Villain's Second Chance

12 - Visiting The Floating Islands

Princess Sun Ying stood next to her guards in front of the river. The sight brought me back to months ago, when she had first arrived in Yatager at this very same spot.

She was also wearing an outfit similar to the first time I had met her as well. It was another red dress, and her hair had been tied up into an extravagant bow. Over one of her ears was a red flower.

"Prince Kori." She greeted with a smile. "It is wonderful to see you."

"As to you, Princess Sun Ying." I replied with a slight bow.

As I stood fully back up, her eyes trailed from my own to a little downwards. She was staring straight at my neck, where the bandages were currently wrapped around.

She walked a few steps forward, her hand stretching out towards my face. My body involuntary went rigid, not listening to my demands to stay still.

I must keep relations with Princess Sun Ying and Tiānshān as high as possible. I must do anything and everything I can, or my chance at the throne will be impossible.

How could a prince who loses a treaty become king? That is nothing short of failure.

Perhaps she noticed the shift in my body, for her hand paused before it could get any further. She brought it back down, her eyes moving back up to stare into mine.

"Has your injury not healed yet?" She asked.

"It has healed." I simply replied, hoping that she'd leave it at that.

She stared at me for a moment longer, before turning around. "Well, it is finally time for you to come to my home, Prince Kori. Shall we?"

She walked back towards her guards as I followed. Past them, on the river, was a boat of surprising size. And not only that, but a crew was on the boat as well.

Two of the guards got on first, followed by Princess Sun Ying and I, and then the other two guards last. As we had finally boarded, the crew, made up of Hòuyì and Yǔmáo from Tiānshān, got to work. We started to move down the river, heading to leave Yatager.

Yatager's river had two different exit points. In one direction, the river would let out to the sea next to Seinaru. But in the direction we were going, the river would let out into the sea inbetween Yatager and Viventium. The same sea that the floating islands of Tiānshān resided above.

Something which I hadn't realized the first time Princess Sun Ying had come to Yatager was that the trip from Tiānshān to Yatager took about a day. Each time she came down, she'd spend a day getting to Yatager, a day in our nation, and then a day returning back.

Thankfully, I had finally realized this fact before this trip. I informed Eman that I would be gone for three to four days, and to take care of some things I had assigned him in the meantime. He accepted without a second thought. How simple.

"Are you excited?" Princess Sun Ying asked, standing at the edge of the ship and looking out into the distance. "To see Tiānshān?"

Am I?

I have never been outside of Yatager before. My whole life, both of this one and my first, I had always been in Yatager. Whether it be Solus or the desert, I've never ventured past my nation.

The thought of visiting another nation does interest me, but it's never been something I have thought too long about. My goals have and will always remain the same.

To become the king of Yatager.

"I suppose I am." I admitted.

"You will love it." Princess Sun Ying promised. "Past the storm, the sky is as blue as it could ever be. The air is fresh, and the grass is cool. You could lay there for hours."