Chapter 134 - Empress

Empress Residence (Known as Aqua Castle) 

The Aqua castle was owned by the royal family as it was named under the care of Armin Reinheart. But it was controlled by the only Royal Lady. The whole castle was known to be haunted. It's one way to keep away people who want to steal.

In one of the master's bedrooms, Stacey was held as a patient. There is a doctor and two nurses who are attending her. Currently, Lady Stacey was asleep after she was given something to keep her sleep.

"I will be in the guest room." The doctor said, 

Butler Reinheart turned to his master who looked worried although her whole face shows that she's calm. 

"Leave us." 

"Yes, milady. How about Butler Paul?" 

"He's taking care of it." 

"And about her trauma?" 

"I'll let Maverick contact a doctor." She said as she approached Stacey and sat beside her. Seeing the bandage on her pinky finger made her heartache. She had beautiful healthy nails and it was ripped off like that from her. She knew that once Maverick knew what happened to Stacey, he'll be enraged and might become impulsive on his decisions. 

The Butler bowed as he left quietly. She stayed with Stacey for an hour gently singing her a song and caressing her hair. She finally decided to stand but Stacey opened her eyes and looked at her. 

"Stacey?" She called as she sat back beside her and caressed her hair. "How are you dear?" 

"I know you…" She mumbled and Stacey's eyes started becoming blurry as tears started forming again. "You save me." 

"Yes, I saved you…" She wiped her tears quickly. 

"They might come to me. She might come to me again and… and…" Stacey stammered and started sobbing. She gently pulled her up to sit up and hugged poor Stacey. 

"Shh, I won't let that happen, my dear." 

"Why did you save me?" She asked and wiped her tears. "Rachel, right?" 

"Yes," She smiled and didn't correct her. 

She met Stacey as Rachel back in the Edward Shopping Center. 

She reached the tissue as Stacey blew her nose and she was also given water. She sighed and lay back down. 

"Sleep again, my dear. I'll stay with you." 

Stacey nodded as she started singing again for Stacey and caressed her hair. When she fell asleep again, she finally left Stacey's room. Butler Reinheart has been waiting for her outside and he bows his head. 

"Your late lunch is ready." 

"Thank you." 

The Butler escorted her to her room which is just next to Stacey's room and he served her food. 

<><><><> 

Seven Hours Later,

Maverick did everything to find out about the Empress but the access was denied many times. He had only thought that the real Empress was a person. Or maybe it's also artificial intelligence. 

"Sir," Butler Paul entered with a tray. "Here is Lady Stacey's phone when she was kidnapped along with her purse." 

He took it quickly and then he checked her phone. He knew her password well and he was surprised that she didn't change it. He checked her messages. The last person that she texted was Victoria and seeing their conversation made his heartache. She planned to make love to him to get pregnant and to stay away. He now understands why she left. 

"Sir?" Butler Paul called. 

"You must be tired, Butler Paul. I want time alone and sort this out." 

"Lady Stacey is safe. I don't know her location, but they confirmed it to me. Duke Kenzo is already investigating." 

"Thank you." He nodded and Butler Paul put the tray on the table next to him. 

Maverick checked other conversations and she didn't text much besides Caleb, Victoria, Harriet, and Kaisley. There are few messages from people that she mentioned but it was all about business. He sighed and checked the photos to see more of it with him and their kissing and videos of them. He regrets not waking up after that deep sleep. He regretted that he didn't come after her immediately. He regretted that he didn't hold her tightly in their sleep. 

A knock on the door caught his attention. He sat straight as he said to open it. The door opened as Butler Paul came. He looked old and frail but the man still prepared something for him. 

"You've been here for two hours now." 

Maverick never thought that he'd been daydreaming for two hours. The old man set up his food on the round table. 

"You don't have to do that all by yourself," Maverick mumbled. "You didn't get enough sleep because of me. I'm sorry." 

"I vow to serve you. Please don't be sorry, my lord. Besides, I already had a nap and ate my food before checking on you." 

Maverick felt depressed. He's been bothering everyone. Ever since that his Butler took him away from his house and ever since his grandmother taught him how to be independent. He learned to work on his own and be himself. He never asked for anyone's help until it reached its peak. Now, he has everyone to command and everyone to bother with his needs. 

"This is your favorite snack, Duke Maverick." 

He stood as he approached the table. 

"That's my favorite during the times when I was in the Belmont residence. But those favorites faded as I ate only on what's available. The first decent and expensive food that I have after my grandmother died, is a steak from the restaurant across the street where I am staying. Stacey bought me that dinner." 

"I'm sorry to hear that, my lord." 

"Don't be sorry. You saved me and I learned many things in the commoner's world. I learned everything when I was sleeping in the cold streets. I learned everything about them. But I still have a lot to learn and since you declined to tell me all about Empress… I think I have to learn it on my own." 

"Lady Stacey wouldn't want you to look thin. Please eat, my lord." 

He sat down and looked at the delicious foods. 

Instead of staying further in the City he went back to his castle and continued working online and found a few files and a video of an agent. The horrifying scream of a woman begging. His hair stood and to his surprise, something more might have happened then, suddenly the video had been blocked and he screamed in frustration. 

He checked the locations of the royal estates and worked until the sun rose. Although his eyes hurt, he found it. He found one of the states of Royal. He stood quickly and Butler Paul who seemed to just woke up was holding a coffee and gave it to him. 

"Please drink something warm, sir." 

He sipped on it as Butler Paul followed him to the small room that was set up for him with his clothes. He washed his face quickly and changed his clothes without bothering about bathing. The Butler already set up the car for him and he drove the car with Butler Paul. 

"Call Kenzo." He told his AI and the AI responded with a dialing tone. 

"Etrama," Kenzo mumbled. 

"Kenzo. Take Victoria to Aqua Castle. I think I found her." 

"Got it." Kenzo hung up and then Maverick realized that Kenzo knew where Stacey was located all this time. 

He nearly stepped on the break. 

"My Lord, please focus on the road." Butler Paul said. 

Maverick nodded and held on to the steering wheel tightly. At the time that they reached the Aqua Castle. It was known as a haunted castle because of the fog and it's in a place in Greivania that always has that cold season because of the mountains. He stayed at the gate and noticed a lot of CCTV cameras in front.

"Empress." He mumbled. "This is where the Empress is located?" He asked and clicked the hood of the car as it opened. The cameras pointed to them and the door opened. 

He drove past the gates as they went further. Then, there's another bride with waters around the castle. That's why it is called Aqua castle. It was made as a safe house from the battlefield and it was known to be bloody. Lots of servants from generation to generation claimed that it was haunted. So, no one in the royal family resides there. 

They were given access past the bride as there's another gate that opened for them. He looked at the rear mirror to find another car behind them and the car blinked its headlights. 

At the time that they reached the main door, only two guards were waiting and a Butler. He came out quickly from his car and walked upstairs. He glanced at Kenzo and Victoria who were wearing their casual clothes and they seemed to rush up to this castle. The Butler vowed to him and he stared at him for long, trying to remember who he was. He had seen him a lot too. 

"Armin," Kenzo called out and the Butler bowed in front of Kenzo and Victoria. 

"This way, my lords, my lady." He gestured toward it and he took them to the balcony where the sun was slowly seeping through the dark clouds. 

"Stacey," Maverick mumbled. He already recognized her back and he quickly rushed up there. But seeing that she didn't respond and how she looked hit him hard. He knelt in front of her and reached her hand. He started shaking seeing a bandage on her pinky finger. "Stacey." He called but she didn't seem to hear anything. "Stacey," he called again while tearing. 

"No~~" Stacey stared at him and pushed him away. "Get off! Don't touch me!" She screamed at him and kept screaming like she's in pain. 

Maverick was dumbfounded this time.