The King's Beloved

~ [Music Recommendation: "Avalanche's Theme" by Masashi Hamauzu (Final Fantasy 7 Remake OST) - available in Youtube] ~ Please listen to it in loop while you read this part to experience the utmost beauty of this chapter ~

Rania and Elliot's hearts broke upon seeing the desperation of the young boy. Their hearts beat compassion for what could a little child be crying so desperately about? They, who should be playing around, enjoying the days of their youth, free from the concerns of the world? They could only imagine the troubles he had been through.

"Tell us what happened," Elliot asked the young boy while still patting his head. Rania on the other hand, rubbed the child's back. They both kneeled down to be on the same eye level as the child.

"Sniff … sniff … Y-yesterday," the young boy began his story. He wiped his tears and braced himself. "Yesterday, I went out with my little sister to buy food and medicine because our mother was sick. T-then, a bunch of strangers suddenly came and took my sister away! I tried to fight them but they were all so big and strong … sniff. When I got knocked down, they teleported and left the place. I went to the knights to ask for help but they said there's a lot of missing women right now so my sister just got added to the list. Sniff … sniff … I-if only I was stronger, she wouldn't be ...".

"Don't blame yourself, she shouldn't have been kidnapped in the first place," Elliot replied, smiling at the child. "You did your best. Don't worry, we'll help you look for your sister".

At these words, the young boy bawled loudly. The words he had been wanting to hear, spoken to him by the kind strangers in front of him.

Rania smiled gently towards the child and assured him, "I'm sure we'll find her so don't cry, okay?"

The young boy sniffed for the last time and nodded his head.

"Can you bring us to where you were yesterday? And tell us more about those kidnappers. What do they look like? Anything particular in what they're wearing? Or any clues we can use?" Elliot asked with a serious face.

"Yes! I'll tell you all I know!" the young boy nodded enthusiastically.

"Why don't we sit down somewhere and talk about it? This place is not ideal for a long chat," Rania butted in. "What's your name by the way, little man?"

"You can call me Bren! And my sister's name is Anna".

"So Bren, have you eaten already? You look like you've been standing there since morning".

"I - ahh …," Bren felt a little shy. He didn't notice how his stomach had been growling for hours already. He was too busy begging for people to help him find his sister. "He he he … I think I missed lunch … and breakfast, too. I was too worried so I hurriedly went outside as soon as day broke".

"In that case, let's head over to a restaurant first and plan".

The team, along with the little child, Bren, did as discussed. They went to a nearby restaurant and ate while Bren told them all the things he knew. According to him, it was in an alley downtown where his sister got captured and the men all wore black cloaks so it was hard to tell who they were. When he tried fighting back, he noticed one of them wearing a belt sash with an insignia of a snake coiled around a sphere in dark green ink. Elliot thought that there was a high probability that an organization could be behind it. Especially since Bren mentioned that it wasn't only his sister that was missing. In fact, there were a lot more that even the knights had no choice but to list them down.

After eating, the team headed out towards the knight's headquarters to look for more clues and clues they did manage to find. All of the missing people were girls and there was no specific age group that they targeted. They went from as young as four years old, up to 60 years old. At first they thought it could be prostitution or slave industry but kidnapping even the elderly? It didn't quite add up. Though they still didn't rule out that possibility.

The team spent the whole day gathering more clues. Also, Elliot got a copy of the town's map and asked Bren to pinpoint the areas where there's barely any people or dark places, except the places that the knights were already patrolling. Bren managed to pinpoint a few that he was familiar with and Elliot decided to start from there. Night came and they accompanied Bren back home while they looked for a place to stay. There, they planned out what to do for the next day.

Hours passed and morning came. Rania, Elliot, and Ducis set off as planned. They went to the places Bren told them about. Elliot created mini clones that he hid in a secret area to observe the place like surveillance cameras. He scattered them all in the dark places and alleys and any place they noticed that was less visited and could be a place to commit crimes. He connected them all towards a large screen he made in their hotel room and observed from there. A couple of days passed with nothing happening until they stumbled into something they least expected …

A young woman in her 20's was walking along the alley, carrying a bag of groceries. She bowed towards the knight who was patrolling the area and continued on her way. When they passed by each other ... the knight suddenly attacked her from behind! He snapped his fingers and a mist covered the place, then he stroked her at the back of her neck, making her fall from her position. The knight then cloaked himself in the same black cloak as the abductor of Bren's sister and vanished into thin air with the woman. And on the hem of his cloak, the emblem of the snake coiled around a sphere could be seen.

Rania and Elliot couldn't believe their eyes. Ducis shook his head in dismay. Of all the people who would kidnap women, it was the knights themselves!

"T-this … Why would they -," Rania was at a loss for words.

"We can't judge too quickly. He could be acting alone, unknown to other knights. But if he's not and all the other knights are on this …," Elliot said, clenching his fist. His voice might be calm but his expression showed a different story. Who wouldn't be? To think those that had sworn to protect the kingdom would turn their backs on their words. "Just what in the world is happening here?" he asked himself.

"Elliot, we need to know where they're taking them and what they're doing!" Rania pressed on. "Is there a way to trace where that knight went?"

"Hmm …," Elliot paused and pondered for a moment. "He didn't use a black hole and merely teleported. So I'm guessing wherever their hideout is, it would be somewhere near - within a hundred kilometer radius at least".

"That's a pretty large area itself," Rania mumbled. "But at least it's not the whole kingdom we're searching. Hmmm …"

"I can try to pinpoint a couple of possible places for hideouts but we can't just barge in each of them or ask around. Besides, we're practically foreigners here. I doubt they would just trust us and let us in," Elliot thought aloud, with arms crossed and head bowed down, staring at the floor as if the answers were there. His serious face looked overly handsome though, like the genius future king he was. Rania couldn't help but unconsciously stare at his awesomeness. 

Ducis on the other hand, was rather silent. He would give out an expression of sadness and dismay from time to time. Whatever his worries were, it was unknown to Rania and Elliot.

"We can try to sneak in but it will take us days to finish all of them. Sending my clones would be ideal but what if they have enchantments that can detect magic? We'd be busted even before we get there and cause unnecessary commotion which might turn out bad for the captives. We know too little of this place to be able to deduce the best outcome. I need more information. Hmmm …".

"Elliot," Rania tapped Elliot's shoulders to get his attention since he was thinking too deep.

"Huh? Yes?" Elliot snapped out of his concentration.

"Actually, I have an idea," Rania smiled sheepishly. "But promise me you won't be angry and you'll allow it".

As soon as she said those words, Elliot narrowed his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but let out a sigh first before he continued.

"I know what you're thinking," Elliot coldly said, "and I will never allow it."

"What? But you haven't heard it yet!"

"I thought of it, too since it's the easiest way but I scrapped it off my mind as soon as I thought of it. There's no way I'll allow you to put yourself as a bait". Elliot knitted his brows and glared disapprovingly to Rania.

Rania sighed. "Come on, Elliot. I'm pretty strong myself! Bet I could defeat even a hundred enemies! And besides, I can just teleport in case I'm in a pinch. I just need to be captured until they bring me to their hideout then -"

"No!" Elliot replied strongly. "A lot of things could happen even before they bring you to their hideout! What if they -," Elliot stopped himself from saying it, "No is NO! I'd rather do it myself than put you in danger".

Rania was preparing her rebut when she burst out laughing on the last words Elliot said.

"What's so funny?" Elliot asked, still angry at her preposterous suggestion.

"Pft! Ha ha ha!" Rania chuckled. "So … you're gonna dress yourself as a woman?"

"Huh?!" Elliot raised his eyebrows.