Princess Nelliel pt 13

The next day knights were selected to go to war. Among them, a familiar name caught Nelliel's eyes. She rushed to her father.

"How could send a child to the front lines?!" She shouted in disbelief.

"Nelliel, you need to calm down." Her father said not looking up from his documents.

"He hasn't finished his knight training but you're already sending him to fight. He'll die!"

"We'll all die if I don't pick out the best of my knights! The boy showed promise so I want to test his skills properly. If he isn't meant to be a knight I might as well get rid of dead meat." He said sternly. Nelliel glared at him. He wasn't the father she knew. The king didn't know that his actions brewed a storm within her.

She left immediately with clear resolve. She was going to find Valour's heart. If not for herself or her Kingdom, then for the lives that will die meaninglessly. When she got to her room she couldn't calm down. her adrenaline was pumping, she got herself ready to go out. She didn't know where she would go but she only had one goal in mind and couldn't think straight.

"Your highness, what are you doing?" Mielle stood by the door.

"Good, you're here. Could you cover for me for a few hours?" She didn't look up at Mielle as she threw a cloak over herself.

"BUt what is happening? Where are you going so suddenly? It's dangerous to go out unaccompanied." Mielle tried to stop her from leaving but Nelliel already rushed passed her.

"I just need to check something in capital, I won't take long." She rushed leaving Mielle behind, barely getting all her words out. She managed to get to the capital avoiding the eyes of soldiers, knights and palace staff. When she got there she immediately searched for an information guild.

There were so many shops closed and people rushing around getting ready for the upcoming war. There weren't that many information guild's in the captial of Clover KIngdom. There were only about one or two. She finally found one, but it had a sign in front saying that it was closed for the upcoming war.

She didn't know where the other one and she felt her body begin to panic with all the chaos around her. She couldn't go back without accomplishing anything. She ran as fast as she could, looking around desperately.

She then noticed someone amongst the rushing citizens. They wore a white cloak that concealed their identity, but the back of the cloak had a symbol. Mielle told her that the two information guilds worked separately. One worked for the Kingdom so they were identified by their black cloaks and white clovers printed at the back. While the other guild only worked for itself. She didn't mention what the symbol of their guild was since they would be of no use to royalty, nobles or aristocrats, but some of them did wear white cloaks.

This cloaked stranger was Nelliel's only chance. She raced to catch to him.

"Wait!" She grabbed their arm desperately. When they stopped walking she tried to catch her breath as quickly as possible. "Please... I need help..." She continued to pant between her words. The cloaked stranger looked back at her but before she could see their face lost consciousness from the vortex of emotions swirling aroundher body as well as the her difficulty breathing.

Some time passed and she woke up when it was already sunset. She was lying on a single bed with thin sheets. Next to her sat a man with short silver hair. He was looking out the window, his white cloak was hanging from behind his chair.

"So you're finally awake princess. I don't know what you were thinking coming out at a time like this but should head home." He said not looking at her once.She couldn't grasp the situation she was in. Not only did he not show her any sign of respect but she was also in a small room alone with a man.

She shot up immediately remembering her goal.

"Wait, I need help. You're from an information guild right? I'm looking for something." She tidied herself up, looking for her cloak.

"I can't help you." He didn't hesitate and kept his eyes looking out of the window.

"You don't know what I'm even asking for-" he cut her off.

"And I'll never know. Leave now." He said firmly.

"B-But you helped me just now. Doesnt that mean at least care about what I have to say?" She stopped searching and looked at him desperately.

"No, I helped because I couldn't leave a princess out in the street, especially when there were assassins watching you." He finally turned his gaze to her. She flinched. She didn't know what to say. The fact that she could have been killed at any second made her feel weak. "They're gone now. I managed to throw them off but you should hurry back before they find you again." He held up her cloak which was right beside her.

She trembled in frustration before snatching the cloak and stomping out of the room. As she left the man continued to look out the window at the palace. He could tell that it was in chaos not just because of the upcoming war or missing princess, but there was something else unsettling about it. a second later a bird perched itself on the windowsill. It had a note and a jewel hanging from its neck.

"If you were here earlier she could have gone back with something. Oh well." He said opening up the note.