Everyone is doing their best. Pushing their limits, overcoming their personal dilemmas to reach for the stars.

That is what I loved about them. My knights.

"Vinny!! I swear on my name if you fall before 5 minutes I'm going to have your head!" I screamed irritatedly.

"Bite me!" He retorted as I gasped in offense.

"I'll take that as a challenge!" I exclaimed, trying to pull him up by his hair and bite his hand.

"Mary... They're fighting again..." Hero smiled awkwardly.

"Princesses don't bite, Snow! Vinny, leave her alone!" Mary screamed, trying to break up the fighting.

And Arian did what he always did. Cheer me on...

"Beat him up, Snow!" Arian cheered.

"Don't encourage her..." Hero said with a slight migraine.

"Hmph! How's that for a bite?" I asked tauntingly as he rubbed his hand in pain but being beast men the pain went away almost immediately.

"Alright, Alright, children, feel better?" Mary asked irritatedly.

"She bit me," Vinny grumbled.

"You told me to!" I said, sticking out my tongue.

"Alright, enough games. I'll go do the regular now," Vinny said trying to slink away.

"Ohhh, no, Vinny, it's been 2 months, you're not leaving till you can carry your weight and do the 5 minute plank!" I smiled threateningly.

"Oh, yeah? Brawl me for it!" He challenged as I quickly pounced on him and started to lay some heavy punches on him.

"Is that all you've got?! That's barely a tickle!" He said as he kicked me off of him.

"There they go again..." Hero sighed.

"Go Snow!!" Cheered Arian.

"... I give up," Mary said, disappointed.

After I won the brawl Vinny started on the planks again.

This is how he always was. The more comfortable he was with me the rougher he got. But it was just his way of friendly banter. And I didn't mind since I was stronger than he was.

And after a good brawl he'd use it as inspiration for his next exercises.

But I was the only one who really understood him.

"Remember, everyone. My father will be playing tricks, using loopholes, and slightly underhanded but legal tactics to make you all fall. So I'm going to teach you all hand to hand combat. After all, there's more than one way to draw blood," I laughed.

After Vinny completed his task he joined us in training hand to hand combat. Mary was able to throw Vinny over her shoulder by the time we were done.

I had decided that it would be good if we visited Fantasia to check on father's progress. We had agreed that I couldn't use spies and on the last week father couldn't either so it was best we scope out the competition now.

"So who do you think your father has recruited?" Asked Hero curiously.

"It's hard to say... Father is pretty tricky, he'll probably take knights that'll spice up the duel. I just don't know how yet," I answered honestly.

"Do you really think... We can win? Princess?" Mary asked, slightly nervous.

I smiled at her, "I have faith in all of you. No matter what tricks my father pulls, I know I've trained you right. Even if we don't win, I still want all of you to become my personal knights,"

The four of them looked pleasantly surprised.

"That's a high honor. Being the princess's bodyguard," Vinny laughed.

We arrived in front of the Fantasian palace as Hero exited the carriage first, Vinny second, Arian third, Mary fourth and Hero and Arian assisted me down the carriage.

"My lady, I've missed you," hugged Sierra.

I haven't seen Sierra since day 8 when father took her out of Sterling to make sure I wasn't cheating.

I laughed and hugged her back.

"Your father is this way," she led.

On the way to the field we bumped into Leonard.

"Snow? What are you doing here?" He asked as I greeted him properly.

"Greetings to the crown prince of Fantasia," I curtsied as my knights followed suit.

I explained the situation to Leonard as he nodded in intrest.

"Alright, are you here for your father then? Well, because I don't want you to be at such a disadvantage, I'll tell you--," Suddenly Leonard was interrupted by king Lennon dragging him away.

"Don't mind him, Princess! Ohohoho,"

"Father! Let go of me!" Leonard struggled.

And with that, the father son pair were gone as I laughed it off.

We reached the training field and saw father over seeing around 50 knights.

"Father, have you not chosen your knights yet?" I asked confused.

"Your majesty," my knights greeted.

"Yes, it turns out I'm very indecisive. I've heard good things from your side, Snowflake, are you still eating well? Sleeping well?" He asked worriedly.

He was worried. But not for me.

"Father, what are you hiding?" I asked flatly.

"Hm? Why would you assume I'm hiding something, honey?" he smiled.

He never called me anything but Snowflake unless he was panicking, nervous or hiding something.

"... You're the worst at hiding things, father," I deadpanned.

"According to our agreement, you have no right to pry my secrets," Father sighed in defeat.

"So there's more than one secret?" I asked with a smirk.

He shrugged his shoulders, "No use hiding it now, Snowflake. You should go back home and train. You won't find my knights here," Father smiled as it was me who was defeated.

Father deliberately hid his true candidates inside the crowd. But at least I know he's chosen his knights.

I turned around and saw Mary staring at something intently.

I followed her gaze and saw a cute petite blonde girl with baby pink eyes.

"That's her..." Mary said distantly.

I quickly realized what she meant.

"Then I'll excuse myself, father," I said hurriedly as I dragged my knights in the direction of the girl we saw.

"Princess... Please don't," Mary said quietly.

"Stop here," I said.

I peeked around the corner and saw the blonde girl give out cookies to the knights.

"Thanks, Eliza, you're a treasure," one of the knights laughed.

"It's no problem, you all must be really tired after the king gave you extra exercises!" She smiled brightly.

"What would we do without our sweet Eliza bringing us our pick-me-ups," Smiled a female knight.

"They're great, Eliza! New recipe?" Asked another knight.

It seemed that this girl, Eliza, frequently gave out treats to the knights. But how could this seemingly sweet girl that seemed like she was Fantasian get in a relationship with a knight from another kingdom?

"What are we watching?" Hero whispered.

"Are they the people you suspect are our opponents?" Arian asked.

Vincent saw the way Mary looked at Eliza then came out of hiding.

"Vinny!" I whisper screamed.

"Yo, who are you?" Vinny asked Eliza bluntly.

I face-palmed myself.

"Oh, u-umm," Eliza stuttered nervously.

"That should be our question. Who are you? And what are you doing here? You sure don't look like a Fantasian knight," one of the knights said with a threatening look.

The other knights pulled Eliza in protectively and readied their swords.

"Relax, I came with king Victor Sterling. Notice the Sterlean armor?" He asked smugly.

"Even so, who are you to approach our Eliza? What connection do you have with her?" The female knight asked protectively.

"I was just curious. Thought I saw her way back when in Sterling's training facility. What're you doing in Fantasia?" Vinny asked, ignoring the glares and swords pointed at him.

"O-Oh! Are you a friend of Terry's?" She asked, slightly excited.

I saw Mary jerk at the mention of the name. Vinny was doing extremely well for a doofus.

"Maybe we should stop him--," I blocked Mary.

"Don't move. That is an order." I whispered sternly as she obeyed but was uncomfortable.

"Terry Livon right? Yeah, we're batch mates. Are you the famous 'perfect lover' he's been boasting around all day?" Vinny laughed, but I could see the disgust in his eyes. Not for Eliza but for Terry.

"O-Oh?? Has he been bragging about me?! I-I'm probably not all he said I was!" Eliza flustered, turning as red as a tomatoe.

Eliza was sweet and innocent, very cute and charming, but it became clearer to me that she doesn't know much about Mary at all.

"Awww, look at our Eliza, all love sick," said one knight, ruffling her hair harshly as she tried to swat his hand away.

"Stop it, Remy! You'll mess up my hair!" She whined.

"D-Do you perhaps have a message for me?? Terry said he had a surprise waiting for me! Are you here to deliver it?" She beamed happily, excitedly, like a child in a candy shop getting anything she wanted.

"No, I just wanted to say hi and meet Terry's mysterious lover. I have to get going now, but it was nice meeting ya, Eliza," Vinny smiled as a disappointed Eliza tried to smile brightly once more.

"Oh... Ok, it was nice meeting you too! Um... Sir...?" She asked.

"Vincent, Vincent Green. You seem like a sweet kid, Eliza. I'll see you around," Vincent smiled, walking away as Eliza brightened up by the compliment.

"Thank you! I'll see you around!" She waved happily then went on to talk to her friends again.

"Vinny..." I called as his fist dented the rock wall beside him.

"I'm gonna kill that stupid bastard," he growled.

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