"My king!" A Royal Guard of the lowest rank quickly burst into the office. "There is a grave problem!" he spoke, out of wind as though he'd run from Crocus and all the way here with a dragon chasing his hind.

The king in question slowly looked up at the man.

"Speak," he finally said, seeing the panicked look on the boy's face. One of the princess' guards. Great.

The man breathed in heavily, trying - and failing - to regain his composure.

"It- it is the... princess.. my king!"

While Lodin sighed exasperatedly, Sergon immediately looked worried. "Is she hurt?!"

The guard shook his head. "No." He paused. "Well, not physically."

Sergon breathed a sigh of relief at that at least, even if his tension wasn't completely gone.

"Tell us what happened, then."

The guy immediately straightened his back. "It seems she had an unpleasant conversation with Mistress Victoria, Commander," he spoke clearly, having regained his breath at last. "She ran off towards the dragon and flew off. Seemed quite upset," he explained, his calm demeanor betrayed by his wavering voice.

Lodin covered his face in his hands. So that feeling from this morning that this day would be a drag to get through wasn't wrong, then. That princess was being dramatic just because of what happened this morning.

He looked back at the still waiting guard.

"There is nothing to be done about it now, unfortunately. All we can do is wait until she returns of her own volition." He received a single nod from the guard. "If you spot her, report it immediately."

The guard nodded again, giving a stiff salute. "It shall be done."

Lodin nodded towards the door. "Then you are dismissed" He watched as the boy exited the room in an inelegant hurry.

As such, silence conquered the room for quite a while after that. Lodin knew exactly why his friend was keeping quiet and had no wish to unfold whatever was cooking in the other's mind.

"What are you going to do about this?" Sergon stiffly asked, likely already aware what the reply would be.

"Nothing," Lodin unceremoniously said. To the point one might think it to be lack of care. "Once she took to the sky on that thing, she became untraceable."

Sergon snorted. "So- what? You are simply going to be sitting on your hands, doing absolutely nothing?" he asked, voice rising with every word spoken.

"Yes." Lodin didn't even look up. "I am going to wait until she returns again by her own volition."

"How can you be so sure she will even return? She might very well have decided to fly back to her own kingdom - you know that as well as I do."

"Yes, perhaps she has," he agreed with a sigh, knowing very well that was likely exactly what she had done. "At any rate, we will know at this hour tomorrow."

He felt his friend's fierce glare on him. "You are unbelievable, Lodin!" He threw his hands up in the air in defeat.

"I believe she will be back. At least if she is even remotely as stubborn as her two siblings," Lodin argued.

"That is exactly what I am worried about." Sergon started walking towards the door.

Lodin followed the Royal Guard's Commander's back with his eyes.

"And just where do you think you are going?"

Sergon whirled around and glared at him. "I am going after her."

Lodin narrowed his steely eyes. "You will do no such thing."

"And why is that? Do you not care a wink for her or the only alliance we have? The only edge we really have in this war?"

"Of course I do," the king said. "If nothing has changed by this time tomorrow, something must indeed be done." He met the other man's eyes. "Besides, you would never be able to catch up to her now."

Sergon scoffed. "The faster I go, the faster I will arrive in that kingdom."

"One day will make no difference in this case." The king's eyes narrowed at the sight of the Commander's expression. "This is an order, Commander."

Sergon's eyes widened for a fraction of a moment. It wasn't often Lodin pointed out that line between them.

"I understand, my king." Sergon calmly replied, a hand to his chest as he bowed.