Beautiful Scar

Two

Scarlet was making another round of stacking up food on her plate.

She was so hungry these days, probably from the work and studying she had been putting. She always found herself so famished after a long day’s solving army issues. Since she became Captain, a lot of political and military problems required her in-depth studies, and now that she had a say in meetings, she put the extra effort to ensure her idea and plan minimized as much casualties as possible. Ideally, she would love to achieve zero death, but she was still not as optimistic as she used to be. Death was inevitable.

She was thankful that God let her escaped death, was merciful to her and granted her a new life to live in after that fire. Or maybe this intense workload and constant hunger were punishment for escaping death, she welcomed either away.

“Shouldn’t girl like you be locked up somewhere and not cause sore eyes to the people around here?”

A man dressed in regal clothing with black hair stopped her advances towards the next food.

Ah, she was also informed about this man. What a way to make a first impression.

She heard also snickering from a group of young men not far from where she and that dark man stood.

She rolled her eyes at this situation. Shouldn’t her face repel this kind of torment?

This Princeling from another kingdom had no idea who he was up against. He must’ve thought she was a lowly and submissive servant. Sure, Scarlet thought, she may be lowly among royalty, but she was anything than submissive.

She often leashed herself from lashing out during events such as this. She snarled and threw the same amount or more verbal abuses and insults in the army training and meetings. But on social events such as this she either used sarcasm or feigned ignorance.

“If you are not going to eat, the ladies who are eager to dance are huddled over there”, she used a pair of pincers to show direction, “If you want to shake the Princess’s hand, she is making her way down over there, now if you excuse me”.

When the man realized what Scarlet said about the Princess, he cursed softly and started to move to where Fina was coming down from the dais. But Scarlet was quick and to unleash a little bit of revenge, she held out her foot and the man stumbled his steps and fell flat. The people near the area gasped.

Even Fina glanced over at the commotion when she spotted Scarlet from afar.

“I forgot to mention. Watch your steps”, she smirked as she towered over him. He looked furious at her, but she proceeded to turn her back and scooped her food.

The man stood and brushed off his coat. He attempted to tell Scarlet off when Scarlet immediately held her metal fork in front of him. She did not even turn her back, merely lifting her arm that was holding the fork. The man staggered back.

“Don’t interrupt a lady who is hungry, or a soldier who hasn’t eaten for days, or both”, she said icily.

“Tch”, the man sensing he couldn’t win in a place not his territory backed off and went off to grace the Princess instead.

Finally, some peace, thought Scarlet.

As she settled down at her table, on her own and comfortably, she attempted to finish her meal. She was occasionally greeted by some of her comrades and subordinates, Lance even stopped by and they had a short chat, Lucas even returned with Mary, and they again said thank you to her that she wanted to punish those couple for being too polite and yet not able to read the situation that she was darn hungry. But eventually, her food was finished and she wiped some crumbs off her face with a napkin.

When a servant came to clean the table, Scarlet attempted to assist her, which she was gently declined by the elderly servant lady.

“Oh, you hurt my heart for declining my generous offer here, ma’am”, said Scarlet clenching her fist against her left side of her chest.

“Don’t be absurd, milady. You have done your job and now it’s my turn”.

“B-but…”

“No buts, sit there or I might have to usher a man to keep you occupy”.

“I’ll behave!” she quickly sat still, recalling what happened just now with that insufferable man made her winced. She would not want to face them again, at least not tonight.

As Scarlet sat there, looking at the stack of plates been cleared off the table, a shadow of a man stood over her.

“Excuse me, Lady Scarlet, I presume?” the man inclined his head with a small bow and offered his hand.

The elderly servant covered her gasp and Scarlet looked up at the man she was unfamiliar with. She was perplexed as well. Men from nobilities and royalty rarely called her that. They addressed her Captain or not bothered about her at all.

But though she never spoke to him, she was aware this man was also one of the suitors. She only offered her hand to shake his as a formality. She could not escape from this upper-class social interaction even if her whole being loathed it. And she also hoped he would flinch at the sight of her face. But it did not work. The man was still here!

One time she remembered, when she and Fina was 15, and the castle threw a masquerade ball, they conjured an idea where Scarlet would wear a half mask that covered her scar, revealing her unscarred side on display instead. And when men approached to dance with either of them, Scarlet would unmask and scare the young boys their age and other men from dancing with them. It was a sight to behold seeing the men jumped off his feet and staggered back into the crowds. It was also good repellent for men approaching them with ill-intentions.

But that was the last time Scarlet hid her scar in public. After that, she did not hide her scarred face and walked out in public bare-faced with proudness and at peace.

But now she was not at peace. She wanted to usher this man to the crowd of ladies or to the Princess’s place there. But he instead asked her for a dance.

“Eh?” that suddenly came out of Scarlet’s mouth. She did not expect this.

The young man with flecks of brown and golden hair and eyes almost mirrored Fina’s charms.

She was thinking of a way to decline him when King Elias stood up from the dais and made an announcement in the entire hall.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you again for coming this way to witness my beloved daughter’s coming of age ceremony!”

Applauses followed.

“As you all know, while I am King, I am still a man who is going to be old soon. As a father, my wish is to only see my daughter graced this throne successfully. And it would gladly aid her in her ruling if a fine man who is competent to assist her in her reign and become her source of strength. But to be the next consort to the next crowned Queen and possibly the next Heir are no easy feat, hence my men and I have decided that men who are pining for the Princess’s hand in marriage must compete and earn his place in my daughter’s heart and court”.

Another cheer echoed across the hall.

“Therefore, suitors if you may come forward”, the King ordered.

And one by one, the claimed suitors stepped out from the crowd and stood under the King’s dais.

The golden and brown haired man excused himself from Scarlet and made his way there and the dark haired ill-mannered man also made way to the King.

“Suitors! While you make your stay here comfortable, I ask of you these. To get to know my daughter and treat her well. But that is not all. In order to be fine Consort befitting to a Queen, you must learn and love the customs and people of this kingdom just as I and my Queen and my Princess embed them in our hearts.”

Scarlet was anticipating the next words coming out from King Elias.

“With that, during your 3 months stay here, you will be drafted into our special army unit and learned the ropes and customs of our people while competing with each other to win Princess Fina’s heart”. Another applause and cheer resounded. “And Captain Scarlet will be your mentor, overseer and advisor to the Princess Fina to see who deems fit to be by her side, if you please step up Captain Scarlet”.

That was her cue, she had her beret on and strode to the dais. She nodded at the King, briefly beamed at Fina and Homes, before turning her attention in front of the suitors presented.

She noted all these men as she faced them. The golden and brown-haired boy who she recalled as Prince Neville and the dark haired boy as Prince Dylan. Some maintained a smiling profile just as Neville did and some looked disinterested and smirking just as Dylan was.

And then another thought hit her.

She had forgotten the depth of this matter was, for some of these men, with regards to Fina’s royal standing. She had known these were important milestones that could make or break their own home kingdoms or lands.

But she forgot to put herself into the equation.

It seemed those men who were wearing their charming armor on were playing this method.

They were taking the route to be on good terms with her in hope, she could influence Fina’s choice.

Smart move, she thought. But not smart enough, Scarlet would remain objective. She did not intend to make friends with them, not until Fina made the choice.

And those men that were obviously looking down on her, she deduced either they had done their research and couldn’t care less or did minimal that they were surprised and seemed annoyed to be supervised by her, just like Dylan here.

But she knew, those men won’t last long. She would ensure that.

Scarlet thought. This upcoming 3 months would be the death of her – training these brats. But no matter, if she was going to die, she would bring them down with her as well.

Oh boy.