A friend

Chapter 2

"What do you mean he's gone?" Francisca yawned as she tried to comprehend what one of the Kikimora maids is frantically trying to say.

"I-I don't know your Highness, but when I and two more came to check on him and to clean him... He was just gone!" She stuttered, eyes wide with fear and worry... Mostly because she doesn't like to disappoint her master.

"Have you searched the entire section?"

"W-We did, but still no sign of him. We have already alerted the entire staff to look for him and are currently doing our best to find him!" The maid replied.

Francisca groaned, awakened to such ungodly hour... This makes her hate being royalty sometimes.

"Have you informed the others?" She continued, now fully awake and sitting on the side of her bed.

"Y-Yes! Lady Druella has chosen to join us in our search within the castle, while Lord Elt, Lady Wilmarina, and Lady Fullmoon are outside looking for him." The maid replied, now calming down.

Francisca sighed, but since she has her obligations to do. She has to be ready just in case something happens.

"Did he take his items?" Francisca suddenly asked.

The maid's eyes widened in response as she realized she has been panicking for no reason.

"N-No your Highness... His armor and odd device is still in his room, but his sword is gone." That made Francisca sigh in exasperation.

"Oh for the love of... He's probably still within the castle, he doesn't like leaving his stuff around." She confidently, but annoyedly responded. To which the maid bowed and excused herself.

Once the maid was gone, she promptly went back to laying on her bed, another sigh escaping her lips.

"To think... After all these years of us thinking you're dead, then you just came out from nowhere, killed some sort of shapeshifting creature, and gave us your signature grin and thumbs up." She spoke to herself before groaning.

"Gaahh! This is so confusing!" She yelled into her pillow, making sure not to be heard by anyone passing by her quarter.

She then sighed yet again after releasing the pillow.

"But it's good to have you back again, and never forgetting us." She said softly, looking at a half burned, crude and dirty looking piece of parchment with the four of them as kids on her bedside table. That she took from Edward's recovering body.

She reached for it, and turned it around. Where she read read four simple words.

"I miss you guys."

She smiled fondly, her childhood memories rushing back to her before she fully got out of bed and dressed herself with the help of her tentacles.

Suddenly, a knock echoed through her room as another maid entered her room.

"You majesty... We found him."

Francisca nodded and followed the maid.

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"After all those years... I'm finally home." Edward spoke softly on a balcony overlooking the near entirety of the kingdom. A fond smile on his face as he took in the beautiful sunrise view.

"S-Sir! Please get down from the railings!" A frantic Kikimora pleaded at him, making him chuckle before stepping off the railings of said balcony.

He landed with a small thud, while the sword on his back clanked against the marble floor when the tip of its sheath touched the ground.