Noble Blood

Chapter II - Prospects

"Wake up, Your Royal Laziness!" Evie jumped onto the bed Alyss lay huddled in.

"Come on, Sleepy Head!" She tickled the princess's bare feet at the foot of the bed.

"Another minute!" Alyss sleepily groaned, putting her pillow over her head to mute the screaming.

"It's dawn, mass is about to begin. We picked your favorite dress out for you!" Gwendolyn held up the delicate light pink material.

Alyss reluctantly sat up and rubbed her tired eyes. She wasn't exactly a morning person.

"You won't believe what happened last night too!" Gwen added.

Evie and Alyss looked up at Gwendolyn questioningly.

"Princess Lilianna was on a horse outside the castle walls alone at night!" she continued.


"No!" Evie gawked with disbelief.

"Yes!"

"Liar!"

"I promise!"

"Girls!" Alyss cut in, "Is anyone really surprised? My sister is always doing stupid things."

"We know!" Evie and Gwendolyn cried in unison.

"But she never gets into trouble." Evie muttered.

The door opened loudly as Lady Anne, the housekeeper, rushed into the room.

"Ladies, ladies! You're late to mass!"

"Her Royal Highness isn't dressed yet!" Evie exclaimed matter-of-factly.

"Your Majesty, Prince Dietrich asked to see you after mass in the Meeting Room. Now hurry up!"

Both ladies-in-waiting helped their princess get dressed as fast as possible, and rushed down the corridors. All three of them noticed the castle seemed extra secured, more guards were circulating everywhere, and at least two sentinels stood in each room.


"Was there a security breach last night?" Alyss thought aloud.

"Your sister..." Gwendolyn whispered, letting out a chuckle.

-----

"Ladies, you may leave us." Dietrich adressed Clare, Katheryn, Evie, and Gwendolyn.

All four of them curtsied in unison and retreated into their respective mistress's rooms.

"Why have we been called here?" Lilianna grumbled, arms crossed in front of her, surveying the Royal Meeting Room, where all four lords as well as her brother stood around the large table.

"Important issues to discuss concerning your father, Your Majesty, if you wouldn't mind taking a seat." Lord Bernhart said, pulling out two chairs for the princesses.

Lilianna and Alyss silently sat down with everyone else, as Bernhart rejoined his seat. Dietrich nodded at Lord Albrecht, as he stood up and read from a parchment.


"As you all know, His Royal Highness King Hendrick has not been heard from in five weeks, if he is not heard from within the next week the Crown Prince Dietrich is to take his father's place as ruler of the German Kingdom and its conquered lands."

"So, do you think he's dead?" Lilianna asked, seemingly unfazed by what had just been said.

"We are uncertain at this point. His Majesty's last communication was rather positive, but with no news since we can only suspect the worst." 


"Oh how awful!" Alyss exclaimed, horrified. Her wide eyes looked at her brother and sister's faces, taking in their calm expressions. She loved her father seemingly more than any other in this room.