"Your highness, please!" one interjected. But thinking that his worry for his master would be realized by the little prince was quite a big dillusion. The boy narrowed his eyes, looked at his guard with contempt but turned away without inflicting any physical harm. Instead, he spoke.
"Are you challenging this prince's authority?"
His voice sounded firm and yet still was childish. Celes grinned. It reminded her of the snotty, genius, prep school brats in many TV shows! Nonetheless, she at least behaved courteously by remaining silent just to watch the show. Well, if only did she not swing a dagger between her fingers as her arms rested on her sides would the guards start believing the stranger to be harmless.
"This servant has mispoken. Please punish me."
"Nonsense! Keep your distance, five steps back." And finally, a clear path was shown.
'He seemed like a nice boy,' she observed. 'And such white, plump cheeks!'
When the self-proclaimed prince appeared before Celes' cunning gaze, she was presented with a young beautiful boy with gentle features yet a bit too fleshy. The boy was fat. Though his robes appeared to be of high quality, thick green silk, Celes bluntly sighed. Obvious stains from oil and some sauce ruined his clothing.
'Can somebody ask this kid to clean up?'
Nevertheless, her purpose was to taste his pure Qi and see if he was worthy enough to spare. A small smile pulled the edges of her lips. Judging by the kid's wide pair of expectant hazel eyes, he must have barely tasted such fruits despite how expensive he looked.
'Boy, are you that bullied prince in novels? The foolish, ignorant type? Here, this kind older sister will gift you something yummy.' Her eyes returned his excited eyes with pity to which the boy could care less to understand. All he wanted to see was the spiritual fruit!
"Remember when I said I was gonna show you a magic trick?"
The prince nodded.
"Well, how'bout you also let me be your friend in exchange?" Of course Celes could not simply ask, 'Hey mind if I try to touch your bare skin a bit, inject you with my cheat and test your Qi?'
'Friend?' The prince immediately frowned. What strange word was she talking about? He had guards, maids, footboys, escorts, the emperor and the empress, the empress dowager, many cousins and brothers. He had never really heard of such foreign word. Except for one thing that should be the same as 'friend'. "Okay but you have to explain to me properly what that is? Are you asking to become this prince's consort?"
Most of the guards prepared their specialized bag for puking. One also had ear plugs ready just in case the girl started laughing. It was already old news whenever girls rejected their master.
Yet Celes may have a few loose screws in her head but her sanity was highly intact, at least most of the time. Before speaking, she thought about observing and deciding first prior to answering the question. The girl tilted her neck and that lone eye scanned the kid up and down, giving him a thorough check. He seemed to be no older than 13 or 14 years of age. He is younger than me.... again.
Then she checked his face, his gentle yet beautiful features that scrunched and looked too ignorant. Celes preferred not to use the word innocent, such character is much too scarce in this world.
His fair, porcelain skin was plump. A big mochi. If Celes could get closer, no such thing as awkwardly asking for his permisaion before pinching his cheeks! She wondered if it was soft enough that biting his cheeks would feel soft despite the huge possibility that it will make him cry. He looked like the type to cry immediately anyway.
His dark, ebony hair was so silky too reminding her of the night sky. Just thinking about that, Celes was reminded that her braiding skills were in need of polishing.
She sighed. He may be chubby but the kid would make a good companion, especially that this one is simply a diamond in the rough. "Why not?"
'So am I right?' he wondered. Looking at her, she was very different to others. From her tanned skin, her short hair, her voice and way of talking, the woman would make an excellent consort in his future. After so many encounters with beauties, his perception of them have dwindled down. The little prince though young have started to look past appearances already. 'Unlike those mean white lotus girls around me, this woman did not ridicule this prince!' He thought. As young as he was, wedding bells and the shade of a red veil has already entered his day dreams. His cousins cannot make fun of him any longer because he now have someone like a fiancée. The misinterpretation simply kept progressing in his mind.
To Celes, his yes was as good as a signed contract accompanied with a handshake and an official ribbon cutting event. The poor young prince have failed to evaluate her crookedness.
So she flicked her wrist, summoning a strange looking orange spiritual fruit. A smile spread her lips, showing her pearly white teeth and blinding the wild beasts that have been slowly approaching from within the fog.
On the other hand, the three guards were not deaf nor blind nor were sick, they knew for sure that this crazy woman had some tricks up her sleeves. The prince does not know what friendship meant and she also did not bother clarifying it, only made it even more vague. Oh poor prince! More importantly, to be able to have such fruit on her hand was rather surprising. Was she a travelling merchant and dared to loot this cursed forest? How smart, they thought. They could not bring to curse such odd female who appears out of nowhere in this scary forest, appearing unscathed and relaxed. Even so, shall this stranger dare harm their prince, mentally or physically would she have her head served on a golden platter to appease their prince's grief.
Unsurprisingly, Celes had the same thought for them if they dare touch her. They were already breathing the same air as her so they should find it fortunate to be still alive while being strangers placed on a very close proximity with the former god of war. But then a picture of freshly skinned arms on two soldiers have been quickly remembered. She shook her head. Celes believed that she would not be that cruel. And yet a crooked smile still stretched her lips.
In front of the prince, Celes advertised the orange spiritual fruit that tasted like watermelon. "This spiritual fruit can replenish strength and nurture one's Qi." If she was to make the prince consume it, Celes felt excited. "Here, this is our token of friendship okay?"
The royal boy he was, it was not uncommon for him to come across schemes and traps so he furrowed his brows. It was a spiritual fruit indeed, he sensed. She was telling the truth!
"My little prince, what are you waiting for? My wrist is about to feel numb?"
'I'll trust her,' he thought and took the fruit from her palm. Without another thought, he had bitten into the fruit that sent explosive sweetness and juiciness in his mouth. His hazel eyes widened the more he ate.
Celes looked at him and rubbed her eyes. His cheeks were stuffed like a greedy monkey making reserves in his cheeks while munching onto his food. The little prince still looked cute nonetheless thus she stepped closer and pinched his cheeks.
At the same time, the spiritual beasts who have been lured in earlier by that cheat have stepped into the clearing with claws out, ready to pounce on a target. Apparently, the fleshy prince accompanied with the fruit in his hands was a delicious one. Celes knew as well that he would be a good target upon sensing their Qi but did not bother to waste confronting them. The prince's guards though only martial warriors are at the brink of break through. Taking care of the beasts would help them. Since they are busy, right now would be a great time to taste his Qi.
While Celes Falon de Lin was a known war lord in this life time, not many would know the fact that the war lord was a divine beast all at the same time. How else would this Celes be able to commit such attrocities, threaten the throne and yet still be alive. Any cultivator no matter how strong they were will always die in the hands of a stronger opponent. That greedy cheat was already a give away.
The new Celes patted the top of the prince's head.