Chapter 414 - [Bonus chapter]Kidnapping in the Time of the Festival (1)(unedited)
Chapter 414 - [Bonus chapter]Kidnapping in the Time of the Festival (1)(unedited)
The capital is very lively with the hustle and bustle of the festival. Music is playing everywhere you go. Entertainers and musicians are scattered around. At the town square, the biggest wide space that can be found in the capital, is now packed with many people.
The square was filled with food stalls while at the center was a stage where a stage play is being played. The stage play portrays many stories such as the emperor and empress story, the war against Atlantia, the war against the late Queen Patricia, and the unification of the four great countries into one single and strong empire.
Right now, the play is about the Almighty One. They are playing it as it was written in the books. After winning the war against Queen Patricia, Emperor Regaleon and Empress Alicia had written a book about the story of the Almighty One. The book published had two versions. One was the version where the physical book could not leave the palace private library which only royalty could access, and the other version was the one that went public.
"Ah look…" Aerith pointed at the stage play being played. "It is the story of our parents."
"Keep it down Rith." Alphonse said with a hushed voice. "We are here incognito, remember."
"Oh yeah, sorry." Aerith giggled.
There were many people watching the stage play. The actors were busy with their acting and the audience were watching intently. The music that was playing in the background was a good nix with every act of the play.
"I smell something sweet." Leonhart said. "Ah, I can see someone selling crepes over there." He pointed out.
"Are you not yet full of everything you have eaten so far?" Aliyah playfully scolded Leonhart.
"Of course, I eat plenty. I am a growing kid after all." Leonhart said with pride. "And can you not smell that sweet delicious scent?"
The children paused and smelled the air. It was in fact the smell of the crepe being cooked. It was mouthwatering, especially for children that liked sweets.
"Then let us go buy some." Aliyah raised her hand excitedly and pointed to the crepe stall. "Follow me!" She marched like a leader and the others followed her.
Philip was about to follow the little ones when he realized that Alphonse was so intent watching the play. Even he did not realize that Thalia, who was holding his hand firmly was now following the other kids to the stall that was selling crepes.
"Your highness?" Philip called out. "The others have gone to the crepe stall. Do you wish to come?"
"Ah yes… in a minute, I guess." Alphonse replied but his eyes were glued at the stage play.
The actors on the stage were at the last act of the play. It was an act where the main actor who was playing The Almighty One, was kneeling at the side of a bed where his elderly wife was at death's door.
"My love." The actor was holding the hand of the actress and was in tears. "What will I do if you leave me?"
"I am afraid that my time is up." The actress replied. "I am just sad that I cannot accompany you to fulfill your prophecy. I am sorry that I cannot be by your side."
"No, my love. Do not apologize. You have done well standing by my side all these years." The actor said, tears running down his cheeks. "I am not sure I can go on living without you. How can I move forward without you by my side?"
"Do not say that, my love." The actress replied with tears also streaming down her face. "I have lived my life while you are still looking your prime. I have accompanied you for years as your wife and I have aged much. But you… you still have a young face and filled with youth. To tell you the truth, I am a little embarrassed to stand by your side while I aged, and you stayed the same."
"If my young features bother you, then I will become old just like you." The actor said.
With some stage and light effects, the actor's looks were change into an old man.
"I appreciate you doing this, but even so you cannot stop the flow of life." The actress smiled sadly. "I am at the end of my string of life. I just wish that I was by your side in helping you fulfill your prophecy."
"No, do not say that." The aged actor said. "I need you… I need you by my side."
"I am sorry." The actress replied in a weak manner. "I love you… goodbye." And that was her last line.
The light effects dimmed, and the sad music was played. The play went into a close and the audience applauded at the ending. All the while, Alphonse did not realize that tears had streamed down his cheeks. He just realized when he heard the booming applause of the audience.
"Ah, what is this? Why am I crying? I must be quite taken with the ending of the play. Haha." Alphonse wiped away the tears on his cheeks, but tears were still falling from his eyes. "I better go to the others."
Alphonse turned around and walked towards the crepe stall. The audience of the play dispersed, and crowd thickened in the town square. He tried hard looking for his companions until he saw the platinum blonde hair of his sister which is the most noticeable in this sea of people.
"Rith!" Alphonse called.
"Al!" Aerith heard her twin brother miraculously even with the flood of noise from many things in the town square. The twin's connection was something quite amazing.
When Alphonse was near, he saw Aliyah and Deimos eating their crepe happily. Leonhart and Thalia were holding theirs tightly while the people were bumping into their small bodies.
"We need to get out of here." Philip said. "The crowd is getting thick. And we only have an hour before Prince Alphonse's illusion magic fade. We need to head back now."
The children nodded in agreement and went with the flow of the crowd to exit the town square. Aerith took her little brother's hand while Alphonse held little Thalia's.
They were walking with flow of the many people when suddenly someone bumped into them. Without knowing who, the twins let go of the hands they were holding.
"Hart… Hart!" Aerith was searching for her little brother. She was getting nervous when she cannot find him.
"Thalia, where are you?" Alphonse also called out.
"What is the matter, your highnesses?" Philip heard their dire calls.
"I was just holding Hart's hand when I felt someone bumped into me, then I lost my grip on Hart." Aerith was genuinely getting anxious.
"The same with me." Alphonse was scanning the sea of people in the town square. "I believe someone made us let go of them on purpose."
"Then we need to find them!" Aliyah said.
"Aliyah is right." Deimos replied. "With this many people, it is common for kidnappers to be present."
"K-Kidnappers?!" Aerith's anxiety peaked up even more.
"There are still some bad people that do such things in the empire." Deimos replied. "Even if our parents are working hard to sweep out evil in the empire, some hide so deep that they are hard to chase."
"They are going to pay." Alphonse clenched his fists hard. "I will not let them get away with this." He gritted his teeth in anger.
"I cannot let you go on your own to find his highness Prince Leonhart and little Lady Thalia." Philip said. "I need to get you back to safety first and ask the other knights for help."
"No!" Alphonse rejected. "We do not have time for that!"
"Al is right Philip." Aerith replied. "That will just give the kidnappers time to run with Hart and Thalia. Let us help you."
"Yes, let us." Deimos said. "We are no ordinary children."
"We can protect ourselves Philip." Aliyah said. "Unlike Hart and Thalia who has not awaken their magical powers yet, we are trained well with both magic and the sword."
"Hah, okay." Philip sighed in defeat. "But if it gets dangerous, do not go out rushing. Come straight to me, understand?"
"Yes." The children replied in unison.
The children separated in groups. The twins Aliyah and Deimos were together while Aerith and Alphonse are in one group. Philip was the only one who was alone and searched around.
"Hart, Thalia!" Alphonse and Aerith started to go around the radius of the town square.
"Hart, Thalia!" Alphonse called harder.
The twins were frantically searching around for any clue that they can get. While they were busy looking around, a white cat suddenly jumped in front of them.
"Little prince and princess…" Snow called out.
"It is you Snow." Aerith was happy to see her.
"Your little brother has been taken away by hooligans." Snow said. "Come with me. Tempest is currently on their trail."
"That is good to hear." Alphonse lighted up when he heard Snow's words.
The twins followed the white cat while it was running and jumping around through the streets. They took many turns like it was a maze. Alphonse looked above and saw his father's falcon, Tempest. It was a sign that they were close.
Their path led to the harbor of the south sea. Not many people where here because many had ended their shift early to spend the night at the festival in the capital.
"Shhh… quite." Snow said.
The twins nodded in understanding and crouched low. Snow led them to what looked like an old harbor factory that was abandoned. They snuck inside a torn wired fence and quietly got in a hole on the wall just the size of their little bodies.
Inside, they were crouching low behind wooden boxes and crates to avoid detection. The twins took a peak and saw Leonhart and Thalia with their hands and feet tied behind their backs.