Beautiful Scar

Chapter 16

The evening ray had descended quite fast in the woods. Scarlet's unit was awaiting for carriages and horses to be brought upon by Lance's group. To pass the time, some men still enjoyed their remaining leisure here, fishing, foraging, catching some short and yet deep slumber in the open air.

The suitors were hunched up on another corner, feeling out of place and unsure what to do. They merely sat there and tried to relax. Although, James and Jackel's heads were nodding off from time to time. They were really exhausted.

Neville was really quiet.

Dylan lied down gazing at the slow-blue-turning-to-orange sky, unsure of what lied ahead, honestly. This place felt so far away from his own Kingdom, his worries, his Mother's wrath. He closed his eyes for a moment to soak up this serenity.

Zuber, however was not with them. He somehow was already easing himself in with the group of men surrounding Scarlet and Mason who were both playing a game of chess in another corner.

Apparently, Zuber was assisting Mason to make the next move to counter Scarlet.

But Scarlet was steps ahead. She took her piece, moved a few steps and easily defeated Mason.

That caused a mixture of groan and cheers.

"Not bad, Officer Mason and Prince Zuber. But you both have long ways to go..." she smirked.

Not long after that, their carriages and horses arrived.

The suitors all boarded into the carriage with Lucas and Mason accompanying them. Scarlet however, hopped onto her black horse and rode away.

In the carriage, as James and Jackel continued to doze off. Dylan started to ask Zuber, curious, "So, what made you all of a sudden so chummy with that girl?"

Neville looked over the window, listening and aware.

"I had something I require from her", Zuber simply replied. "And she agreed to assist".

"Really now", Dylan was not convinced. "Assisting in what huh, eliminating us, your competitions?"

"That's absurd", Zuber calmly snorted. And Dylan was shocked to see the change in Zuber's character. "Don't you realize we already dug our own graves the moment we agreed to participate in this battle royale event? Are you blind to see that she and the Princess are no mere girls in dresses and bejeweled blades? They are women that could sway the hearts of men and influence the scale of balance of the Kingdom".

Dylan was rendered speechless. Even Neville finally turned to see the look in Zuber's eyes.

There was determination and somehow an unwavering conviction surfaced onto Zuber's face.

Whatever pact he made with Scarlet, Neville realized Zuber had somehow won some form of grace with the Lady with the Scar.

When all the suitors had reached the palace, they were so drained from today's training, that all of them considered turning in early for the day.

Until Fina saw them and invited them to join her for dinner later that night.

Despites their exhaustion, they forced a smile and agreed to accompany her.

The day passed by quite peacefully, or at least, the suitors' numbers remained at five today, despites the brutal regime they went through.

However, in Neville, James and Jackel's chambers, a new roll of scroll laid on their dressing table, that night before they settled into beds.

There was not much changes except there were 'Additional Training Lessons' in the upcoming days ahead.

And in the comfort of their chambers, Neville sighed, James and Jackel groaned in reluctance.