are you sure you want to go all the way to Garreg Mach just to meet this man that your daughter talks about from time to time? You'll meet him sooner or later when she brings him home. Why leave your home for something so trivial?" Bella asked, sighing. She knew Elizabeth wouldn't get it.
"Trivial? My daughter had a deep cut on her right foot, and I'm supposed to believe that it healed because of some magic spring? No, I won't be satisfied until I know for sure that she's okay. She may be an adult, but that hasn't changed the fact that she is still my baby," said Elizabeth, thinking about the sun that she had not seen for over a decade.
"She said she was okay. You've got to understand that in the academy, all students are expected to do something dangerous; it's to prepare them for the reality of war. I don't like it any more than you do, but it's how it is," said Bella, who was concerned about her daughter and the kinds of dangers she would be putting herself in.
"Damn it, Bella! That's your daughter!" said Elizabeth with strained patience. They had been arguing about this for hours and it felt like she was getting nowhere.
"I can't leave. You know that I can't just leave my son without someone to watch over him. He's only seven years old; I can't just leave," Bella said, defending her reasoning for not going.
"He should be here! I don't care what his reasoning is; your children need their father." Elizabeth was trying not to get angry, but it was hard not to, seeing how badly Annette had suffered as a result of Gustave's absence. It angered her knowing how much pain her friend and her children were going through because the man just couldn't go home to his wife and children.
"Can you at least give Annette's friend this?" asked Bella as she handed her a book that looked extremely important.
"Are you sure you want to trust me with this?" Elizabeth asked.
"I am positive. It's important that she is given this. It's all about our folklore and our culture. Not all of it is in here, but a lot of it she has not been able to study—who she truly is, please. I trust you, Elizabeth. I know Annette will give this to her," Bella insisted, urging her to take the book with her, the name that she read on it still lingering in her mind.
"Why not just give it to the person that this is supposed to be given to? Why Annette?" asked Elizabeth.
"I don't know. I was forbidden from opening it. I don't know why her name, of all names, is put in there, but we can't take a look at it. We just have to trust my husband's judgment," Bella said, not liking it any more than Elizabeth. It seemed like ever since that night 17 years ago, Rodrigue, Matthias, Gunner, Anastasia, and Gustave had been keeping secrets about this Lost Princess. The name was given to Annette, but it wasn't for her; it was for somebody else. She knew who this was, but then she froze; she would have to not say anything. This book is for the Lost Princess.
"I will do what's necessary, Bella. I'll leave first thing tomorrow morning." Elizabeth said. The two friends saw the sun going down. She couldn't help but think whatever secrets her friends were hiding had to do with the daughter of an old friend—one that Mercedes had met five years ago. Now more than ever, she wanted to meet this girl that Mercedes had told her so much about. It wasn't just about Sasuke Uchiha; now it was about the daughter of her best friend, a friendship that had transcended generations. She wanted to meet her, to find out what she was like.
She will find out who she is, the Lost Princess. She has a strong feeling who it is, but she cannot confirm it for sure until she meets her in person.
Donzo was alone in a dark room. He made sure nobody was able to eavesdrop. Not even his own guards were allowed in this room. Danzo was waiting for the crystal to project an image that would give him any progress of what had been going on in Garreg Mach. He had spies inside the monastery: Kabuto, Sai, and Wolf. Kabuto was with the faculty, acting as a regular Knight, in order to keep close tabs on the so-called lost princess. He wasn't stupid; he knew who she was. Unlike that fool Hiashi, who didn't use an asset that could prove useful to his clan, Donzo wasn't such a fool. He attempted to recruit the Lost Princess years ago, but his attempts had failed, all because of one woman: The Foreigner, Mercedes von Martritz. He tried to get that girl killed, but that failed as well, because of Naruto and Sasuke. He cursed Itachi for not doing what he was ordered.
The woman's death would have solidified the Lost Princess's final push to join the Root. He was so close, but because she survived, because she continued to be her friend and be the support that the girl desperately wanted, his plans fell through. Hiashi did it help matters either, with his incompetence. He had been looking for ways to remove that fool from power for years, but hasn't found an opportunity that would present itself. How would he position him to get killed without Donzo's fingerprints being found? He must be eliminated soon; he was becoming a liability. But there was one last use he could have for him: to have a foothold in the empire. If he could arrange a marriage, the Konoha Empire could finally become a reality. Sure, eliminating Edelgard could happen through other means. Those who slither in the dark could be useful in this regard.
He smiled. His plans will work. Everything was into place.
An image appeared. It was the Flame Emperor, besides her was Wolf and Sai, who goes by the name Fox.
"Report. What are the results of the mission?" asked Danzo.
"The elimination of Hinata Hyuga was a failure, and my secondary objective of eliminating the Lost Uchiha and Mercedes von Martritz, I was unable to complete my objective," Wolf said in disappointment. Danzo was angry. Not only was Wolf injured, but it made it difficult for him to stay undercover.
"You have jeopardized this mission. You should have focused only on Hinata. She was the only one that mattered. The rest could wait. As a result of your injury, it makes it more difficult for you to keep up appearances. Claiming that you're sick and having a cold can only get so far, Wolf. They're not fools. They'll know something is off," Danzo said, scolding him like he was scolding a child.
"I have confirmed for myself, Donzo-sama, that the Lost Princess has been hiding in plain sight the entire time. She possesses a crest. What shall we do with her?" Wolf asked. So, he was right. That made him even more angry. That damn woman. A decade worth of planning down the drain, all because of her and that damn Hiruzen and Hiashi. They all undermined him, directly or indirectly. There was nothing more he despised than dealing with incompetent individuals.
"I'm in position to kill Dimitri. Just give me the word, and I will get it done," said Fox emotionlessly. That was the exact reason he was in his class. Sai could get what he desires done at any point.
"Flame, I have a task for you. Continue in your current mission of hiding in plain sight. Nobody will suspect who you are," Danzo said with almost a fatherly smile. Out of all the people he respects, it's Flame. Flame doesn't fail him. Flame always gets the task done, regardless of what that is.
"Yes, Danzo-sama," Flame said as they bowed in respect.
"Keep an eye on Naruto Uzumaki. Do not make any moves. Act like you always have. Someone else will take care of Hinata and Dimitri. Your main task is to do something about the Uchiha girl. Eliminate her," Danzo ordered.
"It will be done," Wolf said as he vanished. Fox also vanished, leaving Danzo and Flame alone. He wanted to have this discussion with Flame as their true self because nobody but Danzo and Wolf knows their true identity.
Flame took off their mask. They smiled at the face in front of them. Recruiting Flame was easy. A chance to take their rightful place that had been denied them their whole life.
"The time has come. It is time to proceed with our plan on forming the Konoha Empire. You shall lead it." He would explain their plans in great detail and how he would permanently deal with Hiashi, the greatest obstacle to his goal. His life's ambition, the ambition that has been a dream of every Hokage and wannabe Hokage, the empire that not even the First imagined. The Will of Fire would spread. Nothing would stop it once the empire was formed. The 100-year project that started with Hashirama, whether his attentions were or not, hardly matters. He laid the groundwork that every succeeding Hokage built, except the Fourth, who wanted to go a different path
Nothing would get in his way. Before he dies, he would see the Konoha Empire rise. That would be his legacy, and there'd be nothing that would stop him. Not those who slither in the dark, not the Akatsuki, not the kingdoms of Fodlan, or his home continent. His grandfather had envisioned a continent-spanning empire, and Danzo intends to finish his work. By any means necessary, no matter who he sacrifices.
Rodrigue was the sole person in the room at the moment in his home. It was a small room, not much light was shining in. There were a few chairs and a small table that was round like a circle. It was a brownish-reddish color which was covered with a dark blue cloth. His wife, who is right beside him, was one of the few people that knew the secret that he had sworn to his departed friends that he would take to his grave. Very few people other than himself and his wife, along with the two men in the room, along with one other who is currently serving in the Knight's, knew the secret that could potentially tear the kingdom of Faerghus apart before the Lost princess of Faerghus was told of her heritage when she cames of age. He had a Lance that was currently in a case in a chest. He dared not touch it; he was told by his departed friend never to touch the white Lance due to it cutting the user if they are not worthy of wielding the Lance nor possessing the Blood of the moon goddess. He didn't believe in the Legends of rabbit goddess but he has heard that she existed and he studied the history that the church had suppressed about her children fighting alongside Seiros. Only those with her blood are allowed to wield the Lance without losing their hands.
Kaguya Otsutsuki was a being so powerful that she could rival Sothis. The entire world, as everyone knew it, was made by a battle on a scale that shattered the world. Sothis and Kaguya were complete opposites. Kaguya was the goddess of death and destruction, while Sothis was the goddess of benevolence and creation. He didn't even know what truth there was to the Legends. He had heard that the Sage of Six Paths fought alongside her in order to save the world from Kaguya. He didn't know what was fact or fiction. Barely anyone knew about this knowledge; it was a secret only the privileged few possessed, due to how it would shake the beliefs of the followers of Sothis if they were to find out that there were other deities.
Rodrigue is a man in his 40s. He was wearing a dark blue shirt with an undershirt underneath due to how cold it was in his homeland, along with brown pants and boots. He had a coat that was made of a slain bear. It was white, and he had worn it for as long as he could remember, ever since he was in his youth. He likes to think of those times nostalgically, a time when friends who are no longer here were present in his life. Even in his 40s, his dark blue hair had not turned a shade of gray. In some ways, he looked 10 years younger than his actual age, but those superficial aspects of him did not really concern him much.
His wife, whose name is Anastasia, is in her early forties. She has long brown hair down to her back, which is currently tied to a ponytail. She is wearing a dark blue dress with the symbol of his house on the center, and like Rodrigue, a coat which is from a bear. Instead of white like Rodrigue's, it is brown. She is an outspoken woman and is not afraid to tell anyone how she feels about them. She's a lot like his youngest son in that way; it's where he gets her tongue from.
The other men on the table, the one to the right, was a redhead man who was around the same age as Rodrigue Matthias. He was shorter than Rodrigue. He wore simpler clothing due to him living close to the borders of Sreng, who look for any opportunities they could to invade his family's territory. It was a never-ending cycle. The man didn't particularly care to dress in fancy clothing. He always showed up in armor, much to the annoyance of his wife. He looks older than the rest of the men due to the amount of stress of managing a territory and having two sons that were a disappointment. One was born without a crest, but that's not what made him a disappointment. He turned out to be a bad person with no honor and he was forced to disown him. His other son wasn't the ideal son that Matthias wanted. He didn't have a good relationship with either one of his sons, not to mention the death of his first wife. The woman that he loved hardened a man that he had once been able to see laugh frequently.
The youngest of the men, Gunnar, had more children than anyone in the room. He has five sons and one daughter, with another child on the way. He didn't know how he managed to still have children, especially his wife who was in her mid-40s, but they loved each other very much. Though they weren't without their own losses. They lost their son Roderick years ago by the hands of Itachi Uchiha, a former student of the Blue Lions. Everyone who was once part of the Blue Lions house spits his name like venom. The youngest of his children, Ingrid, is a student in the monastery who had recently transferred to the Black Eagles, to the shock of everyone.
Gunnar had short black hair, which had grays on the left side of his hair. He looked a few years older than his age. He was the most modest of the men in the room. He wore a blue coat with dark green pants and boots. The men were silent, waiting for the first among them to speak.
"I wish we could have all spoken under different circumstances. I wish our friend Gustave could be present, but considering he isn't here at the moment, we will have to convene without him," said Gunnar.
"You would not have summoned us here for no reason, Rodrigue. It must be urgent for us to be summoned here at such short notice. Be quick about it. Any moment I stay here, it is time that my territory is left undefended." Matthias said that with controlled impatience at his older age, he was more intolerant towards his time being wasted unless it was in the most critical manners. He didn't like to be bothered even by old friends he had once regularly talked to when they were kids.
"You are right involves the lost princess of Faerghus. The girl that we had to keep her whole existence hidden for her own protection and for her brother's. If either one of their origins were discovered they would both be in danger, as you all know," said Anastasia in a calm and collected manner.
"We know that she's currently at the monastery. Why is an emergency meeting being called?" asked Matthias impatiently.
"Because she's currently enrolled in the Black Eagles, Dimitri was not able to convince her to join the Blue Lions class," Rodrigue said. This was the first thing that he wanted to say to everyone in order to prevent any further arguments from occurring.
"She's just like her mother, not that I would think that's a bad thing, but this sets our plans back," said Gunnar, who didn't look pleased by the development.
"She knows nothing about her origins. Her mother had hidden them well from her, but the man who raised her had always suspected she wasn't his child. She's in danger. he would love nothing more make sure her along with Dimitri is dead." said Anastasia.
"It would be best if we took the princess for her own safety and brought her home. She is in danger; there are those in the Konoha council who have a vested interest in the death of the Lost Princess. They may not be able to prove it because the power of her crest has not awakened fully yet, but it will. Oh, it will; it's only a matter of when," said Gunner, who was ready to carry out his plan. Rodrigue was about to speak, but his childhood friend Matthias beat him to the punch.
"Are you suggesting we marshal our forces and kidnap her? Are you out of your mind? That's the last thing we need. We have enough problems, and starting a war over a long-lost princess is not something I want to deal with," said Matthias, who rightfully was concerned about potentially starting a war over bringing home a princess that the kingdom doesn't know exists. It was risky, but also, doing nothing was almost as risky as being too hasty.
"I cannot dishonor myself. You know that better than anyone. I made a promise that I would take care of them both. I made that promise when Lambert took Dimitri home 17 years ago. Nobody except us knows about his true origin, who his true mother was. If anyone ever found out, especially if her clan ever found out, they would want Dimitri and his sister dead. You know how they operate," said Rodrigue.
"What Lambert has done has dishonor himself and the woman that he married. Despite already being married, he dishonored our country's most honored traditions. Not only was the marriage not recognized by law, if it was ever found out that he married three women, the reputation of the king would forever be tarnished. It's a secret we all agreed would die with us," said Gunnar.
"We all know why he did that. He couldn't bear to marry anybody else he couldn't. But this also makes it so his wife's marriage to her husband is also invalid, so yes, we must keep this a secret at all costs. I do agree with you completely," Matthias said in the rare times he agreed with anyone on anything without remarking.
"I'm not here to say that our friend didn't do things that would not be considered honorable. I'm not here to debate that. I'm talking about the promise about keeping the children safe so they can learn about their origins when the time comes. The girl, I want her to come to her homeland to discover her heritage, her heritage that has been denied to her her entire life. That's what I'm here to discuss. Her being in the Black Eagles does make things more difficult, but not impossible," said Rodrigue. A plan was forming in his head; he was planning on visiting the monastery at some point, but sooner rather than later. After all, the longer he put off seeing her, the worse it would get, the more endangered she would be. He wanted to see what his departed friend's daughter looks like, what the Lost princess, who was she as a person, he wanted to know. Was she anything like her mother or father?
"I know what you're thinking. You plan on meeting the girl sooner than intended. It may have to happen because of her choosing to go with the Black Eagles. Class is an option none of us considered. Luckily, her friendship with Dimitri is still strong, so that still works to our advantage," said Anastasia.
"There is more," said Rodrigue.
"What do you mean there's more?" asked Gunner. Matthias wondered what he was bringing them here for. He would not have called a meeting on such short notice had it not been for Gustave reporting about what had happened nearly three weeks ago. It had to be something important.
"The princess tamed the white Pegasus," said Rodrigue, shocking everyone. The white Pegasus are the class of Pegasus that only a queen can control; someone with the heart and the blood of one. The Lost Princess possesses both, and she did it on her first try. From what he heard from Gustave, there is no way there isn't someone who hasn't noticed her extraordinary feat by now, and that word wouldn't get to the man who seeks to harm the Lost Princess and Dimitri.
"There was a recent assassination attempt on the lost princess and Dimitri. What makes it worse is that he knows she possesses a crest," Rodrigue said, feeling extremely agitated. Out of all the times for her to awaken her crest and for the white Pegasus, all of this happened in a short amount of time, and it hasn't even been more than four months since she arrived in Fodlan. She was her mother's child, after all. His old friend did the same thing when she joined the Blue Lions 25 years ago.
"She knows about her crest? Out of all the things to happen, what are we going to do?" asked Gunner who was concerned about how much of their plans would have to change.
"We will have to adjust our plans. We've made contingencies for a reason. We must ensure she is protected, and Dimitri as well," said Matthias, who was concerned about the developments.
"The girl is just like her mother. I recall our friend managed to tame her Pegasus on her first try; it was an extraordinary feat," said Anastasia, who was there when it happened.
"There are other things; apparently, the son of Jeralt is the professor of the Black Eagles," Rodrigue said, which caused everyone in the room to be shocked. The revelation about the son of Jeralt Eisner was surprising; he was positive that he had a daughter but not a son. If he did have another child, it must have been after he left.
"To think that the Lost Princess is being taught by Jeralt and Sitri's. Son, the Lost Princess's mother, was taught by Sitri. It's almost as if history is repeating itself through generations," Anastasia said, thinking about her time in the monastery.
"There's also the recent attempted kidnapping of Ingrid. It almost happened; had it not been for her classmates.She would have been beyond our reach now," said Rodrigue, which caused Gunner to tense. The last thing he wanted his friend to experience was losing another child; the pain of outliving your children was hell for any parent.
"Who saved Ingrid from such a fate?" asked Gunner.
"Naruto Uzumaki, Dorothea, Sasuke Uchiha, Mercedes and Hinata," Rodrigue answered.
"My shortsightedness nearly got my daughter killed—damn the crest system!" said Gunner. It was no secret his family was suffering and barely holding on to their noble status; within a generation, they would no longer be part of the nobility. There was a lot of pressure on Ingrid's shoulders; he would not want to be in his friend's situation.
"What about the Uchiha, Sasuke? I've heard he joined the same class as the prince. What have we heard about him so far?" asked Mathias, who was wary of the Uchiha because of their history. Everyone was familiar with how the land of fire was founded; they all knew about the Uchiha Clan genocide.
"What is known about Sasuke is only what is available on his dossier. We know about his goal of hunting down his brother, the man that we will not name because of how much of a disgrace he is to the Blue Lions house. The most unexpected thing happened; he chose the Blue Lions when everyone expected him to choose the Black Eagles. Just like the Lost Princess, he defied expectations," Rodrigue said. Everyone in the room was surprised about Sasuke joining the Blue Lions, as they mostly cared about the Lost Princess; she was the one they paid attention to the most. He felt it was a mistake considering that Sasuke joining the Blue Lions could have long-term benefits.
"Sasuke Uchiha was considered the prodigy student of the year 1175 when he graduated from the academy at the age of 12. He's been on many missions in Ninji; not much is known about him except his achievements, which is why I will need to go to the monastery myself to meet him in person to know more," said Rodrigue. Originally, he was intended to wait a little bit longer, but with the Lost Princess taming a white Pegasus, that couldn't be done. He would have to meet her sooner than originally intended.
"But what about Naruto Uzumaki? He has a strong relationship with the Lost Princess. Is there anything we need to know about him?" asked Gunner, who had some knowledge of who Naruto was from his daughter telling him in letters about the friends she makes in the academy.
"The son of Minato and Kushina is enrolled in the Golden Deer. He is friends with all three of the house leaders, especially Dimitri, who he gained his respect from on the first day that they met. He is currently involved with our Lost Princess," Anastasia said, much to the surprise of everyone.
"Our Lost Princess and Naruto? What is it that is known about them?" asked Matthias, who was now curious about Naruto Uzumaki and his relationship with the Lost Princess.
"My sources come from Mercedes herself. She was in love with him when she stayed in Konoha. I don't know more than that. The only other source I have is from her step brother," said Rodrigue. The Hyugas did not know they had a spy amongst their ranks, one of which is one of Hiashi's sons.
"We're taking a huge risk with him. Did he at one point hate our princess?" asked Gunner, concerned with the sources that Rodrigue was using.
"This task was entrusted to him by our friend. She would not give him this task if she didn't trust him to protect her," Rodrigue said, vouching for him.
"He's joined the Blue Lions. How is he going to help be a proper spy if he can't see everything our princess does?" asked Matthias, who was skeptical.
"He has not contradicted anything we've gotten from our good friend Gustave. He has observed both of their stories align with each other. We should not ignore our source just because one of them comes from a man we all despise," said Rodrigue, with gritted teeth when he thought about Hiashi Hyuga.
"We need to adjust our plans accordingly; she has chosen the Black Eagles. We need to meet her as soon as possible before the future empress of the Empire digs her claws deep into her mind. It would be a mistake on our part not to see her as soon as possible," said Matthias, who had a concerned look regarding the Lost Princess.
"We have to be extremely careful how we proceed. Rufus will look for any excuse he can to try to delegitimize Dimitri; we have to tread carefully," Gunner said, concerned about the situation.
"For 17 years, we have kept the secret about the Lost Princess. Nobody but the people in this room and Gustave know about her existence. We all made blood oaths that night, in this very room, to keep this secret between us, and so far, we have been true to our promise to our friend. We must do more, especially with Konoha and the Empire possibly forming an alliance with each other," said Rodrigue, who was concerned about the relations between the Empire and Konoha and how cozy they've been getting in the past 30 years. That was the main concern they all had over the Lost Princess, who doesn't know who she is. He couldn't fail his friend if the princess ended up becoming the enemy without knowing her true family.
"With everything we have learned, it is imperative that we get the princess to her rightful home as soon as possible. The Black Eagles - they are representative of the empire. The last thing we want is for the princess to potentially become one of our enemies and not even be aware of her true heritage. Rodrigue, Lambert, and our queen that was never crowned, their children must discover who they are. Our lost princess must discover who she is. This task was entrusted to you.I have to go back to my territory to defend it. Gunnar has to tend to his territory's needs. We all know what our role is: it is to ensure the future of our kingdom and for the princess that has been stolen from us to finally return to her rightful home. That is our task. I will make sure that happens on my end. Make sure to do it on yours," Matthias said, ending the meeting. One by one, the men left the room until only Rodrigue and his wife, Anastasia, were alone. He knew what she was going to tell him: that he would have to go; that the fate of the entire Kingdom depended on him seeing the girl, the daughter of the friend that he had seen as a little sister; the woman that Lambert loved.
"You're going to leave, aren't you, dear?" asked his wife, who wrapped her arms around him. He couldn't see her face, but he knew she was sad to see him go so soon. He looked in the center of the room and he saw a painting of his eldest son, Glenn. When it was drawn, his son was 10 years old. He was beside Dimitri, who was around the age of five. He was so young, with such a strong future ahead of him, only for it to be snuffed out. He had dealt with his grief in various ways, claiming it was virtuous how his son died, but that's not what he truly thought. That was just a coping mechanism to cover the pain of outliving his firstborn son, his own child.
His wife took it very hard. She had not been the same ever since Glenn's death. His younger son Felix took it very hard. The children of his other childhood friends also took it hard. Glenn was loved by almost everyone, and he was dead. Part of him did want revenge for the people that took away his son from him, but he couldn't let that consume him. Not when he has a promise to keep, to make sure the Lost princess returns.
"Don't worry my love, I won't come back home in a box I'm going to see them and visit her grave." Rodrigue said as he was about to leave his wife's arms.
"Be careful," his wife said as he turned.
"I can't promise that, but I'll try," Rodrigue said reassuringly.
He made sure to get everything that he needed on his journey. He went to the stables where his horse was and took one last look at where his home was - the window. He could almost see his wife watching him. He turned his back and headed in the direction of the monastery. He will meet the Lost Princess; he will bring her home one way or another. He was going to reveal to her the secrets of her heritage. He couldn't go back on a promise that he had made to his friend, or Lambert; it was all he had left after all his failures - to protect both of them and the failure to protect Lambert's son. In place of Glenn, he would take that with him to his grave. His goal now was to make sure the Princess comes back to her rightful home, where she should have grown up, instead of the hellhole that she was forced to grow up in.
Rodrigue's mission has officially begun. He will not return empty-handed, not without at least seeing what the daughter of Lambert and the queen that was never crowned he wanted to see with his own eyes the woman that she has become.