The news of Hoya's and my engagement spread like wildfire throughout the Kingdoms, good and bad responses coming to and through but we didn't care as long as we were getting married, both for love and for our countries to unite together. But the issue of the murder had also gone about and had caused a ripple of panic throughout the Kingdoms. Which was now making me uneasy that we couldn't find the culprit.

 

I now stood at a table with the Queen, Hoya, Sora and Kairi.

'The description was that a tall man with spiky hair, blue eyes whose clothes was of a black suit with a white ribbon. And unfortunately, Riku was wearing this clothing ... But it may have been someone else, there where too many guests to count there so we much use our sources to the best of our ability to find someone besides Riku who could've done this.'

 

'Aria is right, we can't put the blame straight away on Riku just because he appeared after the incident. We have to go through every possible route we can find.'

 

I nodded before looking towards Sora, stopping as I watched him intently. His neck was rolling back and his hands were writhing slightly, his neck twitching, 'Sora?'

He snapped out of it before looking towards me with widening eyes, 'Yes?'

'Are you okay?'

'Yeah I'm fine Aria, just zoned out! You know me!’ I nodded without another thought, thinking that he must have just been stretching.

 

'I think what we must now do is separate. Aria will check the body and see if the wounds are really from a Keyblade. Kairi and Sora will question the girl that was at the murder scene that night, and I will go back to the scene with the boys and see if we can find any evidence that bares hand prints that I can get check by the professors in the lab.'

 

We all nodded before separating to out different locations, but I was stopped by the Queen, 'I will come with you my dear. I would like to help.'

 

I nodded before traveling through many corridors before entering an almost empty room which only contained a stretcher where the body of the guard laid.

 

I pulled the cover, making the Queen gasp at the man, 'Your Majesty-'

'No I'll stay, it's okay.' I nodded before examining the wounds carefully, but as I continued to examine them, the more I came to realise that something was very wrong, 'These wounds were not created by a Keyblade, they were created from another weapon.'

'What do you mean dear?'

'Keyblades never leave marks behind but kills its prey without a trace, but I just realised that his skin is ripped apart from his face. It's just so strange ...

 

'Could the murderer have used another weapon to kill this man?' The Queen said from beside me. ‘Yes, they could've-' I turned to see who had unexpectedly entered the room. Hoya strolled towards me, 'Aria, I found the murder weapon.'

 

He pulled out the bloody knife from a pouch, I examined it carefully before looking up at him and saying, 'Give it to the professors straight away so we can find out who it is.' He nodded before I turned back to the body covering it with the sheet again.

 

I turned around again and exited the room with the Queen following me at a fast pace, 'Aria my dear where are we going?'

 

'I'm going to try and talk to Riku again and-’

 All of a sudden I was thrown backwards into the wall making the Queen scream. I looked up in time to see a figure in a black cloak charge at me with a long knife. Just before he threw the knife down, my Keyblade was summoned and I blocked his attack making him jump back.

 

'Run your Majesty!' I screamed as I fought the hooded figure. I heard her run as fast as she could in her heels, screaming for help as went. I pushed the man over before he jumped out of range, 'Who are you? What is your purpose here in this castle?'

 

'Xehanort will rise ...' The voice was definitely a male's. 'What?!' I said in horror as I watched the figure stand straighter, 'Xehanort hasn't lost, his terror has just begun! And you,’ He said pointing at me, ‘Will die.’

 

Before I could do anything he fell out from the window, 'WAIT!'

I ran to the window to see the man running, I jumped over the railing, touching down softly before running after him as he escaped into the maze.

 

I ran through the maze, listening intently for his footsteps. I stopped hearing his footsteps suddenly run at a fast pace before I ran towards him, but just before I could grab him, I found myself tumbling into a castle guard, 'Your Majesty!'

 

'Wait I had him, let me go!' I screamed trying to break free from the guard, 'I can't do that your Majesty!’ He pulled me aback into the castle as I continued to scream, pulling me towards the healing ward, before the doors slammed open. Kairi was rubbing her head gently as she groaned, 'Get your hands off of me guard! Kairi are you okay?!'

 

'That guy in the black coat, he killed that sweet girl before I could save her, then before I could get my Keyblade I was knocked out.'

 

I looked towards one of the stretchers where she was laid and covered with a sheet, 'Damn. I nearly caught him if it weren't for that stupid guard! He came out of no where! I'll be back soon, make sure to up the guards around the castle and the one in our realm as well, but make sure your well enough before you do this. Also inform the Queen, Hoya and advisor Woohyun so he can inform the council! I need to go and talk to Riku.'

 

I walked as fast as I could through the corridors as the voices of the servants rang through my ears. Finally I stopped at Riku's room which I unlocked before entering, 'Finally! What's been going on? The guards wouldn't tell me anything!'

 

I turned to see Riku walking towards me, 'There was hooded man who attacked Kairi and killed that girl who witnessed the murder of that guard ... Then he attacked me and he said that Xehanort will rise again-'

 

'What!?' Riku said as his eyes widened, 'But before I could interrogate him he ran. If it weren't for that stupid guard I could've caught him!'

Riku sighed heavily before I asked, 'Where were you at breakfast?'

'Your really pushing it to think it was me-'

'Just answer the damn question Riku!'

 

'I was locked up in here! When I went to go for breakfast, the guards said I was under arrest and would stay in my room at all times  ...'

'On who's orders?'

'They didn't say, so I just presumed you … did you put me under arrest?'

 

'Of course I didn't! Do I have a reason not to trust you?' Riku shrugged, ' Exactly Riku! I'm going to get to the bottom of this and find out what's really going on! I'll get one of the kitchen maids to bring some food up for you-’

'Aria?!' I turned to see Riku sigh heavily before whispering, 'Be careful ...'

 

I nodded before closing the door, I turned to the guard beside the room, 'Soldier?'

‘Yes, your Majesty!' He said standing with alert, 'Who gave you orders to lock Soldier Riku in his room?'

 

'One of the other guards told me of the murder and said one of the royals had told us to keep him locked in his room.'

'And who was this royal? Are you sure it even was one of the royals?'

‘Well, the other guard said that they were related to the royals ... Why, your Majesty?'

'I don't want you to keep him under arrest but just look after him. I think someone has framed this man just because of his past to try and make people think it's him ...'

 

'Of course I'll help your Majesty!' He said as I smiled, 'Good man. I'll make sure personally to tell my Fiancé to give you a raise.'

He nodded with a smiled and bowed as I made my way through the corridors as a fast pace, entering the throne room where the rest of the others were.

 

'Whats going on?' I said as I entered, the Queen letting out a sigh of relief and embracing me, 'Your safe my dear! I thought something happened to you!'

'I'm okay your Majesty, thank you for your concern-’

 

‘Aria, your all right! What the hell happened?! You had me worried sick!’ Hoya said, hugging me as well. I explained how a man attacked me out of no where and told me that Xehanort will rise again. How I nearly caught him until one of the guards stopped me.

 

‘Well, that was stupid of him! You could've stopped him!' Hoya said, 'Who was this guard? I would like go speak with him.'

'Never mind about that now, but if what he said if true, then we have. REALLY big problem then!'

'What about Riku?'

'He was locked in his room the whole time and I read his mind as well, he wasn't lying. I even asked the guard outside his door and he said he was in the room at all times.'

 

'Who locked him in there?' The Queen said as I just shrugged slightly, 'Apparently someone related to us royals gave the order to keep him locked up in his room.'

'Who would do such a thing?!' The Queen said angrily as she paced through the Throne room.

 

'We should increase the amount of guards around and throughout the palace! Including my realm in case there is an attack.’ The Queen nodded, looking towards Woohyun, 'Alert the council at once and tell them to come in the morning.'

 

'Of course your Majesty!' He said bowing before turning away and walking out of the room.

'Hector! Alert your Soldiers that there is an intruder entered the castle tonight and might return in the coming days. Up the patrols and put more Soldiers throughout the castle right away,' Hector bowed before also leaving the room.

'That will hopefully give some time for us to wait and find out what's going on ...'