The Invisible Prince

Chapter 8 - Turning Point (Part 1)

(We're skipping Arden's POV this chapter because I don't know what to write for him)

Arien and Arjen's POV-

Arien sat on the bed, hugging her knees and trembling as she recalled Rurahel's death. Rurahel's death had haunted her, preventing them from getting any sleep.

'Ugh...I feel dizzy and nauseous...'

Arjen reached over and squeezed Arien's hand in comfort.

"...You idiot", he chided gently, "You may have covered my eyes, but look at you now".

Arien let out an awkward laugh.

With a sigh, Arjen got up from his spot on the bed and approached the window.

"Get some sleep. I'll close the curtains".

However, his hand stopped before it even reached the curtain.

"Arien...take a look at this."

Arjen and Arien both looked out the window.

'Golden armor...They're the imperial nights!'

They watched the knights march into the castle in lines.

"But why...Are they perhaps here to hold a funeral for Rurahel?"

But the knights had paid no attention to the woman's corpse.

"No. Those knights just walked past her body. That means they have another objective...!"

—

The knights banged on the door of the run-down castle.

"OPEN THE DOOR!"

When the door opened, the knights marched into the castle, ignoring the terrified maids who were looking to save their own skin.

"Who informed the imperial palace about Lady Rurahel's death?", one maid asked.

The knights marched past them and searched the castle, eventually making their way to the prince and princess's room, where the two were hiding behind the painting on the wall. The siblings looked weak, with Arien being both breathless and nauseous from witnessing their mother's death.

"WHERE ARE THE PRINCES AND PRINCESS!?"

"W,We also don't..."

"YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE YOUR MASTERS ARE, YOU WORTHLESS MAIDS?!"

The maids had not experienced such disrespect in years. More importantly, however, was the revelation that their objective was actually the prince and princess.

'Why are they looking for us?', the siblings wondered.

'Do you think...they want to kill us?", Arjen theorized.

That's right. Illegitimate children are a disgrace to the empire. Now that Rurahel is dead, there is no reason to keep them alive.

Arien gripped her arm.

'Let's go straight to the forest as soon as the sun sets. They'll never find us if we go up the tree we always climb', Arjen decided.

Arien nodded.

'Alright...but what about Arden?'

Arjen shook his head sadly.

'We can't do anything to save him. Keeping ourselves safe is already too difficult.'

—

When night fell, the rustling of grass and leaves could be heard. Two small children with blonde hair could be seen dashing through a path of trees, with the boy in the lead.

Arjen turned to look at his sister.

'Just hang on a little longer, Arien'.

Though breathless, the girl continued running.

'Okay...!'

Suddenly, Arjen stopped running. In the distance, the light reflecting off the golden armor the knights could be seen.

The siblings immediately hid behind a tree.

"NO ONE OVER HERE!", one of the knights yelled.

"CUT DOWN THE TALL GRASS WITH YOUR SWORDS!", another commanded.

The siblings remained in hiding, until Arien collapsed and Arjen yelled her name in alarm. This immediately alerted the knights, who turned in their direction with swords in hand.

Upon seeing the prince and princess, the knights lowered their swords.

"Y,Your highnesses! What are you doing here?!!"

"What are you doing? Help her up!"

"Yes, sir!"

Two gloved hands immediately wrapped around Arien's torso and lifted her back onto her feet.

'Aren't they planning to kill us...? What are they...'

Before Arien had time to finish the thought, another man approached. Arien looked at him in wonder.

'Who is it now...? Blonde hair...?"

The knights quickly turned to look at him, then kneeled down respectfully.

"Your majesty!!!"

The man looked at them coldly.

"Bring them."

"Understood, sire!"

However, this was interrupted when Arien wobbled and collapsed. The last thing she saw was the familiar blonde hair, bright enough to shine even in darkness, a pair of cold, green eyes, and her youngest brother in the arms of the emperor.

[624 words]