Chapter 3

Challenges

"Andrew, wake up if you don't want to fall off your horse." Vivian gently said. But seeing Andrew still closed her eyes, Vivian shouted, "Breakfast!"

"Breakfast? Where?" Andrew woke up and looked around.

"You just ate 20 minutes ago, Andrew. Are you still hungry?" Vivian laughed and tapped Andrew's horse, "Hurry up, Andrew. If not, we will be late."
Both of horses ran fast to the Kingdom without taking a rest. After a few hours riding, Andrew heard some strange sounds from her stomach, "When will our next meal be?" Andrew asked.

"When we reach the King's castle." Vivian answered, "Andrew, I feel that we are shadowed"

"Someone is shadowing us? Are you sure, Viv? Why?" Andrew rounded her eyes.

"I don't know." Vivian shook her head.

"Do you want to catch him/her?" Andrew asked seriously.

"No, I don't want to get any trouble before meeting my uncle. We should reach there as soon as possible." Vivian frowned.

"Do you think the one is following us is a 'him'?" Andrew gave her idea.

"Him? Whom are you talking about?" Vivian was surprised.

"The handsome knight you met at the forest. He seems to have fallen in love with you." Andrew smiled.

"I don't think so. How does he know who I am?" Vivian asked doubtfully. "Be careful Andrew. Don't talk about that any more. I don't want our secret to be revealed. Let's go." Vivian spurred forward to her destination. Andrew touched her stomach miserably and followed Vivian after sighing.

Finally, they reached the kingdom. Andrew stopped at a small inn, "Viv, can we eat something before going to the castle? I am hungry to death."

"OK, Andrew. I feel very hungry too." Vivian jumped out of the horseback and entered the inn. Suddenly she accidentally hit into a woman whose face was veiled. The woman nearly fell down. Fortunately, Vivian held her in time, "I am sorry. Are you alright?"

The woman embarrassedly released herself from Vivian's arms, "I am fine. Thank you." She murmured and hurriedly left the inn after looking around with terror.

"Hurry up." Sitting at a table in a corner, Andrew waved toward Vivian. "What happened? Is it related to that woman? Her eyes are very wonderful." Andrew asked when seeing Vivian's pensive expression. "I wonder whether she is beautiful or not? Why does she have to hide her face by a thick veil?"

"I noticed that she was frightened by something. But what made me pensive is not related to her." Vivian lowered her voice, "We are shadowed by two guys. One is sitting in our right arm. Another is at the front door. I think we should eat fast and leave here soon."

Andrew glanced at two spies, "If I have a chance, I will kill both of the bastards. These damn guys destroyed my wonderful lunch." She kicked Vivian's leg secretly, "Why does the old fat woman standing at the main door looked at you angrily?"

"I really don't know why. Are you finished your lunch?" Vivian stood up and looked at the old woman who just turned her back and left the inn with her maid.

"I am still hungry, Viv." Andrew grasped a chicken thigh and followed Vivian after glancing the food left on the table regretfully.

"You should tell your friend don't touch the widow again." A waiter suggested.

"Who? And why?" Andrew asked but the waiter quietly left without answering her.

"King Arthur, Queen Mary, and Princess Victoria." The King's ceremonial assistant loudly informed.
Victoria was gently walking into the Great Hall with her attractive smile that took many young guys' hearts. Her peach long gown, her beauty, and her expensive jewelries made her become the Queen in that meeting. But some people didn't pay any attention at her as usual because the center target in that party was Prince Vivian, whom King Arthur would introduce into the temporary viceroy position within 1 year before the prince legally, became the King of Britons in future. Sitting near her mother, Queen Mary Arthur, Victoria felt angry inside, 'I will find a chance to get my throne back. I hate you, Vivian.' She talked to herself.

"What are you thinking about, Vicki." Queen Mary whispered to Victoria's ear, "Why didn't you come to garden to meet your cousin at tea time? He is very charming. You will like him at the first sight."
She forced a fake smile. 'No way, mother. I just want to kill him.' She thought.

"Prince Vivian Arthur." The ceremony assistant loudly said again, all the eyes focused to Vivian stepping into the hall with Andrew. "He looks too young and too fragile." They murmured together.

"He is very handsome, isn't he?" Some girls exchanged their opinion and had their daydream.

"But we need a great king not a handsome king for our country. His good looks aren't necessary for all of us." An old Lord seriously opposed. "I doubt that he can govern our country well. What do you think about him?" He asked Lord Wellington who was stunned when seeing Prince Vivian. 'Beth.' Lord Wellington murmured, 'he looks like Beth very much.'

Alec secretly touched his father's arm, "Dad, Lord McNeil is asking you."

"Why not? Are you jealous with his beauty and youth?" Lord Wellington impolitely answered.

"What are you talking about?" Lord McNeil angrily asked.

"I am sorry. My Lord doesn't feel well today." Darrel apologized. Seeing Vivian's appearance he knew that his hypothesis "Prince Vivian was Lord Bernard Arthur's adopted son" failed. 'But why did the Lord and Julia wanted to kill the midwife?"

King Arthur stood up and introduced Prince Vivian to his guests and vassals, "I declare Prince Vivian to be viceroy of the Briton and will represent me in law and military." He gave Prince Vivian a seal. "I believe that you will be a great viceroy."

Vivian knelt down and respectfully held the seal from the King's hand, "I promise that I will help you govern the country with my best."

Seeing some his vassals' suspicion and discontent, the King asked, "Anyone wants to oppose my decision?"

Lord McNeil stood up, "I oppose your decision. He is too young to govern our country."

"Are you Lord McNeil?" Vivian gently asked.

"Yes." Lord McNeil aggressively answered.

"I know you doubt my ability. But I believe that time will prove that the King's decision is right. If within one year, I can't govern the country well, I will resign without your asking." Vivian seriously looked at Lord McNeil and other guests. Vivian's firm attitude made the King satisfied. Andrew smiled and gave Vivian the thumbs up.
Lord Wellington gave his opinion, "I believe the prince's ability. However, I think that the Prince needs some assistants. So I nominate my son, Alexander Wellington, to be one of the prince's assistants."

"My assistant?" Vivian abashedly asked, "Thank you for your help, but I already have an assistant. This is Andrew Arthur."

"I think it's a good idea." You should accept Lord Wellington's offer." King Arthur suggested.

"I … Thank Lord Wellington." She turned to Alec, "I hope you and I will cooperate well." Vivian forced a fake smile. 'Helping me or spying me.' Vivian thought.

"I am glad that I have a chance to work with you." Alec smiled happily, 'I have a chance to spy you'. He thought.
Lord McNeil still opposed, "I have one duty to challenge the prince. There is a crime just happened two days ago in my territory. If the prince can solve that case before we do, I will agree with the King's decision."

"Me too. I challenge you to beating three of my Knights in martial arts." Lord Wood aggressively said.

"I accept all of your challenges." Vivian looked at the Lords bravely. "However, the human life is very important. So I will solve the crime case first. And after that, I will meet Lord Wood's knights. Do you agree?"
Princess Victoria gazed at Vivian with admiring look. She forgot that she ever had hated Vivian before. Alec felt very interested, 'I will know soon if the Prince is smart and his martial is excellent as rumors.' He thought.

Vivian stayed late to read the case, although she could do it on the next day because the Lord McNeil challenged required not only to solve it but also to find it faster than his assistant did. "He seemed to be proud of his assistants very much. I really want to know how smart that assistant is." Vivian felt very elated because she was in a new competition.

"Why did you smile, Vivian? Is the crime very funny?" Andrew sitting on Vivian's bed asked.

"Nothing. I am just in high spirits." Vivian cleared a throat, "I will summarize the case and we will discuss it tonight."

"Why don't we wait tomorrow to meet Alec and discuss it with him?" Andrew was yawning.

"I don't like him and don't want to discuss anything with him. Do you understand now? Listen to me, Andrew." Vivian didn't know why she felt angrily when thinking that she had to share her ideas to Alec.

"OK. Don't be angry." Andrew yawned again.

"Frankie Baldwin is one of the famous jewelers in the Britons. He lived in Lord McNeil's territory. His wife is Kenya and a beautiful woman. Many guys still fall in love with her although she got married. Among these guys, Lawrence Ford-Frankie's best friend-loved her deeply. That couple lived in happiness after their wedding. But one year ago, some troubles and conflicts occurred between them. Their servants stated that they usually saw Kenya crying quietly in the garden at night and sometimes Lawrence was there to comfort her. Three months ago, suddenly Kenya told everybody that her husband left a long time for his important duty and she would managed all of her husband businesses with Lawrence's help instead of taking care of the household as before. Frankie didn't come back again. His sister and his brother blamed that his wife hurt him because of his inheritance. They also thought that there was an affair between Lawrence and Kenya. Finally, they asked Lord McNeil to help them. Vivian looked at Andrew, "What do you think about it?" But she stopped asking more when seeing Andrew was in sleep. Vivian gently covered Andrew with a blanket and then left her room.

"Was Frankie killed by his wife and his best friend as his family thought? What is the relationship between Lawrence and Kenya? Do they love each other? Did they kill Frankie to take over his money? If Frankie died, where is his body hidden?" Vivian sighed, "If a husband is killed, the murderer usually is his wife because of money or adultery and vice versa in most murder cases. It seems that all of evidences pointed that Kenya was culprit of this case." Vivian felt uncomfortable when thinking Kenya killed her husband, "This case is too easy to solve if Kenya was the murderer" Walking around the garden, she hoped that the fresh and cool air would make her mind clearer. "Tomorrow, I will go there to find more evidence." Leaning her back against a big tree, she breathed the mix scents of many blossom flower, "What is my father doing now? How about Julia? Dad and Julia, I miss both of you."

Suddenly she saw a shadow in black clothes secretly walked toward the West side of the castle. Vivian frowned, "This side is for women's bedrooms. What does he/she want to do?" Vivian gently followed the shadow-who abruptly stopped at the Princess's bedroom. Looking at the back of the shadow, Vivian could confirm that this mysterious person was a man. "What does he want here? Does he want to hurt Vicki?" She asked herself. "I will protect you, Vicki." Although she noticed that Vicki didn't like her, she really wanted to treat Vicki like her sister. Furthermore, she felt uncomfortable when thinking that she came here to take over Vicki's throne.

He knocked the door gently: Two sounds were separated, and five continuous sounds followed the first two.

"Daniel, is that you? Come in. The door is unlocked." Vicki tenderly said.

Vivian sighed, "I thought he wanted to hurt her. But the truth is that he is her lover." Vivian quietly left there but her mind felt something was wrong. "Why does he have to still mask while meeting his lover?" Vivian immediately turned back to Vicki's room.

"You have to pay for what you did to my brother." The man in mask coldly said.

"Don't hurt her." Vivian kicked his left side strongly when seeing he held a short sword and prepared to stab Vicki who was frozen in terror.

The man unsteadily stepped back because of the unexpected attack. He regained his strength and used his sword attack Vivian's leg. Vivian felt her left leg hurt as if it was wounded. She took a vase on the table near her hand and threw it toward him. "Vicki run." Vivian shouted.

The mysterious man recognized that he couldn't kill Vicki in that moment, so he dodge the vase that hit the wall and ran out of Vicki's room quickly. Still shaking, Vicki stepped to Vivian, "You are wounded. Your leg is bleeding." She cried and gave Vivian her voile scarf.

Seeing Vicki's face was pale because of blood, Vivian gently asked, "Are you fine, Vicki?" Vivian tried to close the door and quickly dressed her wound with Vicki's scarf.

"What happened, Princess?" The guards asked loudly outside when hearing the sound of broken vase. Vivian winked at Vicki to prevent her from telling the truth. Vicki nodded, "Nothing." Her voice trembled

"But we heard something was broken in your room." A guard explained.

"I told you nothing. Do you hear me? Don't wake me up again." She pretended to be angry.

"Sorry, Princess." The guards left abashedly.

They looked at each other a while. 'Her look is so warm and tender. It is totally different from her look at the party. Vivian wanted to ask Vicki some questions but she didn't know how to ask without hurt Vicki's feeling.

Finally, she sighed and gently wiped Vicki's tears, "Vicki, you should take a sleep now. It's late. See you later." She was limping off Vicki room, "Please, lock your door carefully."

Vicki gazed at Vivian, then stepped to door and closed it in hypnotic state, "Vivian." She murmured her cousin's name tenderly.