In a dim hallway, a distant voice beckoned her: come with me, A tall figure clad in dark attire emerged, his face obscured by shadows. As if in a trance, she followed him.
They walked for a while reaching the corridor's end. She looked up and witnessed a chilling spectacle, numerous corpses piled up, a throne atop the small hill. He extended his hand and said "My princess, please"
She put her hand on his and used the power of support to step to the corpse, step by step, she ascended the hill, each step staining her shoes with the blood of the deceased, but she did not notice. Seated on the throne, the man hailed her as "princess, my lord". Suddenly, all the corpses drop into a black hole below. A sudden plunge into darkness swallowed them all.
Jolting awake, she breathed air severely and realized it was a mere dream.
"Are you alright, Princess?" A concerned young man lay beside her, noticing her shock and sweat-drenched pajamas.
"Yeah, just a nightmare," she replied.
'I've heard a witch said that flipping the pillow might help"
The man helped her turn the pillow but sleep eluded her that night. Her thoughts swirled, contemplating the dream's significance.
Until the early morning sunlight filtered through the lace curtains, she slowly opened her eyes and pulled the bell beside her bed, and as the crisp ringing bell remembered, a maid immediately entered the room.
"Need something, Princess?" the maid asked.
''Freshen up and dress me''
"There's time before breakfast with the king and queen. You can rest more," the maid suggested.
"No, dress me now. I'm heading to the garden."
This conversation woke up the man next to the princess, he stretched his back, he propped up his upper body, revealing his snow-white skin and clear waistline, he picked up the thin shirt next to him and draped it over the princess, whispering near the princess' ear: "the cold air in the early morning is the most prone to make people sick, why don't you rest here for a few moments more?"
The Princess stretched her arms back and put on the thin shirt, got up without looking back, and said: "Andreas, Take a good rest here' as she walked away."
Princess walked into the garden, the foggy mist seemed to cover all the plants. She drew in a deep breath, she sought to expel the muddle of thoughts clouding her mind with a deliberate exhale. Seated within the enchanting gazebo nestled at the heart of the palace gardens, she gazed outward, her eyes tracing the towering walls of verdant vines enveloping the garden's periphery.
These are the southernmost reaches of the palace, tantalizingly close to freedom; beyond the looming wall, liberation awaited. Yet, contemplation of what lay beyond that barrier stirred a tumult of uncertainties within her. How would she navigate life beyond this fortress? The thought sent a shiver down her spine.
In an abrupt shift of attention, the princess stared fixated on peculiar waggling amidst the furthest thicket. Often, the garden played host to a medley of small creatures—the rabbits, the elusive civet cats—that served as fleeting sources of diversion, momentarily dispelling the solitude cloaking the palace.
With measured steps, she closed the distance to the cluster of bushes, her eyes keenly trained on the silhouette looming within, whose size was much larger than usual garden visitors; a foreboding notion prompted her to tighten her grip around the hilt of her scimitar dagger. As she peered closer, the mysterious mass reacted to her presence with sudden agility, darting out from the shrubbery. The princess recoiled in shock—what appeared to be a creature was, in fact, a young man six feet tall.
The princess swiftly regained her composure. With agility honed from years of training, she vaulted upward, ensnaring the intruder within the vice-like grip of her thighs. With all her strength, she propelled him forcefully onto the lush carpet of the garden, swiftly pressing the glinting edge of her scimitar against the intruder's neck.
''Who are you? What are you doing here?'
The princess said sternly
''I'm not a bad person! Don't kill me!'
''I heard that I can see the princess here, so I secretly dug a dog hole through the corner and came in''
''What do you want to see the princess for?''
''Because, because I want to be the princess's male favorite!''
''Do you think I'm stupid, if you want to be the princess's favorite, you can go directly to the palace to apply for it. Why do you need to see the princess?''
"The princess wants guys who are like seven feet tall, weigh over 150 kilograms, have 30-centimeter pecs, visible eight-pack abs, and super clear back muscles. I might not meet those standards, but I bet if she saw how I look, she'd totally pick me!"
The princess fixed her gaze upon him, finding his visage rather captivating. His eyes, the color of amber, peeked from beneath thick, luscious lashes, framing a bridge of the nose with a perfect curve—neither too severe nor overly soft. His skin, smooth and radiant, boasted a delicate sheen. Upon closer observation, she noticed a faint fuzz on his face, akin to a ripe peach.
Undoubtedly, he possessed the allure of a top-tier handsome man, though his physique fell slightly short of the stringent criteria set for lovers. Those regulations were initially devised to summon robust defenders, ensuring the princess's safety. Yet, this man's demeanor differed significantly—a blend of three parts sunshine, three parts tenderness, and three parts strength. There existed an elusive quality, concealed from the princess's discerning eye, a mystique that set him apart. His smile, held an enchanting allure, almost possessing the power to sway others into agreement effortlessly.
Upon hearing his self-assured words, a faint smile graced the princess's lips. In turn, the man, catching sight of the princess's softened expression, felt a wave of relief wash over him.
However, the princess maintained her firm grip on the knife pressed against his neck, her gawk unwavering as she scrutinized him from head to toe. Trust was a rarity she bestowed upon no one easily.
''You are very confident, yet are you unaware that trespassing within the royal garden is a capital offense?" Her voice, steady and unyielding, carried a weight of authority.
Strangely, the man displayed no signs of agitation at her declaration, almost as if he had anticipated this confrontation. With a deliberate motion, he lifted his right leg, inadvertently brushing against the princess's thigh as she straddled him. The princess seemed to feel something hard against her, after all, she had many experiences with men, the princess immediately sensed that this one's size was very much out of the reach of a human being.
"I'd risk my life for just one glimpse of the princess," he uttered fervently.
Abruptly, the sound of approaching footsteps pierced the tense atmosphere. The princess immediately tugged the strange man's collar tightly lying on the ground. If she is now found to be in a private meeting with a strange man, she does not know what crime will be treated again.
"Princess, where are you? Breakfast time approaches; you must prepare," Luckily, it's her servant, Jane.
The princess sprang to her feet and waved Jane closer to her.
Responding urgently, Jane hastened towards the princess, her eyes widening in surprise as she noticed a man lying nearby.
"I'm giving you a single order: discreetly take this man to the supervisor without spreading a word," the princess directed firmly.
"Understood, Princess," came the maid's swift response.
"You," Jane addressed the man, "follow me closely."
The man glanced up at the princess and her maid, swiftly rising and dropping to one knee before her. "Forgive my oversight, Your Highness," he spoke.
"Enough with formalities. If you seek further consideration regarding the matter of male suitors, register with the supervisor first," the princess continued, gesturing to Jane. "I'll proceed to change on my own. Take him quietly through the side door."
''Yes, Your Highness''
Observing the distance between herself and the two figures now far off, the princess hastened toward the high wall at the southern edge of the garden. She meticulously scanned the area, seeking a specific spot—the hole. Her purpose twofold: to verify the man's veracity and to explore a potential route.
As she walked on, she noticed a patch of grass with distinct signs of being trodden upon. Peeling back the low shrubbery, she indeed discovered an opening. Firstly, the man hadn't lied. Secondly, her stature was smaller than his, ensuring she could easily slip through.
Casting a fleeting glance back at the distant silhouette of the palace, a light chuckle escaped her lips. Without delay, she crouched down and made her way through the aperture in the wall.