Moonstruck

| Chapter III |

"Let's take a short break." The bow wielder sighs, letting her arms drop to her sides. The shorter princess quickly agrees, "Yes, yes!! I made sandwiches for a snack!" She smiles, grabbing Princess Taylanie's arm and gently guiding her to two wood-woven baskets with a small brown blanket next to them. Puffing her chest out proudly, she announces, "I wove those baskets myself!" Envy watches silently as the two converse, wondering if she's allowed to speak. Her gaze drifts to Ash, who's currently fixing his hair. Grimacing, Envy turns back to the Princesses, spreading the blanket across the grass. "Is that so?" The older asks, sitting on the now laid blanket. Ms.Tanna instead drops onto both knees, holding the basket with care, showing off the impressive pattern.

"Yes! Back at home, a very nice servant taught me! She was so sweet, even though I was extremely terrible at first." The other hums in acknowledgment, "You should teach me sometime." She says, opening the lid of the basket. Ash leans his body over to peek at the contents inside the basket, squinting, and then going back to his original stance. Envy squints at him. "I'd be honored! Maybe we can make a basket and then see if I can balance that on my head!" Ms.Tanna quirks, pulling neatly made sandwiches out of the basket, handing one to Taylanie. Their conversation carries on, while Envy directs her attention to Ash. "So- uh. Are we gonna see the King and Queen?"

Ash shrugs, "Maybe." he pondered. Then he blinks in sudden realization and turns to the younger. "Speaking of the King and Queen," He starts. Envy feels scolded already. "You can be casual around the Princesses and Prince, but when it comes to the King and Queen, they WILL kill you if you disrespect them. So watch your tongue, but don't overreact either." Envy shivers. "Way to knock the edge off." Envy thinks as she nods nervously. In an attempt to take her mind off the royal family, she takes a small look around the courtyard. The courtyard is very big, at least the size of a regular building in diameter. The grass is cut neatly, and the sunlight bounces off the morning dew romantically. The door is at least 7 feet tall with a red and white target messily painted on the back of it. Next to it, a thick, long and tall dark green bush parts the great courtyard from the rest of the world. Much taller than Envy.

She turns her attention back to the Princesses.
"—Ah and your kingdom is so beautiful! The architecture and your kind knights, servants, maids, and cooks, it's all so wonderful! And you don't get any stray Princes?!" Ms.Tanna gushed, half-eaten sandwich in her lap, crumbs getting onto her light pink dress. "Ah..no. Sorry, but what are stray Princes?" The archer asked, have been finished her sandwich already and now hand her hands folded neatly in her lap. "Ah, I wish I were you," she sighs. "Stray Princes are Princes that come from other kingdoms and offer themselves to the Princesses with the intent of an arranged marriage." As Princess Tanna explained, Envy could see Princess Taylanie's face morph into a baffled confusion. Envy couldn't blame her, even Ash's seemed a bit taken aback, scratching his freckled face. "Ever since I was about seven or eight, I'd get dozens of Stray Princes asking for my hand in marriage!" Tanna puts her chin in her cupped hands, sighing. "They're such a nuisance, I wish my parents would take away that privilege."

The Princess of Keljamt, shocked, stutters out, "Y-your hand in marriage?" She says quickly, Tanna responding with a brisk nod. "I can barely get a man to look at me without my Mom's attempting to KILL them, and you get proposals? daily?" She blinks, pure disbelief evident in her tone. Tanna nods sadly, her hair falling over her shoulders. "Unfortunately. It's a shame because all I hear from other Princesses and Queens is that I'm supposed to get swept off of my feet by this handsome charming bloke, and he's supposed to change my life forever. But.." The crown-less princess pouts, leaning on one hand now. "All the men I meet are just.. tiring." Tanna glooms, sounding genuinely sad.

Taylanie huffs, pouting briefly. "I've always waited for someone to like me, or for me to fall for someone but I can't even get NEAR anyone without my Mom's going completely insane. I remember I had this thing with a Knight, and as soon as I told my Mom, she sent him to the dungeon and peeled the skin off of his neck, and while he was still alive, poured white wine on the wound. I feel like I can never get near people without putting them in grave danger." Taylanie finishes, crossing her arms. It goes silent. Tanna gets deathly pale, Envy looks like she's about to be turned to stone—though, that might be normal for her—Ash is less shocked, but still staring and the Princess in disbelief.