"Should we avoid him then? Or should we meet him too?" I ask uncertainly, feeling slightly on edge.

It is never a good idea to talk about the ex but talking about who the ex has gotten with after is probably much worse.

Hearing my question, his lips purse into a thin line and he arches his eyebrows, furrowing subtly. Casimir balls up his fist subconsciously and it is impossible not to notice how tightly clenched they are. One can even see his knuckles turn white. His fingernails are digging into the flesh of his palm.

Witnessing how distressed he seems, I cannot help but wonder.

Is it possible that Rosalia had left Casimir for the Prince of Exalos?

"Let's not. If he realises I'm here too, he might not even offer his assistance anymore." Casimir reveals, clearly disheartened.

He almost seems helpless.

"Let's get rid of the cherries that have been contaminated," Casimir changes the topic before I get the chance to pry.

"No way in hell are you going anywhere near those cherries. We don't even know if you've been poisoned yet. You will stay here until we know you're completely fine. Trust me, all the cherries will be gone before you even realise it," I immediately shut his idea down.

"At least—" Casimir tries to rebut but to no avail.

"I am here as your bodyguard, not as a friend. If you really aren't the ignorant and reckless prince that everyone thinks you are, then you'll stay here and you will not move an inch from this hut. You will let me do my job." I cut him off sternly.

"And for the record, I don't believe you're what everyone describes you to be."

He stares at me silently and I struggle to understand the look he had on his face.

His eyes are slightly widened as if he had not anticipated what I had just said. On the other hand, creases that are hardly noticeable form on his forehead. Perhaps he is against my plan to do it all alone, or maybe he is just unhappy that I had the audacity to give him an order.

Or is he concerned?

As unnerving as his expression was, I leave the hut without another word, entrusting that Casimir will for once in his life stick with the less stupid choice.

♚♚♚

"That should be all the cherries," I let out a sigh of relief quietly under my breath.

It has probably been close to an hour or two since I started to gather the cherries. Even the sun had begun to set and I can feel the soreness gradually creeping up to attack my limbs.

Just as I am about to pick up one of the many baskets of cherries laying on the ground, a gravelly voice stops me in my tracks.

"Leave it, we'll take care of that." The man practically commands.

I look up, confused as to why five men are currently surrounding me.

"I'm sorry but if you haven't gotten the notion, this area has been warded off for your own safety. If you could kindly leave and get out of my way, it would be very much appreciated." I respond very reluctantly when deep down, I was fighting the urge to downright ignore them.

Seeing how they are dressed, I might as well assume that they are the royal guards from Exalos. After all, it is impossible to miss their gleaming aureate badge that is hanging on their uniform. However, I can honestly care less. The least they could have done was to introduce themselves first before ordering me to do as they say.

Manners much?

"She's a difficult one. Women, am I right?" One of the other men grunts condescendingly as he rolls his eyes blatantly at me while standing next to the first guard who had spoken.

He looks like the oldest of the five men. You can easily spot a few strands of his hair turning grey and the wrinkles that smeared his forehead.

So much so for the oldest being the wisest.

The first guard then glares at Mr I'm-old-so-I-know-best and he immediately gets the cue and hangs his head low, as if he is apologising for overstepping his boundaries.

Uh-oh, seems like someone forgot their place.

It appears that the first guard who had spoken is likely the general, basically the one with the highest rank out of the five guards here. His badge had an additional bronze star as compared to the rest. A typical royal guard's badge from Exalos usually has a symbol of the golden royal crown and one bronze star right underneath it. The number and the colour of the stars indicate one's position among the royal guards.

"I'm afraid you're unaware of who I am but that's alright. I am General Raulf, royal guard of Exalos. I am here under Prince Draydon's orders to fix the issue. So, if you don't mind, you'll have to step away from this garden and be quarantined immediately." He states matter-of-factly and I blink in confusion.

Quarantine?

There is absolutely no way that I will let them lock me up in a hut for days. Plus, strychnine poisoning is hardly ever contagious.

"I do mind actually," I snap back.

Despite how snarky I was, none of the guards lose their composure. All five of them yet not even a tinge of surprise at my comeback. How underwhelming.

"I'll gladly inform you that we do not need your compliance. We are only being courteous by asking for it. However, if you do refuse, we will be left with no other choice but to act with force." Raulf threatens nonchalantly and I start to get irritated at his arrogance. I can feel myself starting to fume from within.

Yet, before I am able to respond, the guards are suddenly saluting. I turn to look behind me, only to catch sight of who I assume to be the Prince of Exalos.

Although he is not dressed in some lavish royal cloak and trousers, he is put together very neatly and sophisticatedly. He has on a plain navy button-up shirt and a pair of khaki trousers. Adding on to that, he is surrounded by three other royal guards who are of considerably higher ranking than Raulf. The stars on their badges are no longer bronze but rather, they were either golden or silver in colour.

"What is with the commotion here? Did the prince not make himself clear that no one should be allowed within the premises of the cherry garden?" One of the royal guards beside the prince steps forward to question.

He is the only guard among the rest present who had gold stars on his badge. Three to be exact, meaning that he had to be the lieutenant, the highest rank you can ever achieve as a royal guard.

I cannot deny that seeing that badge brings back memories that I had already forgotten existed and nostalgia hits me discretely.

It all started with the first combat class I had with him.

"Remember to look forward and search for openings. Try to anticipate my moves. Focus, Rissa." He repeats himself for the millionth time and immediately goes in for a swing.

Before I even have the time to react, I feel a strong yet merciful punch against my left arm. He was gentle with his hits but they still hurt regardless.

I wince at the aching feeling in my arm that has only been amplified by his hit once again.

"This is impossible," I let out a deep sigh and I plop myself onto the ground in defeat.

"It's never impossible, Rissa. Come on, get up. We don't quit, remember?" He urges and offers me a hand.

I look at his palm and it is hard to miss the calluses all over them. I grab his hand reluctantly and he pulls me off the ground effortlessly. To him, I probably weighed a feather.

Hesitantly, I get back into my stance, ready to defend myself from his unpredictable attacks once again.

"Focus on me. There is only so much that I can do with my arms. Don't be afraid of getting hit. The more fearful you are, the more it distracts you."

That's right. Fear is distracting.

I inhale deeply.

You are not afraid.

I keep repeating it over and over again in my mind and miraculously, it feels as though the fear that I always had was becoming suppressed.

Then, I see it.

He's coming in for a hook.

I block his hit with my right forearm and it stings a little but there it was. I could finally see it.

An opening.

I go in for an uppercut and I successfully hit his gut.

He hardly flinches but he does stumble a little. He regains his composure almost instantly as if it had hardly hurt him but he looks pleasantly surprised. Then, he chuckles softly.

"I always knew you had it in you."

Hearing that, I felt so ecstatic. I was so proud of myself. After all, I was probably only 12 then.

It was also at that moment when I caught sight of a badge hanging by his waist. On his badge was a majestical royal crown that sat right above three gold stars.

I still remember it so vividly to this day. He had inspired me and someday, I wanted to be like him.

Someone capable of protecting.

I snap out of my thoughts when I feel a light tap on my shoulders.

"Are you alright?"

I look at the man standing before me and it stuns me that the Prince of Exalos is the one who had asked.

"Y-Yeah I'm fine," I stutter.

I had been so disconnected from reality that I failed to pay attention to the guards' conversation. Not only that, I did not realise that the Prince of Exalos had been calling out to check on me for a while now.

"Have one of the doctors check on her," the prince instructs one of the guards and he nods his head compliantly.

Just as the guard is about to approach me, I stop him.

"I'm really alright. I don't need a doctor," I reject the prince's offer kindly.

A look of scepticism smears his face. Nonetheless, he nods his head hesitantly.

"As long as you're certain that you feel alright," he responds.

I nod my head and excuse myself quickly from the scene.

Weirdly, the Prince of Exalos is extremely different from what I had imagined him to be.

Perhaps, Casimir's description of him and his disliking towards him had influenced how I had pictured him.

He was not the almighty and egoistical prince that I ought him to be. Instead, he was caring and kind.

Nevertheless, what had me taken aback was not the prince's true character. Rather, it was the badge. Seeing it made me feel uneasy and afraid. I recognised it right off the hook but witnessing it in person only made me realise something that I had never known prior.

He used to carry one of those exact badges that the lieutenant was carrying.

What was his relationship with the Draydons?

More importantly, what exactly happened to him that made him lose everything?