Chapter 30 - Princess Giselle

[Day Two]

Raven aka Anna was going berserk as she didn't locate Persephone where she had expected her to wait when she would return with water.

Her heart was erratically thumping against her ribcage like a rampant horse running on the road. Tears of frustration and anger were accumulated on the brim of her eyes. She had to find Persephone or else what would she say to Villain? 

She couldn't imagine the punishment that he would inflict on her if she lost Persephone...

Surely, he would kill her if she lost his precious treasure. It was not hidden from anyone that he treated Persephone differently from other women. Though she was a captive, she still was treated better than any woman who tried to seduce Villain.

"Where are you Persephone?!"Raven asked no one in particular. " Please be alright." 

Meanwhile, another group of people was headed in the same direction where Raven was looking for Persephone. 

Santiago's island was private property and only a handful of people were allowed to enter. People who lived on this island were all his employees. But what kind of work they did was still a question to Persephone. 

But whatever they did wouldn't be so simple. 

As the group of three saw an anxious Raven walking back and forth at the entrance of the forest, they stopped walking.  

"Miss Hayes, "A young man who would be in his early twenties said and respectfully greeted Raven aka Anna. 

Raven halted in her footsteps as she heard a familiar voice. She looked at the source of the voice to find three of them standing there. 

Composing her erratic emotions, she said in a calm yet strict voice," What are you three doing here?"

It seemed like Raven was their head or something like that. 

"Princess Giselle expressed her wish to enjoy a picnic near the waterfall," The same man said with the same polite and respectful voice. 

"Did you ask for permission?" Raven asked the trio. 

"Miss Hayes---"

"Jean," A smoky and magnetic feminine voice called out his name and he stopped talking any further.

Raven's eyes darted and fell on the source of the voice. Princess Giselle. No, she was not a real princess. She was just known as Princess Giselle on the island as many other princesses.

Giselle was wearing a bright yellow summer dress and beautiful a hat on her head. She removed her hat and handed it to Jean before talking to Raven. Her bronze tan skin, hazel eyes, and long brown hair were enough to tell she was one of a kind of beauty. So alluring and seductive.

"Boss had approved of our plans yesterday. As long as we take necessary precautions and follow the rules, he has no objection with what we do on his island apart from our jobs," Giselle said with a suggestive smile. 

Raven returned Giselle's smile. "Princess Giselle, we all know your fondness for rules. When have you ever followed rules without getting punished by Boss?"

Even Raven's sarcasm could not falter Giselle's smile. 

"It appeared that you are looking for someone, Miss Hayes," said Giselle, eyeing the entrance of the forest again. The board hung there clearly said that this place was not safe to enter. She wondered which idiot would try to go inside. 

"You guys are here to enjoy your picnic, aren't you?" Raven asked them with a strict voice. "I must not stop you then." 

Her tone was clearly saying them to leave her alone. She could manage her own problems and didn't need their assistance.

"We would like to offer our help," Giselle said, stunning the two of her minions. When has their Princess Giselle ever offered help to someone? She was a well known brat here. No one dared to provoke her. 

"That wouldn't be necessary ---"

Before Raven could complete her sentence, Giselle said, "Come on, Miss Hayes. Boss is not on the island today. And you clearly look anxious. If the person you are searching for wasn't important, you wouldn't be here eyeing this death zone. We both know that I'm not as kind as my words are making you think today. I'm merely curious to see that person. After all, His Majesty left the island yesterday without meeting me." 

Of course, Princess Giselle was there for a motive. She just wanted to see what kind of person would make His Majesty restless for the whole night.

Although Raven knew Giselle's intentions, she still agreed to accept her help. After all, finding Persephone was more important than anything right now. 

And if she failed to locate Persephone before the arrival of Villain, consequences would be dire. Not just for them but for Persephone too.

"Sure," Raven agreed this time. 

______

"Miss Hayes, where did you last see her?"Giselle questioned Anna. Her two assistants had gone in different directions and both she and Raven were going in the direction where Persephone had disappeared initially. 

"She was sketching here," Anna replied, pointing to the side of the beach. Today, they toured another part of the island. Persephone wanted to see what other natural scenic views she could find there and capture them in her sketchbook. In the long list of commodities, she had also asked for a sketchbook and some color pencils. 

"Then, she asked me for water saying that she was thirsty. I told her to wait as I had kept the water with the fruit basket under the tree. I was gone for a few minutes... But when I returned she was not here," Anna continued. 

Something flashed in Giselle's eyes when she saw the worry in Raven's eyes. 

"Could it be that she deceived you with her obedience and then ran away from this place?"

Of course, it never crossed Anna's mind that Persephone might have duped her and flee from the island.