5 Disaster

"Now, now. What is the commander of the Royal Order of De'Loughrey, is doing here?" The duke stepped in, presenting himself.

"Who you might be?" Apparently, the said knight marshal is a commander. His eyebrows furrowed as he asked the Duke.

"I am the duke that you are looking for. Duke Conan Bray Arvendor is the name." He ended with a pleasant smile.

"Your Grace…" He started as he yanked the reign of his horse before continuing his sentence, "The Sigfridr Kingdom is about to meet its fall."

The Duke's eyebrows knitted together as his forehead creased, "What has happened to the capital?" He asked immediately—taking a step near the commander, "How can I trust your word?"

"Your Grace, I speak nothing but the truth. The Queen that I serve sent me here to convey this message to you, Your Grace." He paused as he unmounted his horse, "The invaders passed through the skewers. They must have taken the passage that was near the palace." He explained.

"And what of the King?" Duke Arvendon asked immediately.

The Knight commander averted the gaze of the Duke. Him looking down head with an unexplainable expression on his face.

"Lancelot! I am asking you, what of the King?" Duke Conan Arvendon exclaimed with that stern voice, that caught everyone's attention. Especially his children.

"I apologize, Your Grace…" Commander Lancelot started with a low-toned voice, "…but the King—the father of the Queen I serve… has been perished." He faltered.

"Oh, dear Lord…" He covered his mouth with his hands. Unable to take in the news that was brought to him.

"The Sigfridrian Knights lost it, Your Grace." Commander Lancelot answered.

"How come?" The infuriated Duke grabbed Lancelot by its gorget. "How come, no one in the Royal Family was saved?!" He exclaimed, yet in a whispering manner. Trying to keep the matter only between the two. He was seething. "You'll have to explain to me what has happened, along the way there, commander Lancelot."

"Your Grace, as I said, the invasion was all too sudden, that even our Queen got entangled with the invasion, and almost perished. And I do believe, that I do not owe His Grace—the Duke Arvendon, an explanation. We must hurry back to the capital. The Sigfridrian Knights are still trying to hold off the invaders, along with the Orden of Jaime."

Lancelot chinned up so that he won't get strangled as the Duke grabbed him by his gorget.

"So, the Order of Jaime still held onto their oath, even after the ruckus." Duke Conan Arvendon commented.

"The invaders… Is there any clue who's behind this invasion?" The Duke asked. His eyebrows still knitted together.

Commander Lancelot did not hesitate to answer the Duke's question, "The insignia on their breastplate, is one of those alike to the King Erbach's Royal Knights." He disclosed.

"Erbach…" The Duke fell silent after muttering that word. "Does Didianne has something to do with this?" He sighed as he asked himself. The Duke glanced at his children, who were hovering in fear—clinging to their maids. Their innocent eyes focused on their father, and there, Duke Conan Arvendon has made his decision, "And the other royal family members?" He asked.

"Eldwin, Favran…" He called in a monotone.

"My liege." Responded the two mighty knights as they both place their hands—curled into a fist, to their chest.

"I need you two, to lead and secure my children on the way to the dukedom. Make sure they both reach the dukedom unharmed. Along the way, make sure you send this message to the Marquisate of Kolvias, this has to be the same exact words, do you understand?

"The King of Sigfridr Kingdom has fallen. Evacuate all of his people near the shore of our dukedom. Spread my word as what I have told him to the other marquisate too.

"That is all. Now go, all of you." The Duke ordered to his men.

"Yes, my liege!" Obeyed the two, and immediately put the Duke's word into action.

"What? But what about father?" You can hear Audemar ask the two knights as they tried to separate the young lady and young lad from the crowd.

"His Grace has something to do. For now, young master, you must listen to us. The Duke wants us to travel without him for now, this is an order from His grace to me." Eldwin told his young master and young mistress with a firm stern expression on his face.

"But—" Andraste wasn't able to finish off her words.

"Let's just listen to them Csilla." Her brother Audemar—said in a calm and composed tone. She looked at his brother with her worrying eyes, before turning around to glance at their father, "Sir knight? Are you sure that father will follow soon, right after us?" She asked for assurance.

Both Eldwin and Favran looked at the two with pity. Unable to give an honest answer, they looked at each other and sighed. Favran—then leaned closer to his young mistress.

"His Grace will surely do his best to follow us, and to be with the two of you." He ensured, ending with a smile.

"Favran." Eldwin called. Unpleased with what Favran said.

Favran looked up at his commander and cleared his throat, "I apologize Commander. However—"

"I know your intent. You do not have to explain." He paused and straighten up his posture—looking around, "Prepare the carriage of the young masters and mistress." He commanded.

"Aye! At your service, commander." Favran then carried out what has been ordered to him.

For a moment when the three were left there, they fell silent. But not until when the commander of the Order of the House of Arvendon felt someone knocking on his cuisse—his iron plate on his leg. He looked down to see who was it. To his surprise, it was the young mistress Andraste once again. "Young miss? What can I do for you?"

Andraste tiptoed and held her right hand up to her mouth as if she was about to whisper something to the knight commander Eldwin.

He then knelt and leaned his ears near the young miss's lips.

"Will everything be fine, mister?" She whispered. Then she back away to see Eldwin's face. She stared at him with her innocent face. Her amber eyes focused on him.

"That… I cannot voucher to say that everything will be fine, young mistress." He said in a mellow voice, "But I can assure your safety." He added.

"The carriage is ready, commander." It was Favran, whom came back with the prepared carriage for their liege's children.

"Please, young master, young mistress." Eldwin voiced, as he opened the door of the carriage.

Audemar, without a second thought, walked to the carriage and stop by its step.

"Come on inside now, Csilla." He said reaching for her hand, "We don't want father to get disappointed at us, don't we?"

"What if he doesn't come back too?" She mumbled as she fiddled her fingers while looking to the ground.

"He will follow us. It will be my birthday in four days. He will be there for us, okay?" Audemar denoted. Not too sure even to himself of the words that escaped his mouth.

After that, Andraste Csilla looked up at her brother—who's still holding his hand out for her. A faint smile formed on her lips as she took his brother's hand and went inside the carriage. As soon as she was seated inside, Audemar Cirillo followed her inside, and so does Knight Commander Eldwin. Favran then closed the carriage's door and tapped its back. Soon, the carriage departed.

Not too far from the scene was the Duke, staring at the carriage as it took his children to safety.

"Are you sure about your decision, Your Grace?" Knight Commander Lancelot questioned.