Previously
"Don't worry, I'm sending knights tomorrow to cull some monsters," my father continued.
"Will you be coming with them?" my mother asked with concern.
"Yes," my father replied sternly. "A king must lead, Meliya."
Although my father was quite brave, risking his life was too much for a king. Nevertheless, my father had been doing it for years, and I hoped it would be fine. My mother couldn't help but feel worried for her husband, and I shared her sentiment.
"The knights will be more than enough to handle them," my father reassured us. "Meliya… do not worry too much, the monsters there aren't very strong. I can take care of them myself."
I had my doubts about my father's complacency and carelessness, but I didn't want to stop him. Instead, I hoped that he would come back unharmed, as he had always done.
"If something happens to father, the eldest brother will have the throne," I thought, but I couldn't deny that there might be problems that would arise. Nonetheless, I had confidence that my father would come back, and if he didn't, we would cross that bridge when it came. I wouldn't be the one fixing most of it, anyway.
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Mother heaved a long sigh and turned to Estevan. "Estevan, tell the knight order to ensure the king's safety above all else."
"Of course, mother," Estevan replied.
As my brother prepared to leave, I couldn't help but worry about his safety. If father died, and then the eldest died, since he was currently out of the country, Estevan would inherit the throne. However, if he also died, then it would be my turn to become queen, and I had no idea how to handle that.
"Becoming queen was cool and all, but I have no idea about anything like that," I thought. I groaned inside, but it was best to be optimistic.
"B-Brother," I called out to him with eyes full of fear and worry. "Are you coming with them?"
"Could it be... is my dear sister actually showing some concern for me?"
He suddenly stood up, looking astonished.
"Why wouldn't I be? I always worry about you, and the rest of our family as well," I retorted with a mischievous glint in my eye.
"Of course," he smiled. "It just always surprises me when you directly tell me that you worry about my well-being. It's a wonderful feeling as always."
He sat back down, and I leaned back in my chair, feeling a sense of satisfaction at having caught him off guard.
"Don't worry, dear brother, I won't be coming along. We can't have two royals in danger, can we?" I teased, crossing my arms.
I looked over to my father, who was gazing at me with a mixture of concern and amusement.
"Daughter, what about me? Aren't you worried about your old man?" he asked, his eyes pleading for my worry.
I scoffed, "Of course I'm worried about you, father. But let's be real, even if I express it, you won't change your mind."
"But I would at least like to hear it," he insisted.
I rolled my eyes, "Fine. Only if you change your decision, I might express some concern."
"Noooooo," he groaned, hanging his head in defeat.
I softened my tone, "But don't worry, father. I'll pray for your safe return. You'll never leave my thoughts."
He looked up at me, a wide smile on his face, "Really?"
"Really," I replied, trying to hide a smirk.
"In that case, I'll come back as fast as I can!" he declared, his spirit renewed.
"Thank you, father," I said with a small smile.
Mother nodded beside me as I returned to my meal. This was a new experience for me, dining with my family. It was a bit bizarre, but surprisingly entertaining.
"By the way, any news from Eleden?" Father asked, referring to my eldest brother.
"For a while, nothing yet," Estevan replied.
"I hope the endeavor of establishing a friendly and cooperative relationship with the Myra Kingdom is going well," Father said.
"I imagine it is going flawlessly. We don't have any feud with them," Estevan replied.
Myra Kingdom, a place somewhere in the northwest. It had been four weeks since Eleden left, and I was curious about his mission.
As they talked about trivial matters, the topic eventually came back to me when my brother mentioned my visit to the knights' training grounds.
Father looked surprised when he heard that.
"Why did coming to the training grounds come to your mind?" he asked me.
I grinned as I answered my father's question. "Well, I was curious. And to be honest, I wanted to meet the knights who serve to protect us and the kingdom. You know, see what they're like."
Father gave me a stern look, and I knew what he was getting at. But I wasn't about to back down.
"Did someone look at you weirdly?" he asked.
I tilted my head in feigned confusion. "Weirdly? I don't think so. They're our knights, after all. I don't see anything wrong with the way they looked at me."
My brother Estevan chuckled. "Oh, but Estel tried to hold a sword, Father. She couldn't even lift it. It was adorable."
I scowled at him, but I couldn't help the blush that spread across my cheeks. I wasn't used to being teased like this.
My mother interjected. "Thank goodness you weren't hurt. But what was your request about, Estelia? Did it have something to do with that?"
I took a deep breath, knowing I had to tread carefully here. "No, Mother, it's not about that. I...I just wanted to ask if I could leave the palace walls."
Silence greeted my words. I could feel their eyes on me, filled with concern and hesitation.
"It's dangerous out there," Mother said, her voice softening. "Not everyone will treat you kindly, especially since you're royalty."
Father spoke up next. "And you're the princess. We can't risk your safety."
I nodded, knowing they would react like this. "I understand, but...I have a proposal. What if I went out incognito, with Estevan as my guard? No one would know who I am, and I could see the outside world for once."
Father looked at me warily, but I could see the hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "That could work. But it can't be tomorrow. You have your tutor lessons for the next three days."
My heart sank. I had forgotten about the tutoring sessions, but I tried not to let it show.
"Of course, Father. After three days, then."
As we finished our dinner, my brother came up beside me. "Allow me to take you," he said, grinning.
I couldn't help but smile back. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.