Chapter 37: Mysterious People

They also waited for a few minutes, and Adira's eyebrows were almost met while her eyes followed Prince Dylan's prize.

"Congratulations, Prince Dylan. You are the newly awarded best at handling the bow and arrow this year. I'm sorry that your prize took so long," said an old man, and Adira suspected it was the so-called jury.

Prince Dylan smiled. "Thank you very much, sir."

 The prize had been given to Prince Dylan, and the old man had left. Meanwhile, Adira was just staring at Prince Dylan's prize.

"This is your prize." And I pointed to the prize he was referring to.

Dylan frowned. "Yes, this is it. Why is there a problem here?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, why?"

"Your prize is a cow?" It can see the surprise on my face at his prize.

"Yes, a cow. You don't see it as a horse."

I looked at him badly. "I thought the prize was a trophy or money."

Dylan laughed softly. "That's not possible for us because we are princes. Such a prize can only be given to ordinary people here."

In my mind, "This is what Prince Damon is proud of every year when he wins?"

"You don't like this prize? We're happy with this."

"What are you going to do with that?"

"It can be served whenever there is a big occasion in the palace."

I just scratched the back of my neck. "I still thought there was a big prize because of Prince Damon's arrogance."

"Regarding that, it's not what he cares about. He maintains that he's the winner every time there's a competition like this, but I was wondering why he missed his last arrow."

I fell silent and wondered why, but I couldn't tell because I was grinning at Prince Damon at that time. "Maybe he really isn't destined to win this year," I just said.

"Maybe so, but come on and let's go home."

"Who will pull that slow moving cow?"

"A soldier while riding a horse. He held onto the cow's leash to make it follow."

While the two were talking, they didn't notice that Prince Franco was still there just watching them. "You're still there, Prince Franco. I'm sorry we didn't talk to you."

"You seem to have forgotten that I was here. I also heard how you wondered about Prince Dylan's prize."

I winced. "I'm sorry because I don't think a cow will be the prize."

"Why in your place, what is the prize when there is a competition like this?"

I quickly looked at Prince Dylan, who was already looking at me. "What...a trophy is the prize at our place," I just said.

Prince Franco frowned. "Really?"

"Yes."

Prince Dylan looked at me and gestured as if inviting me to leave. "Prince Franco, we have to leave. Do you want to come with us?"

"No, the road to our palace is different. Just be careful on your way home, especially you, Adira." He turned to Dylan. "Take care on your journey home, Prince Dylan."

"To you too, Prince Franco, be careful when you go home." He just smiled and walked away first.

"Come on, Adira, and maybe we'll spend the night on the way."

I followed Dylan and got back on the horse again. While they were traveling home, the horse was walking slowly because they had a cow with them, so their horses also needed to walk slowly.

"Prince Damon didn't come to you?" I suddenly asked.

"That's better because you two might have a fight again."

I frowned. "It's not my fault that the prince is too arrogant. Every time I see him, I get annoyed."

"You lose your temper so much that every time you meet, it's like there's always a war between the two of you."

"I really don't feel comfortable with Prince Damon." I was stunned because a soldier's horse suddenly irritated, so the soldier fell from the horse. "What's happening?"

"We're unlucky today, young lady. It looks like we're going to meet someone whose wearing clothes I can't figure out."

I frowned and looked where he was looking right in front of us at a distance. My count was five people, but they were wearing pure black so that their faces could not be seen because of the hoods on their heads.

I said to myself, "They're wearing the same clothes I saw at the palace gate," and prepared myself because I didn't have a weapon with me. Fortunately, the soldiers have, even Dylan was empty-handed too.

 "What are we going to do?"

"In this case, we approach and talk to them, especially if we want to pass by."

"You were just talking. What if they suddenly attack us? Didn't you know how to use a sword back then and there were only a few soldiers guarding you every time you left the palace?"

"In our country, this is exactly what is happening. We don't want trouble, especially outside the palace, so what we do is talk to them calmly. They follow, but the people who blocked us now are strange because we no longer see their faces and they are wearing pure black."

I faced the people who were waiting for us to get closer. "I don't have a sword in case they attack."

Dylan was surprised. "You don't need that. Just wait until we get closer to ask why they're blocking the way."

In my mind, "Isn't Dylan thinking? What if the mysterious people suddenly attack? There are only four soldiers guarding Dylan and I don't have a weapon yet."

After a while, they approached the people in black clothes, and all of them faced us. They didn't move, so how could I not be suspicious?

A soldier who was in front came down and spoke to them, but the soldier came back and approached us and said something. "Dear prince, they don't want to let us pass."

Dylan frowned. "Why can't we go through?"

 "He didn't tell me the reason, because you're the one they wanted to talk to." The soldier just bowed while saying those words.

Dylan came down wondering and doubting, and so did I. "You stay here, Adira," he said and started walking, but I didn't listen and followed him while I was just behind him.

He stopped four steps away from the mysterious people, and I stopped not far from Prince Dylan. I looked at the people in front of us one by one, even though they were wearing the same clothes and I couldn't see their faces, but I suddenly stopped looking at the fourth person from left to right because the posture was different. The head is bowed down and the hands are behind at the back, unlike the four who just stand straight and their heads are up, with hands that are only on the sides and down.

"What's the reason you don't want to let us pass by here?" Prince Dylan asked.

"I'm sorry if you can't pass through here right now because there are wild animals that have escaped from their cage. So if you can, just find another way," said the one in the middle.

A while ago, I actually noticed someone next to the one in the middle, while the one in the middle and Dylan were talking. I got closer to Dylan's back and whispered to him. "Ask them why they're dressed like that."

Dylan was slightly surprised. "Why are you suddenly here? I told you to be right there next to the horse," he said weakly but with annoyance.

I didn't pay attention to him and looked in front of us again. "Hurry up as soon as we can leave. Ask why they are wearing something strange."

Dylan frowned. "You who are from another country and also dressed strangely would ask such a question."

I looked at him evilly as his head turned towards me. "If you don't want, I will ask them." Dylan quickly turned around and asked the people in front.

"If you don't mind, the clothes look strange and your faces didn't see either. Where do you come from?"

I frowned when the middle one's head suddenly moved and seemed to look at the person next to him and I know he's watching me even though his head bent down "Sorry but it's against us to give information even to a royal like you."

"Did you find out okay?" Dylan nodded and looked at me. "Let's get out of here." Dylan walked back to where the horse and his soldier were, but I kept looking at the five mysterious people in front of me. I knew they were all men, but I was slightly taken back because the one who was crouched down was now looking at me even though I couldn't see his face, not even his eyes.

In my mind, "I'm sure the one in the middle isn't their leader, if not the one who was bowing earlier and now is looking at me. But why didn't he raise his head when Dylan was still here?"

"Young lady!" Dylan suddenly shouted.

I turned and he gave me a bad look. I turned to face them again, and my suspected leader seemed to be looking at me. But eventually, I walked closer to Dylan, and the men in black started to walk away.

Dylan's face was angry again when I got closer. "Why didn't you follow me right away? Do you still want to get hurt?" he said.

"I was just amazed at what they were wearing."

Dylan's two hands were tightly clenched into fists. "You're really stubborn sometimes. Your behavior is annoying."

My eyes widened. "Your attitude is more annoying!" I also told him.

"Yours is worse than mine!"

Their four soldiers didn't seem to know what to do, but luckily a soldier approached them. "Dear prince, we have to leave because it's almost dusk."

The two stopped and looked at each other. "Get ready again, we're leaving," Dylan replied.

I walked away in front of him. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'll just keep up with the soldier. After all, you're annoyed by my behavior, aren't you?" I said sarcastically, and was about to walk when he pulled me towards the horse we were riding.

"Get on the horse so we can go home," Dylan said calmly, making me frown because of how quickly his mood changed.

I quietly got on the horse and Dylan followed. Then we continued our way home again.