Tales Under A Cloud

06| Light and Shadow

The third round started and Lady Fanzi told them to dress elegantly. Yuxin chose to wear a suit. That made her look more powerful than she already was.

"Have you ever been told that you could steal a girl's heart too?" Yuyan said, who had finished combing her red hair.

"No, and that color looks good on you".

She rolled her eyes, because Xie Na was the one who forced her to wear that.

"What hidden talent will you show?" she asked, changing the topic of her dress.

Today's round will be to show some talent. Because they say princesses must have something she's good at.

"It's a secret"

Both went out and met the other participants in the main hallway. Now there were only seven of them left.

"With that on, are you trying to get the prince to eliminate you now?" asked one of them, which had a number eight on her dress. The other girls, who were watching, no longer found it a surprise that Yuxin was still in the competition after two rounds, but felt that they were already losing against her. Only participant number eight doesn't agree with that.

"Are you trying to piss me off?" Yuyan replied, stepping in front of Yuxin.

"Yuyan, it's alright"

Her friend took one last look with a piercing gaze at that girl and then they went to the room where they would do the activity.

The place was beautifully decorated, there were flowers in every corner and the people who attended to see them were very well dressed. They sit in the middle, while the girls have to sit in the back. Those with the highest priority would be the prince, the king, and the queen.

Kun looked back when they arrived. He found Yuxin easily and his smile stretched on its own.

"Do you have someone you like already?" her mother asked, looking towards the girls as well and before he could answer, the instructor caught everyone's attention.

"Attention, please. We will start the activity when the king indicates it".

The father then moved his hand forward so that they could begin.

"Well, we'll do it in order. Number two, it's your turn."

Kun was surprised that they still called them by number when it is clear that they have been here for more than a week.

Zuyi, that's how she introduced herself, danced a waltz and then did a few extra steps before the music ended.

The participants then went up one by one, and Kun was excited to see what Yuxin would show them.

Participant nine bowed when she finished reciting a poem. Yuxin then came up and the public began to murmur. Kun clenched his jaw in annoyance because he could hear the things they were saying to her.

"It's her?" the mother asked and he immediately relaxed his shoulders.

"She is Yuxin, mom".

"I know, she just said it" The queen teased her son, who was just there blushing.

Yuxin said something about what she likes to do and doesn't care what other people think about it. Then she went to the back as everyone waited in silence.

She pulled something long and showed what was inside.

The king and queen shared a look. Mrs Cai was smiling and her husband nodded in aprovement. They all came out so Yuxin could show them her talent. But someone wasn't relaxed with that idea.

Kun bit his lip in concern. He knows she's good at fighting, he figured it out with the pose and the way she moves and attacks with the sword, but he was still worried. Every time a soldier tried to attack her. Kun's chest was tightening, luckily for him, the queen noticed it and ended the battle.

The prince eliminated number three and eight.

And now that everyone was gone, he went to find Yuxin. But she wasn't in her room.

"Xie Na, do you know where Yuxin is?"

His maid told him that she went with ChengCheng to the back garden. Xie Na saw him go there and then smiled proudly. She is the one who has the most contact with Kun because she is his main servant, and lately she has noticed a change in him. The prince usually gave her the same smile every day when he greeted her, but now his smile has changed since he met Yuxin. It's always new every day, like fresh air.

It seems like the right person came to this competition, she thought before heading back to the kitchen.

The prince came to the garden and found them fighting with so much energy. Kun has already fought several of his soldiers for practice, but now that scene in front of him seemed terrifying.

"You are very good, Yuxin. Let's do another round."

"No more rounds, ChengCheng" interrupted the prince between them.

"You want to fight her?"

"Of course not, I won't"

"Why not?" they both asked at the same time and Kun looked at Yuxin.

"Don't get me wrong, I know you are very good at it"

"You are too," ChengCheng reply.

"But I'm worried that she will get hurt. I would never forgive me if something happened to her,"Kun said without taking his eyes off of Yuxin.

She immediately looked away from his eyes. Her heart fluttered. No boy had ever said such a thing to her. Most of them always wanted a sword battle to defeat her, but Kun is the first one to consider her safe.

They returned inside the castle and when they went to the main room, a small party welcomed them.

"Why..."

"It's to celebrate that we are close to the final, but I don't know if..." Zuyi looked at Kun and he just nodded in aprovement. Then she began to drag Yuxin with the other girls.

ChengCheng joined them and, surprisingly, the prince as well.