Vain 71 Speculations

Aileene had departed for good with little word from the academy to explain her disappearance. Even to Lucian who had adamantly inquired into the issue, it should have been an easy step in his investigation. Especially with his status and the relationship he had with Walter Wistlorn, the princ.i.p.al of the academy. His royal t.i.tle was there for a reason, he wasn't a paper prince who had no power and had to curry favor with n.o.bles. He was an heir from birth, he grew up brilliant with all the support and power that he could have. His father thoroughly supported him and he was independent in most things he did. So it was even more of a surprise to him when the one that blocked off his information was his own father.

Austrion Academy was barred from revealing any information relating to Aileene to any student body, even to him and this direct instruction was from the crown. No matter how he had racked his head for reasons, he couldn't figure out why his father would be involved with Aileene. It was true that he had annulled his engagement with Kira to be with Aileene, but it was with the consent of his father. So there was no need for his father's hand in dividing them if he hadn't done so before. There must be some reason more.

Lucian couldn't sit still with his lack of actions, there was nothing he could do if he stayed that the academy. So he must follow Aileene with the intent to uncover the truth, he must leave the academy. He wasn't sure where she was currently, but he had a network that he could rely on once he left the academy. He didn't need to speculate about that now, all the need to do was prepare his own carriage. It would take some time to descend the mountain and he would be slower than Aileene with her head start, but he would find her still. He didn't believe he couldn't. There would only be a few more steps until he knew what was truly in the letter delivered to her.

He had thought of this time and time again. What was the content of the letter? What could have caused Aileene to leave? Undoubtedly it was a private letter, an event that only affected Aileene. Since there was nothing major happening to the kingdoms that could elicit that kind of reaction. The sender must have been someone that Aileene had great trust in, otherwise, she would have questioned the validity of the letter. Which she didn't, she trusted that the letter had no faults and it seemed that it really didn't. Since the letter had to have mentioned the prepared carriage for her, which she took to leave the academy.

The letter could possibly be about two things, it could be from a family member and about her own family, or it could be about something bigger. Lucian couldn't determine if there was anything that occurred in Aileene's family, but there was something that he could determine. There was something happening behind the scene of the two kingdoms. It was the great upheaval that could have created that kind of agitation in Aileene.

Aileene must know. Aileene must have known, there would soon be a conflict between Austrion and Kinlar and Aileene knew. This was the most reasonable answer that Lucian could come up with, especially with the reaction that his father had. His father had stopped him from pursuing her escape, why would he do something like that? Lucian knew what kind of man his father was, he wouldn't do something to stop him for Aileene. If he hadn't known her, his father should have never met her before. But he had a feeling that they have met.

Why was this? Why had they met? What was Aileene hiding from him? Lucian was almost driven mad with questions, for the first time in his life he had so uneasy. He believed in Aileene, he knew that she wasn't the kind of person that would betray him. But there were so many things that she had hid, though she wasn't the only one at fault. He was too, had he not kept things from her too? He didn't know how he should feel.

From the beginning, he had never wanted to drag Aileene in the conflict. He wanted to keep her safe, he had thought that he could have convinced her someway to abandon Austrion. He knew that it wouldn't have been easy, but he had kept his eyes closed to the future. In the end, everything backfired on him. Aileene had already known about the conflict and she had left, most likely because of it. There were so many clues that pointed to this conclusion.

But how could he, someone that was head of the operation between Kinlar and Austrion not know about Aileene. There were very few people that knew about Kinlar's intention for war, so it was hard at first for him to believe that Aileene knew, but when his father came into the picture. It made everything clear, there was only his father who could have shielded Aileene from him, somehow they had gotten in contact and somehow Aileene came out knowing of Kinlar's true intention. He didn't know how it happened and why it did. He only knew that he needed to quickly find her. He needed to find her and then everything would be resolved.

Lucian would no longer have any doubt and they would finally be back together. A cold smile made its way on his face, as a knock sounded at his door. He didn't move immediately, he stayed in his chair for a few moments more. Before he decided to move to the door, he picked up a coat and left with no lingering thoughts.

"The carriage is ready, your highness." A servant was outside his room and he nodded simply. He walked down the stairs that he had ran down just a few days before. He was determined, this time he won't let her run amuck without telling him anything.