She wore a white long-sleeved dress. Its skirt reached below her knees. The lush green grass around her swayed in the wind. A winding path made of stones connected the main gate to the palace entrance made of marble steps mixed with jewels.

Prince Tylen's sapphire eyes peeked out the window. His hair under the sunlight made it look like shreds of copper. He beamed at the sight of his friend and waved back.

"Get back in here!" Hayden pulled the Prince's suit and huffed, "It's not like you'll never see her again."

Tylen didn't appear to hear him. Hayden frowned further. He never liked these visits. Tylen could only see Ariene in his eyes. Then, he would be left to wander alone. Luckily, one of the knights liked to spar with him. That was fun.

Tylen's eyes shined animatedly. He turned to his parents who sat on the opposite side of the carriage, "Mother, father, I have something to tell you."

Queen Tatiana smiled tenderly at her son, "What is it, dear?"

Prince Tylen's next words shocked all the passengers.

"Someday, I will marry Ariene."

Queen Tatiana blinked her surprised then, she sneaked a glance at her husband. King Jairo caught his wife's eye, silently accusing her of passing the responsibility to him. Tatiana laughed softly and pulled out her fan, hiding her smug smile.

King Jairo sighed. There was no helping it. He was weak against his wife. He faced Tylen and asked firmly, "Are you certain, Tylen?"

"Yes!" The Prince said with every ounce of conviction he had in his 8 year old body. Queen Tatiana chuckled. Her husband scowled at her for finding his predicament amusing. In answer, she merely batted her lashes.

King Jairo attempted to coax his son once more, "You're still young. Marriage shouldn't even be on your mind yet."

Prince Tylen stood up to tug on his father's sleeve, "No! Someone might take her away!"
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The king was at a loss. His son looked at him with puppy eyes. King Jairo did his best to remain strict. He held his son's gaze with a hard stare.

The corners of Prince Tylen's eyes leaked with tears.

"I see. Then, I'll have a talk with King Andre" the words flew out of his mouth before he processed them. The King grimaced. That wasn't a diplomatic way to handle matters, he thought.

Tylen leaped off his seat. Hayden tried to stop him but failed. His Prince landed on the King's lap with his cheek pressed on the King's chest.

Tylen hugged his father, "You're the best, father!"

King Jairo smiled softy at his son. He held him in his arms, rubbing his back. The little boy squeezed his father as hard as he could.

After a few moments, Tylen blinked and looked up at his father.

"What are you still doing here? Go, go, go!" He pulled on the King's clothes, "Go before someone else does!"

King Jairo barked an order that rattled the carriage, "Harold! Please turn back to Sol Palace!"

While Teralyn's royal family made its way back, Princess Alkas stepped out of the palace. She wore a similar dress to Ariene's but hers included a yellow petticoat that peeked below her skirt. Other than that, her hair black as midnight fell pin straight on her back. The only clue that she and Ariene shared the same blood was the yellow hue in their eyes.

Alkas watched her sister poke her head out the gate. She noticed that Ariene was barefoot again and that her shoes were left skewed in the middle of a grass patch.

"Princess Ariene, that is not how a princess should behave!" Madame Chi scolded in her dark blue high-neck top and ankle-length pleated skirt. Her purple eyes glared through her spectacles. She brisk walked towards the Princess, grabbing her shoes on the way.

Ariene pulled her head back to stick her tongue out at her instructor before she tried to get away.

Alkas frowned at the fiasco in front of her. Ariene ran around in circles, giggling, while Madame Chi kept up with her. Every time the woman stretched her arm to capture the Princess, Ariene managed to slip away. It didn't take long for black hair strands to slip out of Madame Chi's bun.

A rattle of wheels and clip clop of hooves grew louder as a carriage came closer. Princess Alkas diverted her attention from Ariene and Madame Chi, frowning at the gates.

On the other side was Teralyn's royal carriage.

Ariene stopped running when she noticed it. This allowed Madame Chi to wrap her arms around the Princess and to slip the shoes back in her little feet. Ariene squealed and waited for Madame Chi to release her.

As soon as Ariene was back on the ground, she beelined towards the carriage that had entered the castle grounds. The door opened and out came a boy that was 12.7 taller than her 115 cm.

"Tylen, you're back!" She hopped the last foot between them and hugged him. Tylen caught her easily. Then, he stepped back with his hands on her shoulders.

"Ariene, I have something to tell you!" The little Prince sported a big smile on his face. His chest brimmed with excitement.

Ariene clapped her hands together and intertwined her fingers, "What is it?"

When Crown Prince Tylen said the next words, the entire courtyard heard them, "Someday, you will be my wife!"

"Huh?" Ariene blinked her big topaz eyes at him. Her head tilted to one side. What was a wife? She wondered.

The Prince crossed his arms. His voice wobbled as he asked, "Why? Do you have someone else in mind?"

"No?" The Princess answered, unsure of what to say. She couldn't comprehend why her friend was sad. She didn't want him to be sad. He should always be happy.

Tylen wrapped his arms around her. His left cheek squished against her right one. In a soft whisper, the he uttered, "Then, marry me."

The Princess, who wanted nothing more than to please her playmate, threw her hands in the air and yelled, "Okay!"

Crown Prince Tylen cheered along with her. At this point, Ariene noticed her sister who stood on top of the front stairs. Excited by the news, she skipped towards Alkas.

"Sister!" Ariene called affectionately. "I'll marry Tylen when we grow up! Isn't that wonderful?"

Princess Alkas sighed. She and Ariene were the same age but why was it they behaved differently? In a voice she heard the elders use, she said, "Ariene, marriage is a talk for adults. You're still a child. This is why we are not allowed in court."

Ariene pouted. Why was her sister killing the fun? Tylen would become sad again! She sniffed and rubbed her eyes.

The Prince in question jogged to Ariene's side and patted her back like how his father would when his mother was unwell.

His mouth next to her ear, he assured her, "Don't listen to her, Ariene. Father said he will talk to your father then, we will be betrothed."

Ariene looked up at him with a tear-stained face, "Be-what?"

"I'm not sure." Prince Tylen's bushy little eyebrows scrunched, "Some fancy name they use so everyone will know that you'll marry me and no one else."

Ariene's weary heart calmed down. She nodded her head and whimpered, "Okay!"

Teralyn's Crown Prince took out the handkerchief in his breast pocket and wiped off the remaining tears on Ariene's cheeks.

Alkas turned around and left them to their imaginations. It was time for lessons on the constitution. Ariene was also supposed to attend but she never did.

Her younger sister often took Amelia, Madame Chi's daughter, and ran off to hide. She disappeared for 8 hours once. The guards found her and Amelia in a tower somewhere in the Ahana Forest.

To the Queen, Ariene's actions needed a severe punishment to discipline her well but the King chose to ignore her words and to punish Ariene lightly.

Later that night, Alkas' mother lectured her daughter about proper etiquette and behavior so she wouldn't mimic her half-sister.

They were in her room. Alkas sat on her bed while her mother stood before her. The Princess questioned the Queen on what punishment was appropriate.

The Queen sat next to her and slowly patted her daughter's head. She told her that karma would be the one to teach Princess Ariene if no one else would. She also vowed that she wouldn't let it happen to the First Princess. Alkas only needed to listen to her words.

The little girl nodded her head. That night she made a promise in her heart to always obey her mother.