From the Author: I need to make sure I don't forget that Krystal is the main character but this chapter is important in introducing Amber. Please comment and tell me what you think of the story. Comments are my support. <(OuO<)~*

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Two months before Krystal’s birthday the King and Queen held a competition for the Knights. The award would be a prize worth more than money. It is a prize that will insure honor in Knight’s family name. Amber enters the competition even when she doesn’t know the exact content of the prize. The announcement of the competition was sudden and abrupt so that the King and Queen can find a Knight that is always in preparation to serve them. Since there is an already expecting extravagant party planned for Krystal’s birthday party, many suspects the prize has to do with entering the party to perform some important task for the royal family.

There’s a crowd of Knights gather behind a long table of scribes looking through lists of names of the Knights to weed out. Any Knights in trainee and people without the title of Knight are prohibited from entering the competition. The King and Queen want the best and strongest Knights. At the back of the line, Amber struggles to see what the scribes are doing to choose which Knight can enter the competition. Though Amber is among the taller female Knights, she is still shorter than the average male Knights.

“Amber!” JB and Jr. yelled trying to surprise Amber.

Looking back Amber replies, “Hmm... Looking for trouble again?”

“No.” JB said. “But-”

“But we actually wanted to support you.” Jr. said.

“Fighting!” Both JB and Jr. said before scurrying off into the distance to retreat to the garden to hide from other people.

They didn’t even give Amber a chance to respond. “Ah those kids.”

At the garden JB and Jr. were spying on Amber.

“Look at Amber, you can’t tell if she’s a male or female when she stands among the other Knights.” Jr. said as he chuckle at the sight of Amber resembling a guy.

“You can kind of tell.” JB said honestly but got slap in the head.

“Are you joking me? She looks like a total dude.”

“It’s hard to imagine like that when we already know she’s a girl.”

“Forget it. Forget I said anything.”

“Okay, okay. I see it.” JB said as he tries to please Jr. “Amber is a total dude!”

Excitedly Jr. said, “What if we threw mud at Amber during the competition? What do you think would happen?”

“She would kill us.” JB said with a trembling voice.

“Come on, we have to do it. After all those hours being tortured we have been through because of her. I can’t forgive her.”

“You mean the required training course we have to pass to earn the title of Knight.”

Again Jr. slaps JB in the head. “It’s tortured. Tortured!”

“Ow. Okay I understand.”

“Let’s take revenge on that man woman.”

Unexpectedly a familiar voice came from behind them saying, “Hello boys. What kind of game are you playing today?”

Chills ran down their back when they heard that voice and they knew what they had to do. They ran the moment that person finished talking. They were at the edge of the garden and now they are running through the maze in the garden.

“Stop!” The familiar voice they heard belongs to Amber. “Don’t go in there! This is a restricted area.” Still JB and Jr. ran from Amber not hearing her warnings.

Both JB and Jr. are whispering to each other to keep running from Amber. By the time Amber catch to the duo trouble maker they have already travel deep into the garden. To make things worse, they stumble onto the princess’s dinner time. The maid complains about their rude uninvited appearances in front of the princess. As if it was instinctive Amber bows down on one knee to show her respect. Both JB and Jr. follows Amber action urgently when they realize how serious Amber look.

This is the first time Amber have seen the princess. As not to offend the princess Amber said, “I by no means, mean to disregard the princess importance. If my tone of voice is undesirable then punish me as you will, but at the very least spare these to innocent lads under my care. I am their mentor, so if they are to misbehave. I on their behalf will take all punishments.”

The princess stood and the maids grew silence. “You may take your leave after you have given me your name. Only then would I forgive you.”

Though expressionless when she speaks, she the tone of absolute authority as expected of the princess. Amber introduces herself. “I’m Amber J. Lui and these two besides me are knights in training.”

Both JB and Jr. proudly announce their name then harmoniously said, “And together we are, JJ Project!” They strike a pose then were smack in the head for disobedience by Amber. Then they politely said, “We’re sorry for being rude princess.”

 “Thank you princess for your unmatched kindness to forgive this foolish action of mine, it is unforgettable. I promise one day I will return it to you ten folds over.” Amber said before slowly leaving the presence of the princess. Her heart was racing from stressing out that they would be in danger of having their title of Knighthood be revoke and the shame their family will face because of it.

Once they left the garden there was an eerily quiet air surrounding the three of them, Amber, JB, and Jr. Both JB and Jr. know what they did wrong but they could muscle the courage to acknowledge it after angering Amber.

“We’re sorry.” JB and Jr. said.

“Did you know what you could have lost?” Amber waited for them to respond but the silence tells her they don’t. “You could have lost your chance to become Knights and I could have lost my title. I can’t bring shame to my family. More that I can’t bring shame to both of you because of my inability to be your mentor.” Amber fell to her knee. “Sorry I have failed you.”

JB and Jr. were left speechless. All they could do was apologize for their action as tears of passion stream from their eyes. Their mentor risks it all to save them.

Amber was accepted to join the competition among the five hundred others. First is a game of chess to test the knights’ strategy skills. Second an obstacle course set with a timer to test the Knights’ agilities. Third the tournament of the Knights’ swordsmanship and hand to hand combat, testing their fighting skills. Forth is the test of delicacy as they are observes on how well they eat and carry conversation. Lastly a test of patience as each person is given a task at different interval of time to gather material from within the Kingdom proximity.

Among the few females that enter in a massively male Knights dominated competition, Amber came out placing in the top five in all the categories. The news sadden Amber to know that she wasn’t in first place, but once the news got out that the winner is not chosen by their rank in the competition but by the King and Queen themselves. The top fifty Knights in the competition are eligible to be chosen as winner of the competition. Amber is the only female who ranks high enough in the competition to be eligible for the King and Queen to choose as winner.

After the four weeks long of attending the competition Amber was finally able to rest. She gathers with her friends and fellow Knights Siwon, Henry, Myunsoo, Minzy, JB, and Jr. for a party to announce her special news.

“Everyone, guess what good news I have for you today.” Amber said expecting everyone to know. “So?”

“Hmm.” Henry said. “Right now I can’t think of anything.”

“Me too.” Siwon said.

Jr. raised his hand and answering jokingly, “You will finally admit you are female and stop acting like a guy.”

Everyone laughs.

“Ha ha,” Amber said. “Wrong. Anyone else want to take a guess?”

Myunsoo answers, “You will finally admit you fell for me. That’s why you keep acting like a guy.”

“Nice one Myunsoo,” Minzy said laughs at the thought of Amber falling in love.

Amber couldn’t tell if Myunsoo was serious or just joking, but she is afraid to ask. She gave an obviously fake laugh. “Nice one but wrong.”

“Ooh, ooh. I got it!” JB said proudly as he raises his hand as if he was struggling to reach for the sky. “It was the competition.”

Amber looks at everyone to gesture that JB answered correctly.

Everyone said in an un-harmonized chant, “Congratulation!”

“Come on, I won that competition the King and Queen set out a month ago.” Again everyone was unfazed. “What kind of knights are you guys? Why can’t you be happy for me?”

“We are.” Siwon said. “We just don’t want you to get cocky.”

“He’s right.” Henry said. “If we praised you, how are you going to become an even more successful knight?”

“Amber,” Minzy said hugging Amber. “We all love you. I know winning the competition is a big thing but don’t let it get to your head. When you do, we will lose the Amber we know and loved.”

Jr. suddenly said, “What? I thought we were going to make fun of her.” He saw Amber glaring at him and he instinctively cover his head with his arms.

Amber said with teary eyes, “Thank you everyone.”

After the party Myunsoo stops Amber after everyone have left and said, “Sorry if I make things awkward between us but, what I said earlier wasn’t a joke. Before you go, think of me.”