It's been two weeks since the incident with the assassins and the meeting with Elara and her grandmother. Jake couldn't find the cabin by the village for some reason, which raised suspicions about who those two women were.

Jake stayed by me in the office in case of another attack on me, even though I insisted that I could take care of myself. I was sitting on my office chair with a mountain of paperwork in front of me on my desk. I couldn't seem to focus on anything else besides who those mysterious women were that took care of my wounds while I was unconscious.

It was a shock to me when Jake came back to me to report that he couldn't find a cabin or those women while walking around the village either. I remember the disappointment when he had to tell me the news…

"Your Highness, I couldn't find the cabin or even the young women I saw with you that day."

"What do you mean you couldn't find them?"

"Sir, are you sure they have nothing to do with the mage rumors? It seems so suspicious to me that I couldn't find anything that could lead me to them."

That day, I questioned why they were living in isolation. How did they treat my wounds? How come I found the cabin that night but Jake couldn't? I knew something about them wasn't right, but I didn't have enough evidence to support that. They had a mysterious aura around them… Especially Elara. 

"Excuse me, Your Highness?" Jake interrupted my thoughts.

I looked up at him from my paperwork and waited for him to speak.

"Would you like to walk around for a bit? You look distracted. Could it be that you are still thinking about that day?"

A walk outside sounds amazing right now. "Yes… Actually, I find it hard to believe that their cabin or even they were unable to be found." 

Jake looked at me in understanding. 

I got off the chair and walked out of my office. I walked around the castle for a little bit to forget those thoughts that had been swirling in my mind. And since it was raining today, I preferred walking indoors.

The castle was grand but cold compared to Elara's home. Even though I stayed at her home only for the night and the following morning, the food there was more delicious than anything a chef could make here. Even if that chicken soup was simple, the day I got back to the castle, I had chefs prepare me a bowl of it. Everyone looked at me during dinner as if I had lost my mind. But no matter how closely the chefs followed the recipe, it could never taste the same. Perhaps it was because the chicken soup was made with someone's time, care, and effort. It was simple but tasted warmer than anything I'd ever been served here at the castle.

While walking around, I saw my uncle and father talking about something. Then we made eye contact. 

My father, King Hugh Varell, had a few wrinkles around his blue eyes and slick-back white hair that matched his white beard and mustache. Meanwhile, my uncle, Harold Varell, still has black hair, but white streaks are a sign of his age. He has a few wrinkles around his blue eyes as well, like my father. They are both close in age. 

“Evren, my boy! How are you?" My uncle asked. He gave me a fake smile. 

I lowered my head in acknowledgment towards my uncle and greeted both Father and him. 

"How are you, uncle? How are you, Father?" They both smiled at me, except my father's smile was more genuine. 

"Well, we are doing amazing! We actually have wonderful news." My uncle said.

I hope this is not what I think it is. Whenever my uncle is around my father, he brings up the topic of my future wife.

"We thought it was time for you to get a wife since you are not getting younger either. I only brought this up now since this is a perfect time for you to choose a wife. Your uncle thinks that Ms. Selene from the house of Valmont is a perfect match for you." My father sounds excited about this, but I am not.

Selene's father happened to be allied with my uncle, but in front of my father, he doesn't show it. In fact, I am a strong believer that anything my uncle does now is behind my father. This makes me more wary of the house of Valmont. 

"We would like to see you get married soon, so I thought that my friend's daughter is a perfect match for you!" My uncle gave me his fake smile again and emphasized the word "match". 

I feel even more irritated than before. Not only is the mage case giving me a headache right now, but my uncle is trying to manipulate me and control my life by arranging my marriage with the daughter of House Valmont. 

"Thank you for your concern, uncle. I will keep that in mind." I smile back at him through my anger.

"Oh, please do think about it. Ms. Selene is wonderful after all." 

"Well then, Harold, would you like to have some tea while we discuss things?" My father said.

What things? Is my father actually considering that arranged marriage option? No way I'll let that happen!

"Then I will go back to my office. Have a wonderful day, to you both, father and uncle." With that, I turned my face back in the direction of my office and walked into it. 

Jake was still waiting for me in the office by the window in the opposite direction of my desk. 

"Did something happen, your highness?" He asked.

"I would like to have a moment to collect myself. My uncle brought up the topic of marriage again, but to Lady Selene this time." I said as I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration. 

"Lady Selene? From the house of Valmont?" Jake asked.

"...Wait… Isn't her father your uncle's friend and supporter?" 

"Yes…" I sighed as I sat on my desk chair. I looked at the drawer beneath the table. I opened it, and there lay a small, simple gold necklace. It had a golden flower that resembled hibiscus. I picked up the necklace from the drawer and gently held it with my right hand. 

This necklace was given to me by my old friend. On hard days like today, I always look at that necklace and remember when we used to be kids and play pretend - she would be the princess. I would be the knight in shining armor, saving her from danger. 

"You must miss her…" Jake said softly.

"How could I not? I cherished her a lot back then. I always wondered what life would've been like if she and her family were still around. You remember how she used to be." 

I laughed at her memory. She was always the unserious type that caused trouble. She was three years younger than me, so I always thought of her as nothing but an annoying friend. But the day before her disappearance, it was as though she knew what would happen to her and her family, and she gave me her necklace, claiming that it would "save me" from danger. 

"Remembering her now, she always ran after you. We believed she had a crush on you; it was cute." Jake laughed at these memories as well.

"Crush on me? No way! I was thirteen at that time. She was just a little kid." I laughed it off. 

Jake chuckled. "You really had no idea, did you?"

I shook my head, still amused by the thought. 

Both Jake and I were friends with that little girl and her brother.