She saw a blurred man in the distance.
“My dear sir, hello, can you say where am I?” She asked.
“You are at Schillingburg Castle, my Lady.” He whispered.
“Schillingburg? How did I get here?” She continued.
“The Kings Men captured you in the forest near the boundary of Schillingburg and Willshire. You were trespassing.” He replied.
The man entered her cell with a first aid basket.
“The King has asked me to come to tend to your injuries, my Lady.” The man said.
Amelia reacted with pain as he wiped her bloody forehead. She had a large laceration on her head from her fall.
“Can I speak to your King?” She asked.
The man nodded and answered, “I will ask when I am done treating your wounds, my Lady.”
Amelia was so confused.
She did not understand why she was imprisoned and did not want to cause a ruckus so she remained quiet and calm.
“My lady, please lay here and rest, I will mention your request to the Kings Advisor. If you need anything please feel free to ask Sir Guillaume, he is the guard at your door.” The man said as he left her cell.
Amelia bowed her head in agreement.
Upon reaching the upstairs hallway he came upon Charles.
“Sir Charles, I have a request from Lady Amelia.” The man said.
Charles nodded.
“She wishes to speak to King Erich.” He added.
“I will pass the message to the King, you may go now,” Charles replied.
Charles slowly walked towards the Kings Quarters, but halfway there he turns around and heads for the dungeon. Upon arriving, he stops suddenly and watches Amelia from a distance. She was a tiny girl but of strong will, he could tell by her pacing. He wanted to remain undiscovered but she sees him and yells “Sir, Sir, can I please speak with your King?”
Charles walks towards her cell.
“In time, my Lady, The King is indisposed at the moment.” He replied.
“Do you know why I am here? I am not a prisoner. I am Amelia, Queen of Landford, there must be an awful mistake.” She added.
“There is no mistake, my Lady.” He replied as he walked away.
Amelia was now more confused than ever.
She reached out the cell and touched Sir Guillaume’s shoulder.
“Yes, my Lady” he responded.
“Sir Guillaume, do you have any knowledge of what this is all about?” Amelia asked.
She never had bad blood with anyone in Schillingburg especially their King.
“My lady, you were captured by Schillingburg border soldiers, you were trespassing.”
Sir Guillaume replied.
“Trespassing? I was on my way to Willshire. I did not enter Schillingburg.” Amelia added.
“Please rest my Lady, I am sure the King will explain it all in the morning.” Sir Guillaume continued.
Charles decided to let it rest and give the message to King Erich in the morning.
Thomas could not rest. His heart was troubled.
Amelia was out there, she could be hurt and it was completely his fault.
He rode in the direction he thought Amelia would take to Willshire again and again and still found nothing. Not even hoof prints. It was as if Toby had floated there.
Near David’s home, he saw an area where it looked like there was a struggle but he could not decipher If it was done during the scuffle with David.
Where can she be?
What has happened to her?
She could not just disappear.
He rode towards the creek and nothing there either. Amelia was an avid swimmer so drowning was out of the question.
Could she have taken the opportunity to leave Landford? He did not think so, Amelia was not that type of person.
The idea of losing Amelia was driving Thomas mad. This was not the way things were supposed to go.
Yes, He wanted to be King but not like this.
As the sun began to come up, he can see much
clearer and the area seemed untouched.
There was no sign of Amelia anywhere.
As he slowly rode back to Landford, David caught up with him.
“Have you been out all night brother?” David asked.
“Yes, what did you expect?” Thomas answered.
“I found nothing, no scuffle marks, nothing out of the ordinary. I am totally puzzled.” He added.
“I’ll go into Landford then Schillingburg and see if anyone knows anything, you return to Landford castle, maybe she has returned by now,” David responded.
As he rode away he yelled, “Get some rest also, brother.”
Thomas murmured to himself, “thank you.”
He had never said thank you to David for anything. He did not know what he was experiencing. Could this be the true feeling of lose? He thought.
As Thomas entered the castle he rushed to his quarters. His chest felt tight and heavy. He slammed the door behind him and began to weep. He was destroyed by all this. This feeling was horrible, nothing he had ever felt before. It overtook him so much he felt weak and out of breath. The only way to release it was to scream with all his might. Thomas began throwing anything in sight. He was out of control and this feeling of self-
condemnation was tearing him apart. He had never felt guilt, not even when he helped his Father pass. Amelia had never done anything really wrong to him.
No matter how terrible Thomas was, she always supported him but now he has realized how much he neglected her.
The only person who had ever loved him unconditionally and he was responsible for her harm and possible demise.
David wandered Schillingburg, not knowing where to start. He saw a bunch of men by a pub and decided to ask for their help.
“Men, I am looking for my sister, she a small girl, dark hair, about so tall, very pretty she resembles the Queen of Landford, has anyone seen her?” David asked.
“Every pretty girl resembles the Queen, Sir” one man replied.
As they all laughed.
“Yes sir, very true.” David laughed.
“She was riding in from Landford, on her way to my home in Willshire and never arrived.
I feel she is in harm.
“Did you check with the doctor or the Noblemen?” asked a man.
David nodded no.