It had been a long time since Lord Mekoziel had seen the palace in such a state. Guards running everywhere, officers screaming, even the nobles were out and about. Of course, the even fact he was here made the urgency of the situation obvious. His Majesty didn't like him much, as he was one of the last remaining defenders of their semi-democratic system against the King's newfound fondness for absolute monarchy, but he was still the Minister of Intelligence, and the regent was smart enough to know his value and effectiveness. He passed the reinforced security with no issue, and entered the large hall leading to the throne room. He had always had a distaste for how exuberant the King had been in his decoration of the castle, especially in the face of the current crisis in the country. Gold on all surfaces, rich dark marble imported at great cost from Ivultis, masterwork paintings from the most famous artists that the King didn't even like... All was made for appearances, and the Minister could identify at least twenty security flaws he could exploit just from the decoration alone. He let out a long sigh as he sat down on one of the fancy leather couches of the waiting room. He had served King Stirekk's father in his youth, and he remembered the monarch's patience, grace, and elegance in dealing with the people. He had always heeded his advice, listened to the Assembly, never shied away from admitting what he didn't know, and yet... How did his son turn out to be so unreasonable? Even from youth, the child was more interested in fighting and playing than learning, and he had always seen a certain disdain for the working class that he didn't understand the origin of. The death of Queen Malisha had certainly had an effect on the boy, but to see her elegance and kindness nowhere on the man leading one of the most powerful countries in the world, had always been concerning. He couldn't even blame the Princess from running away, considering how he had treated her. 

"My Lord, His Majesty is ready to receive you." said one of the attendants, a young man in a fancy coat, trembling a little. The Minister nodded, and got up from his seat. People in the castle were always a little intimidated by him, and he didn't know if it was from his reputation, that of a man of intrigue and influence, his personal dueling record, or his appearance. Whatever the case, he tried smiling gently at the servant to get him to ease up, and entered the throne room. Like the rest of the palace, it was extremely fancy, with red silk drapes all over, gold on the marble pillars, and an enormous throne made of pure gold ornated with red rubies. The seat alone was probably worth more than the city's entire wages, and he couldn't help but chuckle, comparing it to his own seat, a simple wooden chair he had purchased from one of his territory's artisans. Seeing the gems extracted from the mines of his region used in such a manner was leaving him quite frustrated, especially with the ungodly high tax the kingdom was imposing on them. The King himself was clad in a panoply of fancy, expensive fabrics, jewelry, and had his trusty sword next to him. He looked pissed, and the Minister immediately noticed he had started to bite his nails again, a habit he had lost a few years ago. 

"Maabas, finally. I need you to find my daughter. Do you know what Lord Jarkaal would do if he found out his future bride escaped? We need those ships, Maabas." he said immediately in a confused flurry of orders. The Minister frowned, and examined the king's face closely. Aside from the usual anger, he looked deranged, as if he was losing his last remaining grip on reality. 

"I'll do whatever I can, but I hope you understand this was no teenager running away from home. This took an organized, skilled team to pull off, and they're likely already crossing into another country's territory. We cannot afford to risk war with yet another opponent just for the Princess." he said simply, seeing immediately how displeased the King was with his answer.

"I care not for what is right to say or do, Maabas. Find my daughter, even if we need to burn an entire continent for it. I will have those ships. Arken needs to burn, I want to see this arrogant imbecile calling himself an Emperor chained and executed! And whoever gets in my way will join him, even if it's my own daughter. Find her, or it will be your head on a spike at the gate of the city!" he screamed aggressively. The Minister sighed heavily, and shrugged. There was nothing he could do in that instant against the King, but as hot-tempered and irritable as he was, this didn't feel like him. The monarch was usually a sound strategic mind, a greedy and power-hungry one, for certain, but strategic nonetheless. Risking another war while the country was already struggling with one, and losing it, was far from that. 

"Very well. I will have my men on the case, and report any progress." he simply answered, and the King seemed to calm down a little. With a dismissive gesture, he sent him away, and the Minister walked back where he came from after a deep bow. As soon as he left the castle and the earshot of the guards, he pulled out a portable communication device. 

"Sesha, send a few informant around to find out where the Princess went," he said in a hushed tone, frowning in preoccupation, "but don't report any of it to the royals. We'll feed them information as we see fit. Contact our people in Arken, too." he finished, and listened to his right hand answering him. He nodded softly, and sighed deeply. This whole situation was a giant mess, and he hated to be in it, but this had to be done. It had been too long pending, and he couldn't avoid it anymore. "It's time we have a word with them about the future."