Striding confidently on the field, warmth wrapped itself around them but it was not a problem for the Seonghwa Crown Prince as he naturally has higher heat tolerance than any Haesang. However, seeing his opponent on the opposite side with his shockingly bright smile, Jimin started to question if the Haesang were trained to be on the same level as them for the sake of the competition. Such train of thoughts were cut as soon as he saw the arbiter of the joust gesturing for the two Crown Princes to be at the centre of the fighting ground.

The arbiter began to repeat the same rules and regulation which was actually useful seeing that the two were never paying attention to the long explanation at the beginning of the event. Jimin should already know the rules by heart now since it had always been Seonghwa’s event of the year but he never bothered. It was his first time joining the joust too just like the Haesang Princes involved.

Once everything was settled, the two Crown Princes of different sides on Navillera shook hands. Before Jimin could spin on his heels to head over to his side, he realised his hand was still in Myungsoo’s, who was apparently throwing dagger-like glare at him once their eyes connected. There was familiar surge of crystal clear liquid flowing in him again, the same one he felt during his adventure to the top of Mount Navillera weeks ago. Only the obstacle he could feel inside him was due to a different factor. For some reasons, he had a good intuition the joust would not be a friendly one.

They parted ways at last once the Haesang’s Crown Prince reluctantly let go of the Seonghwa’s Crown Prince’s hand. Jimin stopped on his spot which conveniently situation about five metres away from where the Kings and Queens located. Meaning, Jiyeon had a good view of his back while he busied himself receiving a pair of sword and shield. It was only logic to check on the two weapons beforehand and he noticed something different about it by the time he got them in his hands.

His eyes instantly looked up to glance over across the field. Myungsoo did not appear as surprise as him. Could it be he expected what kind of jousting they will encounter? There was an intricate Seonghwa emblem coloured on his shield and the handle to his sword was made out of a foreign material, he assumed anyway. Not even in the midst of training he witnessed such weapon being used and also among the previous jousting rounds. So without any delay, he decided that he should not be thinking much. Instead, he let his mind accept the fact it might be because it was a fight between Crown Princes.

The sword in Jimin’s hand reflected the beaming sunlight landed on them before meeting Jiyeon’s eyes. The Haesang tended to label her as their precious wise Princess not for nothing. She too noticed the different look of the shield, Jimin’s shield that was since her brother was on the other side of the field. The others had normal shields and swords in their hands so she thought it might be a coincident at first. Upon noticing the way Jimin turned his weapons side to side to inspect, she realised she was not the only ones curious of the objects.

The Haesang Princess’ heart increased its pace out of the sudden as she placed her right palm against her chest instinctively. She felt nervous which she should not be since it was not her standing on the field. She should not be scared of anything to start with so why all of the sudden her cheeks were lightly brushed by the wind, taking along her strand of her chestnut brown hair.

On the other hand, Taehyung decided to switch his spot to a higher spectating spot which he found the tree above him to be one with the upmost perfect view of the whole field. Flying up, he carefully perched his tiny form on one of the many leaves. Forget about the heat, it did not matter to him as much anyway now to think of it. He just wanted to see his friend better. The friend he barely talked to for the past few weeks. For a rebel like him, he sure followed his mother’s instruction very well which he was not a fan about.

The sound of the loud horn filled the surrounding the final joust between the two important figure of both elements. The distance between the two Crown Princes were approximately sixty metres apart but the length decreased almost instantly as they approached one another in a surprisingly fast pace. It was swift as if the wind had managed to push them from their behinds to help. The crowd were cheering rather loud in both amusingly and shock that it literally caused to jump off their designated seats.  

Once Jimin and Myungsoo met at the centre field, a loud cling of swords vibrated through the air and they began to show their strength as they fiercely pushed the other with hope it would stumble the opponent before proceeding with the next attack. He had no idea why but the fight was not the kind he expected it to be. Swaying to his left side, Jimin dodged Myungsoo’s attack with a pair of wide eyes.

One thing for sure, it was not because of the precise yet uncalculated strike. It was the cold and dampness of his right shoulder made him looked over at the older Prince in disbelief. ‘Water.’ Jimin silently thought as he made a quick tumble once his feet set at the edge of the field. He could hear the spectators which assumingly were the Haesang Princes and Princesses cheering for their Crown Prince. Myungsoo was moving too fast and smooth like a flowing river as what he would acknowledge upon jousting with any Haesang.

Nevertheless, for the one who possessed water running through their veins; his fighting skills were strong, almost similar to a raging fire. He would mistake the other male to be one of them if it was not the fact another stinging sensation hit his back once his legs halted for a quick break which was a bad idea. His body flew back a couple of metres away from his current spot. Pain began to register in his brain as his body landed on the ground with an agonising thud.

“You know, this is not the kind of fight I look and trained for.” Jimin heard his voice approaching nearer to his spot. Rolling to his side, the rusty haired one slowly regained his energy and standing up on his two feet at once. Oh he was mad and furious. It was only then he recalled the special rules set for their joust. What made them think it was a good idea to change it anyway? Sure, he was the most skilled among the other Seonghwa Princes but using them would only cause chaos and there he was panting hardly with a menacing glare.

“You don’t want to witness what I can do just yet and stop making things personal.” The Seonghwa Crown Prince uttered in between his breath to the Haesang. He noticed the older lad had been using his water element right from the start and he would praise him upon noticing the major difference of element mastering with the other Princes of his side. Unlike Myungsoo though, he did not want to use his yet after knowing what would happen if he would.

Suddenly recalling one of his sparring sessions with his close relative, Jimin could only stand still in the middle of the training ground with wide eyes as the other people around him running frantically whilst yelling the phrases like ‘not again,’  ‘we need water’ and such entering his mind. One could only picture how horrendous the situation was when the young Crown Prince literally lit one of the gardener’s wooden shacks on fire and it would blaze higher than the palace walls if it was a possibility.

Shaking his head in order to return back to reality, Jimin’s eyes found his way to Myungsoo’s dark brown orbs. He was smirking at him rather challengingly before pouncing on him. Thankfully, Jimin’s brain was working according to the sudden attack as he took his shield to his front, harshly pushed the other and tackling him on the ground. Not getting the sneaky look coming from the older one, his body jerked backwards as the soft sound of sword cutting the air was heard.

Minutes in the fight, both Jimin and Myungsoo were standing face each other, panting for air. Taking note of the sword held in Myungsoo’s hand, Jimin finally realised difference between theirs and the previous fighters’ weapons. The Haesang Princess had noticed the strange object half way through the fight, right at the moment her brother swung his sword in the other Prince’s side.

The swords were specially made by the local craftsman at the village centre. It was made for fighting in a war in the past and once someone came by his shop telling him about the jousting event, he knew the special weapon would be used again like they always would but the other element would be a part of the event too. The sword was what one would say made out of literal magic. The swords blade would represent its holder’s element which explained the wet shoulder. Myungsoo activated the sword somehow that it altered the steel element into water. He was surprise as well but he learnt fast and mastered it in few minutes.

It was dripping, dampening the ground as loose water dropped dramatically. Jimin’s was still looking like any ordinary steel sword but it did not last long as the Haesang Crown Prince decided to provoke him upon closer combat. “If you think you have what it takes to be with my sister, than think again, little one.”

That was all it took. No one can call him by that name except for his best friend. And as for the other statement, was that the reason why he was fighting so hard with him? They barely talk and the only topic they conversed was mostly random, nothing personal. Nonetheless, Jimin could not help himself but to think, why that line did made him so furious all of the sudden. Swords clanking once again, Jimin made a run over to the royal couples’ seat as he knew that was where the mentioned Princess would. No he had no idea what he was doing if anyone was curious.

Before he could even reach the area, Myungsoo was far swifter than him as he blocked the younger Prince and blasted him with more water, splurging out of his handheld sword. Jimin groaned once again for the nth time in the midst of the joust. It was too much and he could feel the energy in him was draining when he heard light footsteps coming towards him right on cue. Tilting his head to the right tiredly, he saw his weapon was thrown a couple of feet from his reach.

“You don’t think I will let you go just like that now, do you? After all, you were with her all day long at the forest.” Myungsoo mentioned calmly as his feet brought to the weaker body at ease. The rules stated the battle would end if the other passes out and preferably not dead. Besides, he had no intention of killing anybody. He still had a sense of humanity in him and he only had a slight thought of showing the younger fellow of who he would face if he was to even lay a hand on his precious little sister.

Myungsoo could smack Jimin’s face all he wanted to his advantage actually which he would, seeing that as the sword (which was not made to kill) nearing to the Seonghwa’s face, the latter closed his eyes tight yet willingly. He would make his people feel bad at his lost for sure but it was better than fighting any further. He was too tired but he felt nothing. Instead he heard a distant female voice calling out for the Haesang’s name.

“Just stop right there! That’s not fair. He did not even use his power!” Jiyeon stated aloud as she stood up from her seat and pointed at the field as her eyes landed on the lying figure. “Jiyeon, it is what to be done. It is a fair fight.” Her father told her in a composed manner which was not helping her to relax at all. She took note of her mother’s weak expression too who was remaining silent in the whole joust.

Back to the field, Myungsoo had stopped inches away from knocking his opponent out. His sister’s voice took him by surprise but it was for Jimin. He took it as a nice form of distraction as he rolled closer to his sword. Myungsoo turned his attention back to the empty spot only to widen his eyes in shock. He surely did not see that action coming. “Yes, your sister’s right. It’s not a fair fight since I did not use my power yet.” It was Jimin’s turn to plaster on a haughty smirk the other Crown Prince.

Without any delay, he could feel his remaining energy began to gather on the sword held in between his two palms. His eyes closed tightly and before he opened his eyes, a rapid surge of red heat element blast off his weapon, causing the Haesang’s Crown Prince’s body to push with all his might over the Kings and Queens’ seating area. The eyes were all on him before they followed Myungsoo’s figure which bounced with full force before landing on the tree shading them. In what should be noted to be Taehyung’s seating spot. It was too much to register by his small silvery purple wings to react.

Upon landing on the tree, the people surrounding the area started to scream in panic as the tree suddenly burst out a huge fire. Myungsoo’s body landed on the ground as he coughed hard since the attack managed to knock out most of the air out of his lungs. He felt a pair of hands wrapped around him before hoisting his body up. It was Jiyeon.