The quiet and solemn dinner was interrupted by the sudden sound of boots. A guard came dashing in frantically. "My lord," he called out panting. Everyone seated at the table looked up in irritation at the footman who had disrupted the dinner.

"The princess has been injured," the guard announced. The clatter of spoons and dishes froze at that instant. King William stood up and started walking briskly towards the door, dismissing the guests' appearance with a wave. Peter followed him silently shocked that a princess was attacked in her own country.

Upon reaching Sophie's room, his eyes met the palace physician's, who stood waiting for him at the door.

"she is fine, your majesty. A few bruises and a minor cut, " he assuaged the King's fears.

With a nod, King William entered the room to find his precious daughter sitting on the bed with a maid tending to her.  A bandage was wrapped around her forearm.  A few blue-black bruises spotted her arms and jaw. King William pushed a chair to the bedside and sat down.  Stroking her hand,  he whispered, "are you alright my dear?" tears were threatening to spill from his eyes at the sight of the bandage.

"Yes papa.  It was just a small cut, " Sophia answered.

" Your highness, it's best the Princess gets some much needed sleep, " the physician interrupted from the door.

" Yes, yes.  I'll check on you in the morning, "king William patted his daughter's cheek tenderly before rising from the chair.

A few minutes later, the king emerged from his daughter's quarters to find Peter walking up and down the hallway. Peter turned at the sound of a door opening.

“How is she?” peter asked with trepidation, afraid of the answer as the king’s behavior had hinted that the princess was gravely hurt.

“She is fine, I suppose. A few bruises and a cut,” King William answered briskly as he saw Sir Nicholas approaching him from the other end of the hallway. His anger was about to escape the prisons of control. To say he was fuming was an understatement.

“What had happened Nicholas?” the king’s voice boomed.

“A pack of outlanders attached the princess at the night market,” he stated.

“Well, weren’t there guards with her?” he asked impatiently, barely able to control his anger.

“She had gone off with her personal bodyguard without informing the palace guards. One woman was unable to fend off ten grown men,” Nicholas reasoned.

Nicholas’s words sent Peter's heart hammering at full speed. Ten men against one woman? What had happened to Heena?

“Well my daughter is injured now! Look into how the outlanders entered the market unnoticed and step up security this instant!”

“But your highness, our manpower is short as they are involved in…” Nicholas was cut off by the stentorian voice of King William,” I said now!”

Nicholas bowed and left for his study. Peter watched the retreating figures of King William and Sir Nicholas. With a quick thought, he decided to head for Sir Nicholas.

“Sir Nicholas, how is your daughter?”

Nicholas stopped in his tracks and turned on his heels to face peter.” I do not know how to describe it. Maybe it’s best that you see for yourself.”

His words sent a chill down peter’s spine. How was she, he wondered frantically. Sir Nicholas led the way out of the main castle to a quaint cottage on the outskirts of the palace grounds. Sir Nicholas then pushed open a wooden room and gestured for Peter to walk in.