Rosangela: The Runaway Princess (Book #2)

An hour earlier in the Kingdom of Clanbelle...

Lucy had spent a whole week with her parents who lived out of the country. Before going back to the kingdom of Nightshades where she’s working as a maid, she stopped by the kingdom of Clanbella to deliver Mirabelle’s letter to Sigmund.

Now, she was in the main square. This place was bustling with life. The roads are bursting with cars and the pavements were teeming with people—correction—vampires.

Lucy just realized that she didn’t have a clue where Sigmund lived, thus, she was confused how to send Mirabelle’s letter to him. She also didn’t know anyone in the kingdom of Clanbella. Therefore, she couldn’t ask for help to find Sigmund.

“What am I going to do now?” she wondered aloud.

After mulling it over for a while, she finally decided to ask a passing stranger.

Lucy walked up to a woman standing nearby her and posed a question, “Excuse me, do you know someone whose name is Sigmund?”

“Sorry, I don’t know who he is. I’m a stranger here myself,” the woman replied.

“Oh, thank you,” said Lucy.

“Not at all,” that woman responded, whereupon she walked away.

Unsatisfied with the woman’s answer, Lucy marched over to the next stranger and inquired him, “Excuse me, do you know Sigmund?”

She didn’t understand why the man all of a sudden blanched visibly when he heard the name. And without a word, he bolted down the road, leaving Lucy in a state of utter confusion.

“He’s really weird!” she murmured under her breath.

Shrugging it off, Lucy came up to another man and enquired, “Excuse me, do you happen to know someone whose name is Sigmund?”

“I don’t know,” was the man stock response and with that he stalked off.

Lucy then tried to ask other people, some of them chose to evade answering her question, while the others just brushed her off impatiently.

“What’s going on here? Why was everyone acting very strangely when I asked them about Sigmund?” Lucy queried herself in bewilderment.

Seeing the puzzled look on Lucy’s face, a dark-haired woman, who had been watching her since she set foot on the kingdom of Clanbella, finally crossed over and asked her, “Excuse me, I heard you wanted to see Sigmund. Is that true?”

“That’s right,” Lucy replied, “I’m looking for a man named Sigmund. Do you happen to know him?”

“Yes, I do. If you want to meet Sigmund, you have to go to palace,” the woman told her.

A small frown creased Lucy’s forehead. “Why do I have to go to the palace?”

“Because Sigmund is King Bellamy’s adopted son, that’s why he lives in the palace,” the woman explained.

The woman’s explanation took Lucy by surprise. ‘If Sigmund is the king’s adopted son, it means he is a nobleman, right? How come Mirabelle know someone of high social rank like Sigmund? What is the exact relationship between them? Is Sigmund somehow related to Mirabelle?’ she thought in mystification.

Lucy wanted to ply the woman with more questions, however, when she turned to look at her, she was already nowhere to be seen.

“How ever did she disappear so quickly?” she wondered.

Without wasting time, Lucy headed to the palace. However, she stopped on the opposite side of the road, too timid to approach the castle.

Two guards, who were posted outside the palace gates, noticed there’s a woman acting suspiciously right across the street. Sensing danger, those two guards advanced towards her.

“What are you doing here?” a guard demanded aggressively.

“I’m here to look for Sigmund,” Lucy answered.

The two guards exchanged glances, and then one of them asked, “What is it you want to see Lord Sigmund about?”

Lucy opened her bag and took out an envelope before replying, “There’s a letter for Sigmund from Mirabelle. I want to deliver this letter to him.”

“If you will wait for a few moments, I’ll tell the king you’re here,” the other guard requested.

“Sorry, I don’t intend staying long. I just came to give this letter to Sigmund,” Lucy refused.

“Please stay here for a few minutes! We’ll just have to tell the king about the letter and wait for his decision. It won’t take long,” the guard tried to persuade her.

“I’m sorry, but I really can’t stay. I still have to get back to work. So, can’t you just give this letter to Sigmund for me?” Lucy requested.

“No! You’re not allowed to go anywhere before we tell our king about the letter and His Majesty gives you permission to leave! Is that clear?” one of the guards snapped at her.

“Please let me go now! I’m in a rush. I would be threatened with dismissal if I turned up late for work,” Lucy pleaded.

“You need to be here until our king says you’re free to leave—no buts about it!” the other guard emphasized.

“But—” Before Lucy was able to protest, the two guards grabbed her by the arms and propelled her into the palace.

“Where are you taking me?” Lucy asked, panicked.

“We’re going to bring you before the king,” one of the guards gave a curt reply.

“No! Let go of me!” Lucy squeaked and struggled to squirm free. But it was useless, she was no match for the well-built guards.

Meanwhile, at the same time, King Bellamy was sitting all alone in the throne room when all of a sudden, Prince Maximilian burst into the room without troubling to knock.

“Good evening, Your Majesty,” he greeted.

Not long after that, his bodyguard, Jasper, went into the throne room. He gave a bow of his head to greet King Bellamy. These prince and bodyguard were definitely inseparable. Wherever Maximilian led, Jasper always followed.

King Bellamy was completely taken aback by the sudden arrival of his best friend’s son. He rose from his throne and enquired, “What are you doing here, Maximilian?”

“Why? Can’t I visit my future grandfathers-in-law?” Maximilian inquired back, grinning hugely.

King Bellamy sighed. “It’s not what I mean. I’m just quite surprise to see you here because you never come to visit me these days.”

“Yeah, I have been very busy lately,” Maximilian reasoned.

“Tell me, where in the name of Heaven have you been all this time, Maximilian? You know, your father kept calling me from time to time only to ask after you, but I myself didn’t have the faintest idea where you were,” King Bellamy demanded.

“Actually, all this time, I and Jasper have been traveling around the world in search of Princess Mirabelle, Your Majesty,” Maximilian explained.

“You should have told your father if you wanted to look for Mirabelle, Maximilian. You know what? He had been worried sick about you because he did not know where you were going,” King Bellamy scolded him.

“I realize that I was wrong to make my father worried about me, Your Majesty. But I have met my father while I and Jasper were attending my old friend’s ball in the kingdom of Nightshades, and I have explained everything to him,” Maximilian elaborated.

“I’m glad to hear you’ve talked it through with your father,” King Bellamy said with a satisfied smile.

Maximilian returned his smile.

“By the way, after you bummed around the world in order to look for Mirabelle, did you find a clue that might lead to Mirabelle’s hiding place?” King Bellamy queried.

Maximilian let out a long sigh. “Unfortunately, I have so far failed to track down Mirabelle, Your Majesty.”

King Bellamy found it difficult to hide his disappointment when he knew Maximilian was unable to find his granddaughter.

“What about you, Your Majesty? Have you had any news of Princess Mirabelle?” Maximilian enquired.

King Bellamy shook his head sadly. “No, I haven’t heard the latest news of my granddaughter from my men yet.”

“Oh, hard luck!” No sooner had Maximilian said it than there was a sharp knock on the door.

“Come in!” King Bellamy commanded.

The door swung open and two guards walked into the room, pulling Lucy along with them. They knelt before the throne, forcing Lucy to her knees too, and greeted their king.

King Bellamy signalled the guards to stand up, and they soon obeyed, yanking Lucy to her feet in the process.

“Who is that woman? Why did you bring her here?” King Bellamy questioned curiously.

“Your Majesty, this woman said that she brought a letter from Princess Mirabelle for Sigmund,” one of the guards answered.

His granddaughter’s letter came as a complete astonishment for King Bellamy. Prince Maximilian and Jasper were surprised as well.

Lucy was also astounded by the guard’s response. ’The guard called Mirabelle ‘princess’? Who are you exactly, Mirabelle? Are you really a princess? But how could you end up as Prince Xavier’s pet?′ she was wondering.

King Bellamy crossed the room in two strides, so he was standing exactly in front of Lucy now.

“Give me the letter now!” he ordered, holding out his hand to her.

Lucy handed the letter to vampire king with trembling hands.

When King Bellamy saw the name which was inscribed on the envelope, his forehead was bunched in a frown. “You said that this letter was for Sigmund, but why is this letter addressed to Alpha Wolfgang?” he demanded wrathfully.

“Actually, Mirabelle wanted to write a letter to her mate who lives in Bloodrose Pack, Your Majesty, but since I couldn’t send the letter to that werewolf pack, she finally had me deliver this letter to the kingdom of Clanbella,” Lucy explained.

King Bellamy had a puzzled look on his face. “Her mate?”

Lucy nodded her head. “Yes. If I’m not mistaken, her mate’s name is... Randolph.”

“He is not her mate, but I am!” Prince Maximilian raged.

“That’s right! Prince Maximilian is my granddaughter’s mate,” King Bellamy agreed with him although he knew perfectly well that Maximilian wasn’t his granddaughter’s real mate. However, they’re engaged to be married, thus, the king thought that it was all the same.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, I do not have the foggiest idea that Randolph isn’t Mirabelle’s real mate. I only heard a rumour that the werewolf is her mate, that’s why I said it to you,” Lucy apologized.

“Forget it!” King Bellamy said frostily.

“Hurry and open the letter, Your Majesty! I want to know its contents,” Prince Maximilian said impatiently.

The guards shook their heads in disapproval at Prince Maximilian’s impolite remarks to their king, though none of them dared to protest. Meanwhile, King Bellamy didn’t seem to mind in the slightest about Prince Maximilian’s attitude towards him for he had regarded him as his own son.

King Bellamy finally ripped the letter open. The letter had clearly been written in haste, but the vampire king still could read it.

Dear Alpha Adolph Wolfgang,

Help me, Alpha! I and Randolph were separated from my father when we ran away from King Bellamy’s soldiers. Randolph told me to hide in the kingdom of Nightshades and disguise myself as Prince Xavier’s pet while he went to search for my father alone. He promised to come back and fetch me once he found my father, but he has not returned yet until now.

A few days ago, I made a fatal mistake of injuring the head maid in the palace. I have to run away from the kingdom of Nightshades as soon as possible unless I want to be severely punished by King Joaquin when he discovers the truth. But the problem is I am unable to escape from here by myself because all the approaches to the palace were guarded by troops. So please, Alpha, you have to get me out of here as quick as you can before my cover is blown! I’ll be in deep trouble if King Joaquin finds out who I am exactly and what I have done.

I’m really looking forward to seeing you again.

Yours sincerely

Rosangela

“What did the letter say, Your Majesty?” Maximilian asked out of curiosity.

“Mirabelle is taken hostage by King Joaquin from the kingdom of Nightshades,” King Bellamy answered through gritted teeth.

“What?!” Maximilian’s jaw dropped. “But how could it be possible? I and Jasper have been to the kingdom of Nightshades to attend a ball a few days ago, but we didn’t see Mirabelle anywhere. Right, Jasper?” He turned to look at his bodyguard.

Jasper nodded in agreement. “That’s right, Your Majesty.”

King Bellamy clenched his fists in anger. “King Joaquin must have hid her somewhere until you couldn’t see her.”

“I know King Joaquin very well, Your Majesty. He will certainly use the release of Mirabelle as a bargaining chip, and it means that her life is in danger now. We must rescue Mirabelle from there, pronto!” Maximilian said urgently.

“You’re right, Maximilian. I’m going to send troops in to rescue Mirabelle from King Joaquin’s clutches tonight,” King Bellamy stated.

“With all due respect, Your Majesty,” a guard suddenly spoke up, “I cannot agree with you and Prince Maximilian. I think we can’t act recklessly now. We have to plan everything very carefully first. Because if we make a wrong move, it can lead to the outbreak of war.”

“If it’s a war what King Joaquin wants, it’s a war he will get!” King Bellamy thundered.

“Excuse me, Your Majesty,” another guard said, “but if a war broke out, thousands of innocent lives will be killed. As a king, you shouldn’t sacrifice your people for your own selfishness.”

King Bellamy thought for a bit before saying, “You’re right. We must not go to war unless all other alternatives have failed. Before we make a move, we must think out a plan to rescue Mirabelle without having to put innocent people at risk.”

“But we have no time to lose, Your Majesty! We must save Mirabelle before it’s too late,” Maximilian insisted.

“Be patient, Maximilian! Doing something in a rush usually won’t end well,” King Bellamy advised.

“Yes, Prince Maximilian,” the first guard agreed with the king, “if we act carelessly, it will only endanger Princess Mirabelle’s life.”

When he realized nobody was listening to him, Maximilian left in a fit of pique.

Jasper excused himself and hurried after the vampire prince.

“What shall we do with this woman now, Your Majesty?” asked one of the guards.

“Put her under lock and key until we are able to bring my granddaughter home!” King Bellamy barked out an order.

Lucy’s eyes dilated with fear. “No! Please don’t throw me into jail, Your Majesty! I swear to God I don’t know anything about it. I’m only a messenger,” she begged.

Ignoring her pleas, King Bellamy dismissed the guards with an impatient gesture.

The guards made a formal bow and left the room, dragging Lucy away with them