Gusion woke up to a bright sunlight and cool breeze coming from the open window. He almost forgot he's in Guinevere's chamber. He quickly looked beside him but she wasn't there. He couldn't help but smile as he remembered what had just happened last night.
It wasn't a dream. He thought.
He excitedly ran to the bathroom to check if she was there but it's empty.
She must be preparing breakfast downstairs.
While he was wearing his clothes, his phone rang. It was Alucard.
Alucard: So, did she say yes?
"I think so."
Alucard: What do you mean you think so?
"She said she wanted to marry me too."
Alucard: But did she say yes?
"Isn't that a yes?"
Alucard: Hmmm, okay probably. Maybe ask her again to be sure. Unless you two did something last night that confirmed it. If you know what I mean... hehe.
"Oh shut up, Alucard."
Alucard: I can see you blushing from here, Papa Gus and you do sound like you just got a savage.
"Talk to you later, bye."
Alucard: Hey, wait—
Gusion ended the call and went downstairs where Lancelot and Odette were having breakfast.
"Good morning. Have you seen Guin?" He asked the couple.
"Didn't you two sleep together again last night?" Lancelot chuckled.
"Uhm, she's not in her chamber, Lance." Gusion felt a bit embarrassed as he scratched the back of his head.
"She must be out going for a walk." Lancelot guessed.
"Let me ask the helpers." Odette stood up and talked to the their servants. She went back a few minutes later.
"Nobody has seen her. That's weird." Odette said as soon as she went back.
Gusion started to worry.
"Hey, calm down. It's perfectly safe here. No one can enter this castle to take her away from you." Lancelot assured him.
"Except if she left on purpose. Lance, you have to see this." Odette showed Lancelot a newspaper that was just handed to her by one of their servants.
Lancelot froze.
"Why? What is it?" Gusion asked as he approached the couple. He grabbed the newspaper and read the headline.
PRINCESS GUINEVERE TO MARRY THE ELDEST PAXLEY PRINCE TONIGHT
"This isn't true!" Gusion almost shouted.
He ran outside to find Guinevere. He went to the spot where they watched the sunset the previous day but she wasn't there. He ran back and searched the entire castle only to realize that Guinevere was really gone. He went back to her chamber and looked for anything that could give him a hint of where she went. She left all of her stuff. Gusion sat on the floor frustrated, worried, and scared. He tried to calm himself down. After a few minutes of thinking, he stood up and packed his stuff. He then saw the ring he gave her on the bedside table confirming she really left on purpose. He took it and put it in his pocket.
What's going on, Guinevere? Is this why you thanked me yesterday? Is this why you have been acting off lately? I thought you wanted to marry me?
He grabbed his bag and went downstairs to talk to Lance.
"If she's really marrying my brother, then she must be in our castle right now. She's being manipulated and blackmailed, Lance. I'm sure of that. I have to get her. I'm leaving."
"I'm coming with you. I can't let my sister marry that dumbass."
The two of them left and arrived at the Paxley castle after a five-hour drive. They were stopped by the guards at the main gate.
"Banished sons are not allowed inside." One of the guards said firmly.
"Who did you just call banished?" Lancelot asked, annoyed.
"Both of you. Leave, unless you want to spend the rest of your lives in the dungeons."
"And who's going to put the two of us in prison, you?" Lancelot asked looking down to the guard.
"Your sister." The guard smirked and showed him and Gusion an order to put both of them in prison if they insist to go inside. It has Guinevere's signature.
"Here, call her if you still don't want to believe this." The guard dialed on his phone and handed it to Lancelot.
Guinevere answered on the other end.
"Guin, what's going on? What the hell are you doing?" Lancelot asked as soon as he heard her sister's voice.
"Lance, listen to me. I've made my decision. I'm doing this for Gusion. But please don't tell him. I promise I'll explain everything, but you have to leave now."
Lancelot looked at Gusion as he listened to his sister on the phone. "But Guin..."
Gusion grabbed the phone from him.
"Guin, it's me. Let's go home now. I know you are being blackmailed by my brother. We can figure this out together... like we always did.... Please."
There was a long dead air on Guinevere's end.
"Just leave now and don't ever come back here. I'm sorry." She said firmly without even mentioning his name and then hung up.
Gusion threw the phone angrily to the ground.
"Gusion, we have to leave. You heard it from Guinevere herself." Lancelot asked Gusion as he saw a group of guards and mages going to their direction.
"Are you just gonna let your sister marry the man she doesn't love?"
"No. But we can't get her back now. There's nothing we can do if they put us both in jail. I'm sure they will eventually release me, but you, we don't know. You're a Paxley, they can keep you prisoner as long as they want to. You know your family. Let's head back to the Swan castle and plan our next move first."
Gusion realized Lancelot has a point so he agreed to leave, but he went to Moonton no matter how many times Lancelot asked him to go with him to the Swan castle.
It was already seven in the evening when he arrived. He went straight to Alucard and Granger's room.
"Hey! Welcome back! Wait, why do you look so... lifeless?" Alucard asked as he let Gusion in.
Granger did not say anything and gave Gusion a glass of water.
"She just married my brother."
"What?!" Alucard was shocked.
Gusion took his phone from his pocket and showed them photos of Guinevere flashing a smile in a beautiful wedding dress beside Gustav and their fathers.
"Damn, she looks happy." Alucard commented.
Granger gave Alucard a murderous look.
"Gusion, I'm sure Guin did this for a reason." Granger told Gusion. He felt bad because he knew the truth.
Gusion did not respond. His tears started falling down his face.
"Bro, I don't know what's really going on. I don't even know what to say to you right now. But we're here for you." Alucard sat beside Gusion.
Gusion stood up and punched the wall with his fist.
"Why didn't she tell me?!" He shouted as he cried.
He punched the wall again so hard it made his right hand bleed.
"Why did she keep it from me?! That's what has been bothering her these past few days, yet she didn't even tell me anything!"
He kept punching the wall with his two hands this time, until both of them are covered in blood.
"Fuck!!! We could have figured this out together, but she chose to leave me!"
Granger and Alucard stopped him.
"Gusion, she told me everything." Granger finally admitted.
"She's didn't marry him. Those photos are fake. But she had to leave you for good to save your life. You know your brother. Trust me, it wasn't easy for her. She loves you just as much as you love her." Granger continued.
"I know. That's what I am angry about! She sacrificed our relationship for what? For my life?! What am I supposed to do with this fucking life without her?! Why is it so easy for her to give up on me?!"
Granger sat beside Gusion and didn't say a word. He understands how he's feeling and it breaks his heart to see him like that.
"She could have just told me... she could have just fucking told me!"