Chapter 62
Floria had personally prepared a spot for Bella at one end of the stable and took care of her herself, so she had become familiar with the stablehands.
Since it was rare for a Grand Duchess to personally look after an animal, the stablehands knew very well just how precious Bella was to Floria.
That’s why, the moment Bella went missing, they rushed to her immediately.
Floria furrowed her brow in shock.
“Bella… How… how did she get outside?”
“A horse was being exercised today.
She’s about to give birth, but it’s difficult labor, so several stablehands were coming and going to help… I believe the stable door was left open during that time… Bella is small, so she must’ve slipped out of her stall and ran off amidst the confusion.
We’ve searched everywhere, and just earlier, a merchant delivering supplies to the kitchen said he saw a lone fawn wandering along the forest path quite far from here.”
“The forest path?”
“Yes, it leads to the northern mountain range.
It’s about a 30-minute ride from here. But we can’t be certain it was Bella.
There are plenty of deer in the area. In any case, we’ll continue the search.
Your Highness, it would be best for you to stay in your room and not worry too much.”
The mention of Bella being seen on the forest path leading to the northern mountains made Floria’s body tremble.
Bella… Bella…
The little fawn, still small enough not to reach her thigh, could easily be attacked by a predator if left to wander the forest alone.
Even if she managed to survive by some miracle, how many days could she last in the woods?
Having already grown deeply attached to the fawn, Floria couldn’t bear the worry.
“When did she go missing?”
“I’m not sure. She was definitely here earlier this morning.”
Just as the attendant said, Bella had been in the stable that morning when Floria came to feed her.
She even looked cheerful as she rubbed her face against Floria’s palm.
The warmth still seemed to linger in her hand, and now she was gone.
Seeing Floria’s face pale with worry, the attendant hastily added,
“But please don’t worry. We’ll bring her back. You should return inside, Your Highness.”
Even with the attendant’s reassuring words, Floria’s concern only deepened.
Bella was still young, and perhaps because she had lost her mother recently, she was scared of people.
When the attendants brought hay, she wouldn’t rush to eat it right away but would hide in a corner, hunched over, and only eat after they had left.
The only person Bella followed was Floria, who had first shown her affection.
She was always wary of people—what if she ran even farther away if the attendants suddenly approached her in the forest?
Floria lifted her gaze toward the northern mountain range in the distance.
Towering cliffs lined with a dense forest lay at its feet.
She was reminded of the forest near the Altomole palace. That dark, damp forest…
It had been oppressively deep and dim.
Floria had once gotten lost there. It was a horrible and painful memory.
But…
She was no longer that little girl from back then. And this forest was not the same as Altomole’s.
“I’ll go with you.”
At her unexpected words, the attendant gasped.
“But, Your Highness—”
“She’ll only come to me. It’s better if I go too.”
Floria’s voice was calm and resolute.
It had been a long time since Floria had ridden a horse.
She didn’t particularly like horseback riding, nor did she enjoy going outdoors.
If she ever had to go out, she usually took a carriage, so it had been years since she had mounted a saddle. Still, perhaps thanks to the lessons she’d taken as a child, she quickly found her balance atop the horse.
“Shall we head toward the northern forest where the merchant said he saw the fawn?”
Several attendants had already gone out in search of Bella.
Floria entered the forest accompanied by two of them.
The clattering of hooves echoed through the quiet woods.
Only thin beams of sunlight filtered through the towering conifers reaching to the sky; inside the shadowy forest, it might as well have been night.
“Bella!”
She wasn’t sure if the fawn even recognized her name.
Bella was still so young that it was uncertain, but just in case she might come out at the sound of her voice, Floria called out again and again into the dense thickets.
“Bella!”
But the thick air of the forest only absorbed Floria’s voice.
Nothing could be seen within the dim woods.
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