【Encounter】

˚*＊✿❀༓❀✿＊*˚

╰┈➤Three days have passed since the archery event. Everything went perfectly normal for the princess; just going through her daily routine.

Shuffles and a few silent words can be heard from the princess's chambers. Elyse was being prepared for bed by a few maids, curling hairs and applying oils to her skin. There are three servants, excluding Ariel in the room, each keeping themselves busy by doing what they've been doing for ages. The noblewoman watched silently from behind until deemed it enough. She said, "That should do it. You may leave," after getting a silent nod from the princess, they excuse themselves with a slight bow.

Elyse stands up and walks to her bed, sitting on the side while facing her lady-in-maid; waiting. "There'll be just a few things you need to know before bed, your highness," there it goes, Elyse's duty list for tomorrow. She prefers Ariel to tell her everything the night before so that she can organize her timing and schedule, wanting everything at the right place. She nods at the elder,

"You'll have a meeting with Master Kim, his apprentice, and Sir Taehyun, discussing the latest issues about our kingdom's purse until lunch," she starts. "After that, the king requested your attendance at his study for the solutions discussion. It should end in the afternoon. Then, you'll be preparing for the participant's welcoming and the guards' selections opening ceremony. A few speeches, talks, and meals, you should be done by sunset. And I'll make sure you're ready for dinner right after," the elder smiles, feeling grateful for her mindblowing memories to be able to remember all of that despite her aging state.

"Formal meeting or simple discussion?" Elyse asks, wanting to be sure.

"A simple discussion in the sitting room. Your dress will be here before dawn. The dress for the other occasion will be delivered in between the timeline. Miss Bella will meet you after the meetings to check on your practiced speech for the last time before the occasion," Ariel utters, loud and clear for the young princess, who's nodding her head in a slow rhythm.

"Well, that should be all, Ariel. You're dismissed," with a silent 'thank you the elder left the room, closing the door behind her. Elyse heaves a heavy sigh before walks to her desk and grabs a feather and plain paper. She starts by listing her duty and then continues to write the details. She finishes it right before her candle burns out.

●∘◦❀◦∘●

He feels sick. But he's not.

He should be, but again he's fine. Nothing out of the ordinary.

The view of greens and blue passes by the carriage in slow motion until finally the picturesque scene being replaced with bland buildings in beige and brown. The once calming air was now being replaced with a fusion of voices from literally everywhere. His eyes can catch the sight of a mother with her child buying flowers at the stall, some men bargaining price with the merchants, and a boy delivering a sack of (maybe) flour to the bakery.

It's such a lively environment for such a kingdom, he thought. Nothing's like Lorcan.

He had tried to stop thinking about his hometown on this journey, he'd succeeded, well not until now. Lorcan... is nothing close to comparing with Antheia. They don't have a legal ruler from their throne, the people don't walk around and spread all the happy vibes to each other, they don't even let their kids play outside.

But still, the kingdom runs under Antheia's ruler; playing by their rules and just going their life, maybe normally. The kingdom is not dead, no. But they're the yang for Antheia, completing their force of yin and yang. And slowly but surely, the king wants to balance both of the kingdoms.

The carriage slowly but surely stops in front of the enormous gate of the castle.

Deep breaths. "This is it," he mutters quietly, slowly making steps towards the enormous gates. Not more than five steps, a guard tells him to stop making his breath stutter for a moment before he looks up to face the castle's guard.

"Name?" the guard asked, urging the man to walk closer to him, a long scroll in his hands. The guard looks bulkier when he looks up close, his biceps flexing behind those iron armors he had on. Collecting the most neutral or poker face he can come up with, he answers, "Yeonjun. Choi Yeonjun,"

The guard hum, casting his eyes through the list in his hands. "Ahh, the Lorcan's," he said, making Yeonjun winces. The Lorcan's never had been on good terms with the Antheia's, even before their king's death. When their king died, there's no heir to claim the throne leaving the kingdom without any ruler resulting in the Antheia's King claiming the region. So no, they're not fond of being conquered by their long-time opponent. "I must say, I'm surprised that you even applied. None has ever,"

Pursing his lips, Yeonjun chose not to respond. "Well, fair enough. Walk straight to the main plains, there should already be a few participants there. Sir Taehyun will give all of you a briefing for the opening ceremony and you'll be led to your dorms. Best of luck," with that, the tall gate being opened, revealing a vast footpath, small decorative trees on the side along the way.

"You can do this and you must succeed. For both Melany and dad,"

●∘◦❀◦∘●

"This is your room, take a rest and prepare yourself for the occasion," the maid who's taken Yeonjun and nine other guys to their room left with a single nod. All of them were just about to enter the room when several steps were heard, indicating a group of people was walking to their position. And from distance, he saw them... a group of maids trailing behind a young woman, who he assume--

"Oh shit, that's the princess," one of the guys in navy blue said, Jisung if he remember it well, quickly fixing his appearance along with the others. Oh, so she's the princess. "Do I look okay?" the same guy asks his friend who murmurs a 'yes' under his breath before the princess walks in front of them. All of them bow, including Yeonjun who's somehow pursing his lips, maybe in displease?

"Princess Kim, it's an honor," the princess halted her steps, looking at their group before casting a formal smile. Her eyes were running on each of them, hovering a little longer on the navy blue who spoke the greetings and said," The honor is mine. All of you must be the participants, I assume. For the royal guard?"

"Uh, yes! That's us," the same guy reply, eyes moving from side to side to give each of them a gesture. Yeonjun couldn't figure much of the conversation after that as he eyes the princess figure, it's captivating. Not about the physical appearance but it's mostly the energy that seems to pour out from the princess's petite frame. It's strong and holds so much power. Too intimidating for such a little figure. He wonders, how does she do that? He could not help his first impression was to submit. "And you,"

That's what caught him off guard. The princess was now looking at him, dead in the eye. "You must be the Lorcan's," she said, eyes raking up and down his frame, squinting her eyes as if she tried to remember something. "I've heard of you. Plus, the clothes gave out the idea,"

Well, she's clever, he thought.

Melany had told him to wear something more Antheia-ish before he came here but he refused because he wanted to be proud of being the Lorcan's. He wants to show that being a Lorcan is more than being an unclaimed and uncared person. But no one noticed his out-of-ordinary clothes until now.

There is no huge difference between the Lorcan's and Antheia's way of clothing, it's just that Antheia's deem to be fancier. The lower class wears long tunics that stop on their knees and a simple knot on their waist with a trouser. While Lorcan's just wear short sleeveless tunics with shorts.

"Say something," that whisper came with a light hit on his elbow from someone behind him. He just realized he never replied to the princess's statement which should be considered rude. So he opens his mouth to speak, "Pleasure to meet you, your highness," your highness, that sounds foreign on his tongue as he never speaks to any royalty before. Even if he tried, he can't filter the smugness in his tone.

"I'll leave you to help yourself," all of them bow for the last time before the princess takes her leave.

"OH MY GOD! PINCH ME!"

⑆ 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦.〢

okay, this time i really forgot to update. Like i really had the idea at the back of my mind but my girls go at me and be like:

Guys, we need to do this trend

And you guys know that is a no-go-exit signal when you've started. So yeah, it slipped
Anyway, hope you're doing good and stay safe♡

--♡yuen