Dan: Sighs.
Jek: (Pats Dan's shoulder) Man, I understand how you feel bro.
Kora: Uh... Are you guys alright???
(Standing beside the front doors of Ken's bakery, Dan and Jek both look like they have just came out from hell, exhausted and depressed)
Jek: Don't ask. Royal scandal.
Dan: No, I wouldn't put it that way. More like rumors.
Kora thoughts: What are they talking about...? Maybe I shouldn't ask, it probably isn't something I should know.
Kora: Um, okay... Well, tell me if you guys need anything okay? (About to leave)
Jek: Wait wait wait, aren't you curious?
Kora: ? But isn't this some kind of royal scandal...
Dan: No. It's a bit complicated but, just some small rumors. It isn't really that important.
Jek: Well I wouldn't say "small". Their story is roaming everywhere, on the news too. Almost everyone I know is talking about it. They're even taking sides now, judging who's fault it is that ultimately caused all this drama.
Kora: Um... Could you please start from the beginning if you want to tell the story? I'm already getting confused...
Jek: Interested now aren't you? How about this, 3 mofs for a story, deal?
Kora: Uh... Nevermind, I'm actually quite busy for storytelling so...
Dan: (Glares) Seriously, Jek. Snitching money from a little girl? Aren't you embarrassed? (To Kora) Ignore him, I'll tell you. It isn't something big, basically--
Jek: (Interrupts) Nope! Don't, trust me, he sucks. I'm better at this. Don't worry, I'll give you a free ticket since it's your first time.
(Dan rolled his eyes, but silently agrees to let Jek take over. Kora laughs awkwardly and takes three chairs over. After they all sat down, Jek slowly begins)
Jek: (Coughs) Thanks for coming, everyone. No need to applause.
(Dan rolled his eyes again)
Jek: So it basically began with prince Loki's personal knight Melsior. Melsior you know? (Before Kora responds) Meh, it doesn't matter if you don't, I'll explain it to you. Just imagine a stupid silver haired "handsome" man that's about the same height as his highness.
Kora thoughts: Silver haired... Hmm, can't imagine... I don't think I've ever met someone with silver hair before. Just imagine someone handsome I guess.
Jek: Anyways, really irritating and really against my will to admit but, basically every single women in this city of Daintaline likes him. Yea I know, so stupid right? Like he's some kind of celebrity: "Oh~ Sir Melsior~~" Yuck. I would've understand why he's so popular if he had a nice character. You see, he is a real, REAL asshole. The only thing positive about him is probably JUST his looks. Which, is the only thing that matters apparently.
Dan: Jek, get to the point.
Jek: Shh! Don't rush, I'm getting to the point this is all really important okay? (Turns back to Kora) So along with all his fans and fame, his popularity also brought him a bit of trouble, and one of them is our heroine of the story, Lady Alice. Or, maybe, princess Alice.
Jek: You may be curious, "Who the hell is this princess Alice?" Well, she's bit of an awkward character. Kind of like, you know, one our great King's hobby's... child. Argh, that sounds weird. Just know she's kind of a princess okay. Although her reputation is a mess. Mostly because of her small hobby -- probably after her father -- in "collecting" pretty looking men and keeping them in her own palace. You know, the thing (Winks).
Kora: ...???
Dan: (Coughs) Ahem! (Glares)
Kora: (Confused) Um, question? What do you mean by "collecting"--?
Dan: Cut, cut! This is irrelevant let's get this story going. (Glares) Jek, no more "jokes", please. We have kids here listening.
Jek: Alright, alright! I'm actually being quite cautious of my word choice here, you know. Anyways, just know shes a women that likes pretty men. That's it. You probably can guess where this is going now.
Kora: Well, uh... I'm still a bit unclear about some details but, I'm guessing there is some connection between sir Melsior and the princess? You just said the princess likes pretty men so... Does she possibly like sir Melsior?
Jek: Bingo! You're a smart kid. Although I wouldn't really say "like" but "interested". I doubt she has any true feelings in her relationships.
Jek: To be honest, I'm not a big fan for a "clean and delicant" princess. Everyone has their own little hobbies, I guess. She isn't really a villain or a horrible person anyways. She's so powerless to a point I wouldn't even call her a princess. You would depend on the etiquette of the higher ranking nobles for them to call her "highness". She's more like just a king's daughter than the princess of the country.
Dan: (Sighs) Well, I do feel bad for her sometimes.
Jek: (Shrugs) No need. Either way her life is way better than ours. A big palace to live, plenty of delicious food, bunch of pretty clothes, and don't forget her "collection" of handsome boys, man what a harem. Sure, it's true she doesn't have any political power and can not inherit the throne, but what difference does it make when there's prince Loki? I'm telling you, with his highness here, no one can take away the throne. Although it's more impossible for princess Alice since her mother is... well, you know.
Dan: (Frowns) You're getting off track.
Kora thoughts: Yes... Very off track, I'm all confused again. What are they talking about now? Uh, actually, maybe it's better if I don't know if it's some important stuff...
Jek: Oof, you're right. Ahem! Back to the story. Something important I haven't told you yet is that this princess Alice who loves pretty boys, just got engaged few days ago with the earl of Arkinsten, lord Brian.
Kora: Huh? Wait, engaged?! B-but isn't she having a crush on sir Melsior? I'm so confused...
Jek: (Winks) Don't think too deep about it. It's princess Alice, everything's normal. Interestingly, she has actually gone quite normal before the engagement. There were rumors that she eventually got bored with men so she stopped her collection. But, she started hooking up with sir Melsior right after the engagement, which is like, basically a big slap on lord Brian. He would be stupid to not have taken the hint that she probably done all this on purpose.
Kora: Hooking up...?
Jek: Oh, sorry, I missed that part didn't I? Ack, I got too disturbed by Dan that I'm all over the place. So you guessed the part that princess Alice likes sir Melsior, which is correct. Well, what happens after that? That part is actually quite unsure. You see, no one knows how princess Alice approaches Melsior. Melsior himself is a big iceberg so you can't get any information out of him, but you can't really go ask princess Alice herself, and so out comes a lot of "Princess and the Knight" tales.
Jek: There are a lot of different versions. Some say that the princess tried to put drugs on him but failed, others say she just took Melsior to her own bedroom and start seducing him straightforward. Some also suggested that maybe she just kept pestering him that's all, or maybe asked prince Loki to switch personal knights. But mostly these tales are a bit... well, they're adult only tales, so you probably shouldn't know too much (Peeks Dan). Anyways, no one knows the truth, but everyone knows the princess is trying to hook up with Melsior.
Dan: I would say none of them are the truth though. Melsior seemed normal when we saw him, just like usual, nothing strange.
Jek: Oh, come on! He's always like that, when did he ever had a different expression?
Dan: ...
Jek: Putting aside all the rumors, what's most important is the actual truth, which is her target on Melsior. That puts her faraway fiance in a real embarrassing situation, the engagement is probably going to get called off.
Kora: But isn't princess Alice... a princess? Is it possible to just break off an engagement with a princess?
Jek: Well, it would be impossible if it was decided by the King. This engagement was actually proposed by lord Brian himself. This is just another rumor but, some say they met before when they were little, and he fell in love with her by first sight or something. The king did agree to his proposal, but also gave him a month's chance to think over, and he can repeal the engagement anytime he wants during this time range.
Kora: (Surprised) Oh. Well... Um, how should I put it... I feel like he's putting more concern for the earl, than his own daughter...
Dan: Yea. You see why she doesn't have any power.
Jek: And! This is just my prediction but, I think all this princess obsessed with the knight drama, is just play pretend.
Kora: Pretend?! You mean... it's all fake?
Jek: I mean, even if I do agree Melsior does have some looks, but how is that enough to just magically attract a princess that has seen almost thousands of pretty man already? Besides, Melsior didn't just become prince Loki's personal knight just yesterday or something, he's been on that spot for quite a time. Although her palace is pretty far away from the main palace, but she has never, EVER seen Melsior before? That's a bit hard to believe, right? I'm guessing she probably just doesn't like this engagement, so she wants to embarrass lord Brian, and call off the engagement.
Kora: She... can't just tell her father her own thoughts?
Dan: I'm afraid she survived up until now mostly depending on herself. The King... most likely wouldn't care.
Kora: Oh.
Kora: ...
Jek: Oh come on, you guys really sympathizing with her? She's a princess! Way better than us. And she's probably going to get what she want after all this fuss. (Pats Dan's shoulder) I think you should sympathize more about us. Ugh, I can't believe we have to stand that stupid iceberg asshole every single day from now on.
(Jek and Dan both look depressed)
Kora: This is related to you guys too?
Dan: No. Just the outcome kind of affects us...
Jek: I would have felt better if we were actually related. What makes it worst is how we have nothing to do with the drama, but we are forced to take what happened resulting to it! Ugh I can't believe prince Loki switched our leader and that iceberg because he wants to keep him away from princess Alice! ARGHHHH this is so irritating, now we're stuck with an asshole leader!
Dan: Whatever... Just let it go, I'm sure leader will come back after everything is over.
Jek: I want leader back! now!! PLEASE!!! It's been only 2 days and I'm already sick of him! His trainings are long, boring, painful, JUST LIKE HIMSELF! I've been coming home late ever since his arrival!
Dan: Stop whining, you're not the only one...
(The room is fill with the whinning of Jek, and Dan looking at him with despair. Kora laughs awkwardly and is about to cheer them up when the front door suddenly opens)
Customer: Um, excuse me...?
Kora: (Jumps up) --Yes! Hello, what can I help you with?
(Kora can feel Jek's eyes glued to her as she stands up to leave, almost like asking her: "Are you really going to leave us now?! Without a word of encouragement or anything?!" But for now, she has to help Emili and Ken with their bakery. After all, royal scandal or whatever... has nothing to do with her)