《Tale of the Sovereign Empress》


 Chapter 1: Sudden Intrusion

    Love is a most disagreeable and challenging aspect of life at times. It can either make your life happy with the one you share it with, or it can be painful in the most unexpecting and dreadful ways. I myself learned that the hard way.


    I am Princess Kai, the sole ruler of the grand kingdom of Morado, and I am engaged to Prince Antonio of a kingdom in the west. I strive to eventually become a successful, strong, and influential queen or empress in the future, and retain the love of my people. I pride myself with my kingdom''s richness in literature, knowledge, crafts, and fashion; only the best influences from neighboring lands contribute to my kingdom''s vast and rich culture.


    All was well in the castle until one day, when I overheard my ladies in waiting talking about my husband-to-be spending extra time with a girl outside. I was approaching my room when I heard them talking about it inside.


    "Can you believe that man would betray our Great Princess for such a lowborn?"


    "Not in the least! Why, she''s even as fat as a pig! A complete downgrade!"


    "But are you sure that the attendant''s words are true? He could be mistaken."


    "Indeed, his words must be true, for there are a few others saying the exact same thing. Why, even the girl''s description from them aligns with what the attendant told us."


    "Yes, but they could very well just be repeating those things simply because the attendant also told them."


    Upon hearing those words, I suddenly entered the room to the surprise of my ladies in waiting.


    "Oh! Your Royal Highness! Would you like a bath? Or how about some tea, Your Highness?"


    "...Some tea would be nice."


    "Yes, right away, Your Highness."


    As one of my ladies in waiting went off to prepare tea, I took a seat in my favorite chair and asked another to brush my hair. But the room became awkwardly quiet.


    "May I ask what''s bothering all of you today?" I asked.


    The lady in waiting who was brushing my hair, Lily, answered with apparent hesitation in her voice.


    "Well, it''s nothing for us to worry Your Highness with."


    "Hmm...Would it so happen to be about the matter of the prince spending extra time with a girl from outside the castle?"


    At this, Lily froze and looked over at my other lady in waiting, Ana, who said, "We greatly apologize, Your Highness. But we just couldn''t hold our indignation in after hearing of such news. Moreover, we didn''t want to worry Your Highness with this."


    "It is alright. In fact, tell me more about this girl. What is she like?"


    When I asked that question, my third lady in waiting reentered the room, wheeling in a table with tea towards me. Afterwards she immediately poured a cup and handed it to me.


    "Thank you, Helen."


    "You''re welcome, Your Highness."


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Helen then did a curtsy. When she looked up, she noticed the faces of Ana and Lily.


    "Why do you both look like that?" she asked.


    "Well, we were just discussing the matter of the prince spending time with that girl with Her Highness," answered Ana.


    Helen darted her eyes towards me, a look of panic and concern on her face.


    "It''s really ok. I was just asking them what kind of girl she was, actually. What do you think of her?"


    After giving one final look to Ana and lily, Helen finally answered me.


    "Well, from what the prince''s attendant told us, she wasn''t really that interesting."


    "The prince''s attendant told you this?"


    "Yes, Your Highness."


    I found this a bit strange. Why would the prince''s own attendant tell my ladies in waiting about what''s going on between him and a girl?


    "Can you tell me a little more about this girl?"


    "From what we were told, she''s not from a noble family at all! She has no money, no property, and no title, a dirty street urchin, to be frank...She''s also a little on the heavy side."


    "A little?! She''s like a pig!" exclaimed Ana.


    "Well, I remember, but I was just trying to be polite."


    "You wanted to be polite about her weight when you just called her a ''dirty street urchin'' a minute ago? How absurd. Moreover, why would you even want to be polite to her in the first place when she''s wrapping those fat fingers of hers around the waist of our princess''s prince?"


    Helen blushed, not knowing what else to say.


    "What of her personality?" I asked.


    "Her personality is such fake," answered Ana.


    She walked over to stand right beside me, as she was originally standing near a window.


    "She tries to act cute and innocent to keep the prince''s attention, a faux damsel in distress."


    "And this is everything about her, coming from the prince''s own attendant?" I asked.


    "Yes, Your Highness," answered Lily.


    "The attendant told you all about the kind of girl she is, but he seems to have also told you that the prince is spending extra time with this girl, right?"


    "Yes, Your Highness."


    "May I ask what KIND of time he said they are spending together? What did this attendant tell you that they actually do?"


    All of the ladies in waiting looked at each other with slight worry. Then, Lily gave an answer.


    "Well, he told us that they were going on walks together, and that the prince would buy food and other things for this girl. He also said that they would also go to restaurants and special events together."


    I thought about it and realized that the prince has been rather absent from the castle a lot these past few days before his current arrival. However, this information was a lot, coming from his own attendant. In fact, it seemed a bit suspicious to me. Because we were supposed to have dinner together later on that evening, I resolved to bring this matter to the prince''s attention then.


    "Thank you for telling me this."


    That evening, Prince Antonio finally arrived for dinner. It was the first time I have seen him in a while, even after he returned to the castle. He sat directly across from me, quietly eating his food. In fact, he never even bothered to look up at me or greet me ever since the beginning of the meal. That''s when I realized that there was definitely something wrong. So, realizing it was up to me to make the first move and try to figure it out, I spoke first.


    "How have you been, Prince?"


    "I''ve been well."


    "Have you? You have been gone for so long."


    "I''m fine, really."


    The conversation wasn''t really getting anywhere from here, so I held my breath.


    "Prince, it has been brought to my attention that you are spending a rather large amount of time with a certain girl. Would you mind telling me why that is and who she is?"


    The Prince abruptly stopped eating and put down his fork.


    "She''s just a friend."


    So the rumor is true?


    "I find it odd that an engaged man is spending a large amount of time with another female."


    "Listen, there''s nothing for you to worry about. She''s just a very needy person. I''m only helping her out."


    "Is she so needy that you can''t just simply gift her some clothes and food without the addition of taking her for walks, to restaurants, and special events?"


    "...You had someone spy on me?"


    "No."


    "Then who told you all of this?"


    "I will not disclose to you who told me, especially since you still haven''t answered my question, Prince."


    "*sigh* Look, the girl is in really bad shape, ok? She has no friends, and her living situation is really bad. All I''m doing is helping her out and showing her that life is still good. There''s nothing going on between us, and there''s nothing for you to worry about. I''m going to my room. I''ve lost my appetite."


    Antonio then left the dining room, leaving me all alone. I began to wonder whether I was overreacting or not.

 Chapter 2: The Mystery Girl

    That night, I lie awake in my bed, unable to sleep. For some reason, the thought of the prince possibly seeing someone else kept bothering me, especially since it''s been a while since he and I spent genuine time together. Why was he spending that time with someone else? Eventually, I told myself that it was probably nothing serious, and managed to get to sleep.


    The next morning proved to be a very busy one for me. Overall, it mainly consisted of a few court meetings for discussing new ordinances, fundraisers, and upcoming national holidays. After the meetings, I had lots of paperwork to go through and approve. Requests for improvements for our parks, letters of complaint concerning certain behavioral problems among people of assigned authoritative positions, even a few invitations to formal events in other countries, littered my desk. I was very tired as a result of all the work, but I also managed to somehow get all of it done early in the day.


    I was leaving my office when I saw the prince walking down the corridor. He looked like he was in a hurry to go somewhere. I decided to catch up with him.


    "Prince, where are you going?"


    He stopped walking and turned around, surprised to see me.


    "I thought you was still busy."


    "I just finished my work."


    "Well, I was just leaving the castle for a bit."


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    "If it''s not important, you and I can ''leave the castle for a bit'' together."


    The prince began to look hesitant. Then he put his hands on my shoulders and spoke.


    "Actually, it''s not a good time for you to come with me. You should stay here."


    "Antonio, it''s been a long time since you and I have done anything together as an engaged couple. What could possibly be so important that you have to leave the castle yet again, this late in the afternoon at that?"


    "I understand, and we will spend time together. But I just really have to go right now, ok?"


    With that, the prince turned and walked away, even faster than when he was walking before.


    I decided to return to my office. I stood against the door after shutting it firmly behind me and began to wonder what the prince was really up to, and why he was making me so suspicious of him. Then, the thought of him possibly going to see that girl again began to linger, frustrating me because I thought I completely put that thought behind me the previous night. I really wanted to do something about it to put me at ease and keep me from thinking of that possibility. Then, I got an idea. I looked out of one of the windows in my office to see if the prince left the castle yet. It didn''t look like he had, so I ordered that a plain-looking carriage be prepared for me right away.


    It was a clear, late afternoon as I rode steadily in the carriage down a narrow path. I was a great distance away from the prince''s carriage, but not too far. I could still see him, and it was impossible for him to detect that I was following him.


    Before too long, I followed his carriage into a nearly derelict-looking area. I began to wonder why he would come to an area like this. A few minutes later, his carriage came to a complete stop. I had the driver stop my carriage safely behind some trees.


    I watched him get out a few seconds later, and there she was, a very chubby girl, running towards him from out of nowhere, giving him a very tight hug.

 Chapter 3: An Unwelcome Visitor

    It was evening, just a few hours after I returned to the castle. I was sitting in my room with my ladies in waiting, drinking tea. I kept replaying the sight I saw in my head. Did he really have to keep it from me that he was meeting her?


    Eventually, one of my ladies in waiting noticed my lengthy silence.


    "Your Highness, are you feeling alright today?"


    "Yes. I''m just still a bit tired from today''s work earlier. But I''ll be fine."


    Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Then a servant poked his head through it.


    "Your Highness. His Highness, Prince Antonio, requests your presence."


    I stood up from my chair as all of my ladies in waiting looked at me with concern.


    "Very well," I said as I began to follow the servant out the door.


    I followed the servant all the way to the castle''s entryway doors. When I walked outside, the prince was standing at the bottom of the castle''s steps. He was looking very anxious, and he kept fidgeting with his hands. As much as I wondered what he could possibly want right now, I decided to remain at the top of the steps until he spoke first.


    "Kai."


    "What do you want?"


    "I have something to ask you."


    "Oh?"


    "Yes, see, remember that friend we talked about last night?"


    "What about her?"


    "Well, she really needs a place to stay that''s safe. I told her that maybe you would allow her to stay in a room in the castle for a few days."


    Is he mad? I found I couldn''t say anything in response to that. All I could simply do was stare at him. He looked like he was about to say something else, possibly to reiterate his question, when someone yelled his name.


    Stolen story; please report.


    "Antonio!"


    Just then, a very chubby girl in tattered clothing appeared out of nowhere, running towards him. In a second, I recognized her as the girl I saw hug him hours earlier.


    "Kendyl?!" the prince said as she landed in his arms.


    A flicker of anger washed through me as I wondered just how close these two were for this girl to address this prince with utter informality.


    Suddenly, this girl, Kendyl apparently, started to cry in the prince''s arms.


    "What''s wrong? And what are you doing here?"


    "I...I was attacked. I didn''t know what to do, so I just came here, hoping to find help, hoping I''d find YOU."


    "It''s ok. No one will hurt you. I''m here."


    Kendyl continued to cry as I watched from atop the stairs. No one said anything else until suddenly, she stopped crying and looked up at me.


    "You...you must be the princess of Morado. I heard so much about you. Maybe you can help me."


    When I didn''t say anything, she spoke again.


    "Your castle is so beautiful, and it''s very large. That means you have plenty of room. Can I please stay with you? I have nowhere else to go, and I''m really scared."


    I weighed the options in my head. I honestly didn''t want to help this girl. In fact, the more I looked at her, the angrier I became. But I also knew that if I didn''t help her, I could be labeled as a selfish and cruel princess, unwilling to help others in need. But what bothered me even more was allowing whatever filthy relationship the prince and this girl had to continue to thrive in my own residence. Moreover, something was telling me that this girl was trouble. I hated that this meeting seemed arranged with the intention of putting me on the spot, and who knows what could go wrong in my castle with this girl around. I also didn''t know just how long she intended to stay. Having thought this through, I finally had an answer for her.


    "No."


    "No?"


    "No."


    Kendyl''s eyes then started to tear up, which eventually lead to her sobbing again in the prince''s arms.


    "Why won''t you let her stay? Can''t you see she''s all messed up and scared? She has nowhere else to go."


    "I believe it is in our best interests that we don''t allow her to stay here."


    "What do you mean, ''it''s in our best interests to not let her stay''? She needs help. Look how scared she is. The very least you can do is give her a room to be in for just a few days until she feels better."


    I couldn''t believe that he was telling me that I''m obligated to allow anyone to stay in MY castle because he thinks I should. Then, a sudden question popped in my head.


    "If I allow this girl to stay, where will you be, Prince?"


    "I''ll always be here in the castle to watch over her and make sure she''s doing well."


    "...Precisely why It''s good for her to not be here. That''s final."


    With that, I turned on my heel and walked back into the castle.

 Chapter 4: The Truth About Kendyl

    A few days passed since the incident with the prince and Kendyl. Moreover, the prince hasn''t returned to the castle since then. I tried not to think about it as much and continue through the days as I normally would. I still had work to do, after all.


    Meanwhile, the prince settled Kendyl in a lavish mansion that he had his attendant purchase for her. The mansion was just on the outskirts of the capital, so it was a private area. The prince also promised to provide servants and maids for Kendyl later on. In the meantime, he had his attendant go to the city to purchase some food, beverages, and dresses for Kendyl. When the attendant returned, the prince and Kendyl had a big lunch together in the dining room.


    "It looks like you''re feeling better," said the prince to Kendyl.


    "I am. I love this place."


    "I''m glad you do."


    "Is it as beautiful as the princess''s castle?"


    "Well...kind of."


    "I just...I just wish that I could have seen what the inside looked like. I didn''t know that the princess could be so mean."


    "Well...don''t worry about her. At least you have a beautiful place to live now, and I will make sure it stays that way."


    "Is it always like that?"


    "Huh?"


    "I mean, is the princess always that mean?"


    "Well, I mean, not really. Let''s finish our food. I will have to go soon."


    "Aw, already? Can''t you stay a little while longer? I''ll be lonely without you here."


    "As much as I would love to stay, I can''t. Not tonight."


    "Will you be back tomorrow?"


    "...Yes, I can come see you tomorrow. Now let''s finish eating."


    "Yes, Antonio."


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Late afternoon approached by the time I finished my work for the day. Thankfully, I wasn''t as exhausted as I was before, so I decided to go for a little stroll around the courtyard. The warmth of that summer day was as wonderful as could possibly be, and the day was blessed with a bright, clear blue sky. My stroll was soon interrupted when a servant announced the prince''s arrival. He soon entered the courtyard, standing awkwardly near the entrance.


    "Why, hello, Prince. Where have you been?"


    "...Well, I was with Kendyl...I bought her a mansion."


    "You bought her a mansion? How?"


    "I had my attendant do it for me."


    I was a little bit surprised after hearing this news. I can understand providing shelter for her, but a mansion? It just seemed like a bit much for him to do this for someone he barely knew...or at least, I think he barely knows her.


    "So, I take it this girl is completely settled?"


    "Yes, she is. I''m visiting her again tomorrow."


    "..."


    "I''m going to go take a nap."


    With that, the prince left the courtyard, leaving me all alone again.


    Kendyl was in her new mansion, drinking tea and eating snacks. Night fell, with the occasional cool breeze blowing through some of the open windows in the dining room. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. When Kendyl opened it, Mike, the prince''s attendant, made his way inside, brushing past her.


    "So, I see you''ve forgotten about me, huh?" he said as he made his way briskly towards the dining room. He pulled out a chair, sat, and started eating the snacks Kendyl was originally eating.


    "And what makes you think that I forgot about you, Mike?"


    "I don''t know. Maybe because you have all this food and fancy dresses now and didn''t bother to invite me to eat with you later when you saw that prince off."


    "Well, you didn''t ask."


    Kendyl pulled out a chair next to Mike and sat.


    "Let me ask you again, Kendyl. Just what makes you think that this plan of yours will work. I mean, everyone knows you''re a harlot."


    "WAS a harlot."


    "I don''t know that."


    "I''m with you, aren''t I?"


    Kendyl leaned over in her chair and kissed Mike on the cheek.


    "Besides, only the people in the west know that I was a harlot. Here, no one knows me, so it will be the perfect fresh start for me. If I didn''t know that the prince was coming here, I would have never gotten this Idea. It''s the perfect plan."


    "What about the princess? Ain''t you worried about her? That prince is engaged to her. And we both heard that she''s a very powerful ruler over here."


    "Oh, please. Those are just rumors. Besides, as long as I have the prince wrapped around my finger, any problems that princess does give me will be nothing. I just figured out that an interesting rumor about her can be used to my advantage."


    "What rumor?"


    Kendyl took a piece of cake and popped it into her mouth.


    "That the princess is cruel."


    "How will that work out?"


    "You''ll see. I''ll use it when I need to. And whatever she tries to do because of that will only make things worse for her."


    "Well, it''s not like you can replace the princess. Especially not here."


    "True, but at least I''ll be in a good place, eventually. I might not be able to replace her as a ruler here, but I can replace her as the prince''s new interest, and I can have whatever I want and live nicely."


    "Well, all I know is if you betray me, it''s not going to be well for you.''


    "I know, Mike."


    After finishing their snacks, Kendyl and Mike went to bed together in one room for the night.

 Chapter 5: A Special Word

    It was another day in the castle. The weather was warm, the prince spent another day away, and I had much work to finish. It all became so typical after a while. Eventually, news of the prince spending a lot of time with Kendyl got around, and people started to give me concerned, sympathetic looks whenever they saw me, no less my ladies in waiting. Once, one of them even said that she possibly saw Kendyl.


    "It was the prince for sure. But as for the lady, I''m not really sure because I only saw a glimpse of her backside," she said.


    It was late afternoon by the time I finished my work for the day, so I decided to go through my letters. Most of them were letters of gratitude and requests. But there was one letter that really grabbed my attention. It was a letter from Dowager Queen Kelly of the kingdom of Dalmary, a kingdom in the east. The queen and I are very good longtime friends. A widow of over 60 years, Dowager Queen Kelly still rules greatly and strongly over her kingdom, looking rather well for her age. She''s something like a mother to me. It''s been a while since I''ve received a letter from her, so I opened her letter with great anticipation. The letter was an invitation to have tea with her, featuring only me and her. I reasoned that because it''s been a while since I''ve actually done anything to enjoy myself, I should surely take a trip to Dalmary and stay for a few days.


    The weather in Dalmary was very pleasant for summer. Moreover, the kingdom had a richness of beautiful blooming flowers that are rather large in size. And the queen dowager''s castle was a very grandiose abode, with many rooms and lots of fancy decorations.


    Once my arrival was announced, Kelly proceeded to greet me generously with a large hug of joy.


    "Kai, what a great pleasure it is to see you. I''m so glad that you could make the journey here. How are you feeling? Have you been well?"


    "Yes, yes, I''ve been very well. Busy, but well. It''s great to see you as well, Kelly."


    "Well, there''s no good in staying out here. Shall we go inside to relax?"


    I nodded and followed Kelly into her castle.


    When Dowager queen Kelly and I entered her grand courtyard, there was a table already clad with many sweets, tiny sandwiches, and fruits. It was such a grand feast that appeared to require more people to join in the feasting. After we took our seats at the table, Kelly spoke.


    "So, how are things going for you back at Morado?"


    "It''s been busy lately, but everything is well."


    A servant appeared with freshly brewed tea for us. After pouring our cups, he placed them down in front of us on the table before disappearing soon after.


    "And your engagement to the prince? Is it lovely?"


    I hesitated before answering to which Kelly noticed as she clasped her hands together with a concerned look on her face.


    "Kai, what''s going on?" she asked.


    I didn''t want to lie to her about anything, especially because I didn''t know just how fast news of the prince''s time with Kendyl would eventually spread to Dalmary, so I decided to tell Kelly a little of what''s going on.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "The prince has been absent a lot from the castle lately," I said, which was quite true.


    "Has he? Oh, do you have any idea why?"


    Again, I didn''t want to lie, but there was something embarrassing about this entire situation. How could I, Kai, Princess of Morado, have a husband-to-be who is taking it upon himself to make a fool out of me by blatantly spending excessive time with some girl? Even if it isn''t his intention to seek out a lover while engaged to me, the prince fails to see how his actions appear to the people around him, the people of MY COUNTRY. I only realized in that moment that I didn''t like talking about this with other people. I didn''t like the idea of appearing pitiful in front of others, of divulging more than what needed to be said, of appearing feeble in even the smallest of scenarios compared to the many large issues of other countries. It would be a complete contradiction and insult to my desired image of a strong, steadfast, independent ruler. That''s when I knew that something needed to be done about this situation immediately upon my return home. I needed to speak with the prince about how his actions in my own country are affecting things.


    In the end, I told Kelly that I didn''t know why the prince has been absent a lot, and that I was simply worried for his well-being. After I said that, however, Kelly gave me a long, but concerned look. Eventually, she spoke.


    "Kai, I want you to know that you are like a daughter to me. I love you, and I want you to continue to grow into the strong, independent ruler you strive to be. I know you love your people, and I know you love your country. I also know that you want to concentrate some of that love on someone you deem very special. However, my advice to you is to be careful. We live in a world where it''s difficult to find people you can trust wholeheartedly and love freely. There is so much scandal, duplicity, and betrayal in this world. And because you are among the few strong, single rulers among lands, albeit a young one, I want you to be careful with who you choose to love, trust, and keep in your circle. Because if you invite the wrong people around, anything could happen, and certain people will jump at the chance to sully your great name, manipulate matters, even revolt against you regardless of everything you have done for them. And I most surely don''t want you throwing all of your hard work away for some boy. If for whatever reason this prince is unsure of whether or not he really loves you, and wants to marry you, please take this as a hint to back away, because the prince''s wavering itself is an answer. Do give it some time, of course, but not too much time. If things continue to go on unchanged, I think it would be in your best interests, the interests of your people, and the interest of your beloved and powerful country, that you break off your engagement with that foolish prince."


    The day finally came for me to return home, and soon after Kelly and I said our farewells, I was on my way. While in the carriage, Kelly''s words continued to dawn on me as they had the majority of my stay in Dalmary. I knew she was right. I had worked hard for everything I achieved in my own country. And I did care enough about my reputation to not allow it to be ruined by someone else. Moreover, I already resolved to speak to the prince about his actions, and how they made me look. I would be no more foolish than he is if I allowed this situation to continue. I needed to remind him of the seriousness of our engagement, as well as everything that is entailed after marriage.


    After a long, tiring journey, I finally arrived home to my beloved castle in the capital of Morado. I was ready to get settled in when a servant ran towards me upon my exit from the carriage.


    "Your Highness, a man is here, demanding to speak with you."


    No sooner than after the servant spoke did I hear yelling near the castle entrance. As I walked closer, I beheld the sight of a man struggling between two of the castle guards, who held him firmly by the arms. As soon as he saw me, he started to yell louder.


    "Princess! Princess! I only wanted to speak to you, but these men started harassing me!"


    "Untruth, Your Highness!" said the servant from before, "That man came here, asking your whereabouts, in addition to wanting to speak to you. When he didn''t get the answer he wanted, he started throwing a fit, so the guards reprimanded him."


    "Don''t listen to him, Princess! He''s lying!"


    The man continued to shout insults and contradictions about what the servant was saying to me, and the more he did it, the more irritated I became, because this surely wasn''t something I wanted to come home to after a long trip, and I was very exhausted.


    "Silence!" I shouted.


    Once the man quieted, I ordered the guards to bring him to the throne room.

 Chapter 6: The Prince Leaves

    Everyone was soon settled into the throne room. However, I made sure that this man remained under heavy apprehension, as he was still in a rowdy state upon being dragged into the castle. It wasn''t until he was secured, on his knees, that I permitted him to speak.


    "Haha, is this how you treat all your visitors, Princess?" he said.


    "Are you going to tell me the reason for your visit, or not," I said, as I was growing a little more irritated with this event.


    "Well, Princess, you probably already know this, but there are rumors going around that your prince is hanging around a lot with a certain girl."


    "..."


    "And those rumors are true."


    "Get to the point."


    "Wouldn''t you want someone more stable by your side for the kingdom?"


    Everyone in my presence proceeded to give me knowing but concerned looks, along with murmurs after hearing this. I ignored them, of course, but what reason could this man possibly have to approach me with this issue? When I didn''t immediately answer him, he elaborated.


    "If the prince is too stupid to stay by your side and be loyal, then maybe I can take his place and rule the kingdom with you."


    Shocked by this statement, the room went into a small uproar before I ordered everyone to be silent, although I too was enraged by what was just said. It was only then that I decided to cut this entire encounter short and have this man immediately escorted away from my presence.


    "Any issues between the prince and I are none of your concern. Moreover, even if I were to consider another suitor, I would never choose to marry someone like you. Very recently, you have already proven that you are not fit to be a ruler by flying into a rage and mistreating my servants. Additionally, you seem to not know how to address and respect someone properly, especially someone of higher rank than you. I don''t even want to consider your reasons for wanting to marry me, which are likely selfish and ambitious, qualities I absolutely will not welcome in someone I''m supposed to share my kingdom, or my life with. I don''t want to see you here in my presence ever again. Take this man away."


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Whilst being dragged away, he kept yelling things that made him look like he cares for the future of the kingdom, and that I would regret rejecting him. However, there is no one who cares more about the kingdom than I. Moreover, there is also one person I''m beginning to wish I did reject, as maybe this encounter wouldn''t have happened if I were never involved with him. I''m once again reminded of the urgency of the conversation I needed to have with him.


    Once I finally got settled in, had a bath, and changed into a new gown, I asked one of my servants if the prince has returned to the castle. I was pleased to learn that the prince was indeed present in the castle''s courtyard. After thanking the servant for the information, I hastily made my way there. When I arrived, I found him just standing there, gazing off into the distance.


    "Prince, we need to talk, as of right now," I said.


    The prince turned towards me with a surprised but disconcerting look on his face, likely from being caught off guard by my sudden appearance.


    "What do we need to talk about?" he asked.


    "Prince, it is time for us to talk about how your actions are affecting things. I don''t know how you view this situation, but I don''t see how it is fair for you to come to MY kingdom and make a mockery out of our engagement. I completely understand helping someone, but there is a limit to everything. My people are beginning to have doubts, Prince. Moreover, upon my arrival from my trip, I had a most uncomfortable encounter with a weird man who wanted to take YOUR place as my husband-to-be. Continuous problems keep occurring all from your little affair with this girl. You need to talk to her and lessen the time you spend with her. It will be better for your image, my image, and the kingdom of Morado''s image, as well as our marriage in the future."


    No sooner than when I finished speaking did the prince go into a fit.


    "I really don''t know what your problem is. I''m just helping her out and making sure she''s good. I''m tired of you getting upset over this. Maybe it''s time for me to go on a trip. And you know what? I''m taking her with me. Who knows? You might try to hurt her while I''m gone."


    He then brushed past me, leaving the courtyard. It wasn''t until the next day that I heard that the prince left with Kendyl for the west.

 Chapter 7: The First Guests

    Months passed until it was nearly time for Morado''s New Year celebration party, so I had a lot of work to do in preparation for the event, as many distinguished people of interest prefer the gentle climate and cultural grandeur distinct to my country as a way to fully relax and welcome the new year. Among the guests are Prince Juan from a neighboring kingdom, Princes Jaron and Devin from the south, and my dear friend, Amirah, a duchess who is also from the south and the region''s social butterfly. Quite noticeably, Princes Jaron and Devin and the Duchess are always among the first to arrive during the first few days before the celebration, so I always ensure that some of the guest rooms are well-prepared quite early for their arrival. Prince Juan, however, has never attended any of Morado''s New Year celebration parties before, even though he is always among the many who receive invitations to come. Even so, I continue to invite him in hopes that he will one day attend. We are neighbors, after all.


    Wondering whether or not Prince Juan would attend suddenly made me wonder if Prince Antonio would come, as it''s been months since he left for the west with Kendyl. He didn''t even bother to send me any letters during his absence. The more I thought about this situation, the more upset I became, but I also became surer of the decision that I needed to make. In the meantime, just in case, I had an extra guest room for him prepared. I was pacing about in my room, thinking of when to send an important letter to the west when I received word that some of the guests have arrived. My thoughts interrupted, I proceeded to go and greet them.


    As usual, one of the southern princes was among the first group of guests that started to trickle in. It was Prince Jaron. He greeted me warmly.


    "Well, well, well. If it isn''t the most powerful princess in the world," he said.


    "I hope that you enjoy your stay here," I answered, nearly blushing.


    "Oh, I know I will. Where''s your prince?"


    "He''s not here at the moment."


    "He should be. Isn''t he supposed to be by your side, greeting us guests?"


    "He had some matters to attend to. He should be here soon."


    Prince Jaron gave me an odd look after I answered his question before speaking once more.


    "Well, Your Royal Highness, if there''s anything you need help with, don''t hesitate to let me know."


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "I''ll... keep that in mind."


    Just then, a young man came rushing up behind Prince Jaron, carrying a few large bags. He nearly tripped once he reached where he was standing.


    "Your Highness, I think I have all of your luggage. Where''s your guest room so I can put everything away?" he asked.


    The man then looked over at me in awe before speaking again.


    "Oh, my god! Are you the princess?"


    I nodded.


    "It''s so great to really meet you. I heard some great things about you. I''m Kameron, Prince Jaron''s special assistant. I do nearly everything for him. You see, he doesn''t have many servants back at home."


    I was a little surprised at this.


    "Really? Why''s that?" I asked, glancing over towards Prince Jaron.


    He answered before Kameron could utter another word.


    "Well, you see, I''ve decided to move into my own little estate. I love my family, but I wanted to have more space for myself. So now I have a beautiful home in a quiet area where I can relax. I don''t know why I didn''t hire any servants. It''s not like I''m that busy or anything. In fact, my siblings and cousins are busier than I''ll probably ever be. But Kameron here, I''ve known him for a very long time, and we''re very good friends. So, I decided to make him my personal assistant. And he really does do everything for me, from my food to my clothes."


    I started to think that that sounded more like a personal SERVANT than assistant, but of course, I didn''t voice this but only continued to smile politely at the two young men.


    Suddenly, the other prince, Prince Devin, appeared. He stood beside Prince Jaron, giving a curt yet genuine bow and greeting.


    "Greetings, Your Highness. Thank you for inviting me again. I look forward to the celebration."


    "I''m glad you were able to come, Prince Devin. I really hope that you enjoy your stay here."


    The two princes then looked at each other, likewise exchanging greetings. As I watched them, I noticed that they must have developed some type of friendship since the last time I saw them. They spoke freely and comfortably with each other, as if they were long time friends. Even so, they are both from the south. Maybe their respective kingdoms are adjacent to each other.


    I continued to smile politely at the young men until I noticed that Kameron looked like he was going to fall over with the large bags he was still holding after all this time.


    "I hate to interrupt your wonderful exchange, but Prince Jaron, your assistant looks to be tiring of holding those large bags of yours, and I surely don''t want him falling over and injuring himself here," I said before calling a servant over to lead the guests to their rooms.


    "Please make yourselves comfortable. And feel free to explore the castle to your heart''s content."


    All three men were then promptly led away after they said their farewells to me. After they left, I noticed that the duchess hadn''t arrived yet. Moreover, I also still didn''t see Prince Juan.


    "Maybe they''ll arrive later, maybe at least one of them, anyway," I thought.


    Once all of the day''s guests were settled in, I decided to take a stroll throughout the castle to see how all of the New Year''s decorations were cared for.

 Chapter 8: The Shy, Sly Prince

    It was another day before the New Year party, and I was just finishing up some work when I received news that one of the day''s guests have arrived early. I was quite surprised when I heard who the guest was. I made my way to receive the lone guest, and there he was, standing quite awkwardly, with his head bowed and his hands clasped together, Prince Juan of Aguasuave.


    "Your Royal Highness, Prince of Aguasuave, it is with the utmost delight that I welcome you to Morado, and my castle. I''m glad that you could finally attend Morado''s New Year''s party, and I hope that you enjoy your stay here," I said.


    When I finished speaking, Prince Juan finally lifted his head up to look at me, and when he did, his face looked awestruck. He continued to look at me without words until I called his name out to him to get his attention. He suddenly bent down on one knee, took my hand, and kissed it while gazing up at me.


    "It is a great pleasure to finally meet you, Your Royal Highness, Princess of Morado, my most wonderful neighbor of the north," he said.


    He then stood up and continued to stare at me, with my hand still in his. The action began to make me a little uncomfortable, so I decided to politely send him away to his guest room.


    "Well, Your Highness, I do hope for you to make yourself comfortable here," I said, slowly removing my hand from his, "I will call a servant over to lead you to your guest room. Also, feel free to tour the castle to your heart''s desire."


    "I think...much of the castle''s beauty is reflected in the person I am looking at right now," said Prince Juan.


    After blushing a little, I promptly called a servant over to us.


    "Please take His Royal Highness, Prince Juan, to his guest room," I instructed the servant, "And I hope that you enjoy yourself, Your Highness."


    After, reassuring me that he would, Prince Juan followed the servant to his room, nearly not taking his eyes off me.


    A little later in the day, Princess Carolina de Bella of Dulcetierra arrived. Now, there are two Princess Carolinas, one of which I used to be friends with, and the other I''m currently very good friends with. The one I used to be friends with is simply known as Princess Carolina, although, how she became a princess, no one knows, as she is an illegitimate child, and heavily associated with the people of the west, yet lives in the north, therefore being one of my neighbors. She also doesn''t rule very well; always overspending, manipulating people to do her bidding, and overindulging in her son. She is also rumored to be a very promiscuous sort. All these qualities have resulted in many people not liking her very much, earning her "charming" nicknames, such as "Princess Northwest" and "The People''s Manipulator". It''s an interesting surprise that she hasn''t been impeached after all this time. Our friendship ended when she proved to be two-faced towards me; spreading rumors, siding with my enemies in petty gossip, and whenever she became upset with someone, especially if they were receiving any type of preferential treatment that she believed should only be shown towards her, she did her utmost to paint that person in a bad light until she saw fit to treat that person well again, a chameleon and hypocrite at best she was. On the other hand, Princess Carolina de Bella is among the most charming rulers known in the north, her kingdom being one of the most successful and beautiful places to visit, and her name a most perfect distinguishment from the other Carolina as her kingdom''s beauty is also reflected in herself, her being one of the most beautiful princesses I have ever seen, known, and had the honor of being friends with. She greeted me very warmly upon her arrival.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Your Royal Highness, Princess Kai of Morado. It is such a pleasure to see you again. How are things? Great, I hope," said Princess Carolina de Bella.


    "Things here are wonderful, as always," I replied, "And it''s always a great pleasure to have you here as a guest, my most beautiful neighbor, Your Royal Highness, Princess Carolina de Bella of Dulcetierra."


    "Well, I must say that having me as your humble guest is not as big a pleasure as it is to me in being in the presence of the most powerful princess in the world."


    Of course, this made me blush a little. We spoke a little more until more guests started trickling in and we said our farewells to each other, wishing each other an early Happy New Year.


    Another day passed, leading up to the New Year''s celebration. I was in my room, attending to things, when I received news that Prince Juan wanted to see me. As I was walking towards the door to speak to him, I wondered why he could possibly want to see me at this time. I opened the door to the hallway, and there he was, standing with his hands clasped together and an interesting glint in his eyes. He smiled broadly as he took my hand in his and kissed it.


    "My beautiful princess. I hope I''m not interrupting you or anything," he began, "but I wanted to make a request to tour the castle. It''s so big that I''m afraid I might get lost."


    "It''s alright," I responded, taking my hand from his, again, "I can have one of my ladies in waiting take you on a tour."


    "Actually...I was hoping maybe YOU could show me around, my princess."


    "Oh. Alright."


    "Great!"


    Prince Juan took my hand in his again, kissing it, before I instructed him to follow me to begin our tour.


    We explored the majority of the castle before we made our way to the courtyard. Thankfully, it was a nice, sunny day, which made many of the courtyard''s features stand out beautifully. Another thing to be thankful for is that the land of Morado doesn''t really have winter weather, or more rain than is needed, adding to many people''s reasons for coming here to welcome and enjoy the New Year.


    Prince Juan and I were strolling past one of the large gardens planted in the courtyard when a sudden question for Prince Juan popped into my head.


    "Your Highness, I must ask, but what made you finally decide to attend my country''s New Year celebration after all this time?"


    "...Well, my princess," Prince Juan began, "I don''t know if you''ve noticed already, but I''m a bit shy. You see, my parents always wanted me to come visit this amazing country and meet its princess. I heard so many things about you, including how powerful you are as a ruler. But for some reason, I guess I was just afraid to meet you. I was scared of doing something that would possibly offend you. So, I kept putting off coming here. This time, though, my parents practically forced me to come here. They really want to be friends with you. Our kingdoms are already neighbors. My parents also just wanted me to come out of my shell and meet new people. So, I mustered the courage to come here. And you know, I''m happy that I did, because now I know what a wonderful and beautiful princess you are."


    Upon first meeting him, I already saw Prince Juan as a shy sort. But the more I looked at him, a new observation of him unfolded. I started to think that not only was Prince Juan shy, but also sly. It was the way he kept gazing into my eyes when we weren''t speaking to each other, and the way he smiled. Then, I had another question.


    "So, what else do you know about me and my country, Your Highness?"


    "Ahh," began Prince Juan, "well, I also know that your country is beautiful, and your people are happy and safe."


    "Hmm..."


    I was going to ask a little more, when one of my servants came running towards me, calling me.


    "Your Highness! Your Highness!"


    I asked what was wrong when the servant got close enough.


    "Prince Antonio has arrived and wants to see you. And he''s brought a guest with him."


    No sooner than when the servant finished speaking did the prince appear. However, when I saw who his guest was, I became nearly furious, especially when the prince only stood there, staring in my direction. Kendyl, having appeared from behind the prince, was the first one to speak.


    "Juan?!" she called.


    "Kendyl?!" answered Prince Juan.

 Chapter 9: Prince Juans Story Part 1

    The kingdom of Aguasuave is a rather small kingdom that isn''t very wealthy. yet its subjects live in peace and harmony among each other. Moreover, the king and queen of Aguasuave are fair and modest rulers. However, that doesn''t mean that they don''t sometimes think about having more for their family and subjects.


    The royal family of Aguasuave is a bit large, as the king and queen have quite a few children. They wanted at least one of them, preferably one of their sons, to venture out, marry a wealthy and smart princess from another kingdom, and open a door to a strong and lasting alliance and friendship that would benefit everyone. Because their eldest son is always in some kind of trouble, they''ve decided to set their hopes on their next son, Prince Juan. The only issue was that Prince Juan preferred to stay to himself, and hardly ever left the castle. So, his parents needed to find a way to get him out of his shell.


    One day, the king and queen of Aguasuave decided to take advantage of when their eldest daughter, Princess Marina, wanted to invite the princess of Dulcetierra to their castle for tea. Princess Marina would actually do what her parents wanted Prince Juan to do, which was venturing out and making friends with other nobles. And it was thanks to her that her parents received information about the Princess of Dulcetierra that convinced them that she would make a very suitable match for their son. So, they fully supported Princess Marina''s desire to invite her to the castle.


    A few days before the princess''s arrival, as the queen, Princess Marina, and some of her sisters were making preparations, the king had a little talk with Prince Juan, informing him of the princess''s arrival.


    "Oh...that''s good," said Prince Juan, "We don''t really get special visitors to the castle. I hope she enjoys herself here."


    "Your mother and I want you to meet her. We think the two of you would make a good couple," said the king.


    "Wait...you want me to date her?"


    "Well, yes, eventually. You see, your mother and I want good things for the future of both, our family, and our kingdom. And we want you to open the door for that to happen. So, if you get engaged to one of the many wealthy and smart princesses from surrounding areas, our kingdom will greatly benefit. Your sisters'' futures for marriage would also improve. Your mother and I have great faith in you, son, but you''re going to have to go outside your room-no, the castle-more often."


    "But...what if she doesn''t like me and rejects me?"


    "Well, son, you won''t know that unless you try her hand. And even if she does reject you, there are still other princesses. Just try to talk to her. That''s all your mother and I want you to do. She may not be here for long."


    "...Ok. I''ll try to talk to her."


    "Good, son. Good."


    The day finally came when Princess Carolina de Bella of Dulcetierra arrived at Aguasuave castle. And upon her arrival, she was welcomed warmly by Princess Marina and her stunned parents. The princess of Dulcetierra''s beauty in person turned out to be greater to them than how their daughter described. Princess Carolina de Bella was soon escorted to the courtyard, where a large table decked with tea and snacks was set up. But before she and Princess Marina could get settled for their tea, the king decided to introduce the rest of his children, especially his son, Prince Juan. However, when it came Prince Juan''s turn to be introduced, because he didn''t seem to know what to say, there was a long, awkward silence among everyone, resulting in Princess Marina speaking to push things along so she and Princess Carolina de Bella could enjoy their tea together. Upon returning into the castle, embarrassed, Prince Juan apologized to his parents for his awkwardness, which gained an understanding and kind response from them; they only told him that they wanted him to try harder at getting the princess''s attention.


    When the princesses were finished with tea, Princess Marina gave Princess Carolina de Bella a tour of the entire castle, much to each other''s enjoyment. Eventually, Princess Carolina de Bella became tired, and asked to be shown to her guest room. As the princesses made their way there, they ran into the queen, who smiled warmly at both of them, but especially at Princess Carolina de Bella.


    "I hope you girls enjoyed your tea," she said.


    "Oh, we most certainly have," answered Princess Carolina de Bella, "Everything was so splendid. And I really love how modest but beautiful your castle looks. It''s so comforting being here."


    "Oh, I''m so glad that you like our humble abode. I look forward to many days of your presence here."


    "...Oh, actually, I can only stay here three days. I have some work to attend to back home, so I will need to return as promptly as possible."


    "Oh, I understand. Either way, it''s a great pleasure having you stay here. I''m assuming you are ready to go to your room?"


    "Yes. I''m afraid I''m a bit exhausted now."


    "Oh, why of course you are. Well, please make yourself comfortable here. And if you need anything, we have servants here who will always be ready to assist you."


    "Thank you so much for your generosity, Your Majesty."


    "Please, no need to be so humble. After all, a wonderful friend of my daughter''s such as you will always be welcome here."


    Thereafter, the queen proceeded on her way, whilst the princesses did likewise.


    Meanwhile, Prince Juan was outside in the courtyard, getting some fresh air, when his mother approached him.


    "Son," she began, "I have some very useful news for you."


    "What is it?" asked Prince Juan.


    "The princess of Dulcetierra will only be here for three days."


    "...Um...ok."


    "That means that you won''t have a lot of time to get her attention and interest. I suggest that you start thinking of ways to woo her while she''s still here, because now she has settled in for the day, which leaves only two days left of her stay."


    "...Ok."


    "Please, son. Your father and I really want this for you. We think that you two would make a wonderful couple, and she''s perfect for everyone''s futures. So please do your best and make your parents proud, ok?"


    "Y-yes, Ma. I will think of something."


    "I know you will, mi hijo."


    After ruffling Prince Juan''s hair a bit, the queen left him alone in the courtyard.


    That night, Prince Juan couldn''t sleep. The sudden fear of disappointing his parents was tearing him apart on the inside. He never expected to ever be given such a big and daunting task as impressing a princess, or anything else, as he expected his older brother to have to one day shoulder such responsibilities. Nevertheless, circumstances have changed, and it was now up to him to try to secure a great future for his family and kingdom. But he just didn''t know how. He didn''t even know the first thing about women and how to impress them. Moreover, Prince Juan thought someone as special and beautiful as Princess Carolina de Bella would be hard to impress. How could he possibly win her over?


    Suddenly, an idea came to light. Prince Juan''s mother, the queen of Aguasuave, was indeed beautiful, and she was married to his father, the king of Aguasuave. Maybe his father had the answers to how to impress women. In the end, Prince Juan resolved to ask his father for advice on this troubling matter the following morning, and it was only after he made this resolve that he was able to finally go to sleep.


    The next morning, the royal family, including Princess Carolina de Bella, was having a merry breakfast with an abundance of smiles all around. Once breakfast was finished, and the dining room was mostly emptied, Prince Juan asked to speak with his father for a few minutes, to which he agreed. Once the two got settled into another room, Prince Juan finally spoke.


    "Um, Pa, how did you get Ma to marry you?" he asked.


    "Haha. Why do you ask, son?" asked the king.


    "...Well...it''s just that...the princess of Dulcetierra is very beautiful. She can have any prince she wants. And...I was thinking...that Ma is also beautiful, and she married you. I-I wanted to know what you did to get Ma to marry you so I can know how to impress the princess of Dulcetierra."


    Suddenly, the king erupted into a loud, boisterous laughter, which ended with him slapping his son affectionately a few times on his arm.


    "Look at my son, trying to be a man," he said, "Frankly, I didn''t really have to do anything to get your mother to marry me, because it was HER who was interested in ME."


    "...Oh...Really?" asked Prince Juan.


    "Oh, yes. But don''t worry. I''ll give you a bit of advice. You see, women like to feel special. They like things like flowers, gems, and nice clothes. But the best thing any genuine woman could ever appreciate, is your time. So, I suggest you try offering that to the princess. Offer to take her on a walk somewhere or give her a little tour of the nearby town. Ask her about her life in Dulcetierra. Get to know her. Tell her bits and pieces about yourself. Make her laugh. And slowly but surely, she''ll fall for you. I know you don''t really have a lot of time to do all of the things I''ve mentioned just now, but some of those things, if done right, might at least whet her appetite. She may even make arrangements to come back here sooner than later, just to see you. But for right now, all your mother and I want you to do is try, so please don''t worry yourself over anything, ok son?"


    "Yes, Pa. Ok, I won''t worry."


    "Good. Well, I have some work to attend to today, a lot of it, and it will be best if I get started on it now while it''s still early in the day. I will see you later, son."


    "Ok, Pa. Bye."


    It was a bright, sunny afternoon, when Princess Marina and her little sisters decided to relax and play together among the flowers in the courtyard, along with Princess Carolina de Bella. It was also a bit windy, so everyone''s hair was blowing in the wind along with many swirling and dancing flower petals. Prince Juan entered the courtyard after his mother told him that that was where Princess Carolina de Bella was. Upon entering, he was very timid. But he perked up a little when he heard the laughter of his little sisters. He then strolled through the courtyard, following the sound of his sisters'' laughter until he finally found them, some sitting on the ground, picking flowers and putting them in each other''s hair, and others jumping up and down and chasing each other among the bushes. Prince Juan also noticed his older sister, Princess Marina, who was standing near Princess Carolina de Bella, talking. Princess Marina was the first to notice Prince Juan. She smiled at him, Prompting Princess Carolina de Bella to turn around to see what her friend was smiling at.


    Prince Juan could hardly believe the sight he beheld. As Princess Carolina de Bella turned to look at him, her long, wavy brown hair encircled her face as it danced in the wind, her eyes kind and her smile genuine, a few stray flower petals dotting her face, accentuating her rosy, pink cheeks. Prince Juan found that his heart nearly melted at such a sight.


    "Greetings, Your Highness," said Princess Carolina de Bella, "We meet again?"


    It took a few moments for Prince Juan to notice that he was being spoken to, and when he did, he stood up a little straighter and nodded his head.


    "Is there anything that you want, Your Highness?" asked Princess Carolina de Bella.


    Taking a few minutes to think, Prince Juan realized that this was his chance to put some of his advice to use. But what would he do? He didn''t have anything on him at the moment to gift the princess, especially since she was already surrounded by the very thing that most women love. But then Prince Juan recalled what his father said about offering women your time, realizing that he could ask to take the princess on a stroll somewhere, perhaps around town. Prince Juan hardly left the castle anyway, so few would probably recognize him on the streets. Princess Carolina de Bella, on the other hand, was someone who could attract a lot of attention to them, which was something Prince Juan would be a bit uncomfortable with. But Prince Juan knew that if he was to make his parents proud, he was going to need to make some sacrifices, and with that, he finally mustered enough courage to ask if he could give Princess Carolina de Bella a little tour of town. And quite thankfully, she agreed.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    "But first, I would like to change into something more modest. I don''t want to draw a lot of attention to us on our stroll. I hope that will be ok," said Princess Carolina de Bella.


    "Oh, no...that''s fine," replied Prince Juan, for those words were actually, in fact, music to his ears.


    After Princess Carolina de Bella excused herself to go change, Prince Juan''s older sister, Princess Marina, smiled at him, and wished him a good day on his stroll with the princess of Dulcetierra.


    The day was indeed perfect for a stroll, as there were many people out and about that day. When Prince Juan''s parents learned of the day he and Princess Carolina de Bella were going to have together, they were nearly overjoyed. And although they understood their desire for anonymity during the day, the king and queen still wanted these two to be safe, so they insisted that some of the royal family''s special attendants be allowed to accompany them at a discreet distance. They also took into consideration that their son didn''t go outside the castle very much, and therefore probably didn''t know the best areas to take the princess to. So, they instructed one of their special attendants to drive their son and the princess directly to the town''s public square and drop them there, as it was the most lively and cheerful area in the capital, consisting of parks, many stores, and lots of cheerful music. Moreover, the square was basically one of the few places Prince Juan was familiar with, so he won''t get lost or look like a tour guide who is unsure of himself.


    As the two were being dropped off, Princess Carolina de Bella gazed about with wonder at the merriment of their surroundings. She loved how happy the people seemed to be, the entire atmosphere reminding her of her home country.


    "Wow! This place is so beautiful!" she said.


    "Um...is there anywhere you would like to go first, Your Highness?" asked Prince Juan.


    The princess could hardly make up her mind on where to start, but when she finally did, the duo''s day was an adventure from there. They went from food stand to food stand, admired a few musical performances, and even visited a few stores, just to admire the type of things being sold there. And when the princess was ready to rest, she and Prince Juan went to one of the small parks that were nearby but outside of the square.


    As they sat together, Prince Juan realized that he was really enjoying himself. However, he knew he had to stay focused, as he had only one more day before the princess of Dulcetierra would leave for home. He knew that the tour seemed to be working, but he felt like there was something else big that he needed to do. An idea suddenly hit him, so he excused himself, telling the princess that he needed to use the bathroom.


    When Prince Juan returned to the park, nearly everything was lit up in gold, luxurious light as the day was coming to an end and a marvelous sunset was approaching.


    "My goodness! Even the sunsets in my own kingdom aren''t as luxurious as this!" exclaimed Princess Carolina de Bella to Prince Juan, "How beautiful!"


    With that, the prince and princess spent the rest of this moment together, watching the sunset, bathing in the sun''s final rays of golden light. As it began to get darker, Princess Carolina de Bella told Prince Juan that she was ready to settle in for the night, mentioning that the queen told her there was going to be a special feast served for dinner back at the castle, and that she was looking forward to it. And surely, no sooner than this did the prince and princess begin briskly walking to where their hidden carriage was located, making their way home.


    When Prince Juan and Princess Carolina de Bella returned to the castle, the princess thanked Prince Juan for the tour, stating that she had a really good time before excusing herself to get washed up for dinner. Soon after she left, the king and queen appeared, with rather expectant smiles on their faces.


    "Well, how was everything?" asked the queen.


    "Well...everything was good. She said she had a good time," answered Prince Juan.


    The king and queen looked at each other, apparently pleased with their son''s news.


    "That''s wonderful," said the queen, "We''re really happy that the both of you had a good day. Dinner will be served soon. Why don''t you go wash yourself up a bit, ok?"


    "Yes, Ma."


    The rest of the evening proved to be a merry one, with more delicious food and lots of smiles.


    It was the last day of Princess Carolina de Bella''s visit, and Prince Juan was even more determined to win her over. He wanted to spend more time with her, but unfortunately, she already had plans for the day with his older sister, those plans apparently involving being absent from the castle for most of the day. And Prince Juan surely knew that after her engagement for the day, the princess of Dulcetierra would only have enough energy for dinner, and then she would retire to her room for the night, likely preparing for her departure back home the following day. Even so, Prince Juan desperately needed at least a few minutes alone with her, an opportunity he kept looking for the entirety of that morning. But every time he saw her, she was occupied with vigorous conversation with his older sister.


    Prince Juan began to think that he would never be able to speak to the princess and began to wonder what he would say to his parents after having failed them until he saw his older sister and Princess Carolina de Bella walking together, preparing to leave the castle until he noticed that his older sister appeared to have forgotten something and quickly excused herself, leaving Princess Carolina de Bella alone. Jumping at this opportunity, Prince Juan quickly made his way over to the princess.


    "Um...hello, Your Highness," said Prince Juan.


    "Oh, greetings. How do you do?" asked Princess Carolina de Bella.


    "I''m doing very well. And you?"


    "Likewise. Thank you for asking. It''s good to see you again. And I just want you to know that I had a really good time yesterday. I loved seeing all those people so happy and having a good time. I nearly became homesick. Haha. And that sunset was the very best I have ever seen. I told your mother that she should be proud to live in such a beautiful kingdom that has days that end with such magnificence. And, of course, she''s definitely proud of her kingdom."


    "...Um, Your Highness, um, would it be ok with we stepped outside for a few minutes? Maybe the courtyard? I have something to tell you."


    "Oh. Sure."


    After asking a servant to inform Princess Marina of where she will be, Princess Carolina de Bella followed Prince Juan to the courtyard. When they were alone, Prince Juan spoke.


    "Your Highness, I have something for you," he said.


    He pulled a small, fancy box from his vest pocket, which he then opened and presented to the princess. It was a bright green, emerald ring, a rather large one even. Nonplussed, Princess Carolina de Bella didn''t know how to answer at first, but she eventually asked Prince Juan what the ring was for.


    "...Your Highness," began Prince Juan, "You are the most beautiful princess I have ever met. You are also very sweet and kind. I-I want you to know that I admire you a lot. I know it''s only been a few days, but I''ve come to love you, Your Highness. I really want you to know how I feel. I didn''t know how else to show you, so I bought this for you. I hope you like it and accept it as a token of my love, Your Highness."


    Surprised at Prince Juan''s sudden proposal, Princess Carolina de Bella gave him a somewhat quizzical look before giving him a gentle smile. Afterwards, she gave him an answer.


    "Although I greatly appreciate this magnificent gift Your Highness, I''m afraid I can''t accept it. You see, I''m a very busy princess, with much to do for my people. I want to be the best person I can be for them, so that''s my only focus right now. Moreover, with any extra free time that I manage to get for myself, I want to be able to use it to do what I''m doing now: traveling and exploring other good kingdoms to see how their people live to constantly remind myself of how good a ruler I need to be for my own people. Moreover, I want to be able to meet people and become friends with someone as nice as your older sister. She''s a wonderful person, and you should be glad to have someone like her in your family. There''s also another princess who''s my constant inspiration for being a great ruler, so I''m really not interested in becoming romantically involved with anyone right now. I''m really sorry, Your Highness. But do know that I think that you''re a very sweet young man, and I would love to continue being friends with you, if that''s ok with you, that is."


    Although Prince Juan''s heart sunk a little at the princess''s answer, he fully understood her, and agreed to continue being friends with her.


    Shortly after, Princess Marina appeared, a bit surprised to see her younger brother with Princess Carolina de Bella in the courtyard. Upon approaching them, she asked if everything was ok, to which Princess Carolina de Bella answered positively, and explained that she and the prince were simply just having a little chat.


    "Oh, well, that''s great then," said Princess Marina. "Well, are you ready to leave then? it''s nearly noon."


    "Oh, yes, of course," answered Princess Carolina de Bella before turning to Prince Juan. She put her hand on his left shoulder and wished him a very good day, and that she would always value their friendship. After that, she walked away with Princess Marina to carry on with their day, Princess Marina looking back at her brother with a slight but gentle smile on her face.


    Later that evening at the castle, everyone was preparing for a special farewell dinner for the princess of Dulcetierra, as it was her final night in Aguasuave. Everyone, especially Princess Marina and her little sisters, hated to see her go, but they were also happy to be able to enjoy one more special night with her, along with once again sharing great food. During the dinner, nearly everyone was in a super cheerful mood as they ate, told stories, and smiled and laughed to their heart''s content.


    Although Prince Juan was sharing in the merriment, deep down, he couldn''t help but feel a type of lingering sensation of failure within himself. He felt like the princess of Dulcetierra''s rejection of him was still his fault, that maybe if he would''ve been a little more manly and confident in himself, the princess would''ve at least CONSIDERED giving him a chance. No matter how hard he tried, there was nothing Prince Juan could do to suppress what he was feeling inside. He could only keep those feelings from showing on his face.


    A little later in the night, everyone began settling into their respective rooms for bedtime besides Prince Juan. He decided to speak to his parents about what eventually happened with the princess of Dulcetierra, as they would want to know as soon as possible anyway. Once they were alone, the king of Aguasuave was the first to pose the question.


    "So, son, how did everything go? Did you win her over?"


    Prince Juan told his father the truth after hesitating a bit.


    "Pa, Ma, I''m really sorry, but the princess rejected me. She said she had other things to work on for a bit, so she''s not interested in being with anyone right now."


    Prince Juan''s parents said that they understood, but he could tell from the way that they looked at each other that they were disappointed. He suddenly found that he couldn''t even look either of them in the eye at that moment, so he lowered his head to stare at the floor. When his parents noticed, they hurried to reassure him that they loved him, and that they know he tried his best. They would just find another way to improve relations with some of the surrounding kingdoms. They then suggested that he go and get some rest for the night, to which he agreed and slowly walked to his room. On his way there, he just knew that he wasn''t going to be able to sleep very easily that night again.


    The morning of the princess of Dulcetierra''s departure arrived in no time, and the royal family of Aguasuave hurried to ensure a wonderful send-off for their new favorite princess. After enjoying yet another hearty meal, the princess of Dulcetierra was given plenty of gifts, including food, flowers, and gowns. Everyone was in good cheer until the most painful part arrived: saying good-bye.


    Once the princess of Dulcetierra''s carriage was all stocked up and ready to go, everyone in the royal family of Aguasuave lined up together to give their farewells. Princess Carolina de Bella gave each family member a warm and heartfelt hug, and promised to return to visit as soon as she could. Eventually, it was Prince Juan''s turn to give the princess his farewells, but he suddenly found that he couldn''t even look at her directly, in addition to stuttering with whatever he was trying say. But Princess Carolina de Bella gave him the most heartwarming and reassuring hug of all, whilst promising him of her return, and that he was a sweet, young gentleman with whom she will always value her friendship.


    After making one final gesture of farewell to Aguasuave''s royal family in the form of a curtsy, Princess Carolina de Bella finally entered her carriage and was on her way back home, with the royal family standing behind, watching as the carriage rode away.


    Meanwhile, Prince Juan decided to sneak away while his family was still watching the carriage disappear, thinking that no one would notice him. However, someone did notice, and those people were his mother and older sister. When the queen of Aguasuave looked at her daughter, Princess Marina, with concern, the princess volunteered to follow her brother and try to talk to him.


    Prince Juan found a hill in a nearby valley to rest on and stare off into the distance while he processed his emotions. He didn''t know what to think of himself anymore, except that he was a big failure to his family. He was on the verge of tears when his older sister called his name from behind him. When he turned to look at her, she was standing at the base of the hill, looking up at him, her long hair and gown dancing in the gentle breeze.


    "Oh...hi," said Prince Juan, hurrying to blink away any tears that wanted to come out, "How...how did you know I was here?"


    "I...I followed you. Ma and I noticed when you snuck away earlier," replied Princess Marina.


    "Oh..."


    "Are you feeling ok?"


    "Yes, I...I just needed some fresh air and some time to think. That''s all."


    "...Well, actually, there''s something that I needed to talk to you about, Juan."


    "Yes? What is it?"


    Princess Marina slowly made her way up the hill towards her little brother before responding.


    "Well, you see, Ma and I found these in your room."


    She then produced three folded pieces of paper and handed them to Prince Juan. Just from unfolding one of the pieces is how Prince Juan knew what the other pieces contained. His eyes wide and countenance changing, Prince Juan looked up at his sister with panic. When he didn''t say anything, Princess Marina asked if he wanted to explain what she and their mother found, but that very question was enough for Prince Juan to finally burst into tears, toss the papers away, and run off while apologizing.


    "Wait!" shouted Princess Marina. She ran after him for as far as he could run. Because Prince Juan was a little on the chubby side, he didn''t get very far, and it wasn''t too long until he stopped running. When Princess Marina caught up to him, she reassured him that no one was angry with him. They just wanted to know why he hid the fact that the great princess of Morado has been sending invitations to him to attend her New Year''s parties for three years.


    "...I...I don''t know. I wasn''t ready," replied Prince Juan between sobs, "I''m still not ready...The thing is, I don''t think I''ll ever be ready to court a woman...I''m shy, quiet, and I don''t know how to be a man...And it''s all my fault that the Princess of Dulcetierra rejected me!"


    "Huh? What do you mean?" asked Princess Marina, confused, "How did she reject you?"


    "Ma and Pa told me that they wanted me to try to court Princess Carolina de Bella so our family could have a better future. But I couldn''t even do that right, so she rejected me."


    Princess Marina started thinking back on the princess''s and her brother''s interactions with each other within the last few days. When she recalled them spending a whole day together, as well as their sudden meeting in the courtyard the day prior, she understood everything. Although she did know that her parents were thinking about how to improve their family''s as well as their kingdom''s future, she didn''t think they would give part of that responsibility to her younger brother. After she sighed low enough so her brother couldn''t hear, she reassured him that she understood, and that there was no reason for him to sob like a baby.


    A few minutes passed until Prince Juan finally managed to straighten himself up a little and speak.


    "I need to go find myself. I need to go somewhere away from here and figure out what kind of man I need to be for my family. I-I am going to go to the west."


    "The west?!" exclaimed Princess Marina, "Juan, you can go anywhere, but as your older sister, I advise you not to go THERE! The western lands are notorious for being the least safe, and the way most of the people behave is pretty bad. In fact, their behavior is such that the great princess of Morado does not even allow easy entry or citizenship in her land to them unless they can show proof of having an honorable reputation and good behavior. Please, just don''t go there."


    "I understand and appreciate your concern, Marina. But the west is the farthest area away from here," said Prince Juan, "Since it''s the only area to not have a strong relationship with anyone like here, the east, and the south, that means no one will know me over there, and I can meditate in peace. I''m going to pack some things and go there tonight."


    Prince Juan then began to make his way back to the castle. Before he got far, he asked his sister not to tell their parents where he was going, to which she reluctantly agreed and told him that she would tell them that he ran off somewhere and didn''t know where he went. With that, Prince Juan went on his way, and later on that night, he set sail for the west.

 Chapter 10: Prince Juans Story Part 2

    Upon Prince Juan''s arrival to the western kingdom''s capital, he was immediately greeted by an atmosphere completely different from what he was familiar with back home. Contrary to what he expected, the land of the west turned out to be a very derelict place. Everywhere he turned, Prince Juan saw nothing but drug users, prostitutes, and beggars of all ages. And the fact that a lot of the people who were just standing along street corners and alleyways were just staring at him made him all the more uncomfortable. Therefore, he resolved to start walking a little more quickly until he could find some suitable lodging for the duration of his stay, all the while wondering what kind of ruler the west had for it to look as ghetto as it did.


    "Maybe it''s only the capital that looks like this," thought Prince Juan.


    Eventually, he arrived at what looked like a row of motels, but he didn''t know which one to choose. He preferred one that was safe, where he could sleep soundly, and where it wasn''t likely that his room would get broken into with his belongings stolen. So, he asked a nearby man to recommend one of the motels to him.


    "Oh I dunno. I''d just get whatever room and call it a night," the man said before walking off.


    After sighing to himself, Prince Juan decided to just pick a random motel and hope and pray that it was a decent place to stay.


    As he was walking towards the motel he chose, a girl who was standing near the entrance approached him.


    "Excuse me," she began, "do you have any extra change or anything? I''m trying to get a room to stay in tonight, but I don''t have enough money. I have nowhere else to go."


    Upon looking at her, Prince Juan immediately felt sorry for her.


    "Of course I do," he said, "But where is your family?"


    Suddenly, the girl started crying, making Prince Juan unsure of what to do until she spoke.


    "I don''t have anyone to go home to," she began, "I walk the streets every day, just trying to scrape up enough money for food and somewhere safe to stay. I had a fight with the last person I was staying with, and he kicked me out. I don''t know what else to do."


    The girl continued to cry until Prince Juan was able to comfort her a little and assure her that he would purchase a room for her to stay in for the night.


    "C-Can I just stay in the same room as you?" the girl asked, "Please? I...haven''t been feeling safe the last few days. I''m afraid if I stay in a room by myself, someone could try to enter my room and harass me. Please? Let me stay with you?"


    The sudden request caught Prince Juan off guard, but after a bit more prodding from the girl, he eventually agreed to let her share a room with him. He would just purchase one with two beds.


    "Thank you so much," she said.


    Upon entering the lobby, Prince Juan was relieved that it was actually decent looking compared to how the building looked from the outside. Once he paid for his room and received his key, Prince Juan felt a little more confident about his choice of lodging, especially now that he''s given himself the task of keeping someone else safe.


    When the prince opened the door to their room, he was a bit surprised by how small, yet cozy the room looked. It consisted of two queen sized beds with a nightstand in the middle, a desk, a mini kitchen, and a small bathroom. It was a little different from what he was used to, but he knew he would like staying there all the same.


    "Alright," began Prince Juan, "You can choose which bed you would like and make yourself comfortable, miss. I''ll go and put some of my things away."


    The girl chose the bed closest to the entrance to the room, while Prince Juan went to the other one. As the prince began putting some of his things away, the girl started to speak to him.


    "I really appreciate you doing this for me," she said.


    "It''s my pleasure," answered Prince Juan.


    "You know, I don''t think I got your name."


    "Oh. It''s Prince Juan, but you can just call me Juan."


    "*gasp* You''re a prince?! I knew you looked like you weren''t from around here. What are you doing here?"


    "Well...I...I''m on a little vacation from home right now. I-I''d just thought I''d come here to relax a bit."


    "Oh. Is this your first day here?"


    "Yes."


    "Well, I know this place very, very well. If you want, I can be your tour guide here."


    "That would be...great. I''d like that. It would have to be tomorrow, though. I''m a bit tired from my trip here, and I''d like to get some sleep. In the meantime, I''m going to go and take a shower."


    "Oh, yes. Of course. Well, I''ll just be out here, getting some rest, too."


    "Ok. Good."


    Prince Juan was about to go in the bathroom when he suddenly remembered something.


    "Oh yeah, wait. I didn''t get YOUR name, miss," he said.


    "Oh, yeah. My name''s Kendyl."


    Prince Juan awoke the next morning to the sun light streaming in through the window. And when he sat up in his bed to rub his eyes, he heard noises in the bathroom. The noise frightened him a bit until he looked over at Kendyl''s bed and saw that it was empty, so he concluded that she was the one in the bathroom.


    It wasn''t too long before Prince Juan heard the door to the bathroom open, and when it did, out came Kendyl, wearing nothing but a towel and drying her hair with another towel. The sight made Prince Juan blush and quickly turn away. When Kendyl noticed that Prince Juan was sitting up in bed, she smiled.


    "I''m sorry. Did I wake you?" she asked.


    "N-No. You didn''t," answered Prince Juan. He kept his head down in an awkward position, waiting for Kendyl to either go back in the bathroom, or get dressed. However, instead, she walked towards his bed and stood in front of him, still drying her hair.


    "You know, today''s a nice day today," Kendyl began, "And I''m hungry. How about we go out to get some breakfast? I know a very nice place we can go to. Is that ok?"


    "Y-Yes, sure. That''s fine," answered Prince Juan with his head still down.


    "Great. I''ll go get dressed."


    Prince Juan was relieved when Kendyl finally returned to the bathroom, and once he was calm enough, he quickly took advantage of her absence to freshen himself up a little before they went to breakfast.


    Kendyl guided Prince Juan to a restaurant that served chicken, biscuits, and other things for breakfast. Once Prince Juan paid for and received the food, Kendyl began discussing their plans for the day with him, an act that confused Prince Juan at first.


    "Don''t you want to get to know the area while you''re here?" asked Kendyl.


    "Oh. Well, yes," answered Prince Juan.


    "Then we need to talk about which places to go to. I''ve been living here a long time, so I know the area well."


    As Kendyl rambled on about some of the capital''s best spots, Prince Juan thought of a question he wanted to ask Kendyl.


    "Hey, Kendyl?" he asked.


    "Yes?" answered Kendyl.


    "I wanted to know...what kind of ruler your kingdom has for it to look so...um..."


    "Ghetto? I know. We don''t get a lot of visitors because of that, but it is what it is. Our kingdom has a queen. She''s Queen Maria."


    "Her name is Maria?"


    "Yes. Why? You know her?"


    "No. I just thought that...she would have a different name if she''s THIS land''s queen."


    "What''s wrong with her name being Maria? Anyone can have that name."


    "Y-You''re right."


    "There''s also a Princess Carolina here, but she''s not from here. She just likes hanging out here a lot. Anyway, I don''t know that much about Queen Maria. She''s probably just broke, and that''s why her kingdom is ghetto looking."


    "Oh."


    "Anyway, I''ll just take you to the best areas around here. This place may be ghetto, but there are still some good areas around here. I know you will like them."


    "Ok. Great."


    Once Prince Juan and Kendyl finished their breakfast, their tour of the capital began.


    Prince Juan and Kendyl visited many places, from marketplaces, to parks. It wasn''t too long before Prince Juan began to enjoy himself, despite the capital''s odd atmosphere. However, it was an odd sense of enjoyment he didn''t quite understand until a little later.


    Meanwhile, Kendyl and Prince Juan were walking alongside each other at a park when Kendyl suddenly tripped over something and fell on her back, despite Prince Juan trying to save her. Because she was too heavy for Prince Juan to pull to her feet, he ended up falling on top of her. When their faces met, Prince Juan blushed and scrambled to his feet, apologizing for falling on top of Kendyl.


    "Haha. It''s ok," said Kendyl as she was getting up off the ground, "It''s this dress. I''ve been wearing it for days because I don''t have any other clothes. It''s getting so raggedy that it''s now too long for me to walk properly in."


    Prince Juan gave Kendyl a once over before his eyes got stuck on her face. When Kendyl noticed, she started asking if Prince Juan was ok, to which he agreed.


    "Why don''t I take you shopping? Let''s get you some new clothes," said Prince Juan.


    "That would be nice," said Kendyl.


    Prince Juan then had Kendyl direct him to all the best shopping areas in the capital and bought her whatever she wanted. They''re day finally ended after they went somewhere for dinner and returned to their room.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    It wasn''t long until Kendyl and Prince Juan were settled in for the night, with Kendyl happily putting away her new clothes and other gifts.


    "Thank you so much for buying me things today, Juan," she said.


    "Of course," said Prince Juan, "I''m glad you like everything."


    "Prince Juan?"


    "Yes?"


    "You seemed very happy today. Why is that?"


    "Well...I...I was just happy to tour the capital with you."


    "Really? Why?"


    Kendyl''s question ended up unexpectedly being too much for Prince Juan, so he started crying.


    "*gasp* What''s wrong?" asked Kendyl as she ran to Prince Juan''s bed to try to comfort him.


    "It''s...it''s just that...I''ve been so lonely lately. And...when you took me on a tour today...it...it made me happy. I really enjoyed my time with you today, Kendyl," said Prince Juan.


    "Aww."


    Kendyl pulled Prince Juan into a tight hug and kept hold of him until he stopped crying, and when he did, she whispered into his ear.


    "You know, Prince Juan, if you don''t want to be alone anymore, can I sleep in your bed with you tonight?" said Kendyl before kissing him on the cheek.


    It was yet another question that caught Prince Juan off guard. But before he could give an answer, Kendyl got up from his bed, turned all the lights out in the room, and returned to Prince Juan''s bed and started kissing him in the dark. Once Prince Juan was seduced, he and Kendyl spent the night together in the same bed.


    Before long, Prince Juan and Kendyl became a couple. They spent most of their days going out to eat, going to parks, and sometimes just staying in their room all day, lying in bed together. Regardless of how they spent their days, Prince Juan was the happiest he ever was in a very long time, and he didn''t want this happiness to ever end.


    After about a month of being in the western kingdom with Kendyl, Prince Juan came to love Kendyl so much that he wanted a future with her, and he began thinking about how their future would be, and whether or not his parents would like Kendyl. He brought his thoughts to her attention one day when they were sitting together at a park.


    "You know, Kendyl, I want to marry you one day. I think we''d have a great life together," said Prince Juan, "There are so many things we can do together, Kendyl. And I can''t wait to do them all."


    Kendyl, however, wasn''t as enthusiastic as Prince Juan, and therefore didn''t say anything. Prince Juan asked if she was ok when he noticed.


    "Yeah, I''m fine," Kendyl answered.


    "So...what do you think about getting married one day?"


    "I...I think that would be nice, Juan."


    "Really? We could get married soon, then. Then I could take you home and introduce you to my family. I know they would love you. You''re a sweet person, Kendyl. You are. And I want to get you off these streets."


    "I...I don''t think we should think about this right now, Juan."


    "Why not? Don''t you love me?"


    "I do. But the courts wouldn''t allow us to get married."


    "Why not?"


    "I''m...I''m 17"


    "What?!"


    "...Yes."


    "...You''re just now telling me this, Kendyl?"


    "I didn''t mean to hide it from you. I just forgot about it."


    Prince Juan found himself stuck. He was hurt by the fact that Kendyl neglected to let him know of her age. But he also came to really love her and didn''t want to let her go.


    "Well...Well we can still work this out. I''m sure you turn 18 soon, right?" asked Prince Juan.


    "Yes, I do. But let''s just drop this subject for now, ok?" Kendyl asked.


    "Ok."


    "Hey, Juan? There''s something that''s been bothering me. So, I have this friend. She doesn''t have anywhere to stay. She knows where she wants to go, but she doesn''t have enough money. I want to help her, but I also don''t have any money..."


    After a few seconds, Prince Juan reached into his pants pocket, pulled out a large amount of money, and handed it all to Kendyl.


    "Here," he said, "Take all of this as proof of my love for you. I trust you''re a good person who will use this money wisely. I love you, Kendyl."


    "Aww, thanks. I love you, too," said Kendyl before kissing Prince Juan on the cheek and standing up to leave.


    "You''re leaving now?" asked Prince Juan.


    "Yeah. I have some business to take care of, but I will see you later," said Kendyl.


    "Oh. Ok."


    With that, Kendyl left, with Prince Juan watching as she disappeared into the distance.


    Meanwhile, in the kingdom of Aguasuave, things were very awkward. Ever since Prince Juan left, his parents were worried sick about him. And because they were worried, a dreary atmosphere appeared that could be felt by everyone, including the servants.  Despite everything, however, the one who felt the most dreariness out of everyone was Princess Marina, as she was the only one who knew where Prince Juan went. And it was the location itself that worried her. She told her parents that she didn''t know her brother''s whereabouts just as he asked, and they believed her up until they noticed she was extra quiet compared to everyone else. So, eventually, they summoned her to have a little talk with them.


    "Marina, do you really not know where your brother is?" asked her mother.


    "I...I don''t," answered Princess Marina.


    "Are you sure?" asked her father.


    "I..."


    "You can tell us anything, hija. Tell us where your brother is."


    "He...he went to the western kingdom."


    "What?!"


    "Yes. He said that he wanted to go to a place that''s far away from here and the other major lands to figure himself out. So, he went to the western kingdom."


    "He must be brought back from there at once! That place is not safe! Anything can happen to him there!"


    "Besides, he still has work to do here. He''s our only reliable son right now. We need him for our kingdom''s future."


    Princess Marina''s parents'' last statement struck a nerve. Up until then, she kept her head low out of embarrassment from having to confess about her brother''s whereabouts. But she suddenly lifted her head high and spoke what was on her mind for a while.


    "Ma, Pa," she began, "I know you''re rooting for Juan to forge connections, marry well, and open the gateway to better things for our family and kingdom, but what about me? Do you two not see me? For years I''ve been doing the very things you want my brothers to do. I know so many nobles, what kingdoms they belong to, and a number of decent princes who wouldn''t mind marrying me. All you have to do is say the word and I can start benefitting our family, too."


    Princess Marina''s parents looked at each other before speaking.


    "Marina," began one of them, "we love you just like we love your siblings. But it would be good for our image if one of our sons jumpstarted the future of our kingdom."


    "And it would be even better for your image if one of your daughters jumpstarted the future of the kingdom," said Princess Marina, "Just think. Wouldn''t it be great to be the first kingdom in history to have a princess propose to a prince and maintain the legacy of her royal family? Something like that would make other kingdoms envious immediately."


    "..."


    "*sigh* Listen, I love my little brother, and I care about his well-being. I do. I just wish that my own achievements and milestones would be acknowledged. I also love our whole family, and where we live. So, I just want to use my achievements to contribute to our kingdom."


    "Marina," began Princess Marina''s father, "we understand your desire to make a change for everyone. But that''s just not how things work around here. And you know just as well as anyone else does that Juan is practically the only faithful son now, because of your other brother''s absence. And because Juan''s currently the only son left, your mother and I are really counting on him to learn to become a good example of a strong ruler and the future of our kingdom. We know you love and care about him, and that''s precisely why that makes you the very best person to go to the west and bring your little brother home. Is that clear?"


    "...Yes, Pa."


    Meanwhile, back in the west, Prince Juan was alone in his room, thinking about Kendyl while lying on his bed. It''s been quite a few days since he last saw her, as she never returned to their room since the day he gave her most of his money. He began to worry, and no longer able to contain his worry, he decided to get up and go for a walk to look for her.


    He walked quite a distance, searching in both, areas he''s been to before with Kendyl, and unfamiliar areas. He eventually came across a large, busy, but dirty commercial area where many people hung out to eat, smoke, and loiter around the surrounding restaurants and bars. Once he rounded one of the street corners past a bar, there she was, Kendyl, the girl he loved, hanging out in an alleyway with a strange man.


    Prince Juan, at this sight, became very confused as to what Kendyl was doing here, and why she hasn''t returned to their room in days.  But he also became angry when he noticed a sort of intimacy between Kendyl and this man, and as soon as he saw the strange man grab and kiss Kendyl, he ran towards them as fast as he ever could and confronted them.


    "Kendyl!" he yelled when he got close enough, with Kendyl hurrying to push the strange man away from her as soon as she saw Prince Juan.


    "Juan?" said Kendyl, "What are you doing here?"


    "I should be asking you that. And who''s this?"


    "Oh, him? H-he''s just a friend I met."


    "Oh, really?" said the man, "That ain''t what you been saying when you was in my bed last night."


    Not knowing what to say anymore, Kendyl stood awkwardly by as Prince Juan stared at her with disgust and disbelief.


    "Kendyl, what is this?" he asked, "I thought you loved me. What about all the time you and I spent together? I took care of you. I got you a place to stay, I bought you food and new clothes. And this is how you treat me?"


    "..."


    "What about all that money I gave you! What happened to that?!"


    "...Money!? What money?!" yelled Kendyl, "I don''t remember any money."


    "What?!"


    "Look Juan, I did love you and all, but I need someone else who can be like me and like the things I like and do the things I like. The west? This is me. You''re just a soft, prissy prince. If I want to hang out in alleyways and smoke blunts, I can. I can do whatever I want. And to put it simply, I just needed money. That''s it. It''s your fault for being too naive."


    "What th-"


    "Hey!" interrupted the man, "I don''t know who you are, but you better leave her alone from now on. If she don''t want you no more, that''s her decision. You better stay away from my girl or you can get shot. Come on, girl."


    With that, Kendyl and the strange man walked off, leaving Prince Juan behind in the alleyway.


    A few days passed since the incident with Kendyl, and during those days, Prince Juan was wandering the streets, lost. And because he was lost, he couldn''t make his way back to his room. Moreover, because he hasn''t been to his room in a few days, he was sure that his things there were probably thrown out for lack of payment, not that he had enough money to pay for the room anyway.


    Frustrated and heartbroken, Prince Juan slammed himself down in an alleyway and started crying. He just couldn''t believe he fell in love with someone who didn''t feel the same and duped him of his money. Now he had nowhere to go, no money, and he was stuck in an unfamiliar land. He continued to cry loudly, with strangers walking by here and there, giving him nasty looks as if he were a lunatic.


    "If only I didn''t come here," he thought, "If only..."


    Princess Marina arrived in the notorious kingdom of the west as inconspicuously as possible. She didn''t know where to start in the search for her brother at all. But she knew that with a few mental landmarks and the help of the discreet aides her parents sent with her, she would be able to find him.


    With each new area Princess Marina and her aides encountered, they split them up into smaller pieces for each one to split up and thoroughly search. And when they met back up with each other, they shared and marked down landmarks and other features of the area that would help them memorize and navigate without looking like newcomers and possibly getting assaulted, robbed, or taken advantage of.


    All in all, the search was taking up an entire day. Princess Marina personally didn''t want to spend one night in the west, and with each step she took, looking for her brother, the more she looked at the sky and it''s setting sun, the more she began to lose hope.


    Sometime later, Princess Marina came across an alleyway when she heard crying nearby. She started to walk slowly, following the noise. Eventually, she saw a dark figure in the alleyway, crouched down on the ground, its head bowed and resting on its knees. There was something familiar about the figure to Princess Marina, so she gently got its attention, asking if it was ok. When the person looked up, Princess Marina gasped.


    "Juan!" she yelled, running towards her brother and giving him a tight hug, "What happened to you? How did you end up like this?"


    "I...I..." Prince Juan was unable to form any sentences before he started crying again.


    "There, there," Princess Marina said, comforting her brother, "Let''s get you out of this alleyway. I''m going to take you home tonight. Our parents are worried about you."


    Just as Princess Marina got her brother away from the alley, three men appeared behind them.


    "Hey!" one of them yelled. When Princess Marina and her brother turned to look at the men, they started walking towards them, stopping only a few inches away from them.


    "Can I help you?" asked Princess Marina, a stern look on her face. Her parents made sure that she would be armed the entirety of her time in the west so she would be prepared in the face of any danger. And prepared she was. She moved her hand discreetly towards her weapon, ready to attack in just a second''s notice.


    "Is this guy named ''Juan''?" asked one of the men.


    "Who''s asking?"


    "There''s a rumor that a certain guy by that name slept with an underage girl here, and we''re looking for him."


    A look of shock crossed Princess Marina''s face. But it only lasted a few seconds as she quickly got herself together.


    "I don''t know anyone by that name," she said, "This is my brother, Elias."


    After looking at Prince Juan one more time, then at each other, the men seemed to have been convinced of Princess Marina''s answer before they walked off.


    "Take care," one of them said.


    When the men were far enough away and out of earshot, Princess Marina grabbed her brother by the shoulders, forcing him to look directly at her.


    "Is what they said true, Juan?" she asked.


    "I...I..."


    "Answer me, Juan!"


    "...Yes."


    Shocked, Princess Marina let go of her brother and paced around for a few seconds before looking back at her brother in disbelief.


    "How could you do such a thing, Juan?" she asked.


    "I-I didn''t mean to. She never told me her true age until later."


    "And what did you do once she did tell you her age?"


    "I...still wanted to be with her."


    "Why?!"


    "Because I loved her."


    Angrily, Princess Marina turned her back towards her brother and sighed.


    "You know," she began, "Our parents care about you a lot, and they are really counting on you to stand up and make a change for the future of both, our family, and our kingdom. The least you can do is be responsible for once."


    "I...I know. I''m sorry," said Prince Juan.


    A little calmer now, Princess Marina turned back to face her brother and spoke again.


    "Because you''ve done this, it is now even more dangerous for you to be here than ever. So, I need to get you out of this land as soon as possible. My aides are looking for you nearby. After we meet up with them, we''re leaving for home right away. And once we get home, you''re going to talk to our parents about this. Whatever they choose to do with you then is up to them. But regardless, I refuse to have my little brother imprisoned, beat up, or even killed HERE. Let''s go, Juan."

 Chapter 11: Uncomfortable Encounters

    There was a brief silence as the four of us stood in the courtyard, looking at one another. However, this did nothing to dispel my anger.


    "Prince Antonio. What is the reason for your visit, and why did you bring her here?" I asked.


    "I have something to tell you," Prince Antonio answered.


    "...Is that really all? Either way, that doesn''t give you the right to bring some random stranger to my abode without my permission. Where has your common sense gone, Prince? She is to be escorted away immediately."


    "...Um..." muttered Prince Juan, "I can escort her away for you..."


    "...If it''s not too much trouble, Your Highness," I said as I looked over at Prince Juan, wondering just what kind of relationship he had with Kendyl, "that would be nice."


    "Oh, it won''t be too much trouble at all. But I do hope to enjoy another nice walk with you in the future."


    "...Of course. In the meantime, there are a few of my servants available on your way out. Please ask them to lead you to the castle''s entrance and send your friend away."


    "Yes. I will. Goodbye, Your Highness. Kendyl, come with me."


    I watched as Prince Juan took Kendyl by the arm and led her away, with Prince Antonio watching him inquisitively. When Prince Juan and Kendyl were gone, Prince Antonio turned back to me to speak.


    "Talking to other guys, huh?" he said.


    "So, it''s a problem for me to just simply speak to someone of the opposite sex now when you waltz around all day with a girl you''re not even engaged to? If you ask me and people around you, Prince, my behavior isn''t half as problematic as yours."


    "Hmm. Ok."


    "What is the purpose of your visit, Prince? By the way, it''s good that you''re here. There''s an important discussion that you and I need to have."


    "...I''ve decided to keep Kendyl as my mistress."


    "...You...what?!"


    "The other night, I spent the night at the mansion I got for her and we...we had sex."


    "..."


    "But look. You and I can still work out. We''ll still get married, and I can still take care of Kendyl at the same time."


    "This..."


    "And you won''t complain. Right?"


    "...This...completely eliminates the need to have that serious conversation with you."


    I turned my back to the prince in great disbelief and anger at what he told me he''s done.


    "...Well, that''s great. So, you agree?" the prince asked.


    "You...you take your little mistress and get out of my castle, Prince."


    "What about your answer?"


    I turned back to look at the prince directly in the eyes.


    "You''re still welcome to come to the castle''s New Year''s celebration party. By then, you will have your answer. In the meantime, you take that girl and leave my presence. Now."


    I watched as the prince simply just walked away. And when he was gone, I nearly fell to my knees in grief.


    Meanwhile, Prince Juan and Kendyl were promptly led outside of the castle. Once they were there, Prince Juan wished Kendyl a good day and was about to go back inside when Kendyl stopped him.


    "Wait," she said, "Can I talk to you? It will only take a few minutes."


    After asking the princess''s servants to standby and wait for him, Prince Juan took Kendyl a little distance away from the castle to speak.


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "So, what do you want to talk about?" he asked.


    "Don''t you miss me?" asked Kendyl.


    "..."


    "You know I didn''t forget you, right?"


    "...And I didn''t forget what you did and didn''t do, Kendyl."


    "..."


    "If you don''t have anything important to talk to me about, I''ll get going."


    "Wait. Please, listen. You and I...we can get back together. I missed you...And there''s no reason for you to be talking to that princess."


    "Then what are YOU doing with that prince?"


    "I..."


    "See? You''re still the same. You haven''t changed, even after all this time. Just leave me alone, Kendyl. And don''t try to find me."


    With that, Prince Juan took his leave, returning to the castle and leaving Kendyl standing where she was.


    As Kendyl watched Prince Juan walk away, she started to hear whispering nearby. Turning her head slightly, she noticed that there was a small group of women not too far from her, whispering to each other.


    "Is that her?" one of the women asked.


    "The rumors are true. And she really is a fat pig. Eww," said another woman.


    "But what the heck is that thing doing here?" asked yet another woman.


    After concluding that the women were talking about her, Kendyl confronted them.


    "Hey!" she shouted, "I''m standing right here, and I deserve respect! Don''t go running your stupid little mouths about me!"


    At this, the women exploded into laughter.


    "Oh, so the pig speaks," said one of the women.


    "Does a parasite like you really deserve respect when you''re nothing but a fat, ugly homewrecker?! How dare you interfere with our great princess''s engagement?!"


    "Sh-shut up or I''ll beat all of your little asses!" shouted Kendyl.


    "You''ll beat us, eh? Oh, don''t be silly. We''re not afraid of you. As women of the land of Morado, we, as well as other women, are very well encouraged to be strong and know how to defend ourselves. We may look docile like this but trust me. We really do pack a punch. The best thing for YOU to do is to stay away from the castle. We would like to continue to feel safe coming here in its proximity to socialize. If you do not comply, because you threatened us first, WE''LL beat YOU. And if we aren''t satisfied with our own damage, we''ll get our men to beat you, too."


    "..."


    "And with that vulgar, uncouth mouth of yours, you don''t sound like you''re from here anyway. How does that prince even like you?...But then again, he is from the west, and given how those people act, there''s no wonder he''s attracted to someone like you. Tsk Tsk. Old habits die hard. This makes me feel even more sorry for our princess. I do hope you aren''t also from the west, brat."


    As the women began to laugh among themselves again, Kendyl ran off a little distance away from them with tears in her eyes, hoping they wouldn''t follow her. When she thought she got far enough away, she stopped behind a bush to catch her breath. Soon after, she overheard a few men talking.


    "Did you hear about or see what happened with that guy the other day at the castle?" said one of the men.


    "No. What happened?" asked another.


    "That guy had the nerve to try to force himself into the castle and demand to speak to the princess. Not only that, I heard he offered to be her suitor."


    "What?"


    "No way! Really?"


    "Yup."


    "But who was that guy, anyway. He sounds like some stupid drunk, or something."


    "You know that darn prince of the west? The guy who did all that nonsense is his attendant, apparently."


    "What?" whispered Kendyl to herself.


    "Kendyl!" shouted Prince Antonio as he appeared behind Kendyl, startling her, "Why are you here? I''ve been looking all over for you."


    "I-I got lost, that''s all."


    "Come on. I''m going to take you somewhere to eat."


    "...Actually, I don''t feel good right now. Can you take me home?"


    "You sure?"


    "Yeah. Also, I would like to spend the night alone in my mansion tonight."


    "Really? Why?"


    "...I don''t want to get you sick."


    "I can just sleep in another room."


    "Please, Antonio. I need some space."


    Looking a bit annoyed, Prince Antonio reluctantly agreed to allow Kendyl to spend the night alone in her mansion and promptly took her home.


    Later that night, Kendyl was sitting alone in the dining room, staring off into space, waiting for Mike to show up. When he finally did, she continued to sit and stare, not even bothering to greet him. Mike eventually seated himself at the dining room table where Kendyl was sitting and helped himself to some cold chicken that was sitting on the table.


    "Mmm...You got a problem or something?" said Mike, "Why you not talking?"


    "...Mike," began Kendyl, "There''s something I heard about earlier today."


    "Oh, really?"


    "Is it true that you tried to get with the princess?"


    "What? No."


    "Don''t lie to me, Mike."


    "I ain''t try to get with no god damn princess."


    "...There were some people who said that they clearly saw you go to the castle, make a fuss, and offer to be with her. And another one said that they recognized you as the prince''s attendant. And the prince only has ONE attendant."


    "..."


    "How could you do that, Mike?! After all I''ve done for you, why would you try to cheat on me like tha-"


    Suddenly, Mike got up from his seat and slapped Kendyl so hard, she tumbled to the floor. Shocked, she looked up at him as he walked over to her, knelt down, and grabbed her by her face.


    "Look here, you fucking slut," said Mike, "If it weren''t for ME, you wouldn''t be in this situation where you could have a nice house and nice clothes and shit. And how do I know you won''t betray me when that prince finally gets with you? I know y''all fucking, too. So, you ain''t no different. You better remember that I''m the only one who knows you''re a fucking harlot from the west, and if you don''t fucking act right, you better believe I''ll tell the princess who you are, and she''ll deport your ass back there in a heartbeat."


    "AND I''LL TELL HER YOU''RE FROM THE WEST, TOO!"


    This time, Mike punched Kendyl in the face, sending her face down on the floor before he stood back up.


    "Go on ahead and try that shit!" he said, "I''ll fucking kill you if I have to!"


    Mike then grabbed his cold chicken, turned out all the lights in the dining room, and went upstairs to one of the rooms, leaving Kendyl alone on the dining room floor, sobbing.


    "

 Announcement

    Dear Readers,


    I have some interesting news. Due to personal and technical reasons, all future chapters of Tale of the Sovereign Empress will be moving exclusively to the following reading platforms from Monday, August 26: Webnovel.com and ScribbleHub.com. I apologize if for any reason this proves to be an inconvenience for you guys. Moreover, I want to thank you all so much for your support thus far, and I hope that this novel will continue to be an enjoyable one for you all. I can''t wait to continue this journey with you in our new home. Stay tuned, and see you on Webnovel.com, and ScribbleHub.com.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Best,


    K. I. Mura