"It's queen Zara," the person yelled, pointing toward her direction, and everyone gasped, twirling in the direction the person pointed.
They were all gobsmacked. They couldn't believe their eyes. "Is it an imagination or is queen Zara right in front of us?"
"Zara!" Carl and king Alan called at the same time, striding toward her.
"Father, Carl," Zara also called, climbing down from her horse to go meet them. Once they got to where she is, King Alan embraced his daughter, with teary eyes. "Zara, where were you? we all taught something happened to you," king Alan said.
Zara pulled away from the hug, giving her father a sad smile, "I'm sorry, I made you all worry, but I swear that it wasn't intentional," Zara replied.
King Alan nodded. He wanted to ask Zara her reason for going missing for several days, but he decided against it, once he saw the impatient look Carl was giving him. He decided to give the husband and wife time to talk.
King Alan stepped aside, leaving the way for Carl. Carl took a step toward her, closing the gap between them. "Zara, are you okay? Did anything happen to you? Why did you stay away for days?" He asked all at once, with his brow raised in question.
"Yes, Queen Zara, we need answers. why did you leave Everton? Was it because of the king's marriage to the Nedal Princess," someone from the crowd inquired, starring an uproar from the people. "Yes, Queen Zara, tell us, tell us!" They chanted.
Zara took a breath, glancing up to meet Carl's gaze, before twirling to look at the people. She explained what happened to her. From when she was sent a fake letter, to the part where she was abducted and almost raped, and also how she was saved by a knight. but she didn't tell them that it was Nadia who was behind it because She wanted to handle Nadia and king Neil in her own way.
Carl was heartbroken. All these bad things happened to his wife, and he couldn't do anything to help her. Once again, he felt like a failure, like he was worthless. He thought that If he couldn't protect the woman he loved, how was he going to protect his people?
Glancing at Zara, he gave her a sad and guilty smile. "Sorry, I failed you," he whispered, hugging her.
"It's okay. You're not to be blamed, if only I didn't act rashly, things wouldn't have gone so bad," Zara retorted, patting his back.
The people were also sad that their queen suffered so much. Although the happiness they felt that she survived and is back in Everton, was more than the sadness.
"Queen Zara, where is the brave knight who saved you? He should be rewarded greatly by the king."
Zara smiled, leaving Carl to go meet Gage. Then she held his hands bringing him, in front of everyone. "This is the brave Knight. He appeared out of nowhere like an angel, saving me from that evil man. He did not only save me, he also clothed, fed, and looked after me. He even went as far as becoming my sworn knight and bringing me to Everton. He is my saving grace, my protective shield, and above all, my avenging angel. His name is Gage. Gage the knight," Zara announced, giving Gage a look of admiration and love.
"All hail. Gage the knight. The savior and protector of our queen," the people cheered, giving him a round of applause.
Carl was also grateful that the knight had saved Zara, but he was jealous. He was not jealous that the people were praising Gage, no! He was jealous of the admiration and love in Zara's eyes when she spoke about Gage. He was also scared, that Zara had started to develop feelings for her savior. Although Zara's love and admiration for Gage were a different kind than what Carl thought. Her love and admiration for Gage were the type one feels for the person that saved them, and nothing more.
Lia and Jamie also came to stand beside Zara, and together, they all stared at Gage like he was an angel that fell from the sky. Although he was wearing a mask, and no one could see his face, that didn't change anything.
Carl scoffed. 'She has not seen me for some days, and she didn't miss me? I mean, now that she's back, she should be with me, instead of standing there gawking at another man, with eyes filled with love and admiration. Isn't that suppose to be for me. I know I didn't save her, but I'm her husband! She shouldn't be looking at another man like that,' Carl pondered.
Whoever this Gage the knight was, he was surely not in Carl's good books, and he already hated his guts.
Carl was about to go back into the palace when someone grabbed his arm. He turned to see Zara staring at him with a confused look. "Are you angry with me?" She asked. Zara thought that Carl was angry with her due to her reckless actions but unknown to her, that was far from the case.
Carl sighed, then he said, "You suddenly remembered you have a husband, I thought you would stand there all day gawking at your savior."
Zara could not believe her ears. "Are you Jealous?" she teased.
Carl scoffed. "Which husband wouldn't be Jealous, if his wife looks at another man like that?" he retorted.
Zara chuckled. "I'm sorry, Carl. It's just that when I was in danger, I prayed so hard for a miracle, I didn't expect that Gage would be that miracle."
Carl rolled his eyes. "There she goes again with Gage the knight," he mumbled under his breath, walking away, and Zara followed suit.
"Carl, do you think that behind that mask is a handsome man? I'm sure Gage is handsome," Zara blurted out, playfully swinging Carl's hand.
Carl ignored her. 'I pray the man behind the mask is very ugly,' he said inwardly.
...
Meanwhile, Ariel, ran back to announce the good news to king Neil and Nadia. By the time she got there, they were lying on the floor, looking like the living dead.
"Your majesty, your grace! Queen Zara is back, she is back safe and sound," Ariel squealed.
Her news seemed to have given them life because they were up in a jiffy. "You mean Zara is back? Are you sure?" Nadia asked weakly.
"Yes, your grace, I saw her with my very own eyes."
Nadia and king Neil were happy. They've never felt this happy in their entire lives, not even when Carl had accepted their proposal.
"Ariel, quick get us some food and drinks. Also, ask the servants to prepare the bath. Because now that Zara is back, everyone will be so happy and they wouldn't want to poison us," king Neil announced, smiling widely.
IN NEPTUNE
King Arthur received a letter from his father king Luther, and to say he was shocked was an understatement. How can his father still be alive when he died many years ago, in a war.
It's either, someone was pretending to be his father, or he misread the letter.
Scanning through the letter, Arthur's eyes caught the last part where it reads, "I know you won't believe it, but right now I'm on my way to Neptune with thousands of men, I'm sure once you see me, you'll believe then. For now, you'll have to ready your army, and also tell king Darian of crystal-Ville to ready his army, because once I arrive, we'll unleash hell on Carl and everyone who supports him."