The Royal Garden

In the Royal Garden of Avalore, where thousands of different kinds of species live, trees of all different shapes and sizes point upwards towards the sky while their red-colored leaves gently sway with the gentle breeze. 

In this garden that extends so far to the south, a figure is seen covering her eyes with both of her hands.

10

9

...

3

2

1

"Ready or not, here I come!" A purple-haired woman dressed in a maid uniform shouted loudly while taking her hands off, which covered her face.

Clear helplessness could be seen in the maid's eyes as she strode through the massive garden. 

"Why must I always be the one that must play with his Royal Highness, the 9th Prince?" She muttered in a low voice full of reluctance while looking downward towards her dirt-stained boots, not noticing a figure slowly appearing behind her.

"Because my brother chose you." A man's voice sounded out from behind her.

Startled by the sudden voice that appeared, she hurriedly turned around in shock.

When she saw the man's appearance, fear flashed through her hazel-brown eyes. 

She hurriedly knelt down, not even a bit concerned about getting dirt on her.

"Forgive me for not noticing your arrival, Your Royal Highness, Crown Prince Julius. I was just.." She spoke, full of fear and respect for the man in front of her.

"Stop"

Staring coldly at the maid kneeling on the ground, Julius frowns.

Backing up, a bit afraid of getting dirt all over him, he coldly ask. "Where's my brother?"

Noticing Crown Prince Julius backing up, the maid instantly starts shivering in fear but still quickly replies. "The 9th Prince had asked me to play with him a game he created, called hide.."

"I asked where." Julius coldly interrupted while staring intently towards the maid.

Cold sweat started dripping from the maid's face. As the question Crown Prince Julius asked, is one even she does not know. "The 9th Prince is currently in the garde..."

"Do you take me for a fool!" Julius shouted angrily.

Hearing this made the maid's already pale face even whiter. The feeling of death welled up inside of her. "Your highness, I do not know where the 9th Prince currently is."

In response to this, Julius walks forward towards the maid, bends down with his head next to her ear, and softly asks "So, you give up?"

Not knowing what Crown Prince Julius was talking about, but seeing his mood change, she instantly plays along. "Yes, your highness, I give up."

Hearing this, he chuckles and then hums. "Hmm, then repeat after me, Crown Prince Eric, I, Emily Anderson, give up."

Her eyes brightened when she heard him chuckle. With hope of living, she hurriedly repeats what she heard, not noticing the fault in her words.

"Crown Prince Eric, I, Emily Anderson, give up." 

"That means I win, does it not?" He said in amusement while slowly walking past the kneeling maid called Emily.

Emily, clearly confused by all of this, but not daring to ask. She could only helplessly respond, "Yes, Your Highness."

Hearing this, Julius lets out a low chuckle and smiles. Turning around after walking a few metres, he looks towards Emily. 

"Oh, and by the way maid Emily, next time I invite you out, please do wear appropriate clothing."

With the end of his sentence, an incredible scene appears. His entire body, including his clothes, slowly starts melting and deforming as all their original colours turn light blue. With that, his previous human body was now gone, replaced by a 70cm blue, slime, blob creature.

Emily, having already stood up from the ground, wore a blank expression upon her face when she saw this scene. Crown Prince Julius, he is..he...

"Oh dear, it looks like my transformation time has just ended" Miraclesly, even without having absolutely no facial features or a head, for that matter, the creature still managed to speak.

"Maid Emily, it seems our time together would have to be cut short, but fret not, for the time we lost today can be made up for with tomorrow."

"So, I should see you tomorrow, yes?" As the creature asked this, his slime-like form slowly started changing.

"Yes." She subconsciously replied in a daze.

"Alright then.." The creature said as his form stopped changing and a new person appeared in its place.

Long, light-blue hair, mimicking the colour of the sky on a sunny day, eyes as blue as the depths of the ocean and a cute, young face that demands the attention of every woman. He is Prince Eric, ninth in line for the throne of Avalore, and the only demi-human to have been born into the royal family.

"Bye for now, maid Emily." Turning around, he walks towards the gate of the garden, leaving behind a confused Emily.

Staring at the back of Prince Eric, Emily who was still staring blankly, finally regains colour on her pale face. Slumping on the ground, she breathes out heavily.

"Why must I always suffer like this?" She asked herself while feeling helpless about her current situation. Looking at her dirty clothes, she felt annoyed. "Not again, Prince Eric is such a.."

"Prince Eric is such a what?" A female voice sounded out from behind her.

Hearing this familiar voice, she hurriedly turned around in shock. "Sister, what are you doing here?"

In front of her stood a blond-haired woman with golden eyes, dressed as a knight, who carried a heroic demeanor with her. She is Erina, Emily's sister, a true believer in justice, and also a very, very, very tough sister. 

Looking coldly towards her sister, Erina with a serious expression upon her face, says. "Your job is to take care of the 9th Prince's needs, not to disrespect him nor to speak badly of him behind his back. Remember this maid Emily, I'll let you off this time, but if i ever hear you speak bad about him again...there shall be punishment."

Hearing this, Emily swallowed and did not dare to speak.

"And why are you so dirty? Isn't it your job as a maid to help others stay clean? So how can you help others stay clean if even you yourself don't know how to do it?"Erina narrowed her eyes as she came closer to Emily.

Probably knowing what's coming next, Emily couldn't help but sweat. "Sister, please don't do it, please, i.."

Before she could finish her words, Erina pulled on her ear, dragging her out towards the gate of the garden.

"Ouch, sister, can you no, Ou Ou Ou sister, I can wa..Ouch."

With the painful cries of Emily, they both exited the garden, and the garden soon returned to peace.