About an hour passed as people from all over Kragon moved from the front entrance of the palace to the venue of the tournament. Hazel's body was slick with sweat for standing under the sun for a long time and being huddled together with the other netizens like sheep.
When they managed to escape into a separate building near the training grounds, she heaved a huge sigh of relief and started fanning her face as Eddie led the way.
The hallway was brightly lit by the sunlight streaming in through the large windows and she walked close to the wall, keeping an eye out the window to study the security format inside the palace. She could point out more than ten guards scattered all over the training grounds where the tournament was to take place, probably to keep everyone in order. Something was bound to happen with so many people around.
Hazel's eyes shifted from the ground to the huge castle, up to the towers where she spotted a guard at each tower. Her steps slowly came to a halt and Eddie, who was walking ahead of her sensed it and also stopped to look back.
"What happened?" He asked, taking long strides back to where she stood.
"Is it possible to access those towers?" Hazel asked, her eyes never leaving the tall building on the opposite side.
Eddie followed her line of sight and pressed his lips together. "It is possible, but too risky. When you're at the tower you're the easiest target and there's no safe way to escape."
Hazel sighed. "So then what do you have in mind?"
"Follow me," Eddie beckoned and continued walking.
They passed by what looked like an office and Eddie told Hazel that was the commander's office, then climbed a set of stairs to a much bigger office.
"And this one?" Hazel asked curiously when Eddie said nothing.
Eddie seemed to be deep in thought. The corners of his mouth twitched. "I'm not too sure. Who's above the commander in rank?" He asked turning to face Hazel and the latter gave him a deadpan look.
"I thought you knew everything."
"Well…" his shoulders lifted in a light shrug.
They walked around the office to a balcony that overlooked some hedges. Eddie leaned forward and inwardly calculated the length from the balcony to the ground.
"And now we jump?" Hazel asked as she also looked down.
Eddie nodded in affirmation.
Without another word, Hazel easily climbed over the railings and jumped. She landed gracefully on the ground then stood to her feet, only to look back up and find Eddie staring down with wide eyes. He blinked twice, scratched the stubble on his chin and took a step back.
Hazel waited patiently, thinking he was about to jump, but the next second he reappeared on the balcony and looked down again with furrowed eyebrows.
Hazel rolled her eyes. "Can you be fast!" she urged impatiently, her free hand planted on her hip.
"Don't worry, the tournament hasn't started yet."
Eddie stepped back again and this time he jumped, landing on the ground with his hands and knees.
The two then proceeded with their journey up a hilly path. There wasn't a single person in sight, giving Hazel the conclusion that it was the back of the palace. The ungroomed hedges and bushes confirmed her suspicion that it was the abandoned part of the huge castle where no one set foot in. Which was a surprise.
Weren't royalties and nobles ever so keen with cleanliness? There were enough servants to keep tha place clean, weren't there?
"Here," Eddie's voice brought her mind back to the present and she raised her head.
They were standing on a hilltop that overlooked every corner of the training grounds. By now the place was filled to the brim with people forming a circle around a large pit where the fights would take place. There were guards positioned at certain intervals and even from where she stood, Hazel could see the separate spot for the royal family and those closest to them.
Her gaze raked over the bustling people and she took in everything, wondering if she could ever get a chance to attend something like that. Noises that shook the ground erupted from the excited commoners as people cheered on.
"We cannot attack now. We'll have to wait for the fights to officially begin," said Eddie as he made himself comfortable on the ground. He placed the spyglass beside him then opened the small satchel bag hang around his shoulder and started rummaging through it.
Hazel also set down her weapons and sat beside him. Just as she raised her head to watch the tournament, an apple appeared in front of her face and she turned to Eddie with a questioning look.
"I carried some food in case of an emergency," he said with a sheepish smile.
Hazel didn't stand on ceremony and took the apple, murmuring a thank you.
Soon the sound of a drum shadowed the voices from the onlookers and the training grounds turned quiet. A man stood inside the circular pit and seemed to be saying something addressing the people, but the distance didn't allow Hazel and Eddie to hear his words.
After he was done talking, he disappeared somewhere to the left then a few seconds later a bulky man walked into the pit and what followed were loud cheers that enveloped the entire palace.
Hazel watched with amazement as the man raised his hands in the air, urging the fierce crowd to cheer louder. Hazel couldn't outline his features clearly, but the distance from where she sat did nothing to hide the man's strength. His tall build surpassed any normal man's and the taut muscles on his naked arms could squash something with a grip.
A silly thought crossed Hazel's mind and she chuckled in amusement.
"What is it?" Eddie asked, curious to what amused her so. He didn't find anything amusing.
Hazel sighed as her light laughter subsided. "I just thought he would be a good giant in a fairytale story to scare children."
Even though Eddie didn't share her amusement in the joke, he smiled lightly.
Soon after, another normal looking man walked into the fighting pit, a casual aura around him. Observing the difference between the two opponents, Hazel thought the crowd would jeer at him but surprisingly, the cheers were as loud as the giant's if not louder.
"Let's make a bet," suggested Hazel, leaning in to Eddie. "Who do you think will win the fight?"
"Carly," Eddie mumbled without averting his gaze.
"Who's Carly?"
"The slender one. I've seen him fight countless times and I'm certain he'll win," Eddie claimed resolutely.
Hazel's lips twitched. "Then there's no bet."
Eddie turned to her. "Were you also going to bet for him? How would you know he'll win?"
With a casual shrug, Hazel focused her eyes on the starting fight and scoffed, "I wouldn't know who'll win. I just thought he looks like winning."
"..."
Eddie stared at her speechlessly. He had expected her to give some insight on anything but that was the reason?! Having nothing else to say, he also returned his attention to the fight.
The two, especially Hazel, were so engrossed in the fight that they almost forgot what they were there for.
Unlike what they had predicted, Carly had been overpowered by the bulky man several times and obtained several wounds. The bulky man seemed to have all the advantages over him and most thought that it was a miracle he was still alive. The fight was supposed to end when either one of the fighters surrendered, or one died. Neither had happened.
The fight was close to ending when Carly started gaining the upper hand by inflicting cuts on the bulky man's torso.
Hazel was so caught up in the fight that her upper body was leaned forward, as though to get a clearer view.
"It's time," Eddie said, suddenly shifting his position to lie down on the grass.
"Hmm?" Hazel turned to him with a quizzical look.
"It's time for the attack. Now that everyone's attention is on the fight, no one will notice where the arrow came from."
"Oh…" Right! She was there to kill a prince.
Recollecting her thoughts, Hazel took her weapons and took one arrow from the quiver.
Eddie took his spyglass and aimed it at the crowd, getting a clear look on the prince's face. Prince Leocade and Sebastian sat next to each other, but while Sebastian seemed to be enjoying the fight like the rest of the spectators, Leo seemed to be absentminded.
Eddie's eyebrows slightly furrowed.
"Let me have a look," Hazel nudged him and he handed the spyglass to her.
She placed the narrow end on her scarred eye and her gaze instantly fell on prince Sebastian who had a look of excitement on his face.
The air around Hazel dropped as her fingers tightened around the spyglass. Her pulse quickened and her jaw clenched. She couldn't believe she was finally seeing his face in the flesh. The face that had tormented her and haunted her dreams for five years. The face that marked the beginning of her days of misery.
"Hazel," Eddie carefully called her back to the present and her chest heaved as she drew in a long breath. She closed her eyes to suppress the surging emotions and reopened them to the face of the other prince.
Prince Leocade.
Hazel's eyebrows furrowed and she tilted her head to the side, pulling the spyglass away for a moment.
Was she imagining things?
When she looked again at the magnified face of the Crown Prince, she felt like laughing. The coincidence was amusing!
The same man she had used as a man shield after trying to steal? The same man who had bought her dagger and she had stolen it back from him?
Oh well… it was not like they knew each other.