5 Chapter 5 (1/2)
”Washar, I'm glad to see you here.” Naimoor greeted his brother as soon as he crossed the threshold of the palace. The others only gave him an indifferent look and nodded casually.
Almost every Madegaldian prince arrived in the huge audience hall, still filled with the smell of the feast from the previous day. Naimoor, Sujin, Seishin, and Misheril. Only the oldest and the third were missing. The youngest prince was also gone, but he left Madegald a few months ago, so no one was surprised by his absence.
”I arrived as soon as I found someone to replace me. What happened? Where is Shao Tien?”
”We met to find out,” prince Seishin muttered, and looked at prince Naimoor. ”Oh gods, I wonder why he disappeared without a word so suddenly!”
”I'd like to know it myself,” Naimoor replied, ignoring the perfectly sensible provocation.
”I suspect our father must have said something about who is first in line for the throne. For example, that after Vishimon's possible death he is more inclined to transfer the crown to Shao Tien. It's logical. If someone wants to get into the fight for the crown, he would have to get rid of Shao Tien first, and then take care of Vishimon.”
Naimoor smirked.
”If I were you, I would not try to accuse anyone too soon. You have no evidence for your thesis yet. And even if you're right, it means that the conspirator is among us. He hears what you say and may remember you. By the way, it's a shame Vishimon isn't here with us. Don't you think, brothers, that the future emperor should first take care of the imperial family before he sits down to write documents that could be done later?
”He'll help later in the search for sure,” said Sujin. ”Now, let's think about where to look. I suggest you ask your loved ones first, and then servants. We don't know if he left alone or if he was kidnapped, but he couldn't evaporate. Someone must have seen him carrying horse saddle, running away or fighting. Take anyone who can help!”
Washar offered to question the other guards in the treasury and headed there. The other brothers also returned to their duties.
Everyone saw Prince Shao Tien, but long before his disappearance, so their testimony was not helpful. Washar was fed up with listening so, he took a walk to the most guarded part of the building filled with valuables, where an old copy of the dynamite recipe that had to be burned lied in the black, crystal-studded box.
Or rather it supposed to be there.
It was not there. It disappeared. Washar incredulously checked the crate, and after a while poured its contents on the floor. The pearl necklace ripped apart and bright beads spilled all over the room. The coins rattled while falling, and the silver bracelets echoed them.
Fear pierced the prince to the bone. Once again, he searched all the places carefully, trying to not give up to panic. After that, he went to the place where the new, rewritten copy of the recipe was stored, deluding himself that maybe by accident he also hid old parchment with it.
When he did not find it there, he was sure that he failed as the guardian.
The treasury was robbed.
And the thief knew exactly what was the most precious thing there.
*
The sun was going down when Kalena noticed someone entering the garden.
Together with Galaspiael, they decided to take advantage of the charm of an exceptionally warm day and work outside. In addition to learning calligraphy, the prince showed her the basics of Shen fighting.
That day, she wrote eight pages of her fairy tale translation. Thus, she has already completed the second of a hundred stories.
”We were supposed to rewrite just one a day,” he reminded when she asked him to translate the content of the following pages. ”You don't want to finish the whole book today do you?”
”Thanks to this we can rest tomorrow,” she said. Galaspiael laughed softly.
”Little one, you'll also have to rewrite one page tomorrow,” he responded, ”just because you worked more today doesn't mean tomorrow you won't.”
”But ...” She paused noticing the mysterious stranger who had entered the garden and was heading towards them. ”Who is this?”
Galaspiael leaned out.
”Ah, it's Zarkin. Rikken probably sent him with a message.”
Hearing these foreign-sounding names, the girl began to look intensely at the stranger. So far, she hasn't met anyone from the Scribe's Association, except of course Galaspiael.
Zarkin turned out to be a young boy, probably her age, or a little younger. He was thin, and by his movements, it could be concluded that he was also extremely agile. He had fair, blonde hair and a calm look, but when his eyes met Kalena's, the girl shuddered. If it wasn't for a modest dress, one would get the impression that he was also a prince.