Unified

Chapter Nine: The Disappearance

Roman was startled awake in the morning by voices shouting outside his door and the sounds of rushed steps. He gets up groggily, calling out, "Excuse me? What's going on?"

His chamber door is opened and he's surprised to see Lady Valerie there. She smiles softly at him but he can tell something is bothering her, "My apologies, Young Highness, did we wake you?"

"Uh, yeah," Roman frowns as he walks up to her, "What's all the commotion about?"

He glances past her when she looks over her shoulder and he sees the guard captain there, a man named Raymond, with graying dark brown hair and a matching beard. He's wearing his armor, which is weird since it's so early and Valerie isn't wearing hers. Roman looks at the captain expectantly, crossing his arms. He tries to act like he's just as important as his brother, "Captain? What's the meaning of all this noise?"

Raymond sighs, exchanging quick glances with his daughter before meeting Roman's gaze, "We have been informed by His Royal Majesty that Crown Prince Thomas is missing."

Roman's eyes widen and his arms drop to his sides, his facade gone, all bravado he had stolen from him.

"What..?" He asks softly, dumbstruck by such preposterous news. It clearly couldn't be real, right? Thomas was just playing a prank on him and he'd jump out any minute and laugh at the face Roman is making. Right?

"My apologies, Young Highness," Captain Raymond bows slightly before the Prince, "His Majesty didn't want you to know of this yet, in case this isn't as dire as it seems."

Roman frowns and pushes his way past them, storming off down the hall. He doesn't care that he's still dressed in his bed robes, he doesn't care that his hair is a mess and all the staff can see him in such an unprofessional state. His brother may be missing, and his father wanted to hide it from him? Fat chance Roman is letting that happen.

He storms into the throne room and he sees his parents sitting upon their thrones, both are dressed for the day but he can tell his mother's hair was an after thought as it's simply pulled up into a simple bun. She looks distressed while the King looks grim and angered. Roman glares at his father and his parents look at him as he enters. Queen Arianna tries a soft smile, "Good morning, my dear."

"Morning." Roman replies flatly before turning his angered gaze on his father again, "What's this I hear about you trying to keep Thomas' disappearance from me?"

The King sighs, clearly unhappy with Roman's knowledge, "I told them not to wake you. Surely they can find a rogue prince quietly."

Queen Arianna frowns, but says nothing. Roman crosses his arms, "You think he just took off?"

"I have no knowledge for certain," the King replies, sighing as clearly Roman isn't backing down, "I only know Thomas wasn't in his room when I came to wake him this morning, and no one has seen him as of yet."

"Who saw him last?" Roman asks, growing concerned.

"You did, Young Highness." Captain Raymond says as he enters the throne room, bowing to the King and Queen in turn before Roman himself, "You and I, as I escorted the both of you to your rooms last night."

"No one's seen him since then?" Roman frowns and Captain Raymond shakes his head, lowering his gaze in respect, "I'm afraid not, Highness."

Roman looks back at his father, "Do you think.. He was taken?"

The King grits his teeth, his dark eyes hard and unreadable, "I can say nothing for certain."

"Ugh, what can you say then?!" Roman groans, throwing his arms down like an angry child.

"Roman, darling why don't you go get ready for breakfast?" His mother suggests gently.

Roman keeps glaring at his father, like he can somehow bring the answers from the King's brain with a glare alone. The king stares back at his youngest son, commanding in a harsh tone, "Roman, stop this insolence at once."

Roman opens his mouth to retort, but stops at the look in his father's eyes. He growls and turns, stomping away from them, "If you won't tell me, I'll figure it out myself!"

"After breakfast!" His mother calls after him but he ignores her as he heads to Thomas' room to investigate.

He gets there and some of the guard are there looking around as well. They bow to him and he nods back at them, subconsciously fixing his hair a bit since he has no intention of returning to his room just yet. He looks around the room, nothing seems to be amiss, there's no knocked over furniture or anything of the like. Thomas' bed is even made, just barely. Did he really just..run away? Roman frowns, crossing his arms, Thomas would never do that. Would he? Was our match last night just some way for him to say goodbye to me?

He sighs and shakes his head, I can't let myself think like that. Thomas would never abandon his kingdom, let alone his family. If he were planning to run.. He'd tell me at least, wouldn't he? Roman shakes his head and groans softly, muttering to himself as he turns and leaves the room, "Stop it, Roman. Think, there has to be an answer I'm just not seeing."

Thomas disappeared without a trace, without a fight, too from the looks of it. But he couldn't have just run, he would never do that, I'm sure of it. So, what's the answer? Roman thinks to himself as he walks, arms crossed tightly, nails digging into the fabric of his bed robes. He gasps softly, "Logan would know what to do!"

He turns on his heel almost elegantly as he breaks into a sprint towards the Adviser's quarters as quickly as he can. He gets there and knocks loudly, "Logan?! Logan!"

Logan opens the door, frowning lightly, "It is quite early, Your Highness. If this isn't important please leave me be until a more decent hour."

Roman stares in disbelief, He hasn't been told. The prince shakes his head, "Logan, I need your help. My brother is missing and Father thinks he just ran away, but I don't. I don't have any proof one way or another, but can you help me?"