Chapter 7 - The Festival (1)

There are festivals that people are always looking forward to. The dashing days to the blazing nights. The brilliant streets are covered with the colors of the rainbow. Everyone is looking forward to it.

"I didn't know you fancy this kind of event, brother," Louise steps out of the carriage. The sky is still covered in a blanket of darkness.

The knight behind her puts a cloak on her shoulder. Louise stares at her brother. The word does not sit very well in her mouth, but she still addresses him as such.

'You never changed. You're still like that kid that plays around the castle as if it was not a place flooded by blood,' Louise thought as she stared at his back.

The Crown Prince, Galien, glanced at her. "It's not like you didn't know why I am here, Louise,"

Louise stared at his crimson eyes. Werewolves are known for their fierce eyes, but only those of royal blood have eyes as red as blood. It's a clear sign of being blessed by the Moon Goddess.

"Right," Louise nods. "You're here to cheer on my cousin," she smiles as she looks around the city. The chilly breeze of dawn was harsh against her skin, but she did not mind. 

Not after she crossed gazes with those ash eyes she had been trying to forget.

***

Charlene woke up earlier than usual today. It had been a month since it was decided that she and Adhler would represent the academy in the battle of wits against their competitors. It should not be something that makes Charlene nervous.

It's not like she had never joined one before. As a matter of fact— Charlene is one of the most picked representatives when it comes to this kind of thing.

But somehow, for the reason that Charlene could not comprehend, her heart beats a little faster, and her breath is a tad shorter.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she immediately dismissed the idea of the prince talking more to her.

The past month was rather a torture to the woman who was trying so hard to avoid those ashy eyes. They had no choice but to interact with each other since they had to prepare, even a little, for the competition.

"You don't seem fine to me, though. Do you want to take some medicine?" Prince Adhler stands in front of Charlene and reaches for her forehead, but even before his hand touches the top of her head— Charlene has already stepped back.

The Lycan Prince noticed the awkwardness in the air. He clears his throat and puts his hands inside his pocket. Prince Adhler starts walking outside the dormitories first.

It was not his intention to run to Charlene this early dawn. It's just a coincidence that they both walked out of the dormitory gates right after each other.

'Tsk, why would they make the female and male dormitories across from each other? What a useless piece of land. They should have used the blank chunk at the end of the campus,' the Lycan Prince thought to himself as he stared at the twin towers that cater the dormitories for males and females in the academy.

When the sun rose, the prolonged, majestic sound of horns started blowing across the city. That indicated the start of the festival. 

Many people had been waiting since early dawn for the festival to commence; the city gates opened as the long line of people who wanted to visit the event started entering the vicinity. Humans, werewolves, Lycans, vampires, fairies, dwarves, and even the elves who are known to stay in their forest made an effort to oversee the festival.

"There are a lot of people," Charlene mentioned. She looked around the swarm of people roaming around, trying to look for familiar faces though she knew that her family would not be able to attend.

She received a letter last week indicating the worsening condition of her sister, Ashina. Charlene was firm that she wouldn't look for them, but the moment the horns were blown— her eyes subconsciously looked for her people.

"Brother!" Charlene looks in the direction of Prince Adhler. She stares at his face, unable to recognize the feeling inside her chest.

'So he could smile like that too,' she thought before looking away. She could not let the Prince know that she was lurking behind him since they passed the academy's gate.

It was not Charlene's intention to follow him. She convinced herself that they were only walking in the same direction because that was the only way to the festival. Though she was lost in her thoughts and found herself simply following the scent of the prince.

'Seriously, what is wrong with me?' Charlene walks away after seeing the prince hugging Prince Dia, the crown prince of the Lycans. 

She knew very little of the Crown Prince except for the fact that Prince Adhler admired him the most.

'He would not stop praising Prince Dia after mentioning him once,' Charlene smirks at the silliness of the Lycan Prince. Prince Adhler is usually a level-headed and a really rational person, but he would turn into a broken machine when it comes to praising his brother.

Charlene cannot believe she has spent her entire month listening to Prince Adhler about how great his brother is. 

"A penny for your thoughts?" Charlene's eyes widened when she heard that deep voice. She immediately turned around and smiled widely.

"Prince!" she exclaimed in excitement to see a very familiar face. Prince Galien chuckled at her reaction. He reached for her head and immediately turned her hair into a bird's nest.

"Seriously! Why do you keep doing that! I spent an hour on that hair," Charlene pouts.

"You mean your servants spent an hour fixing this nest?" He teases Charlene. The latter rolled her eyes and reached out her hand. Prince Galien snorts as he shakes his head in disbelief.

Charlene had always been like this since they were kids. It all started after a silly recital that they attended together. The little Charlene, who admired the giant moonflower that was made by magic that day, started asking the prince for a piece. It was all Prince Galien's fault for lying about being able to create one on his own— he was ten at the time.

Now, he always makes an effort to find a moonflower before meeting Charlene. 

Prince Galien handed her a necklace that had a pendant of the preserved moonflower. He paid a tremendous amount to get it customized by the west tower. 

Charlene stared at the necklace for a little while before she jumped to the prince and hugged him tight. "Seriously, you made my day, Galien," 

Prince Galien smiles as he pats the back of her head. 

"Now, now, you are making me jealous, Charlene," Prince Galien rolled his eyes when Charlene pulled away from him and ran to the woman behind him.

"Louise! I thought you were going to ditch me!"

"What do you think of me, cousin!" Louise smirks and hugs her. She glances at Prince Galien and sticks out her tongue to tease him.

This has been a silent battle between them since they were young. Charlene is the youngest within their circle, and she's just as adorable as a newborn puppy to them.

They started fighting for who Charlene's favorite is, and that is how the prince and the princess became more acquainted with the Ducal Family.

Prince Galien, Louise, and Charlene are busy talking tales with each other when a tall demeanor overshadows Charlene from the back.

Prince Galien's face turned dark as he stared at the man behind Charlene. "Do you know him, Charlene?"

"Oh, this is Prince Adhler, my partner for the competition this afternoon," Charlene casually told the Crown Prince.

Prince Galien furrows his brows, 'She did not even look behind her,' the easiness on Charlene's face as she greeted the Lycan Prince and then continued talking to Louise bothered the Crown Prince.

"What are you doing here?" He coldly asked Adhler. Galien's eyes glare at him, though no one could have told since his face looks relaxed as he covers his irritation with a smile.

"Pardon my intrusion to your little stroll, Your Highness," Adhler bowed his head a little to show respect. Even though he's a prince of the same status, he still recognizes the power that a crown prince holds.

Galien nods his head and then looks at Charlene, who's staring at him with squinted eyes. Galien raises his brows, but Charlene simply rolls her eyes at him.

Adhler saw all of their silliness and tried to hide his smile. He found it amusing how lively the young lady seems around the royalties of her kingdom. She usually seemed rough around the people in the academy.

"What is your business here, Prince Adhler?" Prince Galien asked him. The Lycan Prince smirks and clings his arm around Charlene's shoulder, hooking her to his side.

Charlene was alarmed, but her body seemed to cooperate with the Lycan Prince.

"Oh, I am here for my partner. If you don't mind, Your Highness, I'd like to steal her for the time being,"