Going Through Life Again

Part 23: The Truth

"I'm so sorry!" I called out behind me to Prince Harry as I dashed across the room, arrows flying everywhere.

I didn't see Princess Katrina nowhere in sight so I assumed she must have been brought to safety but why were the arrows still being shot?

There was an unsettling feeling in my stomach as I ran into the hallways. It was eerily quiet except for some running footsteps. It made me panic and I began to move before someone grabbed my arm to stop me.

"Lady Ashley! Why did you run off like that?!" Prince Harry screamed in my face, his voice echoed down the empty corridor.

Instead of being shocked or offended, I slapped my hand on his mouth. I looked around, hoping the assassins haven't heard us. I eyed the Prince in front of me, saw that he had his sword with him. Thankfully. I sighed, working up a plan in my mind but to do so, I would have to tell him everything.

Should I?

I saw a bunch of knights leaving the hall and scrambling to find the assassins who could have already fled the scene. I also saw Sir Cedric and Sir Joseph. They noticed us and quickly asked if we were alright.

Prince Harry waved his hand to them as a sign to leave us alone. The knights nodded and stood far away as possible but close enough to protect us.

"I have something to tell you but you have to believe me." I said as I watched Prince Harry's changed reaction. He was curious but also nervous at the same time. I took a deep breath before I continued.

"I hear a voice in my head. It gives me some hints here and there on something that I had been searching about."

There was no sign that he was acknowledging what I was saying but I continued on anyways.

"Apparently, the voice asked me to chase after Louis. Louis had been different the past few days and the voice adds to my suspicion."

At this, I saw some kind of look in Prince Harry's eyes. He didn't say that he believed me or that he would try to understand what I mean but there was something about the way he looked at me that made me know he will help me in any form, as long as he could find the culprit who ruined his brother's engagement ceremony.

"Let's go to your room." He nodded to the two knights who were on standby and the four of us walked carefully towards my room. The Palace has finally regain its calm, as knights were seen scattered here and there. Some Lemmanian nobles were standing around, discussing the matters at hand.

The King of Lemmania saw us in the crowds and made his way towards us. He told us that Princess Katrina, my family and the princes all managed to run to safety in the comfort of my room. Why they ran there, I had no idea but it made it easier since I didn't have to search for them now.

We bowed to the king and quickly made way to my room. As I opened the door, the first person I made eye contact with was Princess Katrina. Her dress was ruined and her eyes were swollen but that didn't stop her from running to me at full speed, almost knocking me off my feet as she hugged me tight.

"Oh, Ashley! I'm glad you're safe!" She cried louder when I patted her back.

We spent the next few minutes explaining what that had happened from our point of view. Although I kept quiet about seeing Louis exiting the hall, unscathed and unbothered.

Thankfully, he wasn't in the room with us. Though I think the only other person who realised that was Prince Harry as he was looking at me after he had scanned the room. He nodded, indirectly telling me that it will be fine but I wasn't sure if I should be sharing this with father still in the room.

-♧-

It had been a few hours after the chaos that had happened. All of us didn't really do much in my room, except to wait it out and get the sign that everything was safe now.

There were no sight of the assassins anymore and there were news that none of them were caught. So it meant that there was no way to interrogate why this sudden assassination happened.

After hearing the news and outcome, father who was disappointed, expressed his tiredness and left us to go rest in his room. My room felt much more less tense after the door was close.

Due to that, I finally felt my energy drained out from me and I slumped into the chair. Calista has gasped at my actions, reprimanded me with her eyes that went back and forth between the men in the room and me.

"Calista, my dear sister, I don't have the energy anymore to be a prim and proper lady. I would just like to lie down now, if the princes permit it."

"Hush, sister! That's no way to talk in front of the princes!" Calista scolded me and I thought maybe I should just listen to her for now as I did have something to tell everyone. But before I could even open my mouth and let my voice out, Prince Harry had already spoke out.

"Louis might be a suspect."

Was all he said before the room turned colder with tension. I knew the chills were coming from Calista as I looked at her, gripping a bunch of her skirt fabric in her hands. I couldn't read her expression though so I wasn't sure if she was angry at the accusations or she knew much more than any of us.

"I agree..."

When she finally spoke up, I was shocked. Despite Louis being our adopted brother, Calista had felt a bond with him as he was the youngest in the family with expectations to be the next heir of Rosling, the position that was once belonging to Calista.

So I was sure she would have cuss out Prince Harry for making our brother a suspect but maybe the way Louis had acted the past few days towards both Calista and me, really brought light to who he was actually.

"I don't know how he was involved in this but I don't think it's a coincidence that he isn't in the room with us now."

Now, the group had began to mumble among themselves as they began to question what Louis intentions were. I went to Calista, hearing her sniffling and hugged her tight.

In my past life, I won't have done this. I guess tines really have changed.

-♧-

Author's note:
To all my Muslim friends, Eid Mubarak to you ♡

Finally another update. I think this story isn't going to end yet as there's still so many more parts. But the climax is here and I hope that this story will get better and better!

See you in the next chapter soon!

-♧-