"Where is Iria?"

The sun was about to set but the Commander was nowhere to be seen. When Prince Orius knew about this, he quickly confronted Rion.

"Commander needs to clear her mind, Your Highness. She will be fine," Rion responded. Despite the second Prince's furious face, he saw a hint of concern in it.

"I told you not to let her leave, Rion. What will you do if things go wrong?" The Prince's voice was colder than ever. When all the possibilities of the aftermath crossed his mind, he could barely refrain himself from unsheathing his sword!

Rion lowered his head when he heard the Prince's words. "Please have faith in her, Your Highness. Commander devoted herself to the kingdom from a young age. Have you ever recall her putting her desire above the well-being of the kingdom and the people? She is having a hard time right now but she won't act recklessly."

The second Prince knew very well. He knew that Rion was telling the truth. After all, the one they were talking about was Iria Alewine. However, he still couldn't be at ease. What if something happens to her?

"I will trust you for now," he said to Rion. "Make sure to find her. If you don't bring her back safely, there won't be forgiveness anymore."

"Yes, Your Highness," Rion responded. As the sun was about to set, he was feeling quite worried too. He was sure that she won't plan to return to Jerivia but... she would surely be having a hard time somewhere and... alone.

* * *

"Is there some problem, Davian?" Crown Prince Arin asked Prince Orius who was standing beside him.

The two men were in the tent which was used as the place of administration for the ongoing annual tournament. The Crown Prince was busy looking over the results for the day and he still should work on drawing the matches for the next day. However, the guard suddenly approached him and it made him wondered if there was something wrong.

"Yes, Your Highness. It's about the Crown Princess," Prince Orius responded. After he thought about it for a while, he concluded that approaching the Crown Prince would be the best. After all, the Qalagon Crown Prince seemed to truly care about Iria.

When his wife was brought up, Crown Prince Arin instantly shifted all his attention to the Prince in disguise. "What's wrong with Iria?" he quickly asked.

"Her Highness left the camp in the afternoon. She hasn't return until now," Prince Orius informed Arin Helev.

"Alone?" Arin asked with a flustered face. Somehow, he had a feeling that something was going on.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Arin put down the report which he was holding and rose from his seat. "What about Rion?"

"According to Rion, the Crown Princess received news that her close friend from her homeland passed away a few days ago due to an illness. The news shocks her a lot and she insisted to be alone. He can't go against her words," Prince Orius replied, concealing some of the truth.

Her friend died? Arin was at a loss for words! It might already be hard enough for her to be away from her home yet she even lost a friend while she was miles away!

The Crown Prince walked out of the tent and noticed that the sun will set soon. What's more? It seemed like it will rain soon! Though it wasn't rainy season, it always rained at least once during the annual tournament as it was always held at the same time each year. This fact only worried the Crown Prince more!

"Inform Antony and others. We will set out right away," he said to the Jerivian Prince who was standing behind him. Prince Orius left to do as Arin said and the latter quickly entered his tent to get prepared.

*

Despite the heavy rain that poured over them nonstop, none of the guards would dare to complain while it was evident that their Crown Prince was desperate to find his wife. In no time, it will be dark and that would be their disadvantage.

"Don't you have any idea of where she would go?" Arin Helev asked Rion when he suddenly halted his horse.

"Her Highness was in a shock, Your Highness. She even expressed her wish to return but when she left, she said that she wants to be alone somewhere," Rion responded to the Crown Prince.

To be honest, he believed that the Crown Prince would be the one who could guess his Commander's location. That's why he was being frank with him. Apart from the Garetth Forest, it was the Crown Prince who used to introduce Iria to some places here. As a soldier from Jerivia, Rion didn't have much knowledge of this kingdom.

She wished to return but she didn't? Then... Crown Prince Arin raised a brow when one place crossed his mind. Did she went to that place?!

"I think I know where she is," he uttered and looked at his men. "I will go there with Antony and Rion. Others can return to the camp."

Without even waiting for a response, the Crown Prince started riding his horse right away. Seeing this, Antony and Rion briefly glanced at the others who looked at them with confused faces. Then they rode their horses and fastened their speed to catch up with the Crown Prince.

It was getting darker yet the two guards find themselves following the Crown Prince up to the Blue Mountains. Was the Crown Princess really up there? Even Rion had no idea. However, he was desperately hoping for his Commander to be safe.

The expression on the Crown Prince's face was a mixture of determination and concern. Despite the darkness and the heavy rain, he was more than willing to reach the highest place of the Blue Mountains.

Trekking up for a while more, the two guards were stunned again when the Crown Prince suddenly halted. Was there something wrong? Curious, they glanced past Arin Helev and saw something at a distance!

Was the person sitting with her back pressed against the trunk of a tree... the Crown Princess? Rion observed his Commander from a distance. He had known her for a decade but... this was just the second time he saw her this lifeless! The first one was when her father, the former Commander Darien Alewine died three years ago.....