Beautiful Scar

Chapter 4

The next morning, the six young men gathered at the garden patio and took their seats on a round dining table. They saw other young ladies and men were gathering for breakfast, possibly they were guests from last night's ball, extending their stays here or returning to their homeland this morning.

There were two vacant seats on the round table. One, they suspected would be Princess Fina and another they thought was reserved for Scarlet. They were unsure whether James or Zuber would be the fortunate or unfortunate ones depending on who's their next seaters.

But a man in loose beige tunic with a sword strapped across his waist pulled up a chair and sat next to James.

"Good morning gentlemen", Lance greeted them and offered a handshake to each of them. "I'm Captain Lance. It's a pleasure meeting you all".

Deep down some of the men were relieved to have Lance here instead of Scarlet.

"You know, my friend Scarlet was so excited meeting you lot, she couldn't even sleep and now she's catching up sleep before your session with her starts", said Lance.

Dylan and Ronald smirked the widest, "Well, I don't blame her. She is a young lady after all. Being surrounded with men of our caliber must have caused her having some strange emotions and infatuations", Ronald boasted.

Lance laughed so loud. Oh these men were going to get whipped so badly.

The remaining men merely smiled politely to acknowledge the humor in Lance's words, for they knew excited was an exaggeration or maybe it was. She was probably excited to find ways to execute them.

While the men did come out ways and plans to survive the test, Scarlet was also up at night studying the six men's profile again. And she also gave another read-over on the task she would carry out on them, to cut the weak.

A few minutes later, Fina joined the table. All the young men greeted her eagerly.

Then, breakfast was served and Fina animatedly talked about the dishes, asking Zuber and the rest of the men of their backgrounds and such.

"Later, I will escort them to Scarlet", Lance told Fina but the men were all listening and observing the exchanges of these two cousins.

"Ah, I see. Then, send my regards to her", she took a sip of her tea after that. "It's your day off, is it?"

"Yes, indeed, Princess", Lance grinned.

"Scarlet must be envious of you", Fina tried to contain her giggles.

"Well, I heard that she stayed up all night to prepare for today".

Then, an elderly maid came and took their emptied plates and refilled their cups.

"Well, I hope she manages to get something to eat before the training starts", Fina was concern, knowing how her good friend could work so much up to the point of neglecting her own basic needs. But her rationing days may have influenced her endurance level. But still. "Thank you, Martha", Fina uttered her thanks to the aged lady.

"Your Highness don't worry so much", the elderly maid spoke, "My apprentice told me she spotted her barging into the kitchen and simply ate what was there. The cook was not happy".

Hearing that, Fina's eyes widened, "She did? Oh, I miss doing that!"

For some of the men on this table, these exchanges between a royalty and a servant were rather peculiar to them, and at the same time Fina's politeness and good-natured personality increased their attraction towards her.

"Ah, you two were such gluttonous children", Martha gave a small smile recalling the memories, "Well, I'll take my leave first, Princess", she nodded a bit after she finished refilling the teapots and plates, then she left.