Chapter 9

"Did you find him?" Ralph Heartward asked the soldiers. The soldiers kept their heads down.

"Sir Heartward!" they bowed and spoke again "We couldn't find His Highness! We are terribly sorry! There was no clue and we couldn't ask anyone just so we couldn't create any suspicions! or else His Majesty...." Ralph was angry, but he couldn't do anything since none of this was the soldier's fault. He sighed and dismissed them.

" What are you doing this late Sir Heartward? " a sudden voice startled him but he was relieved to see Wilfred.

" I should be asking you the same." he replied. Wilfred walked up to him "what about His Highness? Did you find something?"

"No. I've sent them undercover and they searched everywhere, but we couldn't find him." he said dejectedly.

"Even if you try, you will never be able to find him. You can't announce it to the public nor can you paste posters. How in the hell will you find him? No prophet will come down and give you clues! We don't even know whether If he is kidnapped or has just gone somewhere. " Wilfred's voice was dripping with rage.

" You are scolding me as if it's my fault that the Prince has vanished. Why don't you say that to His Majesty himself if you have so much to say rather than blabbering your anger out on me?! "He said.

" I don't wish to argue with you Ralph. Prince vanishing might not be your fault, but the Prince not returning yet might be your fault. You know that you could have stopped His Majesty but you didn't. And why is that? That's because you lack conviction. None of this would have happened if you would have made a right decision on His Majesty's behalf! " Wilfred spat venomously.

Ralph scoffed stepping close to Wilfred.

" That's absolutely right, Sir Wilfred Clifton! I am lacking courage in me! You are absolutely correct! And what about you sir? Are you any better than me? Aren't you too, feeling oppressed like me.? Let me tell you Wilfred, if you had a little bit conviction more than me, you wouldn't be standing here and wasting your and my time, you'd be in His Majesty's chambers speaking to as you are speaking to me right now!! You'd be stating the facts why he is wrong and why we are right! But are you doing it? No! Why?! Because you lack conviction yourself!! Now tell me Wilfred. Are we any different from each other? Don't give me a speech now on how you thought you believed that I could do it by being His Majesty's advisor! I can't hear it from you too! Every where I go! I hear the same words of disappointment in me! Same speech same hopefull faces! And I thought that you'll be different but you are pressing on to my wounds!! I'm tired okay! Just for your information, I regret every single decision I made! And I'm trying to make up for it! I'm working hard, and if you don't see my efforts.... Then you better start calling me colleague rather than your friend. " Ralph said and walked away.

Wilfred was shocked, heartbroken and disappointed in himself. Unknown to him, a tear escaped his eye. He was so tangled in his own worries that he neglected his friend's. He was a coward. He couldn't stand up to the King and he couldn't even stop his friend from leaving. Yes, he cared about The Prince, Curtis was innocent and naive. He took care of Curtis ever since he was 3. But Ralph didn't care less about Curtis's safety, after all Curtis was Ralph's nephew. "Damn it!" Wilfred said under his breath, he shouldn't have said such things to Ralph.

Ralph walked to the Queen's chambers.

"Excuse me. May I go in Her Majesty's room?"

"You may but do not disturb her, since Her Majesty is fast asleep."

"Sure" he said as he walked in. He felt his heart clutching when he saw her almost lifeless body on the bed, she looked so pale so fragile. He sat beside her and grabbed her hand in his.

"Wilona...." he whispered. "Dear sister... If only you could talk to me again. If only you could nag about His Majesty to me again. You can't even tell me how you feel right now.... What-.. Please tell me what should I do now... I don't know how to fix everything... I-I should've stopped him when he was making that stupid deal! Oh my God-... I... I ruined you... Your life, your happiness.. I ruined everything! I'm despicable... " he said as he began sobbing hard with his lips pressed on the back of her palm. He began reminiscing the moments they shared together. He didn't knew, he had to cherish them, she was taken away from him so quickly. He couldn't even tell her how much he loved her.

"Gentlemen, why are you crying?" Wilona spoke, jolting him making him drop her hand as he quickly wiped his tears.