ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇꜱꜱ ᴡᴇꜱᴛᴀʀɪᴀ/ ꜱɴᴏᴡ ᴡʜɪᴛᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ʀᴇᴅ ʜᴀɪʀ ꜰᴛ. ʀᴀᴊɪ

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟎𝟏

✧˖°. ࣪𖤐 𝐒𝐞𝐡𝐲𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐧

▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀

━─────── "(Y/n)!!!"

The shrill echo of your name bounced off the grand marble walls of the Palace, a constant and unrelenting sound as your second brother, Zen, raced after you. His footsteps, heavy and hurried, reverberated through the corridors, but you were already several turns ahead.

It wasn't that you didn't care about what Zen wanted to discuss. In fact, you'd simply deemed the matter utterly unimportant, a triviality unworthy of your time. So, you'd made your escape, slipping away unnoticed ── or so you thought. Who made you forget how perceptive older brother is? He's not a trained prince for no reason!

But your brother, persistent as ever, had noticed the sudden absence of your presence and now, like a bloodhound on a scent, he was hot on your heels.

"Ugh," you muttered, eyes narrowing in frustration. The plan to ditch him had been perfectly executed up until this point.

Then, of course, Zen's aides, Kiki and Mitsuhide, had caught wind of the chase and, naturally, had joined in the fun. Now, it was a full-fledged pursuit ── Zen chasing you, and Kiki and Mitsuhide trailing him like loyal hounds. It was chaos. The halls were alive with the sound of running footsteps and flustered shouts, turning the palace into some kind of absurd game of tag.

You cursed under your breath, hating the delicate, confining dress that clung to your body. It made every step an effort, the fabric restricting your movements, but somehow ── somehow ── you were still managing to outrun your brother, much to his dismay.

"(Y/n)! Stop where you are immediately!" Zen's voice bellowed from behind you, his tone seething with irritation. His left hand rested on the hilt of his sword, clearly preparing to escalate things if needed, his glare sharpening as your figure remained just beyond his reach.

You couldn't help the grin that spread across your face, and before Zen could utter another word, you did something that nearly made him drop dead of frustration.

"(Y/n)!" His voice cracked as he watched you take an absurdly risky move ── one that made your heart skip a beat.

Without hesitation, you darted for the edge of the second-floor railing, your dress flaring around you like a ridiculous, fluttering flag. You teetered on the edge for a brief moment, your heart hammering in your chest, before you leapt onto the nearest tree branch with a boldness that made even Zen's blood run cold.

You slid down the trunk like a natural, your feet landing with a soft thud on the ground below. Standing tall, you turned to face the chaos unfolding behind you, pulling at the skin beneath your eye and sticking your tongue out like the unruly child you were.

Zen's eye twitched, his glare darkening as he realized just how far gone you were.

"Quit the chase, slowpoke!" you called over your shoulder, your tone casual, almost bored ── completely oblivious to the fact that you were a princess, and this was not the type of behavior that dignified royalty.

With a cheeky grin, you shot off into a sprint, the cool air rushing past you. A quick glance over your shoulder confirmed that Zen, despite his frustration, wasn't about to let you get away that easily. He had already launched himself off the railing, his elegant jump betraying his usually composed nature. He slid down the tree with an agility that could rival yours, landing with military precision before taking off after you, a storm of determination and annoyance behind him.

Your laughter ── light and carefree ── rang through the palace courtyard like a bell of mischief, only serving to deepen Zen's scowl. He cursed under his breath, trying to close the distance between you, but his frustration doubled as he saw you running toward the familiar, towering wall of the palace grounds.

You were heading out. He could already see the escape in your eyes.

"Sh*t..." Zen muttered to himself, his breath growing heavier as he pushed his legs faster. Of all the ways to get away, you'd chosen the one route that left him no choice but to follow ── a wall that was too familiar.

Zen's jaw clenched. He knew, without a doubt, that yelling would accomplish nothing. You were never going to stop unless you decided to.

With a burst of reckless energy, you hurled yourself toward the wall, laughing wildly as you sailed into the air. Zen's heart pounded as you soared, but then ── fate, it seemed, was a cruel mistress.

In that split second, the fabric of your dress betrayed you. The hem caught the rough edge of the stone, pulling you off balance.

"Gah!"

You landed in a graceless heap on the grass, the soft earth cushioning your fall just enough to spare you from a bruise. You rolled on impact, a tumble that would have been elegant in another life. Instead, you lay there for a moment, staring up at the sky, your heart still racing from the thrill of your escape.

But the second you looked up, your breath caught in your throat. Another figure sailed over the wall ── far too gracefully to be Zen. It was your older brother, the older brother, the one who never seemed to get involved in your mischief until now. His eyes were locked onto something ── or someone ── ahead, and in that moment of distraction, his feet caught on the edge of the wall. He, too, lost his balance.

And, as if fate had plotted this entire scenario, he fell ── not just in any way, but right on top of you, a collision of bodies and surprise that left both of you groaning in disbelief.

You blinked, your eyes wide with a mix of frustration and confusion. "Really?" You sighed, barely managing to push your brother off of you.

Zen sat up, dazed but laughing despite himself, and muttered under his breath, "God I hate you."

You couldn't help but grin. It was, after all, just another day in the life of being you.

─────── · ·End of Chapter 01· · ───────
▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
Follow for more stories and update announcements✧˖°.