Knights of The Dauntless Princess

Chapter 24: Recklessness

Orson recounted the events that took place in the town and how Nina was captured, just as Nube had narrated it to him. Everyone was shocked by what they heard, as it was unexpected.

"Where is Nina? Where did they take them?" Amara asked as she was deeply worried about her friend.

"I think they were taken to Fardowsa to work! I'm really not so sure what that place is, but only the wealthy and powerful can enter there, people who can pay a large sum of money," Orson replied.

Princess Amara was about to leave the room when Dravis suddenly stood up and stopped her. Dravis grabbed her arm, which caught the attention of everyone.

"And where do you think you're going?" Dravis asked, staring at her sternly.

Amara glanced back at him and bravely responded, tears welling up in her eyes, "I'm going to find Nina! I will save her!"

"And what can a wanted criminal like you can do?" Dravis retorted sharply. "The ones who took Nina are soldiers of the kingdom. It's like you're feeding yourself to the lions in the forest! Calm yourself down!"

Amara paused at Dravis's words, understanding the truth in what he said. Nevertheless, she trembled with anger and frustration over the situation. She felt utterly helpless and couldn't do anything to save her friend.

After she simmered down, Dravis released her hand from his grip, then looked at Ranz, who was also holding back his anger due to Nina's a*******n.

"We've heard about the same story you mentioned earlier," Dravis said, his eyes also reflecting a sense of foreboding about what happened. "An old man told us that all the young women with beautiful faces are forcefully taken from their families and made to work in that place."

"According to him, they never saw their children again after they took them away from them. Possible, the same thing will likely happen to Nina and her sibling," Cyrus added.

No... they never saw them again? No! Nina!!! Amara thought in fear.

"Damn it! Those bastards!" Ranz said furiously, clenching his trembling fists in anger.

"What are we going to do?" Orson asked, and everyone turned to Ranz, waiting for the leader of the bandits to give them instructions.

"Send some men to scout around Fardowsa! I want them to study every path we can enter and exit that place!" Ranz commanded.

"Yes, boss!" Ranz's men replied in unison, then left the room, leaving only Amara, Cyrus, and Dravis behind.

"Wait! Just like that? Shouldn't we go and get Nina immediately? What if they do something terrible to her?" the princess insisted.

"Lady Amara," Dravis said, then the young lady turned to her with her worried eyes. "Devil Wolf made the right decision. We can't just rush in blindly; it would be too dangerous."

"But what about Nina?" Amara cried. Though she knew their reasoning was sound, her concern for Nina overwhelmed her. "She was in danger right now!"

"If we charge in there, it won't just be Nina, but all of us!" Dravis emphasized. "Especially you, as you are currently being hunted!"

Amara bit her trembling lip as she bowed her head. Tears filled her eyes, but she held them back.

"Don't worry about Nina," Ranz said, turning away from them. "She's strong. She can endure anything!"

Amara frowned and glared at Ranz with irritation. She stared at the leader of the bandits with anger and let her frustration be known.

"Oh, really? Is that so? Are you hurting her feelings repeatedly like that just because you know she's strong? That she can endure everything?" Amara asked directly, causing Cyrus and Dravis to furrow their brows. "You think Nina is strong enough to bear all the pain in her heart, so you just neglect her?"

Ranz didn't face her and remained like a statue before Amara.

"Princess," Cyrus interjected.

"T-That's... that's stupid!" Amara said, turning away from them. "I just hope... nothing bad happens to Nina. I hope it's not too late to save her."

"Lady Amara!!!" Cyrus called after the princess, but she quickly ran out of the room.

Cyrus sighed at her behavior but couldn't protest since he knew she was just so worried about Nina.

"Ranz," Dravis said to the leader, who still stood there. "There was an establishment in the city of Cassas in the Kingdom of Gustava that we visited before. It was an elegant and massive place for the wealthy, like a comparison to Fardowsa."

Ranz glanced at Dravis, "And what about that?"

"That place in Cassas is not just a simple establishment," Cyrus said, seemingly recalling their visit there. "It's a paradise for the rich, where they drink, gamble, and are entertained by beautiful women who dance— almost naked!"

As Ranz heard Cyrus's words, his eyes widened with fear and anxiety, fearing that this might be the same situation that Nina could be facing.

"No! I-Is that true?"

Dravis nodded, admitting that they had gone to such a place before to enjoy themselves with his men. However, it was in the past, and their main concern now was how to rescue Nina.

Meanwhile, the princess was disheartened, feeling useless as a friend. She wanted to save Nina immediately but didn't know how to do it. She went to the back of the house to contemplate. Her heart screamed to go and find Nina, but her mind argued with her. She considered what Dravis said about the danger of their reckless actions. She knew that she couldn't just rush in, as the soldiers might recognize her, putting all of them in danger. Nonetheless, she desperately wanted to do something to save Nina.

The wind blew, carrying a flower towards her feet. With a hint of sadness, she picked up the flower and gazed at it for a moment. She thought it was a beautiful flower, even though it was black. Soon, Hannah's words came back to her.

'You too, princess, you're very beautiful!'

"Wait, this flower is—" Amara paused as she noticed some of Ranz's men mounting their horses, ready to leave that evening. She knew where they were headed and quickly got up. Hastily, she grabbed a few more flowers and ran towards the horse stables.

After covering her head with a hood, she swiftly mounted one of the horses and followed the group. She wasn't sure what she would do, but she was determined to save Nina.

Meanwhile, Cyrus and Dravis were returning to their room, hoping to convince the princess again. They knew it was difficult for her not to have saved her friend at the moment, and they wanted to give her assurance that they would do something about it after planning it thoroughly.

"Did you hear what Lady Amara said to Devil Wolf earlier?" Cyrus asked. "I didn't know that the bandit lady had feelings for Ranz. Hmm. And that perverted i***t just kept on flirting with my princess in front of her? He's a stupid moron!!!"

"I don't care what they have going on," replied Dravis. "We're here for our mission and the princess's safety."

"True, but it's also pitiful for the woman bandit because, despite her beauty, the man she likes still disregards her," Cyrus continued, biting his lower lip. "Didn't you notice her bosom? It's large and round! Imagine how delightful and soft it would be to lie down on them!? Hihi!"

Dravis squinted his eyes, focused on the path ahead. Although Cyrus was referring to Nina's bosom in a crude manner, he had a different bosom in mind—the princess's bosom that he desired.

"Shut up, you i***t," Dravis said, giving his friend a light smack on the back of his head.

"Ouch! Why!? I'm just stating the truth, huh? Tsk!" Cyrus protested, rubbing the back of his neck.

They finally reached their room. Cyrus thought that if they looked so serious, the princess would only become more depressed, so he smiled broadly, making himself look cheerful.

"My dear princess, your handsome savior is here—" Cyrus paused as he opened the door and found the lady missing from their room. He furrowed his brows, wondering where Amara was. "She's not here. Where is she?"

Dravis, too, entered the room and felt a sense of foreboding. He scowled and let out a deep sigh.

"Damn it," Dravis muttered under his breath. "That woman is so stubborn!"

"Why? What do you mean?" Cyrus asked.

"Her sword is not beside her bed," Dravis replied, turning away. "She probably left to go to Fardowsa to save Nina!"

"W-What!? Are you sure!?" Cyrus asked, following Dravis in a hurried walk.

"There's a great possibility! She's so reckless! Tsk!"

****

The night was deep, and the road was dark. If not for the light of the large, round moon, Amara wouldn't have been able to see her way. Ranz's men were ahead of her, and their lanterns served as her guide in the direction they were heading. For hours, she had been following them without their knowledge.

They reached their destination, and while hiding in the tall bushes, Amara marveled at the beauty of the place. The structure was elegant, and the gardens were stunning. She also noticed guards at the gate, but they didn't seem to be soldiers from her kingdom or Priya. Amara pondered how she could enter until she remembered the flowers she had picked.

"Orson said they take beautiful women from Priya to work in this place. Now, I just need to change my appearance so they won't recognize me," Amara said, though uncertainty crept into her heart. "But I don't know if they'll think of me the way Hannah does. I'm not even sure if I am truly beautiful. The only thing I remember is that they say I resemble my mother. Still, that can't be true for me because she looks like a Goddess! She is so gorgeous, so charming! I can't even compare myself to her."

Amara sighed deeply. It was now or never!