My Wonderful Second Life

Chapter 53- A hard lesson

We stepped into the dusty field, where dummies, swords, spears, shields and a panoply of other war instruments gathered. Some were on the ground and some on makeshift tables, that had seen better days.

The princes were not duelling with each other, as I originally assumed, which, looking back at it, made complete sense. Instead, they were perfecting their technique under the watchful eye of their professor. Even at a distance, I could see droplets of sweat forming on their foreheads. Their workout tunics drenched in pools of it.

And yet, by professor Sousa's expression, it seemed they were not doing enough. The man had this constant frown stuck on his face, which only deepened when he lifted his eyes to see us arrive.

The princes sensed his mood had worsened and stopped their exercise and followed the man's stare. Both turned apprehensive the moment they saw me and the princess linking arms. But while Francis just lifted his perfect brow, cleaning his forehead with a handkerchief, Cedric glanced to my side, where some solitary trees provided a soft shade.

It confused me until I felt Wolff's presence near. His watchful amber eyes lingered on me and the princess. Flanking her was Lord Fridh, although from where he came and how Francis enlisted such action was unknown to me.

"My dear brother," called Odette with genuine fondness in her voice. "I was lonely, and I longed to see you and prince Cedric, of course."

The muscles on Francis' face relaxed, and I wondered if the princess hadn't been truthful with us back then. If indeed she had felt left out and discarded.

"Odette, I am happy to see you." replied Francis with a smile, before throwing a glance back at a displeased professor Sousa. "Unfortunately, we are in the middle of our class. Maybe later we can have some tea." He gestured to Fridh, who grew closer to the princess, ready to take her hand. "Lord Fridh will arrange it."

Princess Odette hardly took notice of the boy beside her. Instead, she moved forward, dragging me with her. "Who is winning? I hope your highness, Prince Cedric, does not take my words at heart when I say I wish for my brother's victory."

There were silent gasps around us and a very visible wincing coming from Francis. Odette was being not only childish, but potentially creating a problem. One Professor Sousa was ready to cut by its source.

"Dear Princess, the royal princes cannot duel with each other. Those are the rules. It is a law as old as the Empire." his partially bald head glinted at the sun and his voice was of a stone kind. But the princess was undeterred.

"How they will train for battles if they cannot partake in one simple duel?" she replied, unconvinced.

"Odette." warned Francis, approaching. His knuckles were salient from clutching his sword, like little ridges.

She was being irresponsible to degrees of foolishness. I had expected her to know why they couldn't fight. Balance was the key for the Sun and Moon Empire relationship. To keep the harmony between each other, one should never outshine the other. They should be equal. Both in strength and ability.

And as a royal princess, she should promote that and not piss all over the traditions and rules that kept both empires at peace for hundreds of years.

"The princes can duel with members of the palace, your highness." explained Professor Sousa, whose breathing was coming out rough like his words.

It looked like it was hard for him to be polite with his princess.

Odette continued to be undeterred, and she stepped forward again, her shoulders pulled back. "I always thought that the rule was-"