Agathe

  When the guards returned in the evening, they didn't have good news. They had e to Agathe's office to tell her the result of the search at the academy. Agathe sat at her desk and fixed the two with a demanding look.

  "Yhness? The prince was at the academy. However..." The elderly man looked at her tritely. "It looks like the princess and prince have disappeared. The four servants of the princess are also o be found. Will we get your permission to search the capital? There is a possibility that they are staying there. Maybe with her sister." Manuel Schmied had already worked as a pace guard for thirty years. His colleague, Rebeeu, for five. The young woman stood straight, with an expressionless fa front of Agathe.

  "At Ingried's?" The queen grimaced.

  "Her servant, Sophie, said Julia had visited her sister once", expined Mrs. Neu. "Therefore, it ot be ruled out that both the princess and the prince decided to visit their sister. Strangely, she 't remember what exactly happened on the evening of the princess's disappearance. She must have fallen asleep. The bound servants are also missing."

  "Then why weren't you at Ingried’s?" Agathe hit her desk in anger. "My daughter ... and my good-for-nothing son, could already be here again!" But why would Julia take her servants with her?

  "We did not want to act without your sent." Mr. Schmied looked worriedly at his colleague. "We would also like to check with the former prince, Paul. There is a possibility that the two wao visit him. That would also expin why the priook her servants with her."

  "Paul?" Agathe sighed.

  "Well... The princess seeks tact with her siblings. After all, she exged letters with them!" Mrs. Neu nodded as if this would reinforce her statement.

  "Good." Agathe gnced out the window. The sun had long si. "I want guards to be sent to both my daughter Ingried and my son Paul. You know their addresses?"

  "We took the addresses of the letters", Mr. Schmied firmed.

  "We're putting together two search parties and leaving tomorrow!" Mrs. Neu looked at her colleague. "Five guards each? If we enter ued plications?"

  Agathe sent the tith a wave of her hand ahe guards to their pns.

  Her daughter had disappeared? Ran away from the academy? Together with her brother and her servants? Was she with Ingried? Or Paul? She should have stopped the tact between the siblings! Sihe princess was missing, her daughter!, she could not possibly go to the wedding in the marshnd. Friedrich had to leave alone in a few days. It was about his illegitimate son anyway! If Julia wasn't already back by then. Then she would apany her husband and tio py the charade. Pretend to accept Torsten.

  About an hour ter, servants brought her a letter from the academy announg her daughter's disappearance.

  Torsten

  The carriage stopped at a small but very fine inn. There they would spend the night before tinuing the jourhe day. It was a long way to the s. Even with fast horses. They would need a total of three days if they allowed the horses only a few breaks. Four with longer breaks.

  Torsten offered to help Annemarie as she wao get out of the carriage. She smiled a him accept it.

  One of her servants, who apanied her in another carriage, went ahead to get the rooms. Two guards, who had also apanied Annemarie, stayed with the two, while the ehe carriages and the horses uheir disposal and gave the animals water and food.

  "I 't wait to get home!" Annemarie arranged her clothes. She looked at the inn. "I have already stayed here on the way to the castle. There are acceptable rooms. But my home will overwhelm you! We have high ceilings and high windows! It's wonderful. And now and then you see twons flying over the marshnd."

  "Dragons?"

  "Dragons! They are breathtaking! Unfortunately indomitable."

  "I've never seen a dragon."

  Annemarie giggled. "That would surprise me. Usually, they live in the mountains of the desert. But these teared in the marshnd a few years ago... They steal the cattle from the farmers... Or even a farmer, as I heard. But we 't drive them away."

  "So you've never seen one up close?"

  "No!" Annemarie shook her head slightly. "But Marlon wanted one as a child."

  "How sweet."

  "No, rather stupid! Even a dragon child devour an adult!"

  The servant now returogether with an innkeeper who showed them their rooms for the night. "Today we also have a wonderful stew on offer", he murmured nervously as they climbed the stairs to their rooms.

  The servant nodded and ordered food for everyohe servants and guards would share rooms o the princess and Torsten, who each had their own room.

  Torste himself fall into his bed. Everything happened so fast.

  Dragons? He had heard that they were powerful and could only be found or seen if they wished to. Would he be lucky enough to see one?

  Indomitable. What if he was the first to tame a dragon? Would his future wife like that? A dragon just for the two of them and their pns? He grinned. What a stupid thought. I would end up as an appetizer instead of taming the dragon. But I want to see one.

  Julia

  A burning forest. Soldiers. The vilge is in fmes. Fleeing elves. Leopold. Finn. Marko. A vilge ieppe. A dragon. Torsten and Annemarie are in front of the throne of the vampires. Her mother's angry screams. Paul with a happy little family. Peter with long hair and a big smile. o him stands a stranger. taurs who e to a celebration. Marko and Finn sitting around a campfire. Leopold pys with a little elf with pink dragonfly wings and a young werewolf.

  Julia woke up. It was the middle of the night. Finn had snuggled up to her. Marko y as a wolf over her feet, Finn's feet on his stomach. Peter cimed a rge part of the bed for himself. She sighed. Another dream.

  She had to warn the elves! But for that, she had to talk to them a out of this room! Their vilge would go up in fmes!

  And she wao talk to Leopold. Perhaps he could still get dissuaded from his pn. The pn. It would not work. The elves had to know!

  She had to save them!

  She pulled the duvet higher and snuggled into her pillow. Finn protested quietly in his sleep. Smiling, she brushed her fihrough his hair and closed her eyes.

  She had to protect the elves.

  She had to protect her servants.

  Her brother!

  Leopold. You fool! You stupid fool! Stupid!

  Why didn't you talk to me?