It was a beautiful day.

  Contrary to yesterday's dreary weather, the sun shone brightly, and there wasn't a single gray cloud in sight.

  The streets were filled with beautiful decorations, and petals rained from the rooftops, creating a picturesque scene.

  The whole capital celebrated the royal wedding of the crown prince and his beloved bride.

  Their love story—affectionately referred to as 'The Crown Prince and the Golden Girl'—was known far and wide, reaching even neighboring countries.

  Honestly speaking, who wouldn't be intrigued by their tale, even just a little?

  Haneul Gerwyn Nirav Laurenne was the crown prince of the largest empire in the northern continent. He was the heir to the most powerful nation who, from a young age, showed immense potential as a great ruler. He was diligent and excelled in his studies. By the time he was fifteen, Haneul proved his skills in battle and diplomacy becoming a pivotal factor in the war against Aewratis.

  Though he was far from perfect, with his talent came arrogance.

  As a child, the prince was constantly praised, even for the smallest things. His hubris grew, and with it, a sense of entitlement. He was undoubtedly talented, but that didn't help with his inflating ego.

  Haneul was reliable and efficient; the people commended him for his achievements, but his subordinates and confidants reprimanded him for being impulsive and impatient.

  "I don't care if they call me reckless, arrogant, or egotistical. I dream of a Vreqiseon where people can sleep without fear, and justice is more than just a word! If I have to weather a few storms to achieve that dream, then so be it—because a Vreqiseon like that is worth risking my life for."

  His words touched the hearts of the commoners and the nobles, earning him the support he needed to secure his position as the heir to the throne against his competitors.

  Opposition was something he was unfamiliar with, that is… until he met her.

  Yvonne Nayeli Skye Oryx.

  She was the eldest daughter of the Count and Countess of Sunglen, the girl who rivaled the arrogant prince's talents and capabilities.

  Unlike the prince, she was known to be grounded regardless of her numerous talents, patient, and balanced in her decision-making. Her ability to efficiently collaborate with others, share burdens and responsibilities, and constructively delegate tasks made her an effective leader.

  She shared his objective, but they disagreed on one thing.

  "Vreqiseon needs a capable ruler who loves the empire, especially its people, more than his own life. A ruler who puts the needs of the empire first rather than his own interests, and who better fits that description than you, Your Highness? Vreqiseon needs you to man the helm and navigate us through the storms, not be a casualty in them! You've achieved many feats on your own, that's true, but doing things alone can only take you so far. Working together is key to achieving your dreams. Together we're stronger, and we need Vreqiseon to be led by a capable leader who is alive and breathing. After all, wouldn't you rather live in a Vreqiseon like that rather than dream of it?"

  What began as a squabble in the National Library sparked the beginning of a political partnership and alliance that grew into a genuine friendship that ultimately led to romance.

  But just like any other famous love story circulating in Vreqiseon, they faced trials and obstacles to their happiness.

  Not even five years had passed since the last war when Vreqiseon found itself at odds against Aewratis again. The prince and Yvonne's relationship was repeatedly tested throughout the two-year war.

  When the dust settled, Vreqiseon stood victorious. And so did they.

  Now, as the crowd cheered them on, the empire celebrated a love that weathered a catastrophic storm.

  "Three cheers for her radiance, the crown princess!"

  "The empire is in good hands!"

  The people cheered on as the newlyweds' carriage passed by. Happy noises and joyous music filled the streets, but not everyone felt jovial.

  Amidst the joyful celebration, high above the festival was one drab rooftop and two people were looking at the parade, one with indifference and the other with disdain.

  You wouldn't have been able to tell that they—or rather, we—were siblings of the bride.

  My twin brother, Yvon, caught the coin he was throwing around and clicked his tongue.

  "Look at them,” he muttered. “They all look so cheery. It makes me sick."

  I shook my head at his words all while keeping my gaze on the open carriage below watching as our dear older sister paraded around with that hideous facade of hers. A truly disgusting sight, right now I want to vomit in my brother’s inner pocket. Why do I continue watching this? Perhaps I’m a masochist that just likes the pain.

  "That's not something you should say on a happy occasion, especially on one of the happiest days of your older sister's life, now is it?"

  "Well, do you want to live in an empire where that *venobra is the empress?"

  "No," I answered flatly, glaring at her from afar. "I don't."

  As the crowd grew louder, one man stood apart from the rest.

  I thought I'd see him here today.

  His platinum blond hair swayed as the wind blew past. His back was slumped towards a tree as he looked longingly at the carriage with his purple eyes.

  “Hey, you creep,” my brother said snatching away my theater binoculars. “Stop stalking, it’s a crime and I’ll gladly report you to the *intrèpolians myself.”

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  I sighed. “Honestly, what do you take me for?”

  “What were you even looking at?” he asked then used my theater binoculars to look at the same direction I was. “Someone looks miserable when he clearly dodged an arrow.”

  "Unfortunately, he doesn't know that," I said as I took my stuff back. "All that poor man knows is that he lost his first love to the crown he was born to serve."

  "Then it's a good thing that you anticipated he'd be here today. Go on, I'll wait for you in the carriage, you big softie."

  After saying that, he jumped off the roof, swiftly landing on the carriage with ease.

  I shook my head at his sudden display.

  "Tsk. Show-off."

  I pulled my mask up, hiding my face, and jumped from roof to roof, steadily landing in the back alley. I probably shouldn't have done this in a dress, but by the time I realized that, I was already dusting myself off.

  I blended into the crowd and reached him. Leaning back on the opposite side of the tree, I started a conversation.

  "Quite lively, isn't it?"

  My sudden presence startled him, but he politely replied, "Indeed it is."

  "You know," I mused, "Just because almost everyone else seems to be reveling in their happiness doesn't mean you have to force yourself to do the same."

  Though I couldn't see his face since we were back-to-back divided by the tree, the tone of his voice told me he was curious and skeptical.

  "It sounds to me like you're speaking from experience."

  I chuckled lightly, "Perhaps I am."

  Before either of us could say anything else, I decided that it was time to make my exit. It wasn't my plan to stick around long anyway.

  I don't think he even recognized who I was, that's probably because of the *ourelia I ate, something I don't leave home without whenever I go on outings beyond our family's knowledge.

  I didn't bother to say goodbye. Instead, I left a poorly embroidered handkerchief and a note that read, 'One heartbreak doesn’t mean the end of the world so cheer up handsome!’

  As I glanced back, I couldn't help but find it amusing to see him looking for me with the handkerchief and note in hand.

  With a smirk, I seamlessly melded into the crowd, disappearing into the sea of people.

  ?

  A whole month had passed since that grand farce–I mean celebration.

  The capital still buzzed about the newlyweds' journey to Aewratis, applauding their spending of the traditional year-long honeymoon in political diplomacy.

  While that's all well and good for the future of this empire, it doesn't explain what I'm doing in the foyer of the Serebro estate even before dawn.

  As I stood there perplexed, across the courtyard, something—or rather, someone—caught my eye.

  His hair gleamed in the sunlight of the rising sun, and his sweaty shirt clung to his sinewy frame. Even in his disheveled appearance, he was still attractive. In comparison, if my brother was sweaty he’d probably look half-dead.

  He's looking better from the last time I saw him, recalling our conversation underneath that tree.

  Love triangles are common in romance novels, and the romanticized version of my sister's love story wasn't any different. While she and the prince took center stage in their tale, there was someone who stood in the shadows of their happiness—the forlorn suitor, as the people dubbed him.

  Here he was, the wistful man underneath that tree.

  Like the prince and my sister, he is both talented and intelligent, yet unlike them, he is often overshadowed because of others' achievements.

  His husky voice startled me, pulling me out of my thoughts. I didn't even realize that he already approached me.

  "Greetings to the fourth cygnet of Oryx."

  "Greetings to the second cub of Niege," I responded.

  "To what do we owe the pleasure of this visit from the Young Miss of Sunglen?" he asked.

  "While I am inclined to give you an answer, I'm afraid I don't have it, for even I am puzzled as to what brings me to your beautiful home."

  Before our conversation could continue, an attendant approached, "I apologize for disrupting your conversation, Young Miss and Young Master. But their valiances and their valoralnesses are promptly requesting your presence in the gazebo."

  We were both visibly confused but knew we had little choice.

  He extended his hand towards me, "May I have the honor of escorting you?"

  Ever the gentleman this one.

  "Why, of course," I answered, smiling and taking his hand.

  The attendant led the way, and we followed from behind. Considering the estate's size, it took us a few minutes to get there, and the entire walk was filled with silence. Neither he nor I, not even the attendant, made any attempt at conversation, which was fine with me. It saved me the trouble of engaging in small talk.

  My dashing escort walked with his usual ease but I knew that underneath that nonchalant expression, his mind was churning. Mine certainly was.

  When we finally reached the gazebo, we found our parents having breakfast together with the empress' secretary.

  “Ah, the young ones have arrived,” my mother said, her voice as bright as the morning breeze.

  “Come, sit,” this time it was his mother that spoke. “There is much to discuss.”

  It was painfully obvious that our mothers were trying to ease us into this setting, but they couldn't hide how fishy this whole thing was.

  First, the empress's secretary.

  What is he doing here at this hour? That was odd in and of itself.

  Second, our parents.

  Ever since my sister got engaged to her husband, my parents'—heck, our entire county's—relationship with the Serebro Duchy, including of course its governors, has been like a ship in the middle of a storm: rocky.

  And then there's me.

  What am I doing here exactly?

  In contrast to the Capital's Darling—also known as my older sister—I wasn't exactly a political maven. Our parents rarely even included me in talks regarding our county so I can't help but wonder what I'm doing here as they've gone on to talk about our respective territories.

  Given the people present here today, I had a hunch about what this was all about, but before I could even open my mouth to ask and confirm my suspicions, my handsome escort beat me to it.s

  "It's rare for the houses of Niege and Oryx to get together these days, not to mention her regalness' right-hand man is here as well. So I'm quite curious. What is so important that would call for this rare occasion?"

  "You're frank as usual, I see," said the duke, his father. "But, I suppose being direct is better than being roundabout. It is indeed rare for our two houses to come together these days, but that shall change soon. Niege and Oryx will be tied together. Just like our families have agreed upon all those years ago."

  "What exactly do you mean by that?" he inquired.

  "Allow me, Young Master, to shed light on the situation," said the empress's secretary. "As you both know, the county of Sunglen and the duchy of Serebro had once been at odds with each other. It started with territorial dispute but branched out into control of natural resources and economic rivalry."

  He continued, "This made the people of your lands suffer, and during your grandparents' generation, the governors of the two sides came to an agreement after seeing just how much their actions and those of their predecessors hurt their citizens. Realizing that in order for both territories to flourish, they needed to form a symbiotic relationship. This made them come to an agreement, and they formed an arrangement between their families, a marriage that would unite them."

  What he said was nothing new to us; it was common knowledge for the citizens of Sunglen and Serebro.

  "Which brings me to the reason I am here today."

  The secretary pulled out a scroll and cleared his throat then read out what was on the parchment.

  "In alignment with the agreement between the Houses of Niege and Oryx—the governors of Serebro and Sunglen— I, Empress Enrichetta Solana Harriet Srehbnih Laurenne, resolve that the second son of the House of Niege, Lev Cerulean Gin Niege, and the second daughter of the House of Oryx, Yvette Aidana Yaretzi Oryx, are to be wed within the month. May their union bring happiness and prosperity to both Houses and lands. I extend my heartfelt wishes for the couple. May you find happiness and bliss as you embark on the newest chapter of your lives."

  "..."

  I choked on my drink and after I recovered, I muttered to myself, "This… was not how I expected my morning to go."

  ACE IN THE HOLE GLOSSARY FOR THE CHAPTER

  Creautres:

  Venobra - a poisonous slithering reptile (a creature similar to a cobra in our world)

  Authorities:

  Intrèpolians - A division of the Imperial Armed Forces whose job is to ensure public order, enforce laws, prevent and investigate crimes, and ensure community safety.

  Plants:

  Ourelia- a small, shrub-like herb that helps soothe coughs and respiratory ailments while also temporarily altering the tone and timbre of the voice depending on the preparation.