Back in the palace, the Crown Duke Prince stormed into his mother, Queen Victoria's chamber, furious and restless over Cecil's disappearance. His eyes were red from lack of sleep, and his expression was dark and unstable.
"Mother," he said, his voice trembling slightly, "please tell me Cecil wouldn't leave me… right?"
He sounded desperate — like a man hopelessly and madly in love, afraid of losing the only person he cared about.
The Queen didn't say anything at first. Then she spoke softly, "You will find Cecil, my son. You will find him. Just hang in there," she said.
But in the Queen's thoughts, she was already thinking about using black magic again. However, she knew very well what would happen next if she chose to use it once more.
Then the Crown Duke Prince stood up abruptly, his expression dark and determined. Without hesitation, he turned toward the guards standing outside the chamber.
"Call in the priest," he ordered coldly, his voice leaving no room for refusal.
The guards immediately bowed and rushed to carry out his command, sensing the storm brewing behind his calm but dangerous tone.
When the priests arrived, they all bowed respectfully before him.
"Your Highness, we heard you summoned us," one of them said carefully.
They remained kneeling, their heads lowered, sensing the tension in the air and the storm brewing behind the Crown Duke Prince's cold expression.
"I need all of you to use every ounce of your magic to find Cecil immediately," he said, his voice icy and emotionless. "I don't care if it drains your life. I don't care if you die. Just find him."
A heavy silence filled the room as the priests trembled.
"But, Your Highness… using that much magic could kill us," one of the priests said nervously, his voice shaking as he avoided eye contact.
The Crown Duke Prince's eyes darkened. "Then die," he replied coldly. "Your lives mean nothing to me compared to finding him."
Then the Crown Duke Prince turned away without another word and left the chamber, his cloak sweeping behind him.
He left the priests alone with the Queen, the heavy silence in the room making it hard to breathe.
The priests then began communicating with each other through telepathy.
"What should we do now?" one of them asked nervously.
"I don't know," another replied, panic in his thoughts. "I don't know how we're going to find Prince Cecil."
A third priest added, his voice trembling in his mind, "I… I can't lose my life over one person."
What they didn't realize was that the Queen was silently listening to every thought, her sharp eyes narrowing as she absorbed their fears.
Outside the palace, the Crown Duke Prince was completely unhinged, his mind consumed by panic and obsession. He paced back and forth, his hands gripping the stone railing tightly.
"You wouldn't leave me like that… you wouldn't!" he shouted to the empty air, his voice cracking with desperation. "You always love me… you always have… and you will always love me!"
His eyes blazed with a mix of madness and longing, and every step he took seemed more frantic than the last, as if the world itself had betrayed him.
The palace guards watched him from a distance, unsure what to do. They had never seen the Crown Duke Prince like this—his usual cold, controlled demeanor completely gone, replaced by something wild and dangerous.
He slammed his fists against the railing, teeth gritted, eyes burning red. "Where are you, Cecil?!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the courtyards. "I don't care what it takes! I will find you!"
Some of the guards exchanged uneasy glances. One whispered, "Your Highness… perhaps you should—"
But he ignored them entirely, spinning around to pace again, muttering to himself: "You can't leave me… you can't. You'll come back to me. You have to… you always do."
The wind whipped through the courtyard, carrying his desperate words, but there was no answer. And yet, deep inside, the obsession only grew stronger.
Far away, hidden safely in the Grand Duke's chamber, Cecil's ears twitched. Even in his weakened state, he could feel it — a dark, burning obsession, like a storm sweeping toward him.
That… that's him, Cecil thought, fear mixing with anger. The Crown Duke Prince… he's gone completely mad.
He pressed himself closer to the floor, trying to shrink away from the invisible force of the prince's desperation. Every heartbeat, every thought of his pursuer echoed in his mind like a drum of warning.
The Grand Duke watched quietly, a faint smile on his lips. "Do you feel it?" he asked softly. "The storm coming for you? How thrilling…"
Cecil shivered, but he refused to speak. I won't belong to anyone… not him, not you… not anyone.
The Grand Duke's eyes glimmered dangerously. "We shall see, little one," he whispered. "We shall see."
The Grand Duke stepped closer, his presence commanding the room.
Without a word, he reached out, his hands wrapping around Cecil's waist and pulling him closer. Cecil stumbled slightly, his heart pounding as their faces came just inches apart.
The Grand Duke's sharp eyes met Cecil's, holding him in a gaze that was calm yet dangerous, curious yet possessive.
"You're trembling," he murmured softly, his voice low and deliberate. "Even now… even after everything, you still fight me."
Cecil's ears flattened, his body stiffening. I… I won't belong to anyone… he thought fiercely.
The Grand Duke tilted his head, studying him with that unnerving, calm intensity. "We shall see," he whispered, almost to himself. "We shall see how long that lasts."
Cecil's eyes widened, panic and anger rising at the sudden closeness. He tried to push the Grand Duke away, struggling with every ounce of strength his weakened body could muster.
"I… I won't—" he started, voice shaking.
But before he could finish, the Grand Duke tightened his hold, pulling him impossibly closer. His lips pressed firmly against Cecil's, leaving no room to escape.
Cecil froze, heart hammering, mind reeling. He hadn't expected this—hadn't expected him.
When the kiss ended, the Grand Duke's eyes bore into his, sharp and unyielding. A faint, dangerous smile curved his lips.
"You will be my bride," he whispered, his voice calm but impossible to ignore.
Cecil staggered back slightly, breathless, trembling. His mind screamed in shock, fear, and something else he couldn't name.
No… this can't be happening…
---
To be continued...