“Well, that could have gone better.” I didn’t even bother to justify Reya’s remark with a response. I was still fuming about the clause that King Metron had put in. If anyone took me out during the game, it would be as if they won anyway.

And even if the Metronian forces won, if I was defeated, economically, we would still lose. It was a horrid load of shit, and one I would make sure the King would pay for dearly.

“They’re basically paying the Primal Kingdom to take care of your… potential. I thought father had all but forgiven you, but I guess his acting was better than I thought.” Lucina said.

Reya shook her head and added, “No, it’s definitely not him. If I had to guess anything, it would be that mother proved herself sane enough to be released from being bedridden, and that she convinced her aides to put that clause in there. Think about it, it’s the only thing out of place in that whole thing.”

I wanted to disagree, but found myself siding with Reya’s theory the more I thought about it. That bitch did always have it out for me.

“Huh. I guess we’re more alike in that way than I thought.” Un muttered. He was currently not projecting his form in AR, but his voice sounded just as real to my ears all the same.

Out of reflex, I almost asked him about how the plan to create our own country was coming along, then realized that he wasn’t X and wasn’t privy to that information yet. Deciding just to let out a long breath instead, I rubbed a hand to my tired face.

“There’s an old proverb that says, ‘You shouldn’t sigh so much, or all your happiness will escape.’” My vision flicked towards the dirt path, where Akahime stood, looking us all up and down.

“Well, you don’t look too roughed up, at least. Did they even do anything to you at all?” The former Luong princess placed her hands on her hips, before turning around and leaving.

“Why are you here?” Lucina asked, falling in line with Akahime.

“The others were worried that Joshua did something to upset the royalty, so much so that they kidnapped you and decided to keep you in the palace until the day of the War Game.” Akahime replied curtly.

So she came out to look for us instead? Great, I don’t know if she’s just overly loyal, or dumb. What was she even planning to do in an unfamiliar country with her royal status stripped?

“Master, you shouldn’t be so hard on her. The girl is far more capable than you give her credit for.” Un’s voice broke the solitude of my thoughts, causing me to snap back to reality.

Lucina turned and gave me a very pointed look, which I frowned at. “Look, I know what you’re thinking. It’s true that I did offend them, but why should I spare their feelings if they’re the ones who attacked out of nowhere?”

This time, it was her who sighed in exasperation. “I don’t know… try not to look so… infuriating, I guess.”

I rolled my eyes at her. “How am I supposed to do that? I haven’t even done anything out of the ordinary. I even wore the combat suit you told me to because those in the Primal Kingdom, ‘appreciate might,’ according to you.”

Lucina frowned, a rare expression for her usually stoic face, her gaze downcast. “How would you feel if some man came to your doorstep with a childhood friend and your ex-betrothed in toe, and then broke your hand?”

“First,” I started, “You’re missing the crucial part of the story where he has one of his guards fire on me for that. Second, I didn’t have any female childhood friends that I ever held affection for, so I can’t relate.”

“Well, that would explain a lot.” Reya mumbled, as I thought to myself, playing back what Lucina had just told me.

“Wait, one of you was supposed to marry him? Who?” I looked at Reya, who shook her head.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

“Seriously Joshua? I’m like, ten years younger than him. Try over there.” She said, pointing to Lucina, who was suddenly very interested in looking at the ground.

“So he wasn’t actually testing to see if I could handle myself, and was trying to get some petty revenge for showing up with you? Why didn’t you think to tell me this before?”

Eventually, she responded. “It… it honestly didn’t cross my mind. It’s a relationship I don’t like to look back on, if I can help it.”

I sent her a private message next, and decided to start walking back to the base. I take it that you really are uncomfortable with it. What happened then, if you don’t mind me, your current partner, asking?

There was a long gap where no messages were sent, and the only sounds that echoed around us were the rustling and clanging of our own armor, mixed with the soft sounds of jungle life.

‘I… I think I was in love with him, ten years ago.’ She replied back in our chat log. I almost did a double take at the message, before I remember that she was older than me.

It always weirded me out how much better I seemed to get along with older people, rather than those my own age. My mother said it was because I was too mature for the other, ‘kids,’ but I didn’t know how credible that point of view was. It did come from my mother, after all.

You think? What makes you so doubtful? A blushing face emoji appeared, followed by a string of text.

‘Well, I was only 18 years old at the time. I admit… I was a very impressionable young woman, and utterly enchanted with the idea of having my own prince charming. Back then, I thought that I was… desirable, to say the least.’

Ah, so you acted about how Reya does now when you were her age? Another blushing emoji, followed by a crying one.

‘I didn’t say I was proud of it. Anyway, thinking myself hot stuff, I was engaged to Prince Barett. The second prince betrothed to the second princess of another country. Sounds like a great piece of media, right?’

I reluctantly conceded that, along with a few cheesy lines, and an attention grabbing headline, any newspaper would happily run that as their front-page story. After telling her as much, I heard a sigh behind me from the actual Lucina.

‘Well, as it turns out, things never work as well as in the stories. When we spent our first night together at 19 years of age, he… he didn’t want to do anything!’

Am I supposed to take that as he was a man who didn’t desire your body? Or perhaps one who was turned off by your perverted fetishes?

Another bout of silence, followed by, ‘The latter.’ It was a good thing Lucina was behind me, otherwise she would have seen my eyes roll at her follow up.

“I mean, how dare he refuse a lady’s request to rough her up during intercourse!? He said no because slapping my body around a bit made him, ‘sick to his stomach,’ and, ‘feel like he was abusing me,’ even though that’s what I asked of him! Honestly, the nerve of it all!”

I took a deep breath, and debated whether or not I should tell her that she said that last part out loud, but a quick gasp told me that either Akahime or Reya already had.

An angry emoji was sent my way, along with, ‘See what you made me do!? You’d better make it up to me when we get back up to the base.’ A pouting emoji, followed by the image of some handcuffs.

I tried not to sigh in exasperation, and instead, let the breath go in relief as I laid my eyes on the small shack that was the cover for our underground base of operations.

“Are… are you serious!? What happened to the large, spacious living quarters that father was supposed to provide us!?” Reya kicked the side of the shack, breaking off a piece of the siding in the process.

“Come on now, didn’t your parents ever teach you not to judge a book by it’s cover?” Akahime chuckled, having already been inside the base before.

Instead of replying with words, Reya just shot her a confused glare, and kicked the shack one more time, letting out an indignant huff. “I-I guess the Metron Kingdom doesn’t teach things in proverbs…” Akahime said, her voice fading out near the end.

Needless to say, Reya was the first inside, eager for a shower after walking for nearly an hour in the awful humidity. She stepped inside the house, and immediately made a beeline for the bathroom of the shack.

“I’m taking the first shower! Don’t bother me with anything until I’m out. Got it!?” She slammed the door, making the whole structure tremble under her wrath.

“Are you gonna tell her…” Akahime started, but I held a hand up to stop her. Reya heavily dislikes humid conditions, and hot weather. Duly noted.

“No, she’ll figure it out herself. Regardless, if she’s fine settling for that shower, why bother her with a much larger bath, in her own personal room? It just doesn’t make sense to me.”

“How very expected of you.” Lucina replied, sighing. I walked up to the bed in the only other room in the house, and hit a switch on the inside of the frame. A hole opened up in the floor, leading down to the Metron Kingdom’s secret base.

“It’s alright.” I said to Lucina, reassuringly. “She’ll figure it out when she comes out of the shower. I’ve also ordered Judgment to send her a message ten minutes after she leaves the bathroom, just in case she doesn’t.”