What is the prize?

Lisa looks up, surprised at the invitation. After a moment of hesitation, she nods. "I'd be honoured, Princess Daniella."

''Meet the rest of the team,'' I say as I introduce her to Alibaba

''Your Majesty,'' she says taking a bow.

''That isn't necessary Princess,'' says Alibaba,'' We are on equal grounds here.'' A moment later malo appears on a piece of paper in his hands. A few of the teams had already left, so we are a bit behind.

''Don't tell me the whole map is on this,'' says Alibaba.

''Sadly it isn't,'' says Prince Malo with a disappointed face,'' we didn't get the map option. We got the head hunter option.''

''What is that?,'' I ask.

''The card describes a person and you have to find the person with the description and they will send you to the next person, it's a six to ten-person chain.''

''That sounds more interesting,'' says princes Lisa, ''what does the card say?''

''The gardener,'' says Malo flashing the card to us.

''That seems too easy,'' says Alibaba getting the card from Prince Malo as if to read it more carefully he fips it multiple time princess Lisa tiptoes to reach Alababa's height so she can view the card properly. 

''What are they analysing? Is there magic text on the card?'' I ask leaning towards Prince Malo.

''I don't know and I think it's normal ink,'' says Prince Malo leaning closer to me. I feel his breath next to my ear, he smells like cloves and lime. He always smelt good for some reason.

''The garden we go,'' says Alibaba as he walks past us followed by Lisa.

We make our way to the royal gardens, the scent of blooming flowers greeting us. Amidst the vibrant colors and lush greenery, we find the gardener tending to a bed of roses. He looks up as we approach, a knowing smile on his face. Alibaba and Lisa eagerly ran to him. 

Malo and I exchange a glance, our eyes meeting amidst the blooming flowers and the gentle hum of bees. There's a subtle tension between us, unspoken words lingering in the air.

"Daniella," Malo murmurs softly, his voice barely above a whisper, "are you alright?"

I turn to him, catching his gaze again. His concern is evident, but there's something more beneath the surface 

"I'm fine," I reply quietly, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "Just focused on finding our next lead."

Malo nods, his eyes searching mine briefly before he looks away, adjusting his stance as if to keep his focus on the gardener. But I sense his attention lingers on me, a subtle reassurance amidst the uncertainties that surround us.

As Alibaba and Lisa engage the gardener in conversation, Malo steps closer to me, his presence comforting yet charged with unspoken emotions. I feel a flutter in my chest, a mix of familiarity and longing that I've tried to ignore amidst the chaos. I take a step back.

''There is a butterfly on your head,'' says Malo with a smile. I touch my head as if searching for it,'' and there it goes,'' says Malo looking in the direction the butterfly flew. 

''Malo,'' I call out,'' not to judge, but do you know the difference between a moth and a butterfly.''

''Aren't they in the same family,'' he says as he looks in the direction of Aliababa and Lisa. The two come rushing back and they had me the clue.

''Did you bully the clue out of him,'' asks Prince Malo jokingly. 

''We simply negotiated,'' says Lisa. We all chuckle in unison.

Prince Malo reads the clue aloud:

In the stables where the horses rest,

Find the stable master, a clue in his chest.

He'll send you further on your way,

The stables are bustling with activity as we arrive. Horses' whiny and stable hands move about, grooming the magnificent animals. The stable master, a burly man with a kind face, stands by one of the stalls.

"Stable master, we're part of the treasure hunt," Malo explains. "Do you have a clue for us?"

"Depends on where your last card was from," Malo hands the card to the stable master. He examines it closely, he places it in his coat and gives us another.

''That was quick,'' I say as I open the card.

I read the new clue aloud:

Where the chefs create,

Find the one with the orange apron.

She'll give you the next to follow through,

We hurry to the kitchens, the aroma of delicious food wafting through the air. The head cook, a woman with an intricately embroidered apron, greets us warmly.

She hands us the parchment, and Malo reads it.

"The music room where melodies play,

Find the musician, he'll point the way.

With notes of harmony and grace,

Your next clue will be in place."

In the music room, a young musician practices on a grand piano. He looks up as we enter and smiles.

"Looking for the next clue?" he asks, handing us another piece of parchment. "Here you go."

The next clue reads:

"Seek out the King with a heart so grand,

He holds the next clue in his hand.

Within the throne room, where power resides,

Find the wisdom your quest provides."

Our team rushes to the throne room, where we find King Mako, Prince Malo's father, seated with an air of authority. He looks up and smiles as we approach. His right-hand man takes the clue from my hand and analyses it before giving us another. We exit the throne room.

Malo reads it aloud:

"Return to the ballroom where you began,

Find the host with the final plan.

He'll lead you to the treasure grand,

The end of your journey is at hand."

As we head back to the ballroom with the final clue in hand, the excitement and anticipation are almost tangible. Suddenly, we see Sinbad and his team rounding the corner from the opposite direction. Nala is with him, along with two other teammates: Prince Jafar and Lady Aisha, both seasoned and competitive participants in palace events.

"Well, well, if it isn't the competition," Sinbad calls out with a grin, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Looks like we're neck and neck," Aliababa replies, feeling the thrill of the race intensify.

"Where's your last clue taking you?" Nala asks, though her tone suggests she already knows.

"Back to the ballroom," Alibaba responds, his voice steady and determined.

"Same here," Sinbad says, his grin widening. "I guess it's a race to the finish then."

We all share a brief, intense moment of eye contact, the stakes of the game suddenly feeling very real. Sinbad steps forward, his usual confidence tinged with playful competitiveness. "May the best team win," he says, extending his hand.

I shake his hand firmly. "Absolutely."

With that, both teams break into a run, racing through the palace corridors. The sounds of our hurried footsteps echo against the stone walls, mingling with our laughter and shouts of encouragement. The thrill of the chase is exhilarating, every corner turned bringing us closer to the final destination.

As we near the ballroom, we can see the large doors already open, the grand room beyond filled with light and expectation. Sinbad's team is right beside us, matching our pace stride for stride.

Bursting into the ballroom together, we are greeted by the gentleman who announced the games earlier. He stands on the stage, a broad smile on his face, watching us with amusement.

"Congratulations, treasure hunters," he says, his voice booming over the excited chatter of the assembled guests. "You've both completed the quest, but we have a winner."

He gestures to a pedestal in the centre of the room, where a chest filled with golden coins and a beautiful jewelled crown sits.

"Our official timekeeper will now announce the winning team," the gentleman continues. A hush falls over the crowd as a woman steps forward with a stopwatch.

"It was an incredibly close race," she begins, her voice carrying the weight of the moment. "But the team that arrived just a few seconds earlier is..." She pauses for dramatic effect. "Team Sinbad!"

Cheers erupt from Sinbad's team, their joy is infectious. Sinbad turns to us, a triumphant yet gracious smile on his face. "Great race, everyone," he says, extending his hand once more. "You all were amazing."

"Congratulations," I reply, shaking his hand again. "You earned it."

Nala and the rest of Sinbad's team come over to exchange congratulatory words and share in the camaraderie of the event. Despite our loss, the spirit of competition has brought us all closer together.

Prince Malo steps forward, a thoughtful expression on his face. '' It was still fun though we didn't win," he says, looking at me.

"Very true," I agree, feeling a sense of unity and appreciation for everyone involved. I look over at Alibaba who seems rather defeated, ''we can't say the same for him.''

''I think he will get over it,'' says Malo. Lisa gives Alibaba a hug and looks to be giving him some words of affirmation as he keeps nodding his head. Sinbad walks up to Alibaba and gives him a pat on the back as if teasing him, then hands him a gold coin. Prince Malo takes hold of my hand and places a flower in my hand.

''You seemed to love them,'' says Malo with the sweetest smile,'' they can last 10 days with no water.'' I smile and place the flower in my hair.