Chapter 23: Find Her
"Where is she?!" Caius’s thunderous voice echoed in his room.
The maids jerked, yelping simultaneously. They looked from one to the other, clustering together in fear. Henry stood to the side, distraught. He had been the one to discover she was missing. Arriving in the prince’s room first, he noticed it was empty. Thinking the maids forgot to bring Rose in time, he had rushed to the servants’ quarters to rectify this.
It didn’t take him long to discover that wasn’t the case. He had immediately requested the castle be searched, and the result had been fruitless. Relaying the news to the crown prince was the hardest part. Henry kept touching his neck, praying he wouldn’t lose it on the account of a peasant.
"W-we led her here, Y-your Royal Highness," Martha spoke. She was the only one who could muster some courage; the rest of the girls just shivered in fear.
They had never entered the crown prince’s wing in all the years they had stayed in the castle, let alone into his private chambers. Women were more or less prohibited; it wasn’t a known rule, but any woman who was found here simply had one job.
Caius took a step closer to them, and the maids shrank. Edna had tears running down her face, and the other two covered their mouths with their hands to keep from crying out. Only Martha didn’t look on the verge of a breakdown.
"Do you see her here?" he asked darkly.
Martha shriveled. This was the first time the crown prince had addressed her directly, and the fact that it was because of Rose dampened her joy. He was as scary and handsome as they said. What did he see in the peasant?
Martha hurriedly shook her head. "B-but she said if I found a way she could escape the castle, I should let her know."
Caius’s brown eyes narrowed. He suspected this was the case, and the maid just gave him conclusive information. "Get out!"