By dinner time, everyone was settled at the table but not eating. Draven didn't sit—he couldn't. "You're telling me Aurelian hasn't returned yet?" His voice was calm, too calm it sent a shiver down everyone's spine. Just then a guard runs in, exhausted and out of breath. He falls to his knees,"I have failed your majesty, I have failed the royal family and I have failed your highness", he says bowing on the ground. He is one of the guards assigned to protect Aurelian. Every eyes was on him. "What happened?" King Malric asks. The guard doesn't lift his head up as he speaks,"I.. it's Prince Aurelian, Your Majesty". Draven's gaze snapped to the guard,"what about him? Where is he?" "He has been taken", the guard replied. "Taken? What do you mean? Tell us what happened" king Alaric demanded rising from his seat. "Oh please forgive me royal family for I have failed terribly", the guard begs for mercy, shaking his head frantically. "Where is Aurelian?!" Elowen snapped at him. The guard doesn't dare lift his eyes as he replies,"The Royal Consort has been kidnapped!". "What?!" They chorus almost simultaneously except Draven, who doesn't react. Not that he doesn't want to buy his condition won't allow it. He remains silent —painfully so. "How did this happen?" "When?" "Where?" "Who did this?" "Did you see their faces?" "Where are the other guards?" They questioned the guard but Draven wasn't hearing any of it. He remained silent. His gaze fixed on a point on the table. "Draven?" His mother calls, noticing the quiet but suffocating tension coming off him. "Gather the best Knights", Draven finally orders after his long silence. "Draven..." King Malric states but got cut off. "Don't try to stop me, your majesty", a pause, then,"Whoever took My lover is asking for war and I'll gladly give them that", he affirms. "But you do not know where to look", Queen Calista says. "The Northern region, I'll burn the place down if I have to", Draven replies, turning away and striding out of the dining hall. "Don't do anything reckless, Draven" King Malric calls after him but Draven was already gone. King Malric falls back on his seat and orders a servant,"find the royal advisor and tell him to arrange an emergency meeting. Now". The servant bows and scurried away.
Draven mounts his golden brown horse. "Hyah!", he called, nudging the horse forward. The horse starts moving and after Draven called out one more time, it starts running. Draven leads over Knights to the Northern region. As they passed, the people of the kingdom watched. They knew Draven wouldn't ride a horse unless it was important. But they were not yet informed of Aurelian's kidnapping. When the arrived at the Northern region, Draven barked out orders to the Knights. "Spread out, turn this region upside down, Search every nook and cannies and find my husband". The turned around and rode to the Grand Duke's place along with five other Knights. Draven burst into the Grand Duke's house without permission. "Valerius Thornvale!" Draven called out to the grand duke. The grand duke calmly walked out to where Draven stood. "You disrespect me in my own home, your highness", he says. Draven raised an eyebrow slowly,"I... the Crown Prince of Nightbane kingdom, disrespects you? Who do you think you are?" Draven questioned, taking a step forward. The grand duke looks at the knights behind Draven and then back at him,"You barge into my home with shoulders and call my full name, that's disrespectful enough and because you're the crown prince doesn't mean you're above all", the grand duke paused, he looks Draven up and down then continued, "You're such an incompetent prince, you know and that will lead to your downfall", the grand duke burst out laughing after speaking. Draven didn't flinch—didn't even blink. Then a smirk tug at his lips. "You've spoken mere words but you will still bow to me", with a flick of his wrist, Draven ordered the guards to bring the grand duke to his knees. "I'm not here for your petty defiance, I'm here in search of my consort", Draven states. The grand duke tilts his head in confusion,"Your Consort? And what does that have to do with me?" "I have reasons to believe that my husband was kidnapped in your region" Draven replied, not breaking eye contact. "Kidnapped? The Royal Consort was... kidnapped? How come I haven't heard of this?" The Grand Duke asks. Draven watched the man for a while before asking the knights to let him go. "It happened a while ago in your territory and you didn't know of this?" "I promise you, your highness, I might not like the prince from Moonveil but I've never tried anything against him", the Grand Duke replies, his voice sounding desperate. Draven remains silent. "The Grand Duke was a suspect but his daughter has tried more direct actions, however, I've known Drusilla long enough to know that she won't be stupid enough to go against me like this", Draven thought internally. The turned around swiftly and started walking out,"if I ever find out you're lying to me, Valerius Thornvale, I'll make sure I ruin everything you've worked so hard to achieve". Draven strode to his horse and climbed unto the saddle,"keep searching!" He barked to the Knights. And he rode on his horse, only one thought remained,"I'll find you, Aurelian and when I do, I'll personally execute whoever did this".