Chapter Three

3•••

   Walking down the hill, you try to direct Jennie's attention away from Chanyeol and your apparent infatuation with him. You think of questions for answers to add to the list- favorite food, favorite book, favorite color- maybe favorite colors- but she is fixated on the tousle haired boy astride your stallion.

"He's quite handsome even from a distance." Jennie interrupts you mid-sentence asking about her favorite artist. You sigh in defeat as you near the course and accept there is no avoiding the topic. "Does he know?" she asks.

In truth, you're not entirely certain.

There have been enough moments between you and the boy to question if he knew of your likeness toward him, and scary enough, to question if the likeness was mutual. The linger of a hand, the secret glances, the not so secret stares, the shower of compliments, the brush of the waist- you tend to think you are being delusional, but when the world centers in on just you and Chanyeol, the way he looks at you is unquestionable.

"I see," and Jennie has read your mind again. "you ought to be careful, Rosie."

A bubble in your chest rises to her voice with your name. You could get used to the sound of it as new companion.

"What is his name?"

"Chanyeol."

"How long have you been fond of him?"

You think to retract and deny. Deny deny deny as you have been doing to yourself all this time. But persistent may very well be added to the list of things Jennie and there may be nothing you can say to convince her otherwise. "Not more than a year."

"Has he done his service as a soldier?" she has not broken her gaze on him.

"He has..." you say, keeping your eyes on anything but him.

"When?"

You sigh heavily. You already know how she's going to react. "Nine years ago..."

"Wow" Jennie exhales, "I know age is just a number, but prince charming is twenty-seven years old?"

You can't deny the age gap. You've already considered it as a factor to the hundreds of why everything about this is so wrong.

"Yes" you sigh.

"Princess!"

Oh god

"Princess, indeed." Jennie coos.

You've reached the course railings and Chanyeol tugs the reins to stop Orange right by the two of you. Leaning into Jennie's strawberry scent, you whisper in her ear, "Please, don't speak of it."

"Your Highness," Chanyeol is wreathed in smiles and you curse those perfect teeth because they do a perfect job at making you fall for him every time. He jumps off Orange and bows in respect to Jennie, who extends her hand to him in well-manners. "good day to you, Princess Jennie." Chanyeol humbly shakes her hand.

"And to you... Chanyeol."

Your eyes nearly bulge out of your eye sockets.

You snap your head up to the boy who laughs in surprise and confusion and nerves- he was of no existence to Jennie to his knowledge but she begs to differ. "I-I was just telling Jennie here that she ought to meet you and Lisa." You ring your arm with Jennie's and pull ever so lightly, looking at her with eyes that signal her to agree.

And she looks back at you, long and hard, sleeking her cat eyes with mischief- making you swallow hard through your dry throat because this is the longest she's looked at you and you almost think she is going to rat you out— "Rosie has told me much about you."

You choke on your saliva- patting your chest and hoping to cough the awkward in the air away.

"O-Oh," Chanyeol bows his head, "I am honored, Your Highness." he glances at you when he straightens up right with a light blush on his cheeks.

"How cute" Jennie mumbles. You cough louder.

"Your Highnesses,"

You spin on your heels and can't decide if you are relieved to see Lisa or mortified that Jennie might expose your biggest secret to your best friend.

"how do you do?" she bows to Jennie.

And another smirk plasters on the brunette's face when she turns to you, so you suck in a breath and step to the plate. "Jennie, this is Lisa." you bring your best friend closer, whose expression falls in the questioning of ethics of a palace subject because of how casual you are presenting her as, especially to a Princess. "She's a younger sister to Chanyeol and my best friend." you emphasize, hoping Jennie would get somewhat of a signal to leave some things unsaid, as if previous non-verbal methods were not clear enough.

And thankfully she does not take the same approach as she did with Chanyeol. "Well, any friend of Rosie's is a friend of mine." Jennie extends her hand, "Please, just call me Jennie."

Lisa returns the hand instantly, "Y-Yes, Prince— I mean! Jennie" she corrects herself. 

Chanyeol pulls Orange through the gate of the course and you are relieved as he excuses himself to the stables. Jennie does not make any moves to stop him and you feel the tension of your shoulders unwind.

"Do you race as well, Lisa?" Jennie asks.

"I do. My brother and I have been racing with..." she looks to you for confirmation and confirmation she gets, "Rosie since she started training. Our father, Rufus, is her coach."

"You don't say?" Jennie smiles. You're gleaming yourself because of the natural interaction between them.

It might be too early to ask, but you hope to have more of this.

"We take care of the palace stables too, but taking care of Orange is the best part." Lisa says all cheeky, giving you the eyebrow raises.

"Orange?"

"My horse," you interject, pointing to where he is being led inside. "he's been mine just as long as I've known Lisa. He's very friendly- in fact, he may enjoy Kuma's company."

Jennie scrunches up her nose, "I would challenge that. Kuma is very particular. Have you ever seen a horse throw a tantrum?"

Lisa shakes her head in amusement, "I'm afraid not."

You listen to the conversation between the two, as Jennie speaks of Kuma's necessary pampering from a boy you recognize of the name, Sehun, and the very small circle of the black stallion's friends as to be only him and her- you're listening but should also quit staring- waiting for the next scrunch of Jennie's button nose because oh how adorable it was to see her sharp features turn soft.

It is not polite to stare.

"Excuse me, Princess." You turn to the deep voice behind you, "The King and Queen of North Marcadia are preparing for departure." Suho says.

"That is my cue, then." Jennie looks to you, then Lisa.

You thought to have more time today to get to know her before lessons start and pressure of the Cup lay down. For this one day, you hoped to understand her a little better, more than the fact that she likes to be called Jennie and she is quite the tease.

"Perhaps you and Sehun can help Orange and Kuma get along just fine."

Lisa nods, "Indeed we will. It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Jennie."

You have her attention back to you. "I'll walk you back."

Suho trails behind as you take the shortcut through the grass. "We start the day early tomorrow morning. Do sleep well to get enough rest."

"I'll try." Jennie says in response.

   At the grand carriageway, you say your goodbyes to the King and Queen, certain in awaiting the opportunity to see them again soon. And you tell Jennie how much you are looking forward to seeing her tomorrow.

"I will assure our darling daughter will not be a second late in the morning." King Tae-oh grins and places a hand on Jennie's shoulder.

Your sanguine rather falters because she purses her lips thin and averts her eyes down to her father's touch.

"Thank you for the brunch, Mason."

You have your assumptions, but cannot conclude its true meanings. You think that her actions are of similar reason to feelings you have felt before because you have a King as a father too- though, you just can't be sure that is the matter at hand. 

She bows to your father and into the carriage she goes.

You urge to step forward- need a double take in her expression to be sure but you're nailed to the gravel as the King and Queen enter themselves. That soft turn in her sharp features was not the kind you wanted to see.

"Come along, Roseanne."

Father advances up the steps, but you are a standstill even when the carriage has left the palace grounds.

You take the mental pen in hand.

Questionable.

•••

   The air is crisp on this spring morning. You tug the sleeves to your jumper as you walk to the stables.

Today is your first day of lessons. After yesterday, your mind had boggled at your list of things Jennie.

It's a short list.

Your biggest question has been gnawing at you since they left in their carriage and it is the biggest because you suppose you relate if it is answered as you expected.

You would have never presumed that Jennie and King Tae-oh would have a relationship like that of yours and father's.

The Northern King is exuberant, bright, generous, and in all ideal of what a father is, but Jennie seemed to ache to withdraw merely from his hand on her shoulder and you wonder why.

You want to know why. You want to know more about Jennie because you are finally given the opportunity to have a new friend. Enclosed and sheltered in a palace too big for just you and your father's rules has limited you to befriend those only within these walls and even then, you are not to boast of them. Lisa, Jisoo, Chanyeol, Suho- even, they are the only companions around to keep you sane from royal duties.

You adore them dearly, but fall short on understanding one another. You don't suffer of social classes and they can't comprehend royalty.

But Jennie does.

"Morning, Princess." Lisa yawns, leaning her weight on the course railings. "Jennie has not arrived?"

"Any minute now." you say. "Where's Rufus?"

"He's with Orange. He'll bring him out in a second. Come on, let's start with stretching." she opens the gate to the course and you find a spot on the dirt, following her lead on the stretch routine. "Jennie was quite pleasant yesterday. Not at all how you described her."

And that is because the girl's demeanor had changed from stand-offish to slightly uncommunicative since the pre-meet. 

"She was engaging conversation well, I reckon. And she called me a friend right then and there."

If only Lisa had felt the way Jennie made you feel at the meet, then she would realize why such unrefined and now inaccurate adjectives were used to describe her at the time.

You still don't know why Jennie had been indifferent towards you the other day.

"Speaking of," Lisa grins and waves her long arms to the brunette descending the hill. To her side she has the familiar boy with Kuma in his reins. "Good morning, Jennie!"

She is dressed in an all black equestrian attire once again, fitting to show her tones and curves- she carries herself so well that you even take notice in the swift swing of her arms and sway of her hips as she walks. And she waves back at Lisa and you think to add 'beautiful' to the top of your list. You had known it to be the first thing Jennie, but must have been too embittered to admit it.

"I've brought Kuma and Sehun, as promised." she tells Lisa as they meet at the gate.

"Nice to meet you, Sehun." they shake hands.

"Good morning, Jennie." you greet and walk over.

And today feels awfully familiar.

"Morning." she says, a complete downgrade from her enthusiasm toward your friend. You look to Lisa as if to gloat 'I told you so', but she's occupied by Kuma's charming attributes, and you're just dumbstruck that something must have been wrong with your 'good morning' to make Jennie speak to you this way.

You don't get it, but you try to understand- it's early, she's been awake earlier for the travel, and there's a long day ahead.

"Good morning, Your Highnesses." Rufus, with his lively hello walks Orange out of the stables.

"You must be Sir Rufus." Jennie says.

"Just Rufus, Princess Jennie, pleased to meet you."

"And just Jennie it is." she giggles.

She giggles and you try to figure out what Rufus must have done right.

"A handsome partner you have here."

Sehun extends his hand to your coach, but the hand in return strokes Kuma's mane instead, making all of you chuckle as the boy's face turns bright red.

"I hope you're all ready for some laps."

You take your gloves from your back pocket and suit them on. You just nod your head in response, not keen on saying anything in timidity that Jennie might retort. In fact, you decide to keep your head low from now on and stay quiet unless someone has something to say to you.

It is too early to feel humiliated.

•••

You stomp in the stables and throw your helmet in the closet, forcefully ridding of your gloves and throwing them in, too. You're shaking in fusing irritations, discomposure- you're perplexed to indignation- muddled, stupefied, bamboozled!

"Hey, Rosie"

You slam the closet shut.

"You alright there?"

You close your eyes and huff a deep breath to compose a few words. "I don't know how she does it, Chanyeol. I'm in the lead through the whole course, then on the last leg she just swoops in and outruns me, it's ridiculous." you press your fingers to your strained shoulder. There's a strong pull to your fists that makes you want to punch all the anger away.

"Ah," you sense him right behind you. The warmth emitting from his sturdy figure that looms over you. It radiates on your skin and gives you comfort. "May I?" you tense up for a second when the tips of his fingers graze your hand, but only for a second because when he presses his thumbs to the stress of your shoulder blades, you relax to his touch.

Unlike the unsettling weight moments ago, you feel as light as a cloud. Your head empties and you can only feel his hands. So gentle, so easy, so good.

The heat of his body is so close- too close, if you lean back an inch, you'd be against him- his muscular chest.

"Better?"

Much "Mhm" you moa- Oh god you just moaned

Oh god oh god

You spin around and- oh good lord you're an inch away from that muscular chest indeed. "I-I should—"

"Y-Yes, of course" Chanyeol steps back, twice, thrice, maybe six times before you can look up at his startled expression glancing back and forth at you and the door.

And you're shuffling to the exit, keeping your head down as you have been all morning but now you may never lift your face to him again because you just moaned- "I-I'll see you later— or maybe not- maybe not later but tomorrow or whenever"

"I-I'm looking forward to it!" his voice squeaks and he clears is throat in realization of his words, "I'll see you uhm whenever, Rosie" his deep voice vibrates through your rapid beating heart as you run away from the stables.

•••

It is almost impossible for you to focus.

Not even after a hot shower to cleanse off the sweat from training could ease you. You scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed but could still feel his fingers pressed to your shoulders.

You sit agitated, fumbling with anything within your reach and trying to think of anything but Chanyeol but because you are thinking of not thinking about him, you're thinking of him all over again. You actually ought to be listening to Jisoo explain the regions' material prosperities and slopes of Marcadia's entire supply and demand.

"Would you stop that?" Jennie mutters from beside you, glaring at your bouncing leg under the table in your subconscious. "You haven't quit squirming since we started."

"S-Sorry" you adjust yourself on your seat and redirect focus to Jisoo drawing a fifth graph on the blackboard. You try to understand the data as she lost you at the first diagram.

"... Hence, the North struggles with trading and the expansion of ports." your mentor turns to the two of you in satisfaction of the informative lecture.

Jennie leans over the table on her elbows, looking at Jisoo in suspicion. "Why are you so smart?"

"Oh," she is taken back at the forward question, but you are the least surprised of it. Anyone who listened to your friend babble about the knowledge of the world would think she is as old as time.

"May I ask how old you are, Jisoo?"

You glance at your mentor.

"I am twenty-four—"

"Twenty-four years young and you know years and years worth of history about Marcadia's economic status? Not to mention you're a born South citizen telling the heir to the Northern throne about her region's problem in harvesting crops. How does that happen?"

"She's the daughter of scholars." you speak on behalf of Jisoo's modesty.

"And which of the many, Rosie, care to be more specific?"

You bite your tongue. You remember how crucial it is to think before you speak to Jennie. "Scholars Kim Sang-hoon and Jin-an."

Jennie blinks wide-eyed, "You're joking".

You look at Jisoo who only shrugs her shoulders.

Jennie gasps, "your father invented catapults!"

"Amongst others." Jisoo grins in pride of her father as she dusts off the chalk on her hands and piles her papers on the table. "Give me a moment. I need to search the shelves for a reference book."

While your mentor steps away, you slouch on the chair. The clock reads 3:30 in the afternoon, leaving half an hour left of lessons to complete for the day, then Jennie will be gone. You think to retreat to the crafts room once this is over, as there is unfinished business to your canvas and you are in need of another escape of mind.

"You're awfully quiet today." Jennie speaks, not lifting her gaze from the textbook she flips through.

You bite your tongue again as you sense irritations arising once more. The brunette had been giving you attitude since she arrived, practically clamping your mouth shut all training to steer clear of embarrassment you don't even deserve as you have been nothing but kind to the Princess and wrestling between your thoughts and emotions to understand why she is just so crass.

"Must be because of a particular someone."

The pace of your heartbeat stops completely and you snap your head to the brunette to confirm what you think she means is really what she means- that she saw you and Chanyeol or she knows your silence is because of her- but she's still not looking at you because she must find the book ever so interesting to read one page in less than a second each before flipping.

"Have you ever had a boyfriend, Rosie?"

If you bite your tongue any harder, you'll draw blood. "Father wouldn't allow it." you mumble, your voice quiet from not sounding much today. "Parks do not fall in love before claiming the throne."

"Are you sure you're a Park?"

"Pardon?"

"Daddy must be blind to not know of you and Chanyeol."

"Shh" you peek between the shelves and you sigh of relief to see Jisoo skimming the books with her full attention. And you scowl at the Princess. "Father is not blind, and neither is Lisa or Jisoo or anybody in all of Marcadia because there is nothing to see."

"What are you going to do after you become Queen then?" she finally pins her eyes on you and you hold your ground to her tough exterior. 

"It is none of your business." you don't expect her to understand. You don't expect anyone to understand- in consequence, the secrecy to your two best friends. 

"He is a stable boy after all." 

"Please, stop it Jen—"

"What will you tell dearest father about the lowly suitor?"

"How dare you—" 

"How dare I be of a slut for a palace subject?"

Your throat tightens. The wind knocks out of you and your stomach flips. 

Her obscene words tear at your chest and you are left speechless in disbelief. 

She had managed to find out of your greatest secret- your only secret- and take to task berating you for the consequences of it and you don't know what for. You're starting to believe she is doing this just for fun- distract the South Princess from the Cup, knock her under pressure, watch her crumble apart, all to just be the better Queen. Jennie knows close to nothing else about you and she chooses to treat you so apathetically. 

You stare at her pointblank and she is not even sorry. 

"Can't run from the truth, Rosie." 

You turn away because it's true. 

"Okay," Jisoo returns, sliding two identical text books to each of you. "let's go over this last section and we're finished for the day." you flip through it, blinking away the tears that prickle.