Inside the palace was Chaos. Draven was restless, he had suddenly developed insomnia and his condition had worsen. Everyone was walking on thin ice around him. After searching the Northern region, he had sent out ten thousand knights to turn the whole of Nightbane kingdom upside down and not to return unless they find Aurelian or at least have valuable information.
It's been three days and still nothing about Aurelian has been heard. Queen Amara has been crying herself to sleep and waking up only to continue. Elowen tries to comfort her mother but she eventually ends up in tears herself. The two kings however has tried to be strong for their Kingdoms. The Moonveil kingdom has heard of Aurelian's kidnapping, he is their Prince after all. Some of the people even conducted small search parties. But still Aurelian was nowhere to be found.
Draven is currently in the court room with the royal advisors, the ministers and a few nobles. He sits impatiently listening to them suggest expanding security and reducing the amount of soilders deployed to search for the Royal Consort. "Your highness, we are wasting our resources in search of the Consort!" The head of security states. "What would the people say? That we have abandoned their security just to find an outside Prince?" A nobleman chips in. Draven didn't flinch but his jaw tightened. He deliberately lets his gaze sweep the entire room before speaking, "People? Outside Prince? Let me remind you that this Outside Prince listened and attended to the people when you all sat around doing nothing!" The room went quiet. "This Outside Prince has the love and support of the People", Draven added standing up. "Why not just say you're suggesting we stop the search for my husband?" Draven questioned, his gaze falling on the head of security,"You will send out more shoulders to the east and west, and if there's still no result, we'll expand and start searching nearby borders and Kingdoms",Draven commands. "Absolutely not!" Grand duke Valerius object. "Do you know what you're doing, your highness? Searching other Kingdoms for the Consort is like telling them we don't trust them", he adds. Draven raised an eyebrow, his anger surfacing,"Trust? You dare speak to me of trust when you can't be trusted?!" "Your highness, I do not mean it that way" "then what do you mean?!" "Your highness searching other Kingdoms can make them turn against us, especially those we have political alliance with", the Grand Duke clarified. "They have no reason to do that if we're not using force, right advisors?" Draven says turning to the Royal advisors. "You're suggesting we formally request a search in their territory?" One of them asks. Draven didn't reply. Didn't need to.
Just as the Court meeting is about to end, the hall doors open. The click of heels against marble floor followed suit. "You're not allowed to be here", one minister speaks. "Oh but I am a noble lady after all my father is the grand duke", Drusilla replies, stopping right in front of Draven. "What are you doing here?"Draven questioned. "Is that his to say hello to your future Consort?" Drusilla purred sliding her right her over Draven's chest. "Future Consort? You're even more unstable than I thought", Draven retorts. Drusilla's smile widens, "oh but Aurelian is gone now so..." She draws, deliberately sliding her other her other Draven's neck. The Royal advisors and ministers tries to avoid looking at the scene before them but their eyes keep darting. The grand duke on the other hand doesn't hide his amusement at his daughter's advances. Draven shrugs her hands off him and dust his cloak like she's dirty. "See that's where you're mistaken, I will find Aurelian and when I do I'll make his Kidnappers pay", he steps forward, his eyes boring directly into Drusilla's,"and the next time you disrespect Aurelian by touching what's his, I'll personally make sure your limbs are broken". Drusilla makes a broken noise and looks at her father then back at Draven. Draven didn't wait for a reply, he didn't want one. He turned around and exited the Court Room. He was already stressed about Aurelian's disappearance, he wasn't about to let Drusilla add to it. But as he left he failed to see the sinister smile on Drusilla's face. The Royal Advisors and the others began filing out of the court room. The Grand Duke looks at his daughter after the others has left. "You know you should give up on that bastard", he advised. Drusilla didn't glance at her father, just kept staring at the spot Draven exited through. "He's just playing hard to get", She replied to the Grand Duke but her smile widens and her thoughts says otherwise, "Draven will eventually give in, after all I have what he desires most".