The Legend of the Dragon Princess

Thirty Ninth Part

The next day Yae Hee entered Esmeralda's room but found her lady gone. On closer inspection she found a letter on Esmeralda's desk. Yae Hee had a very bad feeling and did not dare read the letter, instead she hurried to find King Roin and show it to him.

Unfortunately, once a week there was a morning assembly and today was that day, thus King Roin could not be interrupted.

Yae Hee waited outside the assembly room as she worriedly walked back and forth in circles. She needed to show the letter to the king immediately, but she was just a servant and could not possible intrude in the assembly room.

She considered intruding, even if the letter was not important the Princess was still missing, that in itself should be enough reason for her to intrude, right?

Just at that moment Lyretta arrived alongside her aunt.

Outside the assembly doors there were no less than ten servants, but of those ten only one, Yae Hee, was showing anxiety and constant worried movements. It did not take a genius to realize the girl was in distress.

"What is the matter?" Marchioness Alitia asked.

Yae Hee hadn't seen the two women approaching so the Marchioness' voice startled her so much she nearly dropped the letter. However before long Yae Hee turned toward Marchioness Alitia and Lyretta and she bowed deeply.

Normally she did not like these two women who had made her lady suffer, but right now she knew she needed help. She just wasn't sure if she should say anything to this duo. Erring on the side of caution she bowed very respectfully. "N-nothing is the matter." She said with her head bowed low.

"If that is the case then explain your behavior." Marchioness Alitia said, clearly citing how improper it was for Yae Hee to be moving about in front of the assembly room with such agitation. It gave the impression something was wrong, and if something was wrong and related to the assembly hall it could be about a national matter. Servants in front of the assembly hall were expected not to be seen or heard, similar to decorations. Only servants of the highest class could serve by the assembly hall where the top minister and representatives of powerful families gathered, for that reason Yae Hee's behavior was very inappropriate.

Yae Hee bit her lip repeatedly as she thought and thought. Should she show them the letter? At least the Marchioness and Alitia had enough status to enter the assembly room, it even appeared that was their destination to begin with.

Yae Hee closed her eyes and decided to just do what she could at that moment. She bowed her head again and extended her hands with her palms up, there the letter rested.

Marchioness Alitia frowned at the sight of the letter and made no move to retrieve it. By the way the servant was acting that letter could not be anything good.

Lyretta however had no such misgiving and reached out for the letter opening it to read it. At first Lyretta read the letter slowly but as she went through the words her eyes passed through every line faster and faster and until she finished reading the letter. She had been holding the letter closer to her face with every line she read so it was only when she lowered the letter that her pale face and shocked expression could be seen.

Lyretta stepped forward and grabbed Yae Hee's arm and pulled the servant girl. "Where is Princess Esmeralda?" She asked with urgency.

Yae He trembled. The letter had indeed been something bad. Slumping her shoulders in defeat she replied with a quiet voice. "Her highness is gone." she said.

Lyretta immediately let go of the girl and ran up to the doors of the assembly room pushing them open.

"Father!" she yelled as she ran forward without a care for all the other nobles present.

King Roin had been mid-sentence so he frowned at the interruption and turned toward his younger daughter. He was displeased but this daughter had the Soumi clan behind her, he could not be overly tough with her.

In fact, he had invited her to this morning assembly himself, he had heard that the previous day she had been presented with the Soumi crest, thus she was now the official leader of the Soumi clan. How could he have known she would be so brazen and enter without regard to the sacredness of the assembly gall. Without even a bit of respect for those gathered!