The Cursed Prince

Chapter Two

"Believe me, Melinoe could beat you in a fight! I've seen her train!" Theo chuckled, nudging his sister jokingly as he spoke with Ashver.

Melinoe however didn't respond, instead she had her brown eyes searching the crowd. How long had it been since her friend excused herself to get air?

"Mel? Melinoe?" Suddenly, a hand crossed her vision, breaking her focus.

"Sorry..." she turned back to the others."

Now in their group, stood a new presence, her face holding a look of worry.

"I'm really sorry to intrude, but I believe I just saw a man kidnapping a princess just outside"

She was soft spoken, but her voice didn't waver, and her crystal blue eyes didn't wander from Melinoe's.

She wasn't lying.

Suddenly, Ashver took off, pushing through members of the ball to get to the balcony.

Her brother then focused back on the girl, "Tell me, did you see what they looked like? Or perhaps what they were wearing?"

Despite his dislike of ruling and being put in charge of a kingdom, Melinoe couldn't help but see that Theo would make a perfect leader.

"His hair was either very blonde or silver...I believe he had a red blazer wrapped around the princess...I couldn't see much else due to the darkness."

It was silent in the group for a moment, until Ashver came back, his mask pushed atop his head and one in his hand.

"Junove isn't on the balcony...but I found this..." he held up the intricate mask, which must have been somewhat delicate, because it was now slightly bent out of shape, either from being dropped or maybe even stepped on.

No one spoke, all contemplating what to do, who they should tell, or if there was a rational explanation for this.

Melinoe looked to each of them, including the newest addition to the small circle, Ashver's eyes were dark with guilt, and his face crestfallen.

"We can't assume the worst! There has to be a reasonable expectation for this! We all know that Juno hates formal events like these," Melinoe started, pausing as the blonde girl spoke up

"We do?" She questioned quietly, more to herself than the others.

"Well most of us know, anyways, Melinoe is right, She probably just got upset and threw it aside. We need to split up and try to find her," Theo nodded along, making a fist and hitting the palm of his hand lightly with it.

"Find who?" From behind him came another voice, smooth and calm, another prince. Melinoe was pretty sure that he had been talking to Junove earlier, but she herself had yet to meet him.

"Prince Wellstone, a pleasure to meet you all in person," he started, turning to the guard first, watching as Ashver straightened, his posture stiff, eyes wary as if he knew something that he would rather forget, but the prince pushed away asking about it, instead saying, "Please, call me Rionne, and you are?"

"Ashver Thenis, I'm Junove's personal guard..." he trailed off, pursing his lips as he set his jaw.

"Ah and is Junove the one we're supposed to be finding?" The prince looked to the others, as if taking account of who was currently present.