Wrongly in Love

6- Furious

King Leodegrance's face was filled with rage when he received news of his daughter's sudden disappearance. He felt even more shook when he found out that a strange man had rescued her from sexual assault and abuse- a man that was not this Paxley who arranged the marriage with his daughter. He was so desperate for reports of Guinevere that he succumbed to reading gossip columns (only to stop when one news article had labelled him paranoid when Guinevere ran away).

That night, Leodegrance requested a meeting with the Paxleys and all leaders of kingdoms were required to attend, as well as mage professors. It was sudden, yet all of them knew that this has something to do with his daughter's disappearance.

They weren't wrong.

King Leodegrance fought to keep his voice steady. "As you know, my daughter has been missing for a day," he declared. "Security is crucial for your children who have been attempting this childish tactic. I advise all of you to replace your guards in case of future incidents. You are advised not to be tolerant at your child's occasional wanderings. Be sure to request a trusted advisor, to escort your children in case there was a need to go outside. No, these are not shocked reactions to my daughter's disappearance. I'm saying these all with a straight face, wishing to protect our future kings and queens, heirs to our kingdoms."

"Is it all about Guinevere?" asked the King of the Southern Lands.

"Also for the safety of your children." Leodegrance replied.

"If we don't follow them?" asked one of the professors of the Magic Academy.

"Then your children's lives will be at risk." said Leodegrance simply.

A worried silence fell between the leaders. The Queen Of Nost Gal was the first to break it.

"Well, Your Majesty, I have this one thought," she said, straightening her glittering ice crown. "But I think it is quite unnecessary to enforce the idea of replacing guards. As you see, my children have only one escort when going to nearby kingdoms and they have never escaped at least once."

"The safety measures are yours to follow," King Leodegrance replied, with the air of explaining one plus one is equals two to a toddler. "If you consider it unnecessary, then by all means, disregard this meeting. Your choice. But perhaps your children are well educated."

The leaders in the meeting all nodded.

"Too bad the King Of Swan Lake and the King of the Valley Of The Winds hadn't attended," The King of the Fire Kingdom chirped.

"But," objected the Prime Ninja Of Iga, "have you given this any thought, King Leodegrance? That it is strange that brown-haired stranger rescued your daughter, and not him?"

He was pointing to the young Paxley. King Leodegrance narrowed his eyes at him. The Paxley King was reassuring him, "no, Arthur, it's not your fault-"

"It certainly is!" Leodegrance boomed. "After all the meetings we had about Guinevere, I expect your concern about her safety!"

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I knew not, I only found out today myself!" sobbed Arthur.

"TODAY?" Leodegrance said loudly, causing the room to jump in shock. "Well, young man, I see you've been ignorant about the news everyone in the room received!"

Then he shoved a clipping of The Royal News to Arthur. He read the headline, quivering.

LADY GUINEVERE'S DISAPPEARANCE SHAKES THE ENTIRE KINGDOM, KING DESPERATE FOR NEWS

Then the Magical Magazine:
GUINEVERE ON THE LOOSE: WHERE WAS SHE LAST SIGHTED?

And finally, the Wizard's Weekly:
HAS GUINEVERE'S DISAPPEARANCE BEEN A REACTION TO THE ARRANGED MARRIAGE?