25. A Game??
The sun had almost set when Adira and Prince Dylan returned home to the palace. The tiredness of the journey back to Stalwart Castle can also be seen on their faces.
When they entered the gate of the palace, General Agustin immediately greeted them. “It’s good that you got home before the sun went down. Why did it take you so long to get here? All I know is that the competition was over at around two o’clock in the afternoon.”
Prince Dylan and Adira got off the horse.
“We met some mysterious men, and we weren’t allowed to take the nearest road to get here, so it took us this long,” Dylan explained.
General Agustin nodded. “You must be hungry. Come inside.” General Agustin was about to walk into the palace when he faced the two again. “What happened to the tournament?”
Dylan looked at Adira, and his lips slowly lifted because of the gradual smile. “You won’t believe it, general. I won the competition.” Dylan was very happy to tell General Agustin while they were still outside the palace.
“I am glad of what you have said, dear prince. It is a victory for you, and the dear king will be glad to know it. But come inside because the sun will set in a while.”
While Adira walked inside as if she were tired, which Prince Dylan noticed immediately because the two of them were so close together.
“Adira, are you okay?”
She blinked her eyes a few more times before answering. “Yes, I’m fine. It’s tiring, even just riding and sitting on the horse. I’m also sleepy,” she yawned.
“Let’s eat before you go to bed. You better have a full stomach.”
She just nodded and followed him to the part of the palace where they were eating. King Stephen and Prince Dylan happily talk about Dylan’s earlier victory. She just continued eating because she wanted to rest and sleep. When they were all finished eating, she just went straight to her room. She didn’t even change her clothes because she was so tired.
It seemed like only a few hours had passed, and it was morning again. Adira, who hasn’t woken up, was still asleep when someone spoke outside her room, but Adira hasn’t woken up yet either.
Meanwhile, outside Adira’s room, Prince Dylan was there waiting for Adira to open the door.Material © NôvelDrama.Org.
“Is the young lady still asleep?” the prince asked himself. “Adira!” he called again, louder, but no one opened the door, so Prince Dylan went inside. He saw that Adira was still sleeping and that her bed was not in order because she was about to fall off the bed.
“She looked really tired yesterday. She didn’t even manage to change her clothes.” He approached Adira to see her face. “Her face is so angelic, but she only has arrogance when she’s awake, so it’s hard to look at her face because she’s always angry and one eyebrow is raised.” I smiled as I bent down and slowly fixed the hair that had gone to her face. The young lady’s hair is also out of order, so the rest is on her face.
Prince Dylan’s hand touched Adira’s cheek on the eyelid, nose, and lips. He was stunned for a moment, but Adira suddenly opened her eyes slightly. Her eyes were wide awake looking at Prince Dylan, so he was nervous. After a few seconds, Adira’s eyes slowly closed again. Prince Dylan gasped because he hadn’t been caught; otherwise, she would have said a lot more. When he noticed that Adira’s breathing was even again, which meant that she was sleeping deeply again, he adjusted Adira’s position in bed. Prince Dylan also gently placed the few strands that were still left on her face behind Adira’s ear. Prince Dylan also gradually removed the shoes Adira was wearing so that she could sleep comfortably, and then he placed the blanket up to Adira’s neck. The weather is cold, so Adira sleeps soundly.
“Sleep well first, because when you wake up, I’m sure you’ll be in a bad mood again,” he whispered and walked out of Adira’s room.
Prince Dylan was about to go to his room when he noticed his father walking and looking out of the palace. He couldn’t continue entering his room because he had followed his father, who was now standing in the doorway of the palace talking to someone.
The person talking to his father turned to him, and he realized that person was Prince Damon’s father, King Cyrus. It smiled and bowed because they were far away from him. His father has not noticed him yet. When King Stephen noticed that King Cyrus was looking in another direction, he also turned around.
“Prince Dylan, why are you there? Come and greet King Cyrus,” his father said.
He approached and bowed to King Cyrus. “Good morning, King Cyrus.”
King Cyrus smiled and patted his shoulder. “Good morning to you too, Prince Dylan.”
“He’s with Prince Damon, who’s outside the palace. You can talk and say hello to each other,” his father said suddenly, which he didn’t like.
“That’s better, Prince Dylan. Talk to Prince Damon and your father, and I will also do that while drinking some wine,” King Cyrus agreed with a smile.
“If that’s what you want, I’m going out. I can leave you and my father alone.” He just bowed and walked outside while his face was wrinkled because he didn’t want to talk to Prince Damon, so he just went to the back of the palace and trained again with the various weapons that were there.
While he was choosing what to use, someone spoke. “Prince Dylan.”
He turned around and saw Prince Damon a few steps behind him. Prince Damon’s hands were behind his back, and his eyes were just staring at him.
“Why?”
Prince Damon walked over and approached the weapons as well. “I didn’t congratulate you yesterday, so I congratulate you on your win and being named the best this year.”
“Thank you.” He was ready to grab a weapon when she spoke again.
“But it doesn’t all end with you winning yesterday, Prince Dylan.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?” His eyes became alert when Prince Damon also took a weapon, but he took a bow and arrow, which he is good at.
“Let’s play a game now, Prince Dylan. Let’s see if the young lady is good at teaching you. I have the bow and arrows; you have the sword.” He still smirked a little.
Their eyes looked like electricity was flowing, but he thought. He was more easily wounded by an arrow because it settled faster. If he doesn’t use the sword well, he is sure the arrow Prince Damon uses will hit his body.
“Is it not fair if yours is a bow and arrow and mine is a sword?”
Prince Damon laughed softly, but it didn’t sound happy. “If you’re good at handling a sword, it’s easy for you to block every arrow I shoot, and you probably won’t let every one of my arrows sink into your body.”
He reluctantly agreed, even though I wasn’t sure what would happen.
“Just avoid the arrows or use the sword so that every one of my arrows doesn’t hit you. Do you understand?”
He nodded and took the sword. He walked away from Prince Damon, but while he was walking, he couldn’t think straight because he was nervous. It’s okay if Adira would do that, but it’s Prince Damon.
The two started with what Prince Damon called just a game, but if you look closely, it looks like what they are doing is also training. Almost every arrow that Prince Damon releases are blocked by Prince Dylan. They repeated it about five times.
Meanwhile, Adira woke up from a deep sleep and was surprised to see that she was still wearing her clothes from yesterday.
She stood up, yawned, and looked at the clock on the wall. “It’s ten in the morning. I must have slept well. ” She looked at the shoes she had worn yesterday, which were already on one side and fixed. She asked herself, “Did I take off my shoes last night?” but she just ignored it and went to the balcony of her room. If Prince Dylan’s room has a balcony, you can see the palace gate, but Adira’s is in the back of the palace.
She was stunned by the two princes now fighting below. “What is the prince of Valiant Castle doing here?” She just leaned against the iron barrier of the veranda and watched the two as Prince Damon settled in while Prince Dylan was left alone. “Prince Dylan can do it alone. He has almost all of Prince Damon’s abilities.”
Prince Damon stopped hitting and smiled. “Well done, Prince Dylan. But we’re both doing it too easily,” he shouted with strength.
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“We’re not halfway there yet. We both did it too easily.”
Prince Dylan’s face was surprised as he watched Prince Damon, but he was pulled back by the three arrows now placed in Prince Damon’s bow.