Alexander had just stepped out of his room when he ran into this mysterious maid. He didn’t know why but something about her felt familiar. No, not familiar. Something like... Ah! He couldn’t find the right word. But she brought alien feelings when she looked him in his eyes. The way she smiled at him and looked at him as she excused herself made his heart falter. But for what reason? Don’t be ridiculous Alexander! Was he going to act this way when he met every woman.

That made him question himself if he had ever married before. If so, he would ask that Lord Richard who his wife was. He had that feeling inside him that he had fallen in love. Was there any woman in his life? The only person who he could remember was that Arcadian princess. Roselyn. Right. That was her name. So far, she was the only woman whom he could remember being close in his life. Had he married? That, he didn’t know.

The hallways were now silent. Maybe the funeral had begun, he thought. And it was true. Almost everyone, Kings and citizens alike, were now gathered in the throne hall. The priest had already arrived and the king’s body was now placed in front of the altar. This was done to every king who died. It was an honor for his citizens to have the last look on the person who had been their leader for almost ten decades.

Lord Richard and Roselyn’s father were seated at the front as they stared at the king’s body. They looked a bit emotional.

"He was a great friend," Roselyn’s father said. "But this cruel world never wants a good hearted person. He was a great gift to Valoria."

"It is indeed true. We’ve come from far with him. If not for the disease, he would have lived long. Let’s hope Alex will be as great as his father." Lord Richard chimed in.

"And talking of Alex, I have not seen him since I came here. The funeral is almost coming to an end and I’ve not seen him." Roselyn’s father said. Lord Richard’s mouth opened and closed like that of a fish but no words came out. "Don’t even think about lying to me Richard. Roselyn told us what happened," said Roselyn’s father.

"He got poisoned by his maid. But there’s nothing to worry about. He’s doing fine. But he can’t make it to the funeral."

King Griffin was seated at the other end of the throne hall, his eyes closed. He was bored by this whole funeral thing. If it had been Alexander laying there on the altar, or both him and his father, that would have at least lightened his mood. But seeing it was the king alone made him angry and bored. And the priest was taking the whole process really slowly that it was pissing him off. And he knew that after the funeral would be the coronation ceremony. How he hated to see that boy being crowned king. But he had to stay, lest the other kings see him as an enemy.

His gaze shifted to where the queen was sitting. Her face was laced with sadness and her eyes looked distant. That somehow enlightened his mood. He liked what he was seeing. Elle was seated beside the queen with the same look on her face. Griffin shifted in his seat amused by the show of emotions at the front. He at least found something to amuse him.

His gaze shifted next as he searched for that annoying face that he hated most but he was met by an empty seat. His brows creased at this and as far as he could remember, he had not seen that face since he stepped in to this place. This now piqued his interest. The crown prince was missing in his father’s funeral! This was now interesting. Maybe he could use this to haunt the queen further.

He stood up and walked closer to the altar. The priest was saying something about the king. Of course they only said the best part of a king’s life. The bad things he did would never been mentioned but talked in whispers amongst the citizens.

"Excuse me mister priest but I have a question," he said catching the attention of everyone in the hall. Lord Richard and Roselyn’s father, who were now talking, noticed Griffin and stopped so that they could hear what this crazy king wanted to say.

King Griffin was widely known as a cruel and power hungry king who went to war at any available chance he got. Conquering inferior and new states was what he found exciting to do rather than staying in castles and ordering people around. His knights were termed as the finest in the continent and seeing that he had them accompany him raised some brows. Did he want to cause a commotion in the king’s funeral? Lord Richard vowed to stop whatever madness he was up to.

The priest seemed a bit surprised by Griffin’s words. No one had ever stood to talk in the middle of a royal funeral. That somehow made the priest a bit thrown off but he eventually nodded for him to say whatever he wanted to.

"Apologies for interrupting this service," he begun. "I don’t know whether everyone else here is blind to not see that the crown prince’s seat is empty." He said and the crowd began murmuring. And then turning to the queen," Is your son forfeiting the crown?" He asked. The generals who were present shifted uncontrollably in their seats. This guy has the audacity to throw a tantrum at them in their own kingdom? Who did he think he was?

The crowd had now also noticed the crown prince’s absence. Not that they had not noticed it before. Maybe they were too scared, or human enough to not confront the queen with such a question especially judging how sad and smitten she looked now.

Queen Victoria stood up silencing the murmurs in the room with a wave of her hand. She had expected this to happen but not so soon. And seeing that it was Griffin who had brought this up added salt to injury. Everyone knew of the strained relations between Valoria and Crescia.

"My son will be here soon." That was all queen Victoria managed to say.