A dark figure flashed past the long unwinding hall of the castle, followed by two others in swift pursuit. Mel laughed, her dark hair flowing as she ran around a corner, dodging past stunned servants and eyeing several doors alongside each wall to find an escape route that would lead to an eventual hiding place.

"Young Mistress!" came the exhausted cries behind her but she ignored them.

The stairs came into view and Mel rushed downstairs, leaving a huge gap between herself and her chamber maidens. More servants darted out of the way, not at all surprised by Mel's carefree attitude. Her chamber maidens chasing after her had become a routine the young lady of the castle was fond of, and what good would it do to help them when the young woman was an exceedingly fast runner.

Mel found a door and pushed at it, slipping into a bright room and closing the door shut behind her. She turned around and listened closely with her ear pressed against it, her heart hammering in her chest. Soon enough, the servants came running past, their sandaled footsteps pounding against the carpeted floor of the hallway.

Mel chuckled and turned around to face the wide expanse of the room. Bright morning light flooded in through the large open windows, touching the rows of shelves that stood with arranged books on them. Books belonging to her younger brother, Adam. She had never bothered to learn how to read. Most of the women in their domain were not expected to, and she found it very dull for her brother to sit for hours going through several pages of numerous texts and wordings.

'What was exciting about that anyway?' she thought.

"Oh no, not again," came Adam's exhausted groan, and Mel skipped down to the end of the room, sneaking past the last shelf to find Adam sitting by the last window, well hidden by the shelf she had just passed.

"A fine morning to you too, brother," she greeted him, walking barefoot to wrap her arms around his neck and give him a tight hug from the back.

Adam patted her arm and she released him, clasping her hands down on the headrest of his seat. "You and your books," she teased.

"You're causing an unnecessary burden to your chambermaids. If you wanted to exercise that much, why not ask father to give you a personal trainer and you can run all you want."

Mel huffed and crossed her arms across her chest. "I simply didn't want to get dressed for the day yet. I wanted to see the garden. They would not let me, and you of all people know that father would tell me that would be 'unladylike'." She stepped away from Adam and leaned her back against the shelf.

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Adam shrugged in his chair, not taking his eyes off his book. "So is your running across the halls of the castle and engaging in a mad chase. I don't know how we've even put up with you for so long."

She chuckled. "Don't be ridiculous, brother. I know you all love me."

He tsked and shook his head. "Still wonder when that husband of yours would arrive."

Mel smiled coyly. "That can't happen."

Their father, the lord of the Urn tribe within the Sprite kingdom had owed a high-ranking lord from the Orian kingdom and it was mentioned to have been a debt so heavy, that nothing could cover it. When all hope had seemed to be lost, the Orions had then requested for it to be paid in terms of a favour, and her father, feeling very guilty, decided to put forward his little daughter as a future bride for one of their sons to show just how appreciative he was.

But after the agreement, the Orions never returned or asked for their bride, even after Mel passed the mature age of eighteen. They still had good relations with the neighbouring nation, but in regards to Mel, they hadn't requested of her, and she was nearing the age of twenty-two.

Mel had at first, looked forward to her engagement. But with no news from the Orions, she had been uncertain about the alliance. With time, she decided to embrace the freedom her peers didn't have since most of her friends were already married and looking after their children. Nothing was seeming to tie her down.

"I'm free to do whatever I want." Her smile widened. She had initially been lonely, but after seeing the stress and effort it took to raise their children and manage their own households, Mel was grateful she wouldn't have to face all of that for now.

Adam looked up at her, his dark brows quizzing. "In other words, you won't wed?"

"What?" She slapped her hands on her hips and glared at him. "What sort of question is that? Of course, I will. Father will find me a husband very soon."

"What about your 'husband'?" he asked, still looking at her.

Mel combed her hand through her hair, her other hand still on her hip. "As far as I'm concerned, he doesn't exist. Or maybe he has passed away. If not he would have come to claim my hand a long while ago."

Adam sagged against the chair and placed the book he was reading on the table beside him. "Mel…"

"No, no, Adam." She shook her head at him, a bemused smile on her lips as she wagged a finger in his face. "This conversation is closed. I'm off to sneak away to the gardens before they find me. Have fun with your boring books," she chirped, laying emphasis on the word 'boring'.

Adam shook his head with a light frown and opened his mouth to speak before Mel dashed out of the room. It was obvious she would go to the gardens, almost every servant knew that. It pained him to an extent that his sister was more of an airhead and didn't even try to think things over. Even if she had no interest in politics or even learning to manage a household, it was worrying how she saw things. There was nothing funny about her situation and it was high time she knew that.

Mel peeked into the hallway through the door and noticing no one around, she exited the library and shuffled upstairs. She hid behind columns, statues, and within corners of the passage to avoid the attention of passing servants before making her way into the secluded wing of her father's castle.

She gingerly walked to the door of his study and placed a palm on the golden knob, about to push the door open when she heard voices from within. She then smiled, amused, and took back her hand, deciding to eavesdrop. Who was with her father and what were they discussing in there? She leaned forward and rested her ear against the hardwood of the door.

"… this… not bode well…"

"We can't stall any longer, Father. We have to send her there."

Mel paused, her cheek glued to the door. That was her older brother's voice. His tone was higher than her father's hushed words. An unsettling feeling rose within her. Whenever her brother's voice was slightly raised, it meant there was something wrong.