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_____________♧ACE POV♧____________

-
Today was an important day for everyone especially April although Ace wasn't very much thrilled today having to remind himself to smile or the guests might think he murdered someone. It is not like he wasn't happy for his sister, in fact, he was. He always wanted her to be satisfied even if it didn't have an effect on him. Rather he felt uneasy to meet that 'prince charming' that everyone concluded he was polite and kind yet he didn't know how they did. Everyone in the castle, especially his sister were preparing for the majestic entrance of the prince. April was dressed ever-so-beautifully, she looked gorgeous although she always was. She wore a long crimson red dress made up of silk that displayed her slim body so elegantly.

(★Visual:)

Her lovely silver hair that she inherited from their great grandmother, was prettily decorated with roses the same colour as her dress. Ace didn't know how would she look like in her actual wedding if she's that stunning now.

His brother was the less or more the same, he wore a slightly paler version of red than his sister but nonetheless, he looked as handsome as ever.

Ace, on the other hand, didn't put many efforts into his attire. He wore just a slightly different one than he always did on special occasions although he never really given attention to his looks yet when he did, he always left jaws hanging from the natural soft looks he had possessed that were always noticeable without given much care for. Although many people considered Ace to be normal, many more others always fell in love with him so he was called the 'the hearts captivator' even if he never knew his effect on people.

So today Ace actually made a small effort that could be thanked for, he lowkey wanted to impress that foreign prince so that maybe he could fear him. Truth to be told, Ace never had an intimidating aura although he tried his best to look as scary as possible. he simply failed for everyone had a soft spot for him and they couldn't support his attempts to look the least bit domineering.
_

Ace entered the castle's kitchen that was his third favourite place along with the gardens and his lonesome room. He was loved by most of the maids for they simply raised him along with his siblings. He also truly loved them like his second parents, so it wasn't much of a surprise to see Young Ace in the kitchen wandering around either tasting new food that Mrs Leni always warned him not to do so but Ace as being himself, he, of course, didn't comply and continued tasting the ever-so-delicious food they prepared. Or chatting with the maids' children they let in with them sometimes because Ace was always bored and had nothing to do anyway except watching the stars every night or sleeping which he favoured the most.

"Ace what are you doing here today?" Asked Mrs Leni suspiciously looking at Young Ace's body from one eye.

"I'm bored, entertain me!" Demanded Ace whiny.

"For God's sake! Can you go and help your sister? Or even your father" she took a breathe "I can remind you what's today?"

Ace took a few hesitant steps towards Mrs Leni who was immersed in mixing the ingredients right now "I know for sure what's today Mrs but I got ready from an hour and have nothing to do" Ace huffed out a pout.

"You can-" started Mrs Leni but to be cut out abruptly by Ace.

"They don't need me!" Exclaimed Ace with annoyance clear on his tongue. "April has her girly matters to attend which I obviously don't belong to and Aron is with father and they don't and will never expect me or request me so here am I" concluded Ace plainly as if what he just said wasn't the saddest thing ever.

Mrs Leni finally turned around giving the poor boy her full undivided attention "oh you poor boy" she said pitifully but shortly discarded it and started fixing her uniform.
"Alright if you have nothing to do like you're claiming you better hurry up and help me take out the rubbish" Mrs Leni explained while multitasking.

Ace gleamed finally having something to do even if it was taking out the rubbish but he didn't have a decent thing to do anyway. He took it out many times and that sure was the easiest task a prince could be given.

As he moved out into the gardens, he noticed some guests have already come to which he wasn't surprised. He had to be extra cautious now even if they never suspected him he could never know.

"Ace!!!" He heard a familiar voice of someone calling his name. Ace turned around and saw his sister with a mask that decorated her beautiful features.

(★ Visual:)

She looked truly like the Queen of the party and he couldn't be prouder than to see his sister so centrally distinguished. "Yes?" He answered her urgent calls.

"You must come right now! The party's starting and we need the full royals into the castle."

Ace began sweating inside already feeling disorientated, he nodded and started running after her.

"Wait you need a mask"

"Why?" He asked confused thinking she was only to be wearing this.

April rolled her eyes grabbing his arm into the room "what were you doing outside anyway?"

"I was taking out the trash and before you complain, I had nothing better to do than that" he shrugged nonchalantly.

His sister apparently wasn't very attentive to his answer because she was distracted looking for a suitable mask for him

"Aha!" She finally cheered happily.

(★Visual:)

He took a look at the red mask his sister found for him which looked boring to him but striking to his sister so he didn't want to disappoint her. "Alright thanks" he smiled taking the mask and putting it on.

She smiled "come after you are ready we'll be waiting for you" April then ran quickly back to the Castle floor.

-

Ace always hated socialising for no one usually interested him and he didn't interest anyone too. So sitting at a boring party while everyone was busy with setting their next goals with the opposing nations or simply getting into an alliance was something that wasn't odd to him. As his father once said that parties were more of political events than entertainment ones and he was right, it seemed.

The hall was decorated with fancy colours that blinded the naked eyes. It looked like everyone was clearly excited for this day since they put that much efforts. He wondered about his wedding, would it be this pretty? Or would no one care? He brushed the thought over as he was still young and shouldn't be overthinking these matters. But he wanted his wedding to be the best day known, to him at least.

Looking over, he noted how there were many couples around him, some wedded already and some still lovers while many others were seeking out the devotion. He was sure everyone felt romantic right now but probably not him because he could die of boredom right now.

At least his sister was being entertained by her fiance so he was watching them from far looking for any motion to kill him but he never received any for his sister seemed to be into that prince too much and he wasn't willing to stop them.

Speaking of the prince, he came off indeed polite with everyone except him which was both strange and unfortunate because he couldn't complain about him. Since the starting of the evening, he gave him odd looks with a hint of Despise that was to him only, it seemed. Ace certainly didn't care much about being one of the prince's favourite as much as he cared about his sister's contentment so he dared not to interfere.

Ace wished he took the astronomy book he was reading today's morning that seemed much more compelling than whatever was going on around him right now. Talking about right now, there were currently two ladies giving him weird looks while whispering about him not so discreetly which made him try very hard not to acknowledge them. He felt frightened, he wished they could've kept it subtle at least.

Ignoring those two women, his gaze drifted to his father who was currently engaging in an interesting discussion by the looks of it with the king of the east who looked as ecstatic as ever so Ace assumed they must be hundred per cent sure about this alliance.

He then thought about Zia, his newfound friend or maybe still not one but he hoped for it. He wished she was here; they could've bickered like always or maybe sang together that tune that was stuck in his head and tongue since that night.

"Hello, Prince Ace, can you have this dance with me?" A voice suddenly withdrew him from his thoughts. Ace looked up and saw one of the noblewomen who was gossiping previously about him with the biggest smile he could ever visualize which lowkey looked creepy.

"Um-" he honestly wanted to dance but not with her, it felt wrong and uncomfortable so he tried to politely decline "i have a cat to feed" he tried to smile with a smile almost as big as her.

She seemed quite dejected for a second which made him feel horrible "oh, that's quite alright Ace- can i call you that?" She seemed hopeful so he didn't want to reject her again.

"Yeah...." He scratched his neck in awkwardness wanting this nothing more than this unknown lady to get the hint and leave him alone but she still didn't seem to get it.

"What's your cat's name?" She asked suddenly.

"Lucas-"

"I like cats you know? I also enjoy feeding them too. Can I escort you? Will it be a discomfort if i did?" She looked too hopeful which made Ace even more embarrassed.

"Well- i- Lucus doesn't get well with strangers" he smiled pitifully before standing and walking away quickly.

"I am not a-" she started but he decided to hear none of it as he ran off to the balcony feeling embarrassed and guilty. It wasn't something that happened once as he was never approached by anyone let alone by a female.

While running, his body collided with a firm back that dazed him but he managed to gain his balance.

"Hey are you alright?" a soft voice was heard that obviously belonged to a girl. Who had blonde hair and a mask similar to his that made her coal-black eyes the only visible feature of her pale skin?

After he found himself staring blankly at the pretty girl he just bumped into, Ace straightened up his attire and mask clearing his previous hoarse voice.

"I'm fine" he replied smiling softly at her.

"Can i have this dance?" He raised a question ever so politely bowing with extended hands in front of him.

She giggled lightly then leaned with him "I shall guarantee that"

Ace was delighted he found someone to dance with within this boring ball that didn't seem to finish.

Ace took the blonde's hand softly and walked her to the dance floor where all the nobles were dancing to a beautiful tune that created the mood for dancing.

Ace put his hands on her waist that seemed even extra slimmer in his hands, She also settled her arms on his shoulders then laughed briefly.

"I'm not a dancer just so you know"

Ace looked at her eyes and nodded "i am not a one too" he added shruggingly "But let's just go with the flow" He whispered into her ears to prevent disturbance of others.

They started slow dancing with couples around them too invested in their business to care "What's your name?" She wondered quietly with a hint of genuine curiosity in her voice.

"Ace" he replied. "What about yours?"

"I'm Iris" She replied. "Aren't you the youngest prince?" She asked surprised.

"I am, but right now it doesn't matter if I was a prince. I am just Ace"

Iris nodded "alright 'just Ace' "

"Hey brother-" a voice cut off their tension unexpectedly.

Ace zoned out of his inner dilemma he was having because of a certain black-eyed girl.

"Oh Aron?"

"I didn't know you were busy sorry" Aron smirked looking between Ace and Iris.

Iris chuckled at Ace's red blushy face he was sporting right now. Which gained her a slight pat on the arm from Ace.

"Shut up" Ace mumbled to Aron. "We were actually done, right Iris?" Asked Ace hopefully.

Iris snickered "oh were we?" She, in turn, smirked at Ace annoyed expression.

"I've never seen Ace so quite flustered like that, you must be the first girl he has ever interacted with" Aron teased.

Ace, in fact, had interacted with Zia before but no one was to know this secret. "You two must be experts at teasing me?"

They both looked at each a little too deeply which made Ace raise his eyebrow in question.

"I must say, Prince Aron is quite a funny guy not like what i expected" Iris turned to Aron.

"I am not quite that funny you know?"

"I do" Aron seemed too invited in whatever inner joke they were having.

Ace automatically knew something was bound to happen between the two strangers by the tension that was evident in the air. He wanted to excuse himself before he lost his mind.

"I will- um- go to the balcony?" he tried awkwardly to break the tension. "Hello?"

Aron turned to his irritating brother and shooed him off "so? go!" He challenged.

Ace felt so uncomfortable he wanted to jump off a cliff but managed to smile in succeeding of finding his brother a lover or maybe still not a lover. They were bound to become anyway from the amount of tension they created just by interacting.

He again excused himself even if no one acknowledged him, to go to his room because he felt so exhausted even though he didn't do anything that tiring today.

Entering the room, he tossed himself on the bed and breathed out a sigh of relief. Organizing his thoughts took the full energy that he had which made him barely conscious to take off his costume and take a night shower.

The last thing he remembered thinking of was how today he missed seeing Zia but he hoped she didn't assume the worst.

-

_____________♧ZIA POV♧_____________

"Waiting is a fine game to play, it can disappoint you or flatter you. No one knows the outcome but we all play it until the very end when we get tired and it eats us and wins the game."

Zia remembered reading this exact quote in one of her aunt's philosophy books that she kept open sometimes. She wasn't a big fan of reading herself but she read once in a while as a reason to entertain herself. She liked this book the most, as she could relate to it on a whole level that she found herself taking it every night after her auntie goes to bed. She doesn't regret sneaking out to take possession for it was simply a quite enjoyable experience.

"A folk could steal, but could they live with the crime? If they did, then why not? We all steal. Not solely physical aspects but mental blessings too."

-

Zia had been waiting for the boy she's known for 3 days a whole 3 hours. It isn't as if she was tired no, today was the laziest day she's had. With her best friend Iris absent, she had to stay at home and help her auntie which made her more bored rather than tired. Her aunt luckily went to bed early tonight leaving her alone so she sneaked out to the forest again tonight in order to meet with the anonymous boy she's been meeting.

Iris had to go to a ball held by the royals which were weird but Iris's father was working under the king so he took his family today. Lucky her, she will get to meet actual living things rather than talking the whole day with the walls of the cottage like Zia.

Zia was currently waiting for the 3rd hour without feeling the presence of another human. She gave up long ago but was lucky to have that book for she didn't want to go home.

Opening the book, she noticed a folded page that was nearing the end of the book.
Zia opened that page and was surprised to see a paper fall from the page. She knew it wasn't her business but she couldn't help but be curious and as they said, curiosity killed the cat. Zia picked up the fallen paper and began reading. It was difficult to read, for it having complicated handwriting and Zia was never properly educated so she managed to grasp out some words.

"To my ...... I love you? ........... stay safe ............ I'm sorry............. the 21st ............ my sister....... magician .......... hate......the crown.....fight?......Eva......Zolt"

Her head was full of confusion along with guiltiness. Was this a love letter and by reading this she discovered it? Why was her mom's name written in it then? Who's Zolt? Are there magicians in this world? Too many questions causing her headache right now. Was this related to her past? Was it related to how her mom died? Where's her dad?

She heard a low growl which awoke her from thoughts she was saving for later. She quickly took the book and ran back to the cottage before she's eaten alive.

But what she skipped was what was written underneath the letter on the same folded page.

"Kingdom of the wizards is the most powerful kingdom from Mythalia. God bless future prince Zoltan."