Chapter Three: Insolence

In the castle of Hamel Elesis was fast asleep. She had fallen prey to sleep as she was working on her list of trials for the disappointing prince. She groggily opened her eyes to the early morning rays and covered them as she groaned. Pushing herself into an upright position, she looked at her diary and finished off the sentence she had dropped off on.

Must pull out chair for me.

It was a minor test, but quite an important one. A mere act of sincerity and kindness. If he wouldn't even do this for her, she'd have her work cut out shaping him into a proper lover. She turned to face the door as someone knocked on it.

"Majesty?" An unfamiliar woman called for her. Elesis sighed and closed her diary and stashed the small book in her cleavage. She straightened her hair and dress before opening the door.

"Yes?"

"The royal family requests your presence for breakfast." The brunette maid spoke nervously. Elesis just smiled warmly.

"Thank you, would you be a dear and help me get to the dinner hall?"

"Certainly mi'lady! Right this way." The maid seemed nervous.

"Please, relax." Elesis said, walking slowly so the maid would keep pace. She chose to try and make her relax, "Are you a new hire?"

"Y-Yes, my mother and father are both very sick and we need the money. I was lucky to get a job here."

"I see. If you ever need aid please send me a message." Elesis said. The maid blushed slightly.

"T-The dining hall is right over here." She said, the pair already arriving at a large pair of double doors.

"Oh, good morning Elesis." The crimsonette turned to see Delilah approaching her.

"Oh, majesty." Elesis curtsied.

"I am so sorry for my son's behavior." Delilah apologized.

"It is not your fault." Elesis said, "He is my fiancé, so it is my job to make sure he starts acting the way he should."

"I have to say Elesis." Delilah changed topics as the guards opened the dining hall doors, "You have exquisite taste in garments." Elesis looked at her dress.

"Oh this? It's nothing really." She said.

"I am sure you have more to show. Oh, you're diary is sticking out." Delilah said, and Elesis noticed the edge of her diary was out of place and creating a sharp point in her clothes in a rather embarrassing place. She quickly adjusted it. Looking up, she noticed that at the end of the long dining table, where the king and queen would normally sit, was void of chairs. She wondered why, perhaps things were different here.

"Oh dear, has he slept in again?" Delilah sighed.

"Pardon?"

"I must depart for a short time. My dear husband seems to be cheating on me again….with the bed sheets." Delilah joked, laughing slightly as she walked off, "Please, get comfortable."

Elesis walked over to the large glass wall and looked at the garden. She wondered what her chances were, hoping Chung could be salvaged. The doors opened and Elesis turned around.

"Speak of the devil and he will appear." Elesis said softly as Chung strolled into the hall. She walked towards a seat on the very end, and waited for Chung to pull the chair out for her. However what he did was ruder than doing nothing at all. He pulled out the chair Elesis stood by and sat down in it before glancing up at her.

"Gonna sit down, or do you eat standing up?"

"Hmph!" Elesis scoffed, turning on her heel and walking to the other side of the table. The servant's door opened and Raven walked out. He swiftly pulled the chair back and motioned for her to sit, "Thank you Raven."

"My pleasure." He replied as Elesis smoothed out the back of her dress. Noticing Chung raise an eyebrow as she leaned forward hinted he must regret denying her this solely for the missed chance to look at her rear. He grew more dislikable by the minute. Elesis just sat there, not looking at the prince as she stared out the window.

"Good morning everyone~!" Elesis jumped in surprise as a booming voice filled the hall. The heavy double doors flew open with ease as a giant of a man in solid white armor with red trim strolled merrily into the room. He carried a colossal cannon on his back, and Delilah walked alongside him. This creature couldn't possibly be the king, could it?

"Morning father." Chung replied nonchalantly.

"Chung my boy!" The king smacked the prince on the back.

"Urk!" Coughing harshly, Chung leaned forward in pain. The king then took his cannon and set it flat on the floor before sitting down on it. Delilah sat next to him, between Elesis and her husband. It was apparent now why there were no chairs there.

"Helputt dear, you're frightening our guest." Delilah said as the king sat down and clapped once, the sound more like a cannon blast than a human noise. Servants began to bring out the food for breakfast and Delilah turned to a very confused Elesis, "My apologies Elesis. You did not meet my husband last night at dinner. This is Helputt, my husband and Chung's father."

"That I am, put her there." The king held out his hand. Elesis hesitated.

"G-Given the armor and cannon I think I would hurt myself if I shook your hand." Elesis spoke honestly. Helputt blinked, his smooth short blonde hair reflecting the light in the room.

"Well said my dear." He said, reaching for a plate and taking a large helping of fresh fish. Elesis didn't know what to take, and remembered another test she made.

"So much good food, I don't know where to start." She said, looking in earnest at Chung. Delilah noticed the look and said nothing and Helputt was too busy stuffing his face to notice. Sadly, so was Chung. She frowned, but another stepped in.

"Might I suggest the garlic shrimp and grilled tuna with red wine?" Elesis looked up to see Raven standing beside her.

"Those do sound good." Elesis said, and Raven served her the food he suggested. She started with the shrimp, and sighed with extreme content as the well-seasoned garlic brought out the flavor of the fresh shrimp. She quickly finished off the small seafood, relishing each bite before moving on to the tuna. She cut a small slice and took a bite. She froze, the fork still in her mouth and her expression unchanging. Delilah, even Helputt, leaned in with concern. Raven was worried as well, thinking the tuna might have been done wrong.

"Mi'lady?" Raven spoke nervously. Elesis finally pulled the fork out of her mouth.

"Who made this?" Elesis said, void of emotion.

"It was I, mi'lady….." Raven said solemnly, "My apologies." Raven went to take her food, but she grabbed his arm and stopped him. She stared at the food as she spoke.

"It is…..absolutely….amazing. I demand a copy of the recipe!" Elesis said, absolutely smitten. Raven blinked.

"V-Very well." He said. In his own opinion it was not that great of a dish.

"I see you are quite at home here already." Delilah said with a smile.

"It is mostly nice here." Elesis said, stressing the word 'mostly' as she looked at Chung. He didn't notice; he was taking a nap for some reason. Delilah sighed, "May I suggest something?"

"Go ahead."

"I will be frank. I currently have no desire to marry Chung after meeting him." Helputt hacked and coughed as he choked on his wine but Elesis continued, "However, I have a proposal."

"And that is?" Delilah pressed.

"I want to bring him home with me to Velder. I and my friends and family will run him through tests and trials to mold him to a better person I find suitable. If he succeeds, I will gladly marry him. Should he disappoint, I will run him from my city and force him home." Elesis said plainly.

"That sounds like a fair plan." Delilah said.

"I would prefer to start sooner than later." Elesis said.

"Well…your family left last night." Delilah said shyly.

"And?"

"You will have to ride there with Chung." Raven whispered.

"Good, we can begin right away then." Elesis concluded. She picked up a piece of shrimp and flicked it at Chung's face.

"Agh, what?!"

"Get up and pack. We are going to Velder for your test."

"What test, I'm not some commoner, woman." Chung grumbled.

"Chung." Helputt suddenly spoke strongly. He rose, and picked up his cannon as Delilah got up. Chung cringed, "Be a good lad and come with me for a tick."

"Y-Yes father." Chung squeaked. Delilah approached Elesis as Helputt took Chung outside to the garden, his hand on his giant cannon

"Come my dear, let us get the carriage ready. You will take my personal carriage, my horses are the fastest and strongest around." Delilah gloated.

"Much appreciated."

"I will retrieve your belongings." Raven said.

"Raven."

"Majesty?" Raven turned his heel as he walked off and faced Delilah, standing at attention.

"You will accompany them to Velder and watch over my son."

"Affirmative." Raven said.

"Dismissed." He bowed and walked off.

After a few hours, with Elesis waiting patiently in the carriage which was thankfully quite large and capacious, Chung finally showed up. He had with him a few large bags for his belongings, which Raven swiftly stored away and opened the door for him. Elesis wondered what Helputt had said to him, the poor prince was stained with sweat, and possibly some tears.

"Raven, please take us home." Elesis said.

"At your order mi'lady." Raven said, and they were soon well on their way. They were quiet for some time, and Elesis finally spoke.

"Now, no doubt you're wondering why you are coming with me to Velder."

"Nope." Chung said, bored, as he crossed his legs and stared out the window. Elesis looked at his shoes, which were on the seat.

"Feet off the seat."

"Not your carriage." Chung retorted.

"But it is my marriage, and I am the one in full power of canceling it as I please." Chung flinched slightly, but tried to mask it. Elesis however caught it and attacked again, "Such a pity. Well, I hear the prince of Altera is quite respectable." Chung swiftly removed his feet from the seat.

"Fine, why are you taking me?" Chung inquired with forced interest.

"Cut the shit." Elesis growled, "You know bloody well why this is happening."

"Do I?" He asked smugly.

"You're doing it right now." She continued to speak through clenched teeth.

"What, for living?"

"For being a smug, spoiled little shit who expects the world to be handed to him on a silver platter."

"But it will be. I'm the prince after all." Elesis twitched, but kept her composure.

"A prince without a princess will not be a king." Elesis said firmly, "You would be wise to grow a brain cell or two and pay attention, or has the salt filled air eroded your reasoning?"

"I don't see why I need to listen to a stuck up princess from a city composed upon by violence and idiotic citizens." Chung said insultingly. That was it. Elesis lunged out and slapped Chung harshly across the face with the back of her hand. A visible print of her royal hand was blemished onto his face, and the resonating smack was music to her ears, "Ow!"

"Listen here." Elesis got up and held Chung by his collar. She glared into his eyes, fire burning in her own, "I am the one in charge here. You do as I say, and you abide by my rules. You screw this up, and you can kiss any hopes of your parents' wishes for our marriage goodbye." Chung gulped, genuinely terrified, "First, you never, ever speak ill of my people. Second, you keep a civil tongue in that mouth at all times or I will sear it shut. Thirdly, you have nine more times to screw up before I drag you through the dirt tied to the back of a horse to your parents and throw our engagement rings in their faces before rushing off to Altera to marry the prince there. Got it?"

"Y-Yes ma'am." Elesis let him go. He straightened his collar, "B-But what do you mean by nine more times?"

"Screw up badly enough and I will slap you exactly the same as I just did. Nine more slaps. On the tenth and final one, you fail and our marriage is a dead dream for all who want it." Elesis said. She sighed and reached into her cleavage to retrieve her diary. She noticed Chung staring intently and gently raised her other hand to threaten to slap him again before he quickly shut his eyes and looked out the window. Elesis smiled and pulled out her diary, writing a new entry.

September 29th,

Me and the prince are on our way home. I am quite thankful Raven is coming with us as well, he will be a reasonable source of information. Chung has already screwed up once, and I appear to have forgotten to mention that if he insults my people again, no matter how many slaps he has left, he fails and is sent home. Oh well, you can't know everything right? I don't want him to fail, he's pretty cute and I feel he has a pure heart. After all, he's Delilah's son and mother speaks so highly of her as if she was a saint. El, please grant me a miracle. I need it.