Knights of The Dauntless Princess

Chapter 9: Run Away

Dravis arrived home late at night and caught his mother, Lillian, washing dishes in the kitchen.

"Oh, Dravis, you're already here?" Lillian was slightly surprised because he didn't smell like alcohol. However, the young man returned with lifeless wild boars, indicating that he had hunted again in the forest."Have you eaten? I'll prepare food for you."

"I'll take care of myself. You should rest," Dravis said, looking around as if searching for something... or someone.

Lillian noticed that and smiled faintly. "Are you looking for the princess? She went to her room early to rest."

Dravis sat down at the table and remained silent, but even without speaking, Lillian knew he was listening.

"Dion told me you had a fight with Amara earlier," Lillian said.

"I didn't fight with her. I just said what she needed to hear," Dravis spoke coldly.

"My son, maybe you could be more gentle with your words to her? She is still our princess. Just talk to her calmly," Lillian said, sighing. "She was still smiling earlier and playing with Dion, but I could see the sadness in her eyes. She's so fragile. Anyway, I'll go up to my room now. Goodnight."

Dravis remained silent and let his mother rest. He was left sitting there, looking down. He was thinking but couldn't decide what to do with the princess. He understood his mother's point, but acting that way wasn't his nature.

He turned towards the door of his room, where Amara had been sleeping since she arrived at their house. He, on the other hand, slept in the living room. Dravis stood up and strolled towards the door. He raised his hand to knock but hesitated. The young man wanted to apologize for what he said, but he felt incapable of doing it. Dravis stopped and decided not to do what was on his mind. Instead, he turned around and lay down on the long couch where he usually slept. Instead of asking for forgiveness from the lady, he decided it was better to rest. Dravis just thought that he would restrain himself from getting angry the next time they talked.

Morning came, and the sky brightened again. Lillian was preparing breakfast, and Dion had just woken up. Dravis also got up from his lying position and sat at the dining table.

"Good morning!" Cyrus greeted them cheerfully as he suddenly appeared at their house's door. They were surprised and looked at the young man who arrived early. "Is my beloved princess awake? I cooked a delicious breakfast for her!"

In Lillian's opinion, Cyrus immediately fell for Amara's beauty. He smiled awkwardly before answering Cyrus's question.

"She's still asleep, but Dion will go to her room to wake her up," Lillian said, glancing at her grandson. "Can you wake up Amara for us?"

Dion nodded and went to the room where the former princess was sleeping. He knocked on her door and called her name, but there was no response. So Dion opened the door to go inside.

"Big sis, are you awake?" Dion asked as he peeked into the room, searching with his eyes for the young woman. Dion frowned when he couldn't find the princess and quickly informed his family, "Grandma, big sis isn't in her room. Where is she?"

Dravis and Cyrus immediately turned to Dion. Dravis stood up and entered his room. He saw that the princess wasn't there, and the bed was neatly made. He had a bad feeling about it.

"Where is Amara?" Lillian asked anxiously.

"Dravis," Cyrus said when he noticed a piece of paper on the side table.

Dravis picked it up and read it. His eyes widened, and he froze for a moment in his place upon reading its contents.

Dear Lillian, Dion, and even you, Dravis,

I want to thank you for all the help you've given me. I appreciate everything and want you to know how happy I am to have met you. I hope this didn't happen in a painful way for me to introduce you to my family. Nonetheless, everything has already happened, and if something good happened to me in these past months, it was only because I was able to be with all of you. However, some things shouldn't continue, and I think one example of that is my staying with you. I can't risk putting you in danger because of me someday. I don't want you to be taken away by those who want to end my life.

Dravis, I know you don't really like me, but I still want to thank you. I would probably be dead if it weren't for you that night. We might not see things the same way, and you might think I'm stubborn, but I believe there's a reason why I'm still alive today. If I'm not mistaken, it's to seek justice for my family's death, and I will try to do that. I don't know how, but I'll find a way. Their loss weighs heavily on my heart, but I can't allow myself to wallow in sorrow on the sidelines. I know that's not what my family would want if they saw me like that, and I hope... I hope you feel the same way. I hope you can fight the sadness swallowing you because some people are not pleased when they see you in despair, and I'm one of them.

Again, thank you all, and goodbye.

Amara

After reading Amara's letter, Dravis crumpled it and felt anger.

That girl, why did she leave?! D*mn it!

"W-What did she say? W-Where did she go?" Lillian asked, trembling with worry.

"She left," Dravis replied.

"Oh no! M-Maybe she went to the central town! She asked me yesterday if she could go there."

Central town? Sh*t!

"Dravis, that place is dangerous for her! Her pictures are everywhere, and even the bounty hunters are after her! We need to find her immediately!!" Cyrus said firmly, and they wasted no time.

Dravis and Cyrus rode their horses and headed toward the town center. While on their way, Dravis couldn't help but feel frustrated with himself.

If I hadn't argued with her yesterday, this probably wouldn't have happened. If I had swallowed my pride last night and talked to her, this wouldn't have happened! Where are you!? You're so stubborn, Amara!

They reached the central town, trying to figure out where to start, so they decided to search separately to expedite their efforts. Dravis contemplated where Amara could possibly go, but he had no idea. He couldn't even find any clues pointing to her location.

Dravis continued searching, looking around every corner, and again, he noticed several posters with Amara's face plastered on the walls and posts. He held onto the reins of his horse tightly, a mix of worry and anger gripping him.

"Excuse me, mister. Did anything happen here earlier, or perhaps a suspicious person passing through?" Dravis asked a bread vendor.

"It's still early, but I've been here since dawn, and nothing like that has happened," the man replied.

"Thank you," Dravis said.

He suspected that Amara hadn't been going to the central town. He thought she might have seen how dangerous it was with her pictures all over, so she didn't proceed. But he once again wondered where he could find her.

It was afternoon when Cyrus and Dravis met again. Both of them were disappointed at not finding the princess. They decided to eat for a while before continuing the search.

"Do you have any idea where we might find her?" Cyrus asked while sipping the soup.

Dravis remained silent as he was also contemplating. He tried to think of possible places the princess could be. Still, he avoided assuming that the guards had killed or captured her to prevent himself from worrying too much.

While they were eating, a seemingly poor man wearing tattered clothes entered the area with an eight-year-old little girl. As they walked toward the counter, the man held a poorly wrapped cloth containing their belongings.

Dravis and Cyrus didn't intend to eavesdrop on the seemingly father-daughter conversation. Still, because they were seated in front of them, they unintentionally overheard it.

"We'll just buy some food here," the father said, forcing a smile at the little girl.

"But father, do we have enough money for this? Should we just buy some bread instead?" the girl asked.

"Don't worry, we'll have a lot of money soon," the man's smile widened as if assuring his child.

"Really? Can we buy clothes and a lot of food for Mama and my siblings?"

The father nodded, "Yes! We can also buy medicine for your mother and have her checked by a doctor!"

The child's smile grew more expansive, and she nodded in agreement with her father. They ordered food and were about to leave. But as the man turned around, he accidentally bumped into Dravis. He dropped his belongings and the bag of food they bought. Dravis caught the attention of a folded paper among the scattered items.

That paper. Hmm.

"I-I'm sorry! It was unintentional," the man apologized when he saw that he bumped into Dravis, quickly picking up their things.

"Father! Our food!!" the little girl said, almost in tears.

Dravis averted his gaze at the man but instructed Cyrus to buy food for the little girl and her father. Without any questions, Cyrus did as told before following Dravis out of that place.

They stood outside the restaurant for a moment, and Cyrus wondered about it.

"Aren't we leaving yet? We should find her before it gets dark," Cyrus said.

The father and daughter came out in a little while, and Dravis pinned his eyes on them. "I think I know where we can find her."

Cyrus glanced at what Dravis was looking at, and that's when he understood what he was saying.

Meanwhile, Amara sat by the door of a little, dilapidated house. She was playing with three children, the children of a farmer she had met on the way. The young lady secretly went to the central area, but when she saw her pictures scattered everywhere, she decided not to continue. Amara felt lucky somehow; she encountered an old man named Hanzo, who helped her and allowed her to rest in his home.

Amara heard the old woman coughing again, seeming to struggle with her breathing. She quickly approached her and helped her get up.

"Are you alright?" Amara asked, concerned about Martha, Hanzo's wife.

After recovering from the coughing fit, Martha nodded and forced a smile at the princess. "I-I'm fine. Thank you."

Amara took care of the poor woman, giving her water and looking after her young children. Martha smiled as she watched her children happily play with the princess.

After a while, they heard dogs barking outside the house.

"Father is here!!" exclaimed the five-year-old child, running out the door.

"Eden, my child, d-don't run!" Martha reminded her.

She couldn't get up due to her illness. Amara wiped the old woman's forehead with water to help lower her fever. Martha was so thankful that Amara was there.

"She's just excited to see her father," Amara smiled. "Don't worry about her. You should take a rest."

"T-Thank you so much," Martha smiled at her, appreciating her concern.

While Amara was taking care of Martha, the old woman suddenly trembled as she looked towards the door. Martha was so surprised and puzzled as she saw some of Emmett's guards arrive with Hanzo.

"W-Wait, what's happening? W-Why are you here?" Martha asked fearfully. "Hanzo! W-Why are you with them?"

Amara followed her gaze, filled with curiosity about Martha's reaction. Her eyes widened in disbelief. She abruptly stood when she saw a group of guards standing there to block the door.

N-No! What does this mean!?

"Don't resist anymore! Come with us quietly, dear princess," one of the guards grinned, pointing his sword at Amara. "If you don't come with us peacefully, we will be forced to hurt you. Please don't make us do that."

"P-Princess? W-What are you saying!?" Martha asked hysterically. She looked at Amara and then figured out, "Oh, no! Y-You are—"

Amara glanced at Hanzo, who stood by the men. He was lowering his head, trembling with overwhelming anxiety. Hanzo tightened his grip on his child's hand, sobbing as he begged forgiveness.

"D-Dear princess, I-I'm sorry," Hanzo said, his voice filled with tears. "I'm sorry!"