Face Flat on the Floor

"Ouch! That hurts you, freaking monster!" Aurnia's high-pitched screams resonated through her chamber's huge porch.

Her hazel-brown eyes had somehow become pale, transparent orbs when they were hit with the rays of the sun while glaring at the obnoxious young boy.

Aramis was holding the ruler that he used to softly hit her legs when he was teaching her how to improve her posture when walking. Five books were perched atop her head as part of the training.

"Do you really have a death wish? Should I tell my father about the way you were treating me?" She cried in annoyance at the young boy who was casually crossing his arms across his chest.

A smirk was planted in his face while he looked at her nonchalantly. "Go on, then." He challenged her, then he slowly walked around her. "But, I'll have to warn you, his Majesty will take my side no matter what. His desire to shape you into a suitable princess is bigger than his affections for you." He scoffed, then went back to his position.

She shot him a glare, shooting daggers in his direction.

"No offense meant, your Royal Highness." He added sarcastically while raising his arms in the air.

The young princess stomped her feet while going back to the starting line that the rude, young boy had drawn, clutching the books on her chest. The young boy was clearly trying to provoke her.

'Ugh, I couldn't believe Father would choose a royal confidant for me who was just straight up rude and annoying! He could've just chosen someone from a noble family.' She grumbled inwardly with a scowl in her face.

"What's with the scowl in your face?" Aramis asked with a solemn expression.

The young Aurnia went on, pretending like she didn't hear him at all. And when she was stepping on the line that he had drawn with colored chalk, she spun around and stuck her tongue out at him.

Aramis strode towards her with firm steps, and though his face remained passive, it was obvious that he didn't like the way she just acted.

'The audacity of him to make an attempt to frighten me. Who does he think he is?' She thought while raising her chin on him. 'That's right! I'm the princess here, and between us two, it is I who has the power; there's no way that an ordinary boy like him could make me feel inferior about myself within the walls of my father's kingdom!'

"I told you not to make faces like that." He growled and pinched her right cheek.

"Awww.... awww... awww" She grimaced while grabbing her cheek. "How dare you lay a hand on me!" She growled angrily; her eyes were glaring at him, and she was clenching her fists into a ball.

However, Aramis' expression remained unperturbed, and he turned his back on her. "A princess must endure correction to strive for perfection. You must need to understand why I am here, your Royal Highness." He calmly answered, then glanced at her clenched fists with his eyebrows shooting upward. "Straightened out your palms, your Highness, or else, I am not going to hestitate to stick your palms with my ruler again."

'Whatever!' Aurnia grumbled inwardly.

His back was still on her, so she decided to take that opportunity to at least have her revenge against him. She raised her hand in the air, aiming to slap the back of his head. However, the young boy spun around out of the blue and caught her red-handed. It was too late to get her hand away from him; her body gradually bent towards him.

When the young boy saw the princess' hand coming in his direction, he immediately stepped to the side and successfully avoided the assault from the princess.

However, since the princess' weight shifted onto her upper body, which was leaned forward, and with Aramis avoiding her, she completely fell down to the floor. Her huge yellow ball gown skirt covered her upper body up to her head, with her bottom undergarment being exposed in Aramis' eyes.

The poor, young boy froze on his spot, unable to think about what he must do appropriately.

"AAAAH!" Aurnia's horrified screams reverberated loudly in the northern part of the castle.

Her scream jolted Aramis out of his reverie, and he turned around as swiftly as he could. His cheeks were flushed red, and his breathing had turned ragged. "Just so you know, that wasn't my fault." For the first time, the young boy's voice quavered, a stark contrast to his usual, solemn and strict voice all the time.

The princess, who felt beyond humiliated, was already teary-eyed. She couldn't believe she would end up in such an awkward state in front of a commoner. "What are you doing? Help me get up!" She croaked angrily.

However, Aramis was already confused about what he must do, so he turned around, but when he saw the short, thin fabric on her, blood started to rise up to his cheeks and make him fluster hotly. "I can't… your Royal Highness, unless you will fix… fix… fix your skirt." He stammered, fanning himself when he felt the temperature in the princess' patio intensify.

"Can't you see? I can't fix my skirt because if I could, I had probably done that already." It was her turn to be sarcastic. And when Aramis still didn't respond to her, she tapped the floor with her hands, trying to get his attention. "Hello, is anyone here who could help me?" She blurted out another sarcastic question.

This time, Aramis mustered his strength to turn around, covering half of his eyes with his left hand while he extended his right arm in front of her. "Fine." He grumpily replied.

Aurnia took his arm and tried to pull herself up, while Aramis was still distracted with the princess' bottom undergarment despite his attempt at averting his gaze from that particular spot.

"Can't you just pull me up?" She asked him in a vexed tone. Her brows were furrowed deeply, and her lips were pursed together as she glared at him.

Immediately, Alvaro's dislike for the princess' brattiness resurfaced, and his distraction with her undergarment was now gone. "You know why you tend to fall down the floor? It's because of the unnecessary, huge ball gown. Princesses aren't required to wear ball gowns on completely ordinary days; you just made that up because you like to show off your status to people like me. Now, I've changed my mind. Get yourself up without me." He ranted and let go of Aurnia's hand.

The princess fell flat on her face on the floor. She was heated with her anger for the rude boy and, at the same time, flustered with the humiliation.

She was just about to retaliate to Aramis' insulting words when the door to her chamber opened.

"Papa?"

She heard Aramis' voice and turned her head towards her door.

A triumphant smile flashed over her face when she saw a familiar face approaching them.

"Anderewe!" Her enthusiastic voice resonated in the whole room.