Lord Chisthalmagne had excused himself after breakfast with Alrossia. He walked briskly in the dustless halls while his two servants trail him from behind. He halted in front of the Palace's Gardens, when suddenly a palace guard approaches him with a piece of envelope.
"My Lord, the Marshall has delivered a message."
His sunset hues focused on the neatly displayed envelope. He gently takes it with his hands.
But before he could even open it, he ripped the envelope into pieces. The sentry was left in fear as Lord Chisthalmagne throws the pieces on his face.
"M-My Lord, I have been told to relay a response immediately."
"Tell them that I am not interested of the slightest. They should have had made those exquisite paper as useful by offering them to the children who can paint."
His eyes looked forward and beyond the enormous gates.
"Tell the Marshall how I ripped his hideous handwriting into shreds," he told him bitterly. The fear-stricken palace guard could only nod in return.
With irritation visible in his sharp, narrow look he walked past the sentry leaving no words behind.
A sudden thought reaches his mind.
"Kreed."
A young, fine man emerged from the intersection and bowed. "Yes, My Lord?"
"Prepare my stallion."
The expressionless king continued walking after saying his orders. The captain immediately excused himself to retrieve his horse.
A few moments later, the captain returned with two horses in the pavilion. One was black, and one was white. Kreed croaked from behind the king, who was sitting down in one of the benches.
"Are you off to somewhere, My Lord?"
" It does not matter. I do not need your accompaniment. Leave me be."
The King retrieved his horse from Kreed's hands coldly. Kreed paid no mind when he was treated harshly. The King had no heart.
"My Lord, you are not familiar with the outskirts."
The cold king's eyes pierced his. "I am in an awfully bad mood, Kreed. I suggest you don't infuriate me."
"My apologies, My Lord."
The irritated young man hopped into his horse and left the palace.
The captain could only sigh.
"Is he all right?"
Kreed turned his back to see Alrossia's small figure hiding from behind the cleanly trimmed bushes.
"He is not on his best day. When he comes back later, make sure you that you please him."
Alrossia nodded. "Should I go after him?"
"Do not dream of such a thing."
Alrossia rubbed her head and smiled awkwardly at Kreed. "I just want to impress him!"
"By what? By riding a horse? It's not like you have even ridden one."
"That's rude!" another voice chimes in. "Why are you bullying Alrossia always when Lord Chisthalmagne isn't around?"
"Why don't you do the laundry, Lyan? Who told you to come here?"
Alrossia was sandwiched between the two known arch-enemies of the Palace. The head of the maids, Lyan and the Captain of the Guards, Kreed.
"When Lord Chisthalmagne comes back I will tell him of how you badly treat Alrossia."
"Lyan—" Alrossia whined.
"Do tell. As if you even had a chance to speak to Lord Chisthalmagne."
"Why you—!"
"Stop fighting, already!" Alrossia squeaked. "Lord Chisthalmagne is pissed."
"Well Kreed was being mean to you, Roshie."
"Lord Chisthalmagne did not treat her nicely too."
"Of course he did! He even invited Alrossia to breakfast today! And he wiped her lips afterwards!"
The captain flinched on Lyan's revelation. Alrossia pinched Lyan and she suddenly realizes what she had said.
"Lord Chisthalmagne cleaned you?"
"W-What? It's not like that, Captain!"
He glared at her with an annoyed expression. "Tsk."
Lyan crossed her arms between her chest. "What? You're jealous because Roshie is closer to the King? What are you, a fanboy?"
"Did I not tell you before that you must refuse when Lord Chisthalmagne offers you a meal?"
"H-He ordered me to eat, Captain!"
The young captain facepalms. "Alrossia, what I'm trying to insinuate was that, you have to be more firm in saying 'no' to him.
Lyan raised a brow. "W-Whoa, Kreed. Are you telling Alrossia to go against the King? That's quite unusual of you."
He shot a look of daggers at Lyan and gestured her to shut up.
"Lord Chisthalmagne was simply inviting me to eat with him, Captain."
Suddenly bright lights popped up from her head. "Or could it be—?!"
The captain looked at her with a bored look. "What?"
"That you actually like me, Captain!" Alrossia teased him. She grabbed his arms and shaked him back and forth. Lyan joined in and he was sandwiched between the two crazy hags.
Captain Kreed pushed the two ladies aside. He puts his palms on his lance and attempts to draw it out. "Both of you have surpassed the definition of insanity."
The girls giggled as they continued making fun of the captain, chasing him all around the palace. Their loud voices and insults as they ran across the halls were the only ones that kept the dead palace, alive.