Portal Keepers: The Beginning

Ch. 5 Surprise

Ethan Conley

Breakfast was very lonely the next morning. Ivy never came down, leaving me to sit alone. Usually we always eat breakfast together, so I know she's still upset with me about last night.

After moping around at breakfast and not eating my food, I go to my office to get some work done. After a couple minutes though, I find my focus drifting towards what I would say to Ivy when I apologize. There was no way that I could keep going with her being mad at me like this. She's like my rock in all this madness of being King.

Surprisingly, my mind also drifts towards Rose. I thought about how meeting her was odd and how hilarious the words were coming out of her mouth. There was something about her that was drawing me to her. I also thought about how she had the same note that was given to me after my parents death. Somehow I knew they were connected and I just had to figure out how to connect them.

Finally, after sitting for an hour and getting absolutely nothing done, I get up to go talk to Ivy. There was no way that my mind would focus without clearing things up with her and talk about Rose. She would help me figure out why I'm thinking about Rose so much. And maybe it would even bring up a possible reason for how the notes are connected.

I knew in order to talk to Rose without being too suspicious, I would need Ivy. She would draw some suspicion off of my always being there. Eventually I would be able to gain a friendship with Rose and I be able to talk to her freely, but for now I needed Ivy's help. But in order to get Ivy to help me, I needed to go get her forgiveness.

"Ivy?" I called after knocking on her door three times and receiving no response. I try the handle and the door swings open. As I walked further into her room, I could tell it was empty. I frowned when I caught sight of her bow and arrows hanging off of their hook on the wall. She wasn't at the archery range, so where is she?

I leave her room and walk to Rose's room, which I also find empty. My worry was beginning to heighten. I decide to head to the guardhouse in hopes of one of them knowing where she was.

"Your Majesty." The guards say and bow when I enter the building.

"Who was on duty outside the castle doors this morning?" I ask. At first, no one steps forward, but then two guards raise their hands hesitantly. "Step forward." I say, so I can talk to them easier. The guards follow my command. "Did you see Princess Ivy and Lady Rose leave the castle this morning?"

"Yes." They both answer.

"Do you know where they went?"

"They went to the General's house to get his son and then we're heading to Grandchester for the day." One of the guards says.

"Thank you. Return to what you were doing." I say and walk out. I sighed because I knew Ivy was trying to avoid me. When Ivy is avoiding someone, she is extremely mad at that person. And if she was this mad, it's going to be very difficult for me to gain her forgiveness.

I didn't want to return to the castle because it would mean that I would have to return to my work and the hustle and bustle of the castle. Right now, I really needed to clear my head. There was only one place that I could go that would give me the peace I needed at this moment.

The family spot.

I sat down on the bench in the clearing and rubbed my face in frustration. Whenever Ivy is really mad, she ignores the person she's mad at. She must be infuriated with me if she didn't even leave me a note saying she would be going to town. The more I think about her being mad at me, the more guilty I feel about keeping this from her. I needed to clear this up with her or else the guilt would eat me alive.