: Training

 "Will you let me?"

I stare at Princess Paislee, puzzled by the unexpected turn of events. This situation is entirely different from anything I've written before. Princess Paislee and Csille becoming friends? It's beyond belief.

"Csille?" Princess Paislee's voice interrupts my thoughts.

 I smiled at her and nodded. "It will be my pleasure to be your friend Princess Paislee."

Princess Paislee smiled brightly and embraced me, intertwining our hands.

How did I find myself in this situation? Here I am, standing between Prince Fraser and Princess Paislee. Me? Csille Lauretré, the antagonist of the tale. The one destined to disrupt their relationship in the future.

If only they were aware of this now, they likely wouldn't want to stand beside me.

"Shall we leave this party? I'm finding it rather boring listening to the discussions about the Peace Treaty," Princess Paislee suggested, glancing at Prince Fraser. "Would you be so kind as to give us a tour of the palace? I've only ever visited our own, and I'm eager to see the splendor of others."

Prince Fraser smiled at both of us and escorted us out of the banquet. Hand in hand, we strolled through the dimly lit hallway.

 "Follow me. I know a place we can go," Prince Fraser said, leading us to the rear of the palace. There, hidden behind a large, ancient tree, was a ladder. He climbed up first, inviting us to follow.

 "Ladder? What are you going to do with that?" Princess Paislee asked, her expression filled with confusion as she glanced at the Crown Prince.

 Prince Fraser flashed us a grin and proceeded to move the ladder to the rear walls of the palace. Placing it carefully before turning to us.

"Why are you two waiting? Climb up," Prince Fraser urged.

 Both the Princess and I exchanged incredulous glances with Prince Fraser. Disbelief was evident on our faces as we glanced up at the towering height of the palace. While it doesn't have a second floor, the sheer elevation of the structure remained imposing nonetheless.

"We're going to climb up with that?" Princess Paislee approached the ladder and examined it closely.

Prince Fraser chuckled and gently took hold of Princess Paislee's arms. "Don't worry, it's perfectly safe. I've checked it myself. Mind to climb up first?"

 Princess Paislee glanced at Prince Fraser and nodded. "Alright, I'll go up first." She then turned to me. "You'll come after me, right?"

I nodded in response. She then began ascending the ladder. Prince Fraser turned to me. "You should climb up too, Csille."

I gazed at the ladder and felt a lump form in my throat. Heights were never my friend. I'm afraid of heights. How could I possibly climb that ladder? Just the sight of it made me feel dizzy.

"Csille? Are you alright? You look pale," Prince Fraser inquired, his hand gripping my arm as he stood behind me, as if ready to catch me if I were to fall.

I nodded and forced a smile, unable to admit my fear of heights. Many are aware that the Lauretré family frequently embarks on hikes to reach out with the tribes residing atop mountains. Csille was known as someone who likes to look at the view from the top of the mountain. So how could I tell him I'm afraid of heights?

"CSILLE? PRINCE FRASER? WHY ARE YOU STILL NOT CLIMBING? COME ON! THE VIEW HERE IS REALLY AMAZING."

I glance up and spot Princess Paislee waving at us.

Prince Fraser holds onto my arms as I tentatively grasp the ladder. "You don't need to climb up if you don't want to."

 "I'm good. I was just dizzy a while ago. I could do this." I smile at him reassuringly and grasp the ladder, carefully placing my right foot on the first step.

You could do this, Ysavel! It's nothing. You've been through worse situations. You can climb this. It's not that high.

I encouraged myself as I climbed step by step, despite my trembling arms and legs. Don't look down, Ysa! Don't look down. I was about to step when my foot slipped, and I struggled to maintain my balance.

Suddenly, I slipped from the ladder. Despite hearing Prince Fraser's shout, I instinctively closed my eyes and braced for the fall.

Is this the end for me? My novel hasn't progressed much. Maybe I'll wake up in the real world after this.

As I braced for impact, I was instead met with a comforting embrace. Opening my eyes, I found Prince Fraser's concerned gaze. He caught me before I could fall and held me gently, carrying me in a bridal style. After setting me down carefully, he checked for any injuries, relieved to find none, and then pulled me into a tight hug. "I'm glad you're okay. Don't scare me like that," he whispered softly.

Clutching him tightly, I feel a rush of relief flood over me, thankful to be unharmed despite the unexpected turn of events. Confusion clouds my thoughts as I ponder what just happened. This scene wasn't part of the script.

Our moment is interrupted by Princess Paislee's voice calling from above, startling us back to reality.

"CSILLE? FRASER? IS EVERYTHING OKAY THERE? SHOULD I GO DOWN NOW?"

I gently push Prince Fraser away and turn my attention to Princess Paislee. "Thank you for your concern, Prince Fraser, but I think it's best if you join Princess Paislee."

Prince Fraser shakes his head in disbelief. "How can I climb up now? Do you want us to go back?"

I shake my head at him. "No, the Queen instructed you to accompany the Crown Princess. Please, join her. I'll be fine here. Don't worry about me." I assured.

Prince Fraser gazes into my eyes before sighing. "Alright, just stay here. We'll only stay for a moment to gaze at the stars, and then we'll go down after. Just remain here, alright?"

I simply nod at Prince Fraser. He then directs his gaze upwards and calls out, "EVERYTHING'S OKAY. I'M CLIMBING UP NOW!" He looks back at me before climbing up the ladder.

I watch as Prince Fraser ascends the ladder, with Princess Paislee looking down from the top. Smiling, I gaze up at them. Once Prince Fraser reaches the top, he waves down at me and explain to Princess Paislee why I didn't climb up. Princess Paislee peers down and shouts, "CSILLE, ARE YOU OKAY?"

I wave back at her as they continue their conversation, likely discussing about me. Their voices fade as they move out of sight.

I smile, watching them, glad that the main characters are finally together. After a moment, I turn and head back to the banquet.

I don't know what happened, but I'm happy they are together now. Crown Prince Fraser Astalieu and Crown Princess Paislee Saintizin. The future King and Queen of the two Kingdoms, Vrawyth and Aeslaerean.

__________

Two weeks have passed since the celebration banquet, and it's been the same amount of time since I last saw Prince Fraser. Upon returning from the banquet, I asked my parents if we could leave. My mother, feeling tired, agreed to my suggestion. Before the Crown Prince and Crown Princess could get back, my mother and I already left the palace banquet.

For the past two weeks, Princess Paislee and I have been exchanging letters. It's a mystery how it started, but since the banquet, she's been sending me letters twice a week after. I'm unsure whether this is a good thing, given that we'll inevitably become romantic rivals in the future

"My dear, Prince Fraser has requested for your company again," my mother informed me as she entered my room.

I feigned a cough and met my mother's gaze. "Mother, I'm not feeling well today. Could you please inform the Crown Prince that I'm unwell?"

My mother sat on my bed and reached out to touch my forehead, checking for signs of fever. She shook her head and looked at me with concern. "Are you sure everything is alright? Did something happen between you and Prince Fraser?"

I shook my head, mustering a weak cough. "No, we didn't have any argument. I'm just not feeling well today, Mom."

My mother let out a sigh and gently ruffled my hair.

"Alright, I won't force you to tell me what's going on. But let me make one thing clear, this will be the last time I allow you to make excuses to Prince Fraser. Whatever happened between the two of you, you need to talk it out."

  I nod my head in response.

After she leaves, I get up from my bed and stare at the door for a moment. With a sigh, I walk over to my study table and start rummaging through my things. Eventually, I find a notebook—it's not the one I use for writing the novel, but rather Csille's daily diary. I flip through it briefly before closing it again.

  I'm still hesitant to see Prince Fraser these days. It's as if a sense of guilt weighs heavily on me about the future. After all, I'm the one who shaped Csille into the character she is now—the one destined to ruin their relationship. How can I face them knowing I'll eventually be the one to ruin our relationship?

  Can I truly not change my fate? Is it possible for me to become a good character instead of being the villainess? I just want to live a different life. I don't want to be cruel anymore. I slump my head onto my table, feeling lost and unsure of what to do next.

As I'm almost drifting off to sleep, there's a knock on my door. I didn't bother answering. Exhausted, I simply continued to rest.

 The door opened, and someone stepped into the room. Without looking back to see who it was, I presumed it was one of our maids. I heard footsteps approaching, and then felt a gentle touch on my head..

"I heard from the Countess that you weren't feeling well. Are you feeling any better now?"

Startled by Prince Fraser's voice, I quickly straightened up from where I had been resting my head on the table.

"Prince Fraser! What are you doing here?"

 Prince Fraser just stares at me for a moment, then reaches out to touch my forehead. "Your temperature seems normal. That's good. Do you have a cough or cold?"

I shake my head in response, still taken aback by Prince Fraser's unexpected visit. What could he be doing here?

 He sighed and continued to look at me. I shifted my gaze away, finding it difficult to meet his intense stare. It felt as though he was peering into my soul. It was surprising that such depth of emotion could come from a nine-year-old.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked after a moment of silence.

  I look at him and shake my head. Walking over to my bed and take a seat. "I wouldn't dare, Your Highness, Crown Prince. Why would you think that?"

He joins me on the bed, sitting beside me, and takes my hand in his. "Because I left you alone that night. Did you get upset because of it?"

  I shake my head again in response. "Your Highness, how could I be upset with you? You caught me from falling off the ladder. Without you, I might have broken bones."

"Then why did you leave us? I asked you to stay, didn't I? Do you know how concerned I was when I didn't see you there? And why did you leave the banquet early too?"

  I looked at him and smiled. "I left because I wasn't feeling well. Initially, I intended to wait for both of you. However, my pain worsened, so I asked my mother if we could go home early. I thought my father had explained it. I apologize, your Highness." I bowed my head to him as a sign of apology.

 "Can you stop with that, Your Highness!" He snapped at me, then lifted my head and stared at me. "I told you to call me Fraser when we're alone. And you don't feel okay? Is it because of the fall? Did you get hurt? You should have told me."

  "And what about Princess Paislee? Should she be left alone at the top? Prince Fraser, the Queen specifically requested your company to ensure Princess Paislee enjoys her time in the palace. I wouldn't want you to defy her request just because of me."

 Prince Fraser raised his voice. "What do you mean by 'someone like you'? Please stop speaking like that! And Princess Paislee would surely understand if you're not feeling well. Do you really think she's that shallow?"

 I sighed. "I'm just stating the facts, Prince Fraser. I'm just the daughter of a Count. Both of you are royalty, the future leaders of the Kingdoms. So, how could someone like me have the right to speak casually to both of you? And it's not really a big deal. Why are you making things complicated?"

"Why does it matter if we're of royal blood? You're from a noble family yourself. So, calling me Fraser shouldn't be a big deal. And remember, we're betrothed. You'll be royalty too eventually."

  Csille? Becoming royalty? That's highly unlikely. We probably won't even get a chance to marry. You'll likely end up with Paislee. I shake my head at him. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I'm still feeling unwell today. Can we perhaps discuss this later when I'm feeling better?"

  Prince Fraser sighed and rose from his seat. "Alright, if that's what you prefer. I'll give you some space for now." He began walking toward the door but paused abruptly, glancing back at me. "Oh, and I also came to bid you farewell."

"Goodbye?"

 Prince Fraser glanced at the window before retrieving a Pink Camellia from inside his suit and placing it on the cabinet in front of him. "I'll be departing for half a year. The King has assigned me to train in the Western region. I'll see you upon my return. Csille, please take care of yourself." With those words, he gazed at me briefly before exiting my room.

  I looked at the flower he left on the cabinet, drawn to its delicate petals. As I approached, I reached out and took it in my hand.

A Pink Camellia? Pink camellias symbolize a longing for someone, a silent expression of missing someone dearly.

  Fraser Astalieu. What will I do to you? I returned to my bed and sank onto it. A Pink Camellia, a symbol of longing. It should be meant for Princess Paislee, not me. With a sigh, I placed the flower into a vase on the bedside table.

Heading to the Western region? I recall mentioning it in my writing. The King of Vrawyth sends the Crown Prince there for training, which goes beyond mere physical exercises. The western region is the most impoverished region of the Vrawyth Kingdom. The King asked the Crown Prince to live there for half a year as a commoner.

  It's his first training, and given his young age of nine, a local family will take him in. However, he'll need to earn his keep, working for his food and lodging during his stay.

  The King arrange this training to ensure that the Prince gains a deep understanding of the struggles faced by commoners, particularly those in the most impoverished regions. By immersing himself in their daily lives, the Prince will develop empathy and insight that will be invaluable when he assumes the throne, enabling him to govern with compassion and wisdom.

  I barely described it in my novel, never anticipating it would actually occur. However, it's fortunate that this is his initial training experience. Because during his next training, Prince Fraser will face life-threatening situations.