Being the intended mate of a royal is the duty of a lifetime.
To Princess Peregrine duty is everything. From the day she was born she was groomed to save her realm from extinction. With a lineage like hers, she was destined for one thing and that is...
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From the moment I open my eyes I know that Princess Peregrine is gone. I just know that somehow, even with all the guards I had patrolling last night, she had left the castle; if not the entire realm. My visions and intuition are never wrong and I would venture to say that this time is no different.
My sleep had been restless and plagued with visions of her. She had been in the arms of the prince. His slate-colored eyes had just stared as he held her, dead set on me, beckoning me to challenge him. Each time I had tried to tear her away from him the vision would fade, disappear into absolute nothingness.
I throw my legs over the bed frustratedly, knowing what I am going to find in just a few moments. I should have never left her chamber last night. I should have forced her to come to my chamber. But thinking it does not change the fact that I did not. Now I know my kingdom and I will pay for my mistake. She will pay for it.
After getting myself dressed I head directly to her chamber. I do not greet a single person or acknowledge a single soul on my way there. I am not even the least surprised when I find it void of the princess. The window is ajar, wide open, from when she must have flown out of it in the middle of the night. I look over in the corner and find the cloak I had stared at last night missing.
I suppose the one fortunate thing about this entire situation is that at least she has her enchanted garments with her. She would not just be showing up to wherever she is meeting up with Prince Timber in the nude, like the common folk.
I punch the stone wall next to the window almost as hard as I can, hearing the bones in my hand crack as I do. "Damn it all to hell." I curse a few more times under my breath as I open and close my damaged fist, making sure I did not break anything in my anger.
"Princess Peregrine?" Lady Wren calls out upon entering the room behind me. "Pere, where..." I turn around and catch the petrified look on her face as she looks about the empty room. The hour is an early one and I know her lady awakes her each morning. She schools her features before addressing me. "I am sorry, King Raven, but Princess Peregrine is—"
"Lie to me and those will be the last words that ever come out of your mouth." I grit my jaw as I think about how misplaced her loyalty is. It should be for her kingdom and realm, not her princess. "Where is she?" I glare at her, challenging her to disobey me.
"I honestly do not know, my king." Her eyes are downcast and I am not sure if it is out of respect or because she is too scared to look at me.
"Where and when was the last time you saw her?" My question comes out monotonous but cold as ice.
"Last night in this very room, right before bed."
I let out a dark laugh. "You are telling me that you readied her for bed?"
"No, my king, she was rather restless last night." I would gather she had an idea of why too.
"And you did not find that odd?" I deadpan but she does not respond because she does not want to lie. "I see." I walk up, getting within a few steps from her. "Do you know who she is with?" I am met with her silence as she stares at the floor like her life depends on it. The act of her disobedience infuriates me. "Answer me!"
