The Princess and The Bandit

THIRTY FOUR

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Billie the elf-warrior from the elf kingdom of Javaad casually strolled inside the many halls of the great imperial castle in Arcade city. She was there because apparently, the self-proclaimed betrothed of the Arcadian princess has something to say again.

But she's not interested in what the sleazebag nobleman has to say this time.

There are other emissaries from Arcadian kingdoms and foreign allies as well that were invited inside the castle. The ministers of the empire and the imperial council are there too. All are trying to hold together an enormous empire of vast territories while the fate of the last heir of the Jaureguis is still unknown to most. Especially now that notorious bandits are taking advantage of the confusion and anxiety in the great empire, rampantly attacking villages and counties and big cities.

It has been a regular occurrence, having all these dignitaries and ministers in the same room since the murder of Emperor Michael and alleged abduction of princess Lauren. It should feel like it's the norm by now but somehow something doesn't feel right. Something doesn't quite add up . . .

Billie was there also to observe, as well as represent the alliance between her kingdom and the imperial house of Jauregui. However, in that particularly stressful moment in time, she is inside the enormous and grand imperial castle to look for a way to sneak the elf prince of Javaad in the bedchamber of the missing Arcadian heir.

She doesn't know how he gathered his information or how accurate or reliable it was, but according to the elf prince Zayn, the princess is indeed out on the run. Where exactly? That the elf prince would like to investigate further on his own, too bad she won't allow him to. He believes that the secret escape route in princess Lauren's bedchamber would somehow lead to a possible direction where she might've gone to. Now, for what reason the princess was running? It might as very well be that Bunloaf manchild making himself comfortable on her throne.

The elf prince strongly suspects that the Bunloaf lord was the culprit of the emperor's murder and is now using his every manpower and resources to get the princess to either coerce her into marriage or kill her. That what happened that night was an inside job orchestrated by Lord Brad himself and was aided by his cronies, which possibly includes the notorious serpentina bandits.

Billie thinks both. She thinks that Brad will force the princess to marry him then kill her as soon as the announcement of their union is publicly made. Good thing the princess managed to escape that night otherwise, they would all be looking up to a manchild lacking a few inches in height as the new Arcadian emperor by now.

An emperor without the magic of the blue fire in his blood . . .

Billie the warrior elf of Javaad thinks that as soon as the Bunloaf traitor manages to force the princess to marry him and the said marriage will solidify his title and place in the imperial house, he will kill princess Lauren. And if he somehow succeeds in that then it'll be just the beginning of a world wide chaos that will definitely affect everyone . . .

Because an emperor without the magic that runs in the blood of the Jaureguis will never succeed in keeping it all together. Billie knows this because she has lived long enough to know a few things about the old Arcadian magic known as the blue fire. A magic that only the Jauregui bloodline carries.

If the rampant attacks of bandits within the borders of the empire and the growing discontent of the citizens at the moment is not evidence enough, then Billie don't know what is.

But she didn't tell this to the prince because he's already anxious as it is, she doesn't want to add any more concern for his troubled mind. He truly cares for the princess and Billie has seen them both grow up together to know that for sure. Besides she also believes that the possible union between prince Zayn and princess Lauren is more beneficial for both parties.