Chapter 219 - Operation: Success

Alexandra ran fast even though she wants to stop and she was out of breath. The sound of keys jiggling accompanied by her loud footsteps rang inside her ears. She still has to go back to Amanda before she goes outside and check, she's worried about them right now. Harrison was probably still being chased or he already knocked them out and was looking for her. Nevertheless, she continued running as she surveyed her surroundings. There were unconscious guards everywhere, they were the ones who Harrison knocked out and fought.

Amazing. I never knew that he is also good when it comes to fighting with fists and such.

Wait, I shouldn't be amazed. I still have to see Amanda and the kids, she thought to herself and fastened her pace as she finally saw that one door which was slightly open and Alexandra stopped before she swung it wide open revealing the insides. The kids were still there, looking like they were terrified and Amanda was being swarmed by those children as she held them close. Near her was a boy around their age. There were two people found in the corner of the room, they were leaning against the wall unconscious.

Alexandra's eyes darted at Amanda's direction once again. They were staring at her. "Amanda!" She called out to her and hurried to her position. Then she fell to the ground, panting as she tried to catch her breath. She was sweating real hard and her chest felt heavy.

She was tired and exhausted from all of those running and fighting. "Thank god, you're fine," She said in between her pants. She thought that the man earlier, the one she kicked at the crotch, decided to hurt them and force them to tell him where she and Harrison are or something like that. But it seems like it didn't happen, thankfully.

"Alice, is that you?" Was what Amanda responded to her. It seems like she was doubtful and she felt suspicious of Alexandra as if she doesn't believe that this was her. Alexandra lifted her head and gave her a weary smile, "Yes, that's me," She responded.

"B-But your hair, it's not dark-colored. It's silver. Wait, you look familiar. Princess? Your majesty? I'm confused."

Right, that guy removed my wig and I was rushing, I even forgot to take it and put it back on, she thought to herself and mentally slapped her forehead because of her idiocy. "I apologize but I'll explain everything to you later, I got the keys to remove the collars on our neck," Alexandra said and showed them the keys on her hand and jiggled it. Amanda just nodded as a response before she spoke once again.

"Where's Harrison?"

"I don't know, he's still probably out there running around. I'll look for him after I remove all of the collars on your neck. We have to hurry, I also heard that ships are approaching us."

"Ships? Are we in the middle of an ocean?" This time, an unknown boy, the one near them and who looked like he is around their age spoke. Alexandra shrugged her shoulders before she responded as she started to remove the kids' collars on the neck as she hurriedly looked for the numbers on the keys that matched it. "Probably, I still haven't checked yet and who are you?"

"Oh, I'm Ashton."

"Nice to meet you, Ashton but this is not the time to have an idle chat. We're in the middle of a crisis," Alexandra responded as she threw away the collar after she removed it. She then moved to the next kid and her hands fumbled with the keys while chanting the number of the collar inside her head. As she was inserting the key to the keyhole, somebody tugged into her sleeve and she turned her head to look at the person as she twisted the key and felt the collar loosen.

It was a child, a girl. She looked like she was 5 years old.

"Yes?" She responded in a gentle tone as she was speaking with a child.

"Am I going to see my mommy and daddy?" She asked in an innocent and curious tone of voice. Alexandra felt an aching pain in her heart when she asked her that. She gave her a faint smile before she completely turned around to face her, placing the keys on the ground, and cupped the child's cheeks before she responded. "Yes, we're going to get out soon. You're going to see them so just behave and follow me, okay?" The child just nodded and Alexandra smiled at her before she continued her business.

The ships. I don't know if those were pirates and enemies or her family coming to save us. If it is pirates, it would be really bad, she thought to herself. The guy, Ashton helped her while Amanda just held unto the children whose collars were now gone.

--

"We're going outside but I want you to be careful, there would probably be people guarding outside," Alexandra told them. All of their collars were now removed and on the ground. Alexandra was able to materialize a rope with the use of her mana and bind those two unconscious men in the room together so that they won't be able to do anything once they wake up.

They all just nodded and Alexandra smiled before they began walking out of the room. There were a total of 9 children with them who are around 5-9 years old. The oldest ones here are Amanda, Ashton, Alexandra, Harrison (He is still not here), and two other kids that they don't know who are 12 years old. They have to carry and hold the young ones in their arms. They just can't leave some of them behind.

Thankfully, the guards were still unconscious on the ground. They have to be quiet and careful though, hiding behind the wall in case if someone was nearby.

"Where's the boss?! We need orders, what should we do?!"

They suddenly heard a voice and they immediately stopped to hide behind the wall. Alexandra listened in to the conversation, slightly peeking her head out to look, there were two men in the middle of the hallway talking.

"I don't know! I still haven't seen him! Are they pirates? The ones approaching us?"

"No. It's much worse than that! They bore the Royal Family's crest, the Everly."

"What? I thought that they don't know about it, is there a royalty on board with us?"

"It's true and they are also near here! If we wait for any longer, we're doomed!"

"Then we have to find the boss immediately!"

Alexandra's eyes widened as her breath hitched. Everly? My family? They're here? She asked herself and somehow, relief washed over her. Not only because they weren't pirates coming to attack this ship and take everything probably also them but it's also because her family was finally here to save her. The heavyweight on her shoulders was lifted and she waited for those two men to leave. When they finally did, they came out.

"Is it your family, princess?"

"Yes, we're safe. You all can go first, I'll look for Harrison. Amanda and Ashton, can you fight? In case if you encountered some guards on the way out."

"Leave everything to us, princess," Ashton said as he grinned widely at her, he looked like he was proud of his abilities and Alexandra just smiled at him before she placed down the child on her arms and let go of their hands gently. "Then, I'll leave everything to you," She said and before she could turn around, Amanda called out to her.

"Please come back safe, Alice," She didn't call her 'princess' or 'your majesty' but by her second name. Somehow, Alexandra felt calm and she was able to regain her composure. Alexandra nodded and spoke, "I will. Now go, you have to hurry!" Alexandra shooed them off then they did what she told them to do, she watched them walk away from her and leave before she turned around and went back.

Damn it, Harrison. Where the hell are you?

She ran around the place for minutes, not caring if she stepped over some unconscious bodies. Ever since she went back from the office and got the keys, she still hasn't seen him. She was holding the keys with her as she knows that Harrison was still wearing the collar and can't use his magic. What if he actually did get caught? But if he really did, he should have been thrown back to that room. What if he was thrown to the sea instead?

Be positive. Be positive. Be positive.

What if he gets thrown to the sea but he managed to survive, however, he is on another island? Wait, that's not even a little bit positive! Her thoughts were all jumbled and confusing. Probably the exhausting getting to her and all of those emotions overwhelming her system. Besides, isn't this place way too big? I don't even know where I am at this point because I only kept on running around looking for a certain person, she thought to herself.

She decided to stop and take a break first, her hand leaning against the wall as she panted. I forgot that I am in a child's body and not an adult's body, the vast difference between their stamina and energy is really big. God, please give me a rest. I hope time would stop now, she thought.

She crouched down the ground and coughed. Her knees were weak and her legs were getting numb. If I find that guy, I will kick him in the face first before I give him the keys for giving me a hard time just to look for him. But then as she was crouching on the ground, taking a break, she heard a voice behind her and felt someone pull her hair back.

"I found you, you brat!"

It was the same guy as before, the one that she kicked in the crouch. The boss or leader.

--

A few minutes ago, on Amanda's side.

They were finally able to come out of that place, they used the stairs that lead up and they came out of the trap door. Ashton along with two other kids who were around their age helped the children up. As expected, there were guards but only a few of them. They approached them and Amanda was the one who fought and knocked them out with the use of spells and magic. They were way too weak for her and they were slow enough.

"I can't anymore," Amanda said as she stepped on an unconscious body that was on the ground before she surveyed her surroundings. It really was true, they were in the middle of an ocean. The outside that they haven't seen for a long time ever since they were trapped there, the sun with its light shining down on them, the gentle sea breeze hitting their skin, the salty smell, the warm surroundings. They really are outside but they still haven't escaped yet, they are still on the ship.

There were also a few ships around them, one has the crest of the royal family while a few were similar to the ship they are on. People were fighting on board those ships.

"The princess isn't seen on any of these ships!"

"There's another ship!"

"We found children over here!"

"Look for the princess!"

"Fight against the guards!"

"They are already unconscious!"

"The princess, what about the princess?!"

They heard voices and suddenly, people wearing identical uniforms approached and surrounded them. They wore a crest on their chest, all of it golden and they have weapons on their hands, mainly swords. They must be knights. All of them came here mainly to save Alexandra.

"Are you okay?" One man kneeled in front of her, he has golden eyes and black hair. He was holding a sword that was surrounded by golden flames, blazing. The flames were the same color as his eyes. Behind him was a man with silver hair and blue eyes, the Eldest Prince. "Yes, if you are looking for the princess, she should still be down—"

But then she was interrupted as they heard a loud voice that resonated in the place.

"Are you looking for the princess, you stupid royalties?! She's right here in my hands, you losers!" It came from behind, the voice sounded distant as it echoed. They looked behind them and there they saw a man holding Alexandra, her hands behind her as he held it together. They were facing the sea and it looked like he was planning on throwing Alexandra.

"Princess!"

The man in front of her called cried out. Alexandra turned her head to the direction of the voice, her eyes wide. "Carlos!"

The man spoke once again and pulled on Alexandra's hair and she just endured the pain, "If you dare come any closer, I will throw your stupid princess overboard and let her swim with the sharks!" He said and threatened to push Alexandra off. They can't do anything, Alexandra was in his hands and he could do whatever he wants with her.

However, something unexpected happened.

Calixander threw his weapon, a dagger, at the man's direction but let it hit on the ground. A centimeter away from his foot. Calixander was emitting a dangerous aura, near him was his father who was emitting the same dangerous aura as his. He was glaring at the man, a cold and menacing look on his face. Carlos stood up from his position and lifted his sword. The expression on his face was dark and cold. The grip on his sword was tight and strong.

It became cold all of a sudden. Chills went down the man's spine.

"I-I'll really do it! I'm gonna do—"

However, Alexandra disappeared from his hands and later appeared behind him but this time, Harrison was the one holding her. His arm wrapped around her waist and pulling her close to him. Alexandra was still in daze, processing what happened.

"Please don't touch my princess carelessly or I'll break all of your bones."

Harrison spoke in a cold and serious tone of voice. The man fell to the ground, slump. A nervous and afraid look on his face as they all approached him. Calixander, Alexander, Carlos, and Harrison who was still holding Alexandra stopped and surrounded the man. They were all emitting the same dangerous aura and has the same cold and menacing look on their faces.

Calixander summoned his dagger back to his hand, some arrows that were suspending in the air were burning behind Alexander, Carlos has his sword lifted and pointed at him, and there was a huge fireball on Harrison's hand.

It seems like the man has forgotten how scary the royal family and the royal knights are, along with Harrison who is a powerful wizard (They still don't know that he is a powerful one).

--

Now, it's all over and the man who took her was beaten up by the four men who treasure Alexandra. They were still on the ship.

Harrison was still holding her, his arm wrapped around her waist. Alexandra lifted her chin to look at him. His crimson eyes meeting her blue ones.

"Harrison?" She called out to her in a low voice before breaking away her gaze and she looked ahead of her, at the sea.

"Yeah?"

"You're late, where have you gone to?"

"Sorry, something happened. But don't worry—" He paused before he buried his face in her hair.

"—I'm here now."

"I'll kick your ass next time you're late…" Her voice faded as her eyelids felt heavy and her vision became dark. She fainted and became unconscious in his arms.