The Last Dahlia

006

Frankly, Yuehwa didn't care who the princess eventually ended up marrying, but she agreed to stick her hand into the fray because she didn't like it when people were made to do things against their own free will. If she had been in the princess's shoes, she would have kicked up a storm in the palace instead of hiding in a corner of her room crying.

There were three days left till the start of the sparring championships—and Yuehwa was pilfering barbecued stingray from the palace kitchens.

"You simply can't think on an empty stomach," she said to herself as she took a whiff at her lunch.

Even though she now had a legitimate reason to be wandering around the palace and the princess had arranged for all her meals and lodging to be taken care of, she still preferred to go around hunting for her own food. The food that the palace maids ate was bland and dull, much too simple for a connoisseur like the Phoenix.

Lunch in hand, she wandered off to her favourite lunch spot in the palace—the little pond in the gardens with the rainbow-coloured fish. Even though her first experience by the pond had ended in a soggy mess, that didn't stop her from returning to it again.

"Would you like some?" She waved her chopsticks above the pond, teasing the poor fish within. "I don't think it'd be ethical for me to feed this to you. It would be tantamount to eating your cousin." She flicked her wrist and sent the mouthful of barbecued ray into her own mouth instead.

"Fancy seeing you again," a familiar voice called out.

Turning round, Yuehwa scowled when she realised who it was. Still dressed in his black guard's uniform, the man whom she had kicked into the very same pond a couple of days back walked over and sat himself down on the grass beside her. She ignored him and continued picking at her plate of barbecued ray.

"I'll bet you're the only palace maid I'll find eating her lunch by the pond," he continued. "You serve the princess, don't you? I've seen you leaving the princess's quarters before."

"And why does that matter to you?" Yuehwa snorted.

A guard from Gi who was keeping an eye on the princess's quarters. Clearly the crown prince of Gi was highly interested in the prospect of marrying the princess, else he wouldn't have sent his subordinate to keep watch.

"Just curious, that's all," he replied. "They say the princess of Dahai is the most beautiful woman in all the five kingdoms. I wonder what she must look like if her palace maids are all as beautiful as you are."

Yuehwa almost choked on her fish when she heard that, her cheeks flushing bright red.

Shooting the man an evil glare, she picked up a stray rock that was lying around and threw it straight at his head. It bounced lightly off his forehead, landing back on the ground with a soft thud.

"Are all men from Gi fond of opening their mouth and spewing nonsense?" she retorted.

"Have you met many of us around?" He winked in response. Laughing jovially, he leaned back against the grass, propping his hands beneath his head. With the sun's rays illuminating his face, he looked even more radiant and suave. "It wasn't nonsense though, I meant every word. Will you be accompanying the princess to the sparring championships?"

"That's none of your business."

"I hope you'll be there," he said, "to watch me take home the championship trophy."

"And the princess too?" Yuehwa glanced over towards him and raised a cynical eyebrow. "Maybe you should think twice about throwing your hat into the ring. I don't really think the king of Dahai would fancy having someone like you as his son-in-law." Anyone could register to participate in the tournament, even commoners, but everyone knew that it took much. more than that to make it past the preliminary round.