The Second Princess [indefinite hiatus.]

Chapter Thirty

"Don't be so down, Gerome," Cynthia rolled her eyes. "Besides, they're searching for the gemstone as we speak. It's called trying."

Gerome scoffed. "Start succeeding."

"Alright, let's not fight now," Kjelle, who had been silent up till then, held her hands up. "Diana's right though - we need to just take a day off for once."

Owain muttered a few things under his breath.

"I do have to say though," Laurent began. "I am concerned for our progression with the goal. How far are we to succeeding?"

"Not very far," Severa groaned. "The lazy bastards are taking forever on trying to find one stupid gem!"

"It's not that easy, Severa," Nah scolded. "Even if we do find whoever has it, we don't know if they're just going to willingly give it over."

Diana rubbed the back of her brand as she leaned backward, looking out of the window. "I wish things were less complicated," she sighed.

"Alina's been trying as hard as she can, as is the rest of the councilors," Morgan informed them. "But no one's stepping up and handing over the gemstone."

"Ya just gunna expect them to hand it over to ya on a silver platter?" Brady rolled his eyes.

"True, but it shouldn't be taking this long," Kjelle stated. "After all, the Ylissean council is known for their questions and immediate answers."

Gerome narrowed his eyes under his mask. "And yet they didn't have the courage to stand with us in battle."

"Would you stop being so bitter over that?!" Severa snapped, sitting up. "It wasn't their fault that we almost got killed!"

Diana slammed her book on the wall, releasing a huge THUMP and startling the wits out of everyone. Owain fell out of his chair in surprise.

Diana took a deep breath. "All of you need to stop fighting over ridiculous matters," she said, her eyes averted to the ground. "For it's not going to help at anything. Understood?"

Wide eyes started at the princess as she collapsed back onto the window seat, leaning her head against the wall with her eyes closed.

There was a moment of utter silence.

"Diana?" Morgan asked timidly.

The beauty sighed. "Yes, Morgan?"

"...you're not mad at us, are you?"

There was a pause before she looked at him, smiling. "No...I think I might just be stressed like the lot of you. But well...arguing about isn't going to help matters, is it?"

"No," Kjelle said quietly.

"Good." The princess adjusted her circlet. "Now, has anyone seen Lucina and Inigo? If they're running this late, then there must be something going on."

As soon as she finished saying that, the door opened, and in walked a love-struck Lucina and Inigo, with laced hands, Lucina's head on his shoulder. They froze when they saw the company staring at them with wide eyes, and immediately flushed a bright red.

"We-we can explain," Lucina stuttered.

Diana stood up, crossing her arms with a smug look on her face. Then she turned to the other children and held out a hand.

"Pay up."

Grumbling, they all tossed coins at her while Lucina and Inigo stared at them with open mouths.

...

Alina rubbed her temples together, feeling a headache forming as she leafed through different reports strewed across the desk. "Sightings of the Gemstones," she murmured the title under her breath before skimming it lightly. Groaning, she tossed the paper across the table and leaned back on her desk. "This is utterly futile," she mumbled.