Beautiful Scar

Chapter 3

Dylan was shocked to see the same girl who made him fall was the one who would determine his fate with the Princess. It annoyed him but at the same time, he welcomed this challenge. For his overconfidence made him look forward instead to exact his grudge for making him the laughing stock among his friends.

Each of these suitors was handed with a scroll. As they opened it, it revealed the tasks that would be done for the upcoming days ahead. Once a week, a new scroll would be handed to the suitor outlining the weekly task ahead.

This week, beginning tomorrow morning, they would have breakfast at the Garden with Princess Fina and her Lady companions. After that, they would have a long session until noon with Captain Scarlet on physical trainings. In the evening until nighttime, the scroll outlined 'Leisure', which King Elias elaborated, "This is the part where you men use your wit and decide on whether you would like to spend time with the Princess or interact and have a look over the kingdom's people. You may ask any of the kingdom's people here from nobles to common folks to guide your way around. So, decide wisely how you will use your time during this Leisure session".

For now, as the men took their time looking over the scroll, smiles of confidence were brimming on their faces.

"However", King Elias continued, "as I mentioned before, the brunt of the test would lie in your trainings with Captain Scarlet. If on the first day itself, you fail to appease your overseer, you will be disqualified and be sent back to your homeland. On another case, you may choose to pull out if the competitions are proving too difficult for you". He formed a grin at the last part. The rest of the audience also grinned, for such connotation implied that to those that gave up first were considered weak men. And that did not sit well with the group of suitors.

After that, King Elias instructed Scarlet to escort these men to their chambers where they would spend their months here, training, courting, dining and sleeping – all to groom them to be the next Consort to the Princess, and if they were lucky enough, to be crowned King as well – a pretty good self-interest in stored for these men.

As the group was dismissed, the ball continued without them.

The group of suitors quietly followed Scarlet's lead. Scarlet brought them into a desolate hallway, which was poorly lit and only the sounds of their footsteps could be heard as noises.

They were provided with lanterns to aid their way into dark pathways, but little light could only do so much in such a dark empty space.

Suddenly, a yelp and grunt were heard, followed by sounds of other people stumbling. Scarlet turned and shone her light and from 12 suitors, 6 had fallen unconscious, knocked out by their attackers, Scarlet's men.

The other 6 had held out their weapons they had in their clothing – knives, blades and swords. Neville and Dylan were part of the lucky six to survive the first test.

"Congratulations, to those that are still standing, you have passed the first test", Scarlet smiled. But it was an intimidating one, with only the light from her lantern shining over her face, it terrified the remaining men, thou they would not show how much being in her presence irked them.

"What was that for?!" Dylan lashed out instead. "I thought it only starts tomorrow!"

"Think of it as a pre-test – a test before a test", Scarlet replied not flinching. "And besides, while the scroll outlined as tomorrow, your effective date was today when you signed the contracts beforehand, have you forgotten?"

"That-that's ridiculous! I demand to not be played like this!"

"This is no playing matter", Scarlet cut him with a serious tone, "Would you able to defend the Princess if she was attacked in such places like this? How many people have attempted to assassinate her, does anyone here know? Have you men counted how many times you were targeted to be killed?"