Prince Minki's POV

"I have no intention in getting involved with royalty on a level above friendship."

Were such meaningless words supposed to hurt so much? How come that sentence kept ringing in his ear, making him think over and over again, that he might have lost something because of his title?

"Minki, I know you're out here." Minhyun was still on the bench, gazing out into the playground the castle had set up for the neighborhood children. "Why are you here, listening in on us?"

Prince Minki slowly stood up from behind the bush, unashamed of his little snooping. "I was wondering what you and her were going to-"

"Why would you care?" his brother looked at him angrily, hurt from the rejection the foreigner gave him. "You know, ever since Luvia came here-"

"Luvia?" Minhyun always called her 'girl' or 'that girl', but to call her by her first name- has he ever called a girl by their first name in a conversation? "Since when did you two get close?"

Minhyun stood up from the bench, sizing his brother up and down. "Well..." he seemed to be rethinking something for he smiled gigantically. "You have Evelyne and Princess Kirstin, which means you have no room for Luvia. Though, when I leave this place- I'm taking Luvia with me."

Minki smirked, his heart feeling ten pounds heavier. "I only have Evelyne, I will request to eliminate the princess." he bit his lip, trying to seem as though he wanted Evelyne only, but that didn't seem to be what he really want.

What did he want?

"I'm not going to take her rejection, I'm going to push forward." Minhyun walked over to his brother, patting his back and walking into the castle. "The ball is not far from now, prepare to marry, brother!"

As Minhyun opened the wide doors, he caught a glimpse of a girl with a blue dress sitting at the corner of the dining table, stuffing a sandwich in her face along with tea. There would have been times where he would have gone directly to the woman and scold her for her way of eating, but Luvia seemed so stressed about many things on her mind, that he did not have the heart to get mad at her just yet.

"What? Just yet?" Minki nudged his forehead. "Not just yet, never!" he tried forgetting about her, tried erasing her from his mind, but as the door closed he saw another glimpse of her.

She was staring at him with soulless eyes.

Luvia's POV

"I cannot believe they invited her here." someone a few rows ahead whispered loudly.

"She was not even born here, and they give her such special treatment." someone else said.

"I heard she's a president's daughter. If they treat her so nicely, maybe she is the daughter of America's president?" all the high pitched voices of Renadia's women began to grow louder in whispers.

"Don't worry, they are all not used to foreigner's here." Princess Kirstin handed a cookie over to her, a cookie she stole from one of the servants.

"I don't much care for things like rude comments." the sandwich in front of her looked so lonely and abandoned, that she immediately grabbed it and took large bites, her eyes fixed on the plate.

Tea, squared sandwiches, gossip- none of this is me. I don't belong here, I hate it- I hate it- I hate it-

A cold breeze silently came into the dining room, sending chills down her spine. When she looked up, she saw Prince Minhyun making his way into the dining room and towards the hallway. He didn't glance at her once, not a single eye contact.

"Ah- it's the eldest prince." some girl nudged Luvia, pointing at the handsomely tall prince. "I don't think I've ever actually seen him."

"Will you not be staying here with us?" a daring girl with the voice as pitched as a whistle came over to the prince. "We were invited to warm up to each other. Will you not be here and warm up to us too?" the girl bowed her head, hiding the bottom half of her face with her hands.

Minhyun stayed still, inspecting her from the bottom to the top. "Should I?" he smiled softly, walking towards the only girl he wanted. "Am I welcomed here?"

The girl who could have had her head cut off from publicly flirting with royalty was now fuming with anger as he stood beside Luvia, his smile directly signaled towards her. "Prince Minhyun-"

"Since the eldest is able to join, then does that mean the prince who started this meeting is also able to join?" Prince Minki walked into the dining room, walking to sit next to Evelyne, only two seats on the right of Luvia. As he walked inside, he was glancing at her and his brother, a secret lying beneath his eyes.

Luvia was staring at her tea cup, feeling new warmth as Minhyun grabbed a seat on the left side of her. was zipped as she slowly swallowed the last of her sandwich.

"Want more? You seem kind of hungry." Prince Minhyun warmly smiled, staring only at her.

Are you trying to get me killed?! I'm disliked enough already, adding more hate because you like me could get me murdered! her mind was a jumbled mess of alerts.

"It's fine, Prince Minhyun- she ate nearly a whole cow back home." Evelyne informed, glaring at the beautifully fake Cinderella.

The cow- the machete- the slaughter. All the memories came rushing back as Evelyne only mentioned one word. That was all it took before tears formed as she heard the whales of crying from the cow.

Stay strong. Don't let it get to you. All she wants to do is embarrass you. Don't let her have that. You're stronger than that Luvia.

"Yes, I'm quite stuffed." she smiled softly, holding Minhyun's gaze. As she stared into his adoring brown eyes, she realized he seemed tired and defeated- but with strong power. "Prince Minhyun..." she felt as though his tired expression was caused by her.

He placed his index finger on his lips with a small smile, whispering beneath his breath. "We'll speak later if you wish. Now is not the time." He glanced behind her, watching as all fifty other girls stared and watched them both carefully.

Luvia was a bit terrified as she imagined them murdering her for even speaking to the prince. She held his stare and nodded, "I understand, Your Highness."

In front of them, Luvia could hear the scoffing the youngest prince did. She could feel his own glare on them as Prince Minhyun refilled her cup with tea. "Should a prince be serving someone lower than them?" Minki finally got her attention. "A farmer girl to be served by a prince? How preposterous." He muttered.

Luvia looked at Evelyne beside him, who seemed to agree with his remark. Luvia burst out in laughter, uncaring as the Renadian women shockingly watched. She couldn't help herself from laughing at the prince who he himself is dating a 'farmer girl'.

Prince Minhyun seemed to have caught on, for he too laughed. "Should someone below my title make me laugh this much?" he placed his hand on her knee below the table, the big blue dress making ruffling noises as it moved. "Tell me, Minki, are we not all equal as humans?"

Prince Minki bit his lower lip, turning a bit red. "What is it you are trying to say?" he didn't once glance at Evelyne whom wouldn't stop furrowing her eyebrows at him. "Anyway, I think I should leave. I have things to do."

Luvia stared at her plate, feeling Minhyun stand up from his chair. "I'll accompany you."

"No, I need you both to sit." the Queen ordered, sitting down at the very end of the table. "I wish to speak to all of you."

Prince Minki and Prince Minhyun had no choice but to sit back down. Evelyne seemed delighted, while she felt a bit sad that they didn't really leave. It's so awkward just looking at Minhyun, even though I feel very saddened that I might have made him look like this...

"As you all know, you will be going through class courses of elegance, if you don't pass the tests, you're out permanently. The first level will be to test intelligence, the second will be of balance, the third of kindness, the fifth of posture and the sixth of how well you fit besides Prince Minki's side." the Queen intertwined her fingers together, glancing at every face of the women in the room. "As you all know, Prince Minhyun will not attend this ball, but it will be centered for Prince Minki. The King, Minhyun, and I, will be the judges to see whom will best fit for our prince and our country. We will have a small ball for everyone in the country to join and watch; this will be the first ball for you all. In this ball, you will all be dressed up and introduced to the country as candidates. Then after the last three women are chosen from the last class course, those three will attend the final ball, the Ball of Renadia which will be the day we announce the woman to be Minki's wife."

Luvia sighed, picking at her nails. You don't even have to try in these classes. If the challenge is to pass the courses, then I'll definitely fail the first one- intelligence. "One dumb, two dumb, all dumb, everybody dumb." she smiled at her stupid side song.

Minhyun looked at her with a large smile, probably having heard it. He continued to look at the Queen until the end of her speech, that's when he got up and left without another word. Minki staid, glancing at every woman in the room, and finally laying his eyes on her. She felt butterflies in her stomach as she realized how beautiful the prince really was.

"What do you think? Will you be able to go up the levels and try and beat me at the last class?" Princess Kirstin smiled challengingly. "I'm anticipating for your skills, Ms. Mexico." she giggled, glancing at Minki, who now had his eyes settled on Evalyne.

"I don't think that will be possible. I'm going to try and fail the first class." Luvia stared at the princess. "I want nothing to do with this."

Princess Kirstin laughed wholeheartedly. "But dear, you can't fail on purpose. The women who fail the first three classes are considered 'bad goods'. Your father will have to carry the burden of having a rotten good." Luvia was irritated that the princess made her sound like a 'product' gone wrong.

"Are you saying we'd be humiliated? I thought this was an awesome non-shameful country." she murmured, sighing as she glanced down at her plate.

"Just do your best. In the end, you and I both know none of these women but me will become the bride by his side." she whispered in her ear. "Just go along with it. We both know the results for the end."

Luvia felt her inner pride lash out for a few seconds. For a moment, she felt as though she wanted to be able to go up the class courses and beat Princess Kirstin to show that she can too become a bride. Though she chastised herself for thinking such thoughts.

Another wave of thoughts were thrown at her. What if...you try your best in this ball game and see if you can win Minki's heart?

"ARE YOU CRAZY?" Luvia lifts herself up as she shouts at herself. She realizes the odd looks she receives from the other ladies. "Oh my god- I'm sorry. Excuse me." she bows and rushes out of the room, afraid that if she staid anywhere near Minki, her thoughts may astray again.

"Her father wants me to let her become one of our servants. I think that's too harsh for a girl who's grown up in nothing but wealth all her life." the voice that sounded like the Kings came from the hallway. "What do you think My Queen?"

"It's not a bad idea, but let's let her stay with the farmer for now. If she does horribly on the ball, then we hire her for the house." the Queen sounded stern. "She seems quite fit for a family."

What does that mean? she asked herself, biting her bottom lip as she exits the hall and walks towards the main doors. She was ready to get away from all the fancy rich stuff, from all the teas and sandwiches, and most of all- royalty.

"Where are you going? The dinner hasn't even finished yet." Prince Minki came from behind her, his eyes roaming on her body. "...you're leaving, aren't you?" he whispered, glancing to his left and his right. "If the queen knows you left before she dismissed everyone-"

Luvia looked at him with a sincere expression. "You don't understand, I'm going crazy just looking at the one thousand dollar wallpaper. The sandwiches don't fill me up, the annoying screechy voices are killing me, and the air of royalty is suffocating me." she looked down at the floor. "Please take me out of the ball. I'm made for burgers and soda, not teas and sandwiches."

Minki chuckled at her last sentences, as if agreeing that she wasn't that person. "I'm afraid I can't get you out. You'll have to try and win." he looked away with a bright glint in his eye. "Just go home then. Rest so that you won't be so exhausted during the first ball." for the first time since they met, he touched her bare skin as he nudged her towards the door.

The electrifying current that happened beneath her skin was intense...and lovely.

She liked Minki, but he was royalty. She wanted a normal guy, not a prince.

She opened the double doors and walked home in her blue gown, her jewelry shining brightly beneath the moons light. She could feel the curls in her hair jumping as she quickly returned home.

Prince Minki's POV

He was jealous of his brother. His brother whom had no woman by his side, no care in the world to who to confess to. He wasn't picky as to choose who to become queen, because he wasn't going to be king. Minki was.

At the dining room, during his mother's speech, he was stealing glances at Luvia, whom seemed to endlessly stare at her plate or smile softly at his brother. There were points where he would carelessly stare at her. It wasn't the makeup nor the jewelry that made her shine that night, it was her inner beauty that was so different from the other girls at the table that made him notice her more.

She was quiet, she fumbled with her thoughts, and sometimes even spoke to herself. He wanted to know what she spoke of, he wanted to sit in his brothers seat and listen to all the nonsense she had to say aloud. He was curious.

Although his attraction towards her grew, his love for Evelyne was decreasing. The more he saw Luvia's quiet and deep ways, the more he saw Evelyne's sharp and nasty ways. Luvia was careful with her words, despite blurting out blunt rude things; but Evelyne would make side comments meant to keep to oneself. Evelyne was showing herself to him as a snob who knows she has the prince in the palm of her hand.

"Shall we go outside?" Evelyne whispered so low, only he could hear her. "Just the two of us."

He thought about going with her to regain his endless attraction towards her, but as his eyes met Luvia's, he shook his head. "I'm tired." he whispered back, glancing at his own plate with an untouched squared sandwich.

When Minhyun left, it wasn't long until Luvia made an outburst worthy of laughter. Though no one said a thing. She had exited the room with flushed cheeks, escaping the crowd of eyes. Without even a seconds thought, he followed. He didn't know why his body instantly got up to follow her, but his mind was too jumbled in a mess to really question himself. He just knew that he had to find her, to see if Minhyun wasn't by her yet.

And he did, he did find her. She was leaving the palace, leaving him for the night.

"Where are you going? The dinner hasn't even finished yet." Minki came from behind her, his eyes roaming on her body in amazement. "...you're leaving, aren't you?" he whispered in what he hoped was sadness, glancing to his left and his right. "If the queen knows you left before she dismissed everyone-" he wanted her to stay a little longer, to catch his meaning that he wanted her to stay- not leave.

Luvia looked at him with a sincere expression. "You don't understand, I'm going crazy just looking at the one thousand dollar wallpaper. The sandwiches don't fill me up, the annoyingly screechy voices are killing me, and the air of royalty is suffocating me." she looked down at the floor. "Please take me out of the ball. I'm made for burgers and soda, not teas and sandwiches."

Her confession was shocking to him. He didn't expect a presidents daughter to hate the luxury that surrounded them at that moment. Was the palace too much for her? Was she too used to the streets of normality? What kind of girl didn't like the idea of princes and princesses?

But the idea of her acting like a true princess made him chuckle, looking at her with bright eyes. "I'm afraid I can't get you out. You'll have to try and win." he lied to her, hoping she won't see another way out. Though he felt bad, he felt his heart warm up in a protective instinct as he realized his title was suffocating her. Maybe she needed time to rethink about being a princess, she needed to calm herself before getting into this. "Just go home then. Rest so that you won't be so exhausted during the first ball." he was sort of a jerk after he met her. He wanted to leave a true prince impression on her, to leave her thinking that being his princess may not be so bad. Hopefully.

When he sent her off, he turned around to see Minhyun, all tall and mighty, look at his brother in deep sadness.

"She doesn't like the title of royalty." he whispered, looking at his little brother. "I may have to change, I may have to leave Renadia so she can live comfortably with me- without the burden of being by a prince." Minhyun nodded in assurance. "I'll graduate the university and become a doctor, then I will take her to Korea with me. Our lives will be normal there." he smiled at him, patting his back. "Next year may be the last year we see each other brother."

That's right. They had only a month left until a new year. A new year he hoped to spend with the foreigner.

"I'm going crazy. Absolutely crazy." I can't stop thinking about her. Stop. Stop. STOP! Please stop. I want it to end. But I want it to continue so badly. he thought to himself, closing the double doors behind him as he made his way back into the dreary dining room full of women.

Luvia needs to pass to the last challenge. She needs to make it to the top three. Because even though the queen didn't add this, the last course of the challenge is to go on a date with him. To spend an entire day in his arms, by his side, and in his sight. All to see if they were compatible. He couldn't wait until the challenges began, he was dying to see Luvia's silliness and quirky attitude.

Only a matter of time until it starts, and Luvia will be all his.

This was pretty short compared to the other chapters, but I hope you liked it^^

Seems Luvia is starting to hate the idea of luxury all together. Even I'm wondering if Minhyun may have a love strong enough to actually cancel himself out of the family to live normally, just for Luvia?

The twists in this tales are keeping even me anticipating! I wonder who Luvia will choose since she just wants to learn how to be a 'lady' and not a 'princess' or will she choose none of them?

Hmmm, well, until next chapter!

You Royal Readers are what's keeping me going! So thank you for staying with me all this long. I love you~!

-jongludesu