"Your Majesty, the people are still asking for the princesse's wedding day. We need to give them a date soon before they cause a rebellion." One general spoke.
Lucian looked around the table. All the others in the meeting seemed to agree.
"They will have a date once I give a date." Lucian said calmly.
He could see disappointed looks around the table, but he didn't care. This was a matter of his daughter's happiness, and if it needed to take time, so be it.
"You are dismissed." He said standing up from his seat and then leaving.
How he hated those meeting lately. All they talked about was his daughter's wedding day.
As he strode through the hall, he came across Lincoln. "Your Majesty. Princess Heaven left the castle." He informed.
Lucian nodded, a bit confused. He knew this wasn't the first time Heaven snuck out of the castle, but she had never done it during daytime before. He wondered if something happened.
"Princess Regina accompanied her." Lincoln added.
"Alright. Does Hazel know?"
"I am not sure. Maybe her guards told her already."
"Tell me when she comes back." Lucian ordered.
Lincoln nodded and left.
Lucian went to his chamber where he expected to find Hazel. Ylva was helping her get dressed when he entered the room.
"Your Majesty." Ylva bowed before getting back to helping Hazel.
His wife turned to him. "Your daughter left." She stated simply. This time she sounded less accusing.
Lucian always felt the need to correct her. It was their daughter, not just his, but he knew what she meant. He was the one who spoiled her.
"And you are angry again." He said.
Hazel shook her head. "No, I am not. I have been thinking." She dismissed Ylva before sitting down on a chair.
Lucian went to sit next to her, sensing that she was about to tell him something unusual.
Hazel sighed heavily before she spoke. "I feel that my fear of losing her has made me into the kind of mother I don't want to be. I am giving her the same fate that I had and I am making her unhappy."
"You are not making her unhappy and you are a wonderful mother." Lucian assured her.
Hazel shook her head, her eyes getting a little teary. "I feel that I have to choose between her happiness and her safety and it's so difficult. I don't know what to do. That's probably why she likes you more. I don't want her to dislike me, so I think I have to let her decide what to do with her life. If she wants to go out, then…" She shook her head, a tear falling down her cheek.
Lucian knew motherhood had been difficult for Hazel. She hated that their daughter had to have the same fate as she had. If someone knew what it felt like to live isolated, then it was Hazel, therefore she had hoped to give their daughter a different life. But it was easier said than done.
Lucian took Hazel's hands in his. "You are doing great and Heaven loves you and she doesn't blame you. She told me herself. We have taught her everything we could, now that she has grown up we have to let her decide the way she wants to live. It's alright to let go."
But Lucian had to admit that even he was worried. Where did Heaven go this time? Hopefully, she would come back unharmed as she usually did.
Maybe Roshan knew where she could be.
After making sure that Hazel was alright, Lucian teleported himself to Roshans home. He hated to arrive uninvited, but that's what Roshan always did.
Roshan loved to live a luxurious life. His house was built like a castle and had the most expensive furnishing.
"Oh, look who is here?" Roshan beamed as he found him in the parlor. It was almost as if he had been waiting for his arrival. "I have been waiting for this day but…" He looked closely at Lucian. "Did something happen.?"
"Nothing besides our daughters being gone."
Roshan raised a brow as he sat down on the couch. "Well, they have to leave sometimes."
"I just want to know that they are somewhere safe."
Roshan shook his head. "You can't always keep an eye on your daughter. She will suffocate. But if you insist to know, then they are probably attending some feast or festival."
"It's easy for you to say. You don't have enemies waiting to get their hands on your daughter."
"No, I don't. But I know one thing. I would rather live a short happy life then a long boring one."
Of course. Roshan and fun went hand in hand, but Lucian thought deeply about what he said. A life without happiness might not feel worth living.
"You should try it to. You know, to live a less boring life."
"My life is not boring." Lucian disagreed.
Roshan chuckled. "I am sure. Only dealing with state affairs and then going to sleep must be so much fun. Don't you miss going out there and fight?"
Lucian sighed. Yes, he missed it, even though he hated to admit it. But war only brought destruction, and it was always the innocent who payed the price.
"I don't miss it." He said.
Roshan tilted his head, studying him closely. "You know, since your father left you have been bitter. We live a long life. You will get used to it with time."
Lucian knew Roshan was thinking of his mother, who left him.
"Get used to the idea that my father wants to corrupt people's minds."
"He is the devil and even the devil gets tempted. He got tempted to have a normal life and forgot about his mission. Now he is back to his duties."
"Are you siding with him?" Lucian asked, appalled.
"I am not. I have chosen a side a long time ago. I grew up next to your father. He taught me all evil tricks. Me and my father were ready to follow in his footsteps and we did for a while. Until I asked myself what I was gaining by tricking people. Nothing. Was I losing something? Yes. My morality. So think. You father has been doing this since the beginning of times. He has no sense of morality. So while you are here feeling bad, he doesn't care."
"But you were with him all this time."
"Yes. I really thought he had changed for the better when he was with Irene. But I was wrong." Roshan sounded disappointed.
If he grew up with Lothaire, he probably saw him as a father figure. But now that Lothaire hadn't changed as he had hoped, he became disappointed.
Lucian had enough caring for people who didn't care for him. If his father didn't want to be in his life, then he didn't want him in his life either.
Suddenly Roshan stiffened, glancing behind Lucian.
"Gina!" He called rising hastily.
Lucian turned back. Before he could see he already knew something was wrong. He could smell the scent of blood in the air.
Gina walked into the parlor, clothes torn and stained with blood. She was bruised and in pain. Roshan was next to her in the blink of an eye before she fell into his arms.
"What happened? Are you alright?"
Lucian's looked around for Heaven and when he couldn't find her, he quickly put the pieces together.
His daughter was in danger.
"Heaven. She is in danger." Gina hurried to inform.