A week had passed since the Crown Prince initially hid himself at the Ramirez Mansion but it was about time for him to leave and meet up with Duke Bay of the West. He had already prepared for his departure and was ready to leave as quickly as he entered.

  Of course, he'd wanted to leave quietly, and left a handwritten note at his room. He fixed up his coat and sheathed his sword to his side. He carried his small sack of belongings and sneaked out the building.

  As he carefully tread the estate's truthfully insecure interior, passing by the well tended garden and the intricate fountain located in the front. He ended up near the gate xly guarded by two sleeping guards.

  "Alright." He whispers to himself as he was about to vault over the lofty walls of the estate.

  "Leaving already, Your Highness?" A young effeminate voice spoke behind him callously.

  His back jerked in surprise and he turned to see a familiar maid, posed professionally, and eyeing him carefully. How did she manage to sneak up on him? Ben couldn't answer you either.

  "Miss Teresa?!" He yelled in whispers.

  "Rest assured, It is me, Your Highness." Her voice was cold, near frozen even.

  "What are you doing here?"

  "There have been a few instances of intruders this past few weeks at the estate. I have simply come to make sure that there wouldn't be another break-in." She expined. "However, what about you, Your Highness? What business do you have on the bushes by the gate of our estate?"

  Ben was a bit concerned as to how she expected to fight an intruder all on her own but he had to expin himself right now.

  "I just wanted to vanish quietly, Miss Teresa. Nothing more than that." He smiled and the maid remained tepid.

  "It would've been better if you had announced it prior to your departure." Her words struck like frostbite. "My Lady would be quite armed if you simply fled without notice."

  "I left a letter."

  "I expected as much."

  "..."

  "..."

  "So can I go?"

  "Naturally…one more thing, however, if I may, Your Highness?" Her eyes shifted to lock into his.

  "Go ahead." Ben smirked.

  "Take care and stay safe, Glory to the Crimson Dragon." She bowed her head and caught the prince off guard.

  "I see… Thanks." Ben grinned and bowed too. "Thank you for taking me in."

  "My Lady, would've liked to hear that from you." She said.

  "Tell her for me then."

  "Indeed I will, it is my duty as her maid after all." And just like that, she turned her back and headed back slowly to the mansion on foot.

  Ben suspiciously watched as she went further and further. For a mere maid to sneak up on him, who had experience in battle, and thus is always on high alert. It seems like Miss Teresa is far more than she lets on.

  However, there was no time to ponder about the maid any longer. Duke Bay would have been waiting for him at the designated spot for some time now.

  He leaped up the wall and nded on the other side with a light silent thump.

  He then scurried away from the front gate and headed as fast as he could at the meet up spot.

  It took a tricky sneak out from the city and a few dozen minutes of straight sprinting for him but he finally reached the pce.

  It was a small clearing outside the castle walls, located discreetly in the middle of a forest. It was an open field den with green grass and flowers and a view overlooking the city.

  As he let out tired breaths he caught a glimpse of a rge armored old man looking over the city with his hands behind his back and a sword strapped to his waist

  With his well groomed long silver hair and trimmed beard, he looked majestic, it was like staring at a personification of what a true knight should be.

  The old man then turns to face Ben. His sea green eyes staring at the boy with warmth and gentleness.

  "Your Highness." His voice, rugged and strict, but hushed in tone.

  "Your Grace." Ben replied with a smile.

  "A beautiful night isn't it?"

  "Surely so."

  "Did you learn anything during your time in the Ramirez duchy?" The Duke piqued and Ben chuckled.

  "The Lady was simply even more than I expected. Even her staff are quite astonishing." Ben took a seat on the grass and crossed his legs.

  "And your pn?"

  "Halfway."

  "I see."

  "Is everything ready?"

  "Yes, we're already finished with the preparations." He then started walking towards the Prince and pced his palm on the boy's shoulder. "Your Highness, we're ready to move by dawn. We'll be able to enter the city gates before afternoon."

  "Alright then…" Ben hopped up and patted himself down to clear any loose grass. "I'll try to do my best at the ball."

  "Ben…May I speak to you not as a Duke but as your mentor and friend." The Duke frowned. "Are you truly sure about this pn of yours?"

  Ben's eyes faltered and his fists clenched. "That's…" He thought of Alejandra. He would be dragging her into a fight she wasn't a part of. He pursed his lips. "I have to do it…I have to."

  "If that is what you deem." The Duke sighed and patted the boy's back. "Let's head back to camp. We shall head into the city at dawn."

  "I'll…stay here for a bit."

  The Duke gazed at him with a tender softness. "Okay…I'll see you down." He began to walk to camp but stopped to say one st thing to Ben. "Listen, I'm on your side Ben…but revenge will take you nowhere."

  The old man soon left the Prince, who stood at the clearing alone and quiet.

  Ben grit his teeth and looked towards the city, towards the mansion, the pce where he stayed, and the people there.

  Alejandra Ramirez, a beautiful and capable woman. Someone Ben could call a friend. Someone he could look up to.

  But also someone he must use.

  To rid the world of the evil that is the Delha Kingdom.

  "I'm sorry, My Lady." He spoke to the wind. "Let's just have fun at the ball."

  That morning when Alejandra woke up. The prince had already long since vanished. She went to his room to read his note and with a frown on her face continued on with the rest of her day. Of course she burned the letter to avoid evidence of him staying here but other than that the rest of her day went by normally.

  Almost too normal.

  This past week had been the most fun the Lady's had in a while. The Crown Prince had made it a bit unpredictable with every passing day. Suggesting all the most random activities and excursions, a much needed break Alejandra needed from her routinely passing day.

  As she sparred with the knights, her face sweated. She tried hard to do the same thing that Ben spoke of. Spirit.

  But it was like a hopeless dream. She could find a way to let it out of her. She tried so hard and all that came out was disappointment.

  Ben expined to her on one of the days he was still here. "Spirit, like Magic, is innate in every human. The difference is while Magic is born from being granted a desire, Spirit is born from sheer hard work." He expined as they sparred. "But you can't force it out, you have to ease it out. It takes people years or even never to reach their full potential with Spirit, because they give up halfway. Now that you know this, My Lady? Will you give up too?"

  Alejandra pursed her lips and as she remembered his words, she went fiercer on her sparring partner, who panicked as she closed the gap on him immediately and knocked his sword up in the air.

  The knight blinked and ran away picking up his sword along the path back to the barracks.

  "You seem out of it, My Lady." Asher came from the sidelines. His hair swept up and his face covered in sweat. He smiled as he handed her a cup of water. "Are you still troubled about the Prince's sudden departure?"

  "That's not it…I've been trying this Spirit thing he talked about and nothing's coming out." Alejandra swung her sword again hoping to make it glow but it all looked the same at the end. "Raaaaagh! it's annoying!" She threw away the sword and slumped down on the dirt.

  Asher sighed and sat next to her. "You don't win battles by being impatient, My Lady. You know that. It'll come to you eventually…I believe it so."

  "Thanks." Alejandra felt a bit reassured but still a bit miffed. "I thought from all the books I read, I would know what the thing he called Spirit was but…"

  "No clue?"

  "Yeah."

  "Neither was I informed of it by anyone else." Asher frowned as well. "You would think such a honed and special ability would be far more numerous amongst the guards and knights."

  Alejandra chuckled. "You're right."

  Asher smiled at her ughing face and nudged her shoulder. "So don't put yourself down for not getting it now. Even knights more elite than both of us, don't even have it."

  "How can you be so sure?" She grinned. "They might be hiding it, you know? Like saving it as their final surprise?"

  "Maybe." He grinned and roughed up her hair as he stood up. "We'll find out when we get it."

  "Hey!" Alejandra swatted his hand.

  "Your hair will be fine, My Lady." He ughed. "Now let's go for a spar shall we, you and I?"

  "Bring it on, bastard." She picked.

  Outside the mansion, however. A carriage adorning golden tiger motifs just made its way within the gates.

  There a frowning woman leaning on the window gre outside as she thought about what happened this past week.

  "Roselia…I know this week has been frustrating–"

  "It has been, Joseph. Extremely so. I could crush a warthog with my bare hands right now." She clenched her teeth.

  The Duke, Joseph Ramirez yelped a bit in fear. He knew his wife would be the type to do that, given her strength and all. To appease her, he simply went over to her side of the carriage and sat next to her. "If it makes you feel any better, we'll see our daughter soon." He id his head on her shoulders.

  "But after this, how long until we see her again?" Roselia frowned and looked at her husband. "I hate this, Joseph. Unsure of my child's safety in the future."

  The man simply nodded his head and continued soothing her.

  "I don't want Alejandra to do things she doesn't want to…" She sighed. "But I do not want to put her into danger as well."

  "I understand." Joseph frowned as he embraced his wife, and dragged his fingers down her smooth bck hair, he knew that always calmed her down when he did that. "But our Alejandra is strong, she can handle whatever we throw at her."

  "I know…but I'm just scared at the small chance the weight becomes too much."

  "Then as parents, we must share that weight with her."

  "Joseph…" Roselia pursed her lips. "Do you like the Emperor?"

  "He's a good ruler and he knows when to be selfish. I understand this decision from him even though I don't like it." Joseph seems a bit mad. "And I hate it even more because I can't fault him for it."

  "I see…" The Duchess closed her eyes and looked towards her husband, and kissed him in the lips. "I feel simirly, however…the Empress."

  "What about Her Highness?"

  "She seemed a bit odd this week." Roselia's face scrunched up in worry. "I'm a bit worried for Andrea's health."

  "You can visit her again next time." Her husband smiled. "I too would be worried, if my friend seemed a bit off."

  "Thanks Joseph."

  "No need…" He smiled but then frowned then smiled again. "Actually…maybe another kiss would do."

  Roselia ughed. "This man…" She did as he asked anyway.

  The carriage stopped and the coachman knocked at the door.

  The Duke and Duchess were finally home.