Womanish Lady

Chapter 17:

This time, the once noisy onlookers were now silent. King Lenon raised his eyebrows in curiosity and the two brothers leaned on the ledge for a closer look.

The signal was given, and Fuyaiyah and the Queen started the last course. Fuyaiyah wanted to know why the Queen was smiling in her direction but getting further into the course, she was focused.

The midpoint of the course was when there were no more leg obstacles and obstacles requiring pure upper-body strength came into play.

Though Fuyaiyah was active in her youth, she didn't exercise everyday like the Queen does with her servant. Which is why she was surprised - though well pleased - when Fuyaiyah glided through the upper body tests equally as her.

There was a moment when they both flipped in the air, and they met each other's eyes. Both of their eyes were sparkly - passionate about the event, but for different reasons.

"I really miss doing this." One pair of eyes had said.

"Come on! Let me see all that you got! I can't do this as often." Said the other pair.

Fuayaiyah was skeptical of the message in her opponent's eyes and lost interest in giving it her all. Then she saw Princess Zyla as she flipped. She was still and had a worried look on her face.

They were now at the final stretch where they ran to slap the judges hand. The Queen proved to everyone that she didn't need her break, but Fuyiyah did, and she lagged behind.

The Queen was the first to slap the judge's hand.

Everyone cheered for the Queen when she was announced the winner. Fuyaiyah and the Queen curtsied at each other before she went to join Princess Zyla.

Meanwhile, the King nodded his head at the final results, but the two brothers immediately argued.

"See? Fuyaiyah didn't win. Like anyone else, she had a fifty percent chance of winning or losing. Stop suspecting her now."
Prince Kyuni wasn't even listening. He looked down at Fuyaiyah with an upset look before making the long walk to get to her.

"No, something's not right."

The King was already descending to greet his wife and Kyuni followed after him and now Tuquor.

It took a half hour to reach the picnic area. By then, the females all ran to the hot tubs. And they shrieked with awe when the King found his wife and kissed her on the cheek, but shrieked with embarrassment when Prince Kyuni came, fuming and searching for Fuyaiyah.

Fuyaiyah was enjoying the hot chocolate that the Royal Officials surprised them with and talking to Zyla and the other Princess with her servant.

"Fuyaiyah!" yelled Prince Kyuni.

Fuyaiyah whipped her head and was met with a slap and was dragged out of the pool. She took back her hand and took a step back.

Queen Veronica was very upset and got out of the tub and joined Prince Tuquor in going to stop Prince Kyuni.

"What happened?" asked Fuyaiyah and someone passed a warm robe for her to put on.

Prince Tuquor had pulled him back, but he took a step forward. "You know what happened! You could've easily won the final race, but you lost on purpose."

Fuyaiyah was confused.

"The race? Would it have mattered if I won?"

"Indeed it would have!" he pointed a finger at her. "You must've known I was watching you."

"Now that's ridiculous," said Tuquor.

"And creepy, brother." said Princess Zyla, who was getting out of the hot pool.

"Don't act like nobody here wasn't watching her!"

"Yes," said the King to his son. "I'm sure everyone took notice of her. But," he looked at her and smiled.

"- Fuyaiyah, it seems like Kyuni was your number one fan; he was rooting for you, and now he can't stand that you lost."

Relieved with the joke, the girls started laughing and Kyuni was embarrassed on top of his fury, but he couldn't show it to his father.

"I don't care about today's result. But I will still hold my suspicions about you!" he said before leaving the scene.

Tuquor was about to say his apologies on his brother's behalf, but the King did so instead.

"Please excuse my son. We had put together this event so all of the Palace Princesses could enjoy themselves. But he ruined it."

Prince Tuquor was uneasy about the King's friendly tone. So was Fuyaiyah, who bowed.