[center]Alexander James Francis Maximillion Nightingale[/center] 



Alexander wasn't sure how he came to care for the princess so quickly, in such a short time, but somehow, he.... HAD. Things were certainly changing, or so he began to think, as he glanced towards the princess again. He allowed himself a single sigh before he gave a nod in response. His eyes would be back upon the guards who had spoken after that. His narrowed eyes and that harsh frown would return when his eyes were upon them once more. He would not sound very happy, not at all, when he finally spoke. 



"Do you dare to question me?"



His tone made it obvious he was ready to scold, and punish, anyone who dared to argue with him or the like. Anyway, he took a breath before he spoke again, and in very slightly calmer tone of course. 



"You forget she shall not be released on the main path, the safest one. As per laws, she shall be released into the dark forests, where she shall be all on her own, with no one to aid her, no one at all. Her fate shall be sealed then. It shall be up to her if she survives....or not. It is a terrible punishment, and one that was only ever implemented by the previous king before myself. If she should try ton return, the shadows themselves shall prevent it, as they always have. Do you understand now? Or do you risk punishment yourself by furthering questioning myself and my decisions?"




Despite how he talked, his eyes said a warning to not to even try to question him any further. Others knew better, but apparently these guards, and perhaps those servants, did not. It was no wonder he did not trust anyone for the longest time. Some answers to that were becoming clearer. Anyway, the king would sigh and turn towards the princess once more. 





"It is my fault. It was my own powers that were out of control. It was my shadows that cause the spirits, those shadows, to grow chaotic and out of control. I was the one who drank what was near myself without question. It was I who was not paying attention and let down my guard!"



He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself as the ground suddenly shook at that moment. Then, the king would clear his throat. 




"You should not have been put in such a situation. No one here should have, but especially not you. I would....be highly upset if....something were to happen."



The king kept pausing during the last sentence there, almost like he had stopped to think about what he was going to say and such before he continued to speak. This was certainly different as well. Anyway, the king took another breath before he continued. 





"Do not fret over those cruel words spoken towards your ears. They shall hold no power, considering what is to happen to her. She shall wish she never existed, let alone arrive at my castles' steps all those years ago."



He turned towards the others around them. 



"From this moment onward, there shall be a strict probationary period for anyone who seeks employment here in the future! The shadows themselves shall decide the fates of everyone who works here, until such a time as when the shadows themselves deem them worthy of trust! A punishment upon anyone who fails those trails during that time! That is my decree!"




Nods, amongst all the widened eyes, could be seen. The king was someone to be taken seriously. They did not question his decision, for obvious reasons. They all understood and obeyed his word. His word was law after all.