"Where is your sister?" Williams' father asked the moment Williams walked into their chamber and there was no trace of Susan behind him.
"She will join us shortly. She had something to take care of in her chamber," Williams said as he went to sit down, and their father looked at him for a moment without saying a word.
"Your mother said Harvey and Susan are interested in each other. Is that correct?" he asked, and Williams glanced at his mother, who was beaming with joy, before returning his attention to his father.
"I... think so, father."
"Oh! You do not have to be so modest now. Just tell him the truth already." His mother cut in.
"I told you. I saw him looking everywhere for Susan earlier. I've never seen such desperation in the eyes of a young man in a long time," their mother said excitedly, and Williams tried to understand what she was saying.
Desperation? Was it possible that Harvey really fancied Susan? Was that why he was helping them? Or was it possible that their mother had misunderstood the reason behind Harvey's search for Susan?
Perhaps it was the time he had come to tell them that Paulina was about to be executed? That makes sense. Harvey had been in a hurry then. Williams reasoned.
Williams' father looked at his wife uncertainly, not sure whether or not he entirely believed what his wife was saying, "There will always be another time for them. I want the three of you to return..."
"I don't think that would be fair on Susan, my Lord. You have no idea how much she cried earlier when I asked her to pack her bags. Please let us stay a little longer and..."
"No! If they want to be together so much, we can arrange for Sir Harvey to visit us after we get back. And then he can spend some time there getting to know her and our people. But for now, I want them out of the palace," he insisted stubbornly.
"Father, can we at least wait until Princess Tyra regains her memory? It won't be fair for us to leave without knowing how she is doing. We also don't know how the Prince is. I don't think this is a good time to leave," Williams pleaded, and his father looked at him suspiciously.
"I hope you both are not getting yourselves involved in whatever is going on?" he asked, and Williams shook his head quickly.
His father's question seemed to make him realize that Beth's father hadn't reported them. Does this imply that the man was beginning to see the light in what was going on?
Williams' father watched him closely, and he didn't believe him. He could tell when he was being lied to. He knew how nosy his children could be, especially Susan, who had a penchant for trouble and seemed to be very fond of Princess Amber.
Susan was not the type to mind her business, especially not when it involved the people she cared about, and he knew that somehow she was doing something secretly.
There was nothing they were going to say to make him believe that they were not up to something, and he didn't want them to get involved in whatever was going on around the palace. He wanted them to remain as neutral as possible since he too was trying to understand what was going on.
"You don't think Prince Harold's bride is behind this, right?" Their father asked, and Williams sat up
"You believe that too?" Williams asked his father before realizing it was a trap and shutting his mouth while his mother continued to stare at the two of them.
That was all his father needed to know that they were going to get themselves into trouble. "Go and get your sister..."
"This is not fair!" Williams said stubbornly, startling his parents.
"How... can you talk back at your fath—"
"Something is wrong and someone needs to find out what is happening. Are you going to be happy if an innocent person is killed for something she did not do?" he asked, cutting off his mother. "That isn't how you raised us—"
"So what?!" his father asked angrily. "You want to get yourself involved in the court affair?"
"No! I just want to be here when Princess Amber is found to be innocent of all this."
"Do not get yourself involved, Williams. This is serious!" His mother whispered frightfully.
"I forbid you and Susan from getting yourselves involved. This has nothing to do with either of you! And whatever is being decided on by the court is what—"
Before he could finish speaking, a knock sounded on the door, and they all glanced at the door.
"My Lord." The three of them heard Damian's voice, and the older man gave Williams a pointed look.
"A message from the Queen," Damian said before opening the door without permission.
"The Queen wants you to come at once. Princess Tyra has just remembered what happened,"
William's father turned sharp eyes on Williams again.
"I will be with her shortly," he said to Damian dismissively.
Damian bowed his head before leaving. As soon as he was out and closed the door, the older man turned to look at Williams.
"Now that she is awake, you and Susan must get your things ready tonight. You are leaving first thing in the morning," he said before walking to the door to leave.
Williams looked at his mother, who looked confused. She couldn't decide which side to take, but it was clear she didn't want him involved and would go to any length to keep them safe from any royal feud.
"You have to understand your father. He is trying to protect you both. Getting involved would do you more harm than good."
"She is innocent," he said confidently. "Someone else is trying to put the blame on her."
His mother scooted closer to him and put her hand on top of his.
"That is more reason to stay away from this. The elders of the court are going to find an answer if she is really innocent."
"That is the problem! No one is trying to find anything!" he raised his voice and looked at his mother apologetically when she flinched.
"Mother, think carefully..." he said as he leaned closer to her. "Is there any potion that can cause great effects on both humans and werewolves? Something that can make even werewolves violent and lose some parts of their memory and also suffer from headaches? It can also make humans very confused, lose their memory and have a serious headache?"