IV. The Impact of Her

~ One ~

My jaw clenched as my hands curled into fists.

The letter, now but a crumpled ball, encased within my hands.

Whoever did this, whoever took Laura by force, they would regret the very day they plotted against me.

"Your Highness," one of the servants groaned.

His call pulled me out of my dark thoughts and made me rush back to him. As I arrived before him, he tried to sit properly but his body was too weak from all the beatings that they received.

"Please... Your Highness," his teeth gritted as he tried to speak through his groans, "Forgive me."

"Forgive you? For what?" I asked. He attempted to speak once again. But he stopped as soon as the pain caught up with him. "Good sir," I put my hand behind his back, my other hand by his arm, "You mustn't try to stand. You are badly wounded."

"Your Highness... we tried... to protect her," he continued to struggle as he spoke. "But... before we could get to her... we were... surrounded... by the masked men," he explained.

Masked men? This could only mean that Laura's abduction was planned thoroughly. Whoever wanted to take Laura ensured that no tracks of any sort would be left behind.

"If... you want... to punish us... we will... humbly accept it," the servant added.

My eyes widened as I looked back at him. "Why would you think that I will punish you and your fellow servant? You have done nothing wrong," I replied.

"But... Your Highness... the lady–"

"Nobody wanted for this to happen, especially you," I immediately blocked his protest. I continued, "And you have said it yourself: you were surrounded, immensely overpowered by masked men. Unless you and your friend were incredibly skilled or had a muscular build, two are easily overthrown by a group."

For a moment, the servant stared at me in disbelief. Slowly, he turned over, got down on his knees and knelt before me. His hands were outstretched to touch my feet. "Your Highness... we don't deserve... any amount of grace. Your heart... is too kind. We don't deserve it," he cried. "I do not know... how I can... ever... repay your kindness. However... the very least... that I can do... is to kiss your shoe." As soon as he moved closer to my foot, I stepped back and stopped him.

"Good sir, I understand that you are grateful. But there is no need for such actions," I said as I laid his back on the wall. I continued, "For you to express your gratitude is enough."

He raised his head, shocked. He bowed once more and sobbed onto the ground. His hand still touched my boot. "Thank you... young prince. We are... forever... in your debt."

"Please, there is no need for that," I consoled him before the other servant ran over to us. He went into the same position. "Gentlemen, please," I said.

"Should you need... our help... in any manner... we are... at your beck and call," the other servant added.

I turned to Lord Cyrus and asked for his assistance.

After our eyes met, Lord Cyrus approached us. "Young ones," he spoke as he walked towards us," His Highness insists that you do not owe him any favours."

"But, master–" the other servant tried to reason as he looked up to Lord Cyrus.

"Gentlemen, please," Lord Cyrus politely replied.

The servants slowly sat up and composed themselves. They wiped their tears dry with their sleeves.

I didn't have time for this. I should get to the bottom of Laura's disappearance. I walked over to Lord Cyrus and said, "My lord, thank you for your assistance and for having kind-hearted men." I continued, "However, they are in such a fragile state. I shall send for the Medicine King once I return to the castle."