DISCLAIMER: The author's imagination and passion are the only sources of inspiration for this novel, which is a work of dedication. Parallels between these pages and the past or present may be apparent to some readers, but they are completely coincidental. You are free to interpret this art anyway you see fit, and it is meant for your enjoyment.
Instead of a romantic murmur, the first day of the "Official Courting" started with the deafening sound of a royal decree being read to a brick wall.
The sunrise had been claimed by Giywon. For him, going on a date meant an increase in grandeur—a magnificent stage where he could demonstrate that his love was as resilient as the Empire. However, the Prince had also silently and arrogantly vowed to refrain from using his palace workers. He refused to employ magic. He felt that in order to gain the affection of the "New Reinn," he needed to become an expert in the world of the common people.
Giywon declared, "I have mapped the perfect location," at the breakfast table, blatantly ignoring Ji-Hoon, who was using a holographic screen to monitor market prices. "The Hill of Whispers. It has the finest view of the valley and is strategically positioned for maximum sunlight."
"It's also a three-mile hike uphill," Leo muttered through a mouthful of toast. "You sure you want to carry that massive picnic basket yourself, Prince?"
Giywon's golden silks shimmered as he puffed out his chest. "A man who cannot provide for his Lady is no man at all. I shall carry the weight of a thousand feasts if it means Samantha smiles."
At precisely fifteen minutes into "Commoner's Picnic," the hilarity started.
Giywon was struggling while wearing what he saw as "casual attire" that was nevertheless embroidered with enough gold thread to purchase a small hamlet. He had packed a basket that was more than just a basket—it was a trunk. There was a big iron spit, a full raw pheasant, three varieties of wine, and a silver tea tray.
Wearing a plain linen dress and heavy boots, Reinn strolled beside him. Three times, she offered to assist. Giywon looked at her with wounded regal dignity each time.
"I am the Sun of the Empire, Samantha," he exclaimed, his flawless brow beaded with perspiration. "I... I do not require... assistance with a wicker box."
Reinn said, "Giywon, you're vibrating," with a smirk concealed under her hand. "And I think the silver teapot is leaking."
By the time they arrived at the top, Giywon appeared more like a guy who had survived a shipwreck than a prince. Sweat and dust from the mountains had matted his normally flawless silver waterfall of hair. However, he persisted. With shaking hands, he spread out the silk blanket and focused on the Fire, his worst enemy.
Giywon glared at a heap of wet twigs and said, "In the stories, the hero strikes a stone, and a flame erupts to warm the weary traveler. Why are these sticks so... uncooperative?"
Reinn sat cross-legged on the silk and said, "You have to build a teepee structure for airflow, Giywon."
Giywon yelled, "I have studied strategy for a decade! I know how to build a structure!" despite the panicked look in his eyes.
With the desperation of a man possessed, he started striking two pieces of flint together. Clack. Clack. Spark. A little puff of smoke appeared. A triumph bigger than any military triumph glowed in Giywon's eyes. Blowing softly on the spark, he leaned in.
Whoosh.
The spark was caught by a sudden gust of wind, which may have been helped by a low-flying "Surveillance Drone" that Ji-Hoon had sent to "monitor the competition". Giywon's royal cape's dry silk fringe caught fire in an instant.
"Giywon! You're back!" said Reinn.
Seeing the orange glow rising on his shoulder, Giywon turned around. "I am the Sun! But not like this! Not literally!"
Reinn didn't think twice. Fortunately, the silver teapot was filled with cold water, so she reached for it and doused him. When that was insufficient, she threw him into the decorative fountain at the edge of the hill's overlook.
Splash.
Together, gasping and soaked, they emerged. Giywon had a burnt rag for a cape. Like wet straw, his silver hair was stuck to his face. There was a terrible silence for a moment. Reinn waited for the royal outburst, for the humiliation to give way to rage.
Giywon began to laugh instead. The giggle turned into a loud, deep laugh that rocked his drenched shoulders.
He wheezed, "I am... a catastrophic failure," as he wiped the tears from his eyes. "I wanted to be your knight, your provider, your 'Ideal Male Lead.' And instead, I am a drowned rat on a hill."
As they got out of the fountain and sat on the stone edge, shivering in the afternoon breeze, the humor subsided. Giywon extended his hand to grasp Reinn's. His tight grip was now shaking from the weight of his emotions, not from the basket.
He said, "Samantha," without using the "Royal We" for the first time. "I spent my whole life being told that love was a transaction of power. I thought I had to be perfect for you to choose me. I thought if I showed you I was just a man who can't even light a fire, you'd realize I'm not enough."
With a mature, grounded affection, Reinn's heart ached as she clutched his hand. "Giywon, I didn't fall for the 'Prince.' I fell for the man who was willing to let his kingdom go to follow me into a digital void. Perfection is boring. I'd take a 'drenched rat' who tries for me over a 'Stone King' who expects me to bow."
Giywon leaned closer, pressing his forehead against hers. Between them was the smell of damp silk and woodsmoke, yet it was more authentic than perfume. "I will learn," he muttered. "I will learn how to cook, how to hike, how to be your partner. Not because I have to, but because I want to be the version of me that makes you laugh like that every day."
The two strolled back toward the manor as the sun started to set, creating long, orange shadows across the valley. Giywon held his head higher than he had ever done in a parade, even though he was still soaking and his tattered cape trailed behind him like a drowned flag.
Eyldion greeted them at the gates. With a pair of sophisticated binoculars (a gift from Leo), the older Hylde had been observing from the ramparts.
"The betting pool just shifted, Sister," Eyldion stated, giving Giywon a dry towel while grinning. "The knights thought the fire was a bad omen, but the maids think the 'Fountain Rescue' was the most romantic thing to happen in this century."
Giywon sighed, "It was... a tactical bathing session," but he couldn't contain his smile.
"Whatever it was," Eyldion remarked, his face softening as he turned to face Reinn. "It made you look human, Prince. And in this house, that's the only title that matters."
Reinn glanced around the manor, her haven and home, and then at the guy standing next to her. Despite being a complete failure in every conventional sense, Giywon's date managed to accomplish what no screenplay could: it brought the Prince to life.
But the air became chilly as they moved inside the hall. Ji-Hoon's tablet was blazing a dark blue as he stood near the fireplace.
Ji-Hoon replied, "Glad you survived the 'fire hazard,' Prince," in a tense voice. "But while you were playing commoner, the Source World just sent its first 'Cease' order. We don't have time for more picnics. Tomorrow, Samantha dates me. Because if we don't fix the legalities of this world, there won't be a manor left to burn down."