Asking Her To Be His Partner

"Riwansa, wait, can you please not walk so fast. Damn it man, why do I, the most cherished prince has to coax a woman. Riwansa my throat is hurting, at least listen to me." Steven half begged and half screamed.

Riwansa finally stopped near the Army Training hall which was empty at that moment as her hand was pulled roughly by Steven. "Steven, don't you think you have been crossing the line too many times recently? You even interfered with my wedding?"

'And here I thought she was jealous.' Steven couldn't help but sneer at himself in his heart.

"So? So what if I interfered? Don't tell me you wanted to get married to a simple incompetent army general. He even already has a consort." Steven mocked her keeping his real feelings inside.

"I hope that's the only reason you interfered." Riwansa looked away from him as her initially scrunched up brow relaxed.

"Huh, don't tell me you are expecting me to still be hung over you?" Steven released Riwansa's hand and sat down on the nearby seat.

"That's for the best. Don't be immature. Things aren't possible between us anyways." She left the hall without looking back.

"Right, an immature prince. That's what I have always been in her eyes. Someone she can leave whenever she wishes." Steven leaned back on the bench as some scenes of past flashed before him.

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"Ziran, currently it's indeed one of the best ways to avoid this war." Zibao wanted to persuade Ziran as he knew it was impossible to make Steven agree at all. But who knew it would be tougher to change Ziran's heart.

"One of the best right? Don't worry I will come up with another strategy soon."

"You can always take in someone else as your consort, she is merely going to be a concubine." Zibao wanted to make sure his brother won't take any rash decision due to a moment of temptation.

"Brother, I just don't want to have any regrets left. Don't worry I will never ignore my royal duties no matter what." Ziran promised as he bowed to Zibao to show his sincerity.

"You….leave it. Just don't be too distracted, moreover her identity isn't clear. You need to stay cautious."

"I understand." Ziran had a small smile on his face as he remembered the time her cheeks turned pink and how silly she looked.

'Sure you do!'

Zibao rolled his eyes at him.

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"I wonder whether I will ever be able to return." Xi Xiao muttered to herself as Reliott looked at her with its adorable eyes while purring in comfort.

"Whoaa, even dragons purr. I never knew that. Not like I have ever seen dragons anyways." Xi Xiao laughed happily looking at the cute creature.

'She has never seen a dragon? Just where are you from? Who are you?' Ziran continued to stare at her from the window side. His lean stature hidden in the dark veil of the night. 

He went towards his room as it was quite late.

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"Don't wake me up Mom. It's so early, just two minutes more please." Xiao turned away from the source of the noise that was constantly trying to bring her back from the dreamland.

"Chi…chi…qui…qui" Reliott went to the other side of bed and breathed out a small rush of fire that made Xiao wake up due to the excessive warm temperature.

"Ahhhhhhhhh....my bed…" She screamed out as she noticed the bed's corner has caught fire.

"Chi…Qui..Chi.." Reliott let out a barely audible hiss as it looked like it was sorry for the consequences caused by itself. It simply melted Xiao's heart. She was about to proceed to carry it in her arms, someone knocked at the door.

"Who is it?" Xiao opened the door slightly as she definitely didn't want others to have a view of how messy her room was.

"Hey, Is Reliott here?" Ziran asked as politely as he could.

"Huh? Sorry but I don't know…

"It's a small dragon. She probably went to your room last night." Ziran cut her off as he could see how nervous she was.

"She is in my room still, come in please." Xiao felt as if the forest officer was there to capture her for keeping an extinct animal at her home.

Reliott was currently tearing up the bed sheet to test the sharpness of her teeth.

"Come here, Reliott." Ziran called her in an amusing voice as he realized what a mess the room was in.

Reliott crawled under the bed and breathed out another puff of fire to indicate her refusal about leaving the place and her favourite hooman.

"I am extremely sorry, Second Prince, I didn't know she was a royal dragon." Xiao wanted nothing more than avoiding this prince about whom she has been warned countless times by Riwansa.

"You can just call me Ah'Ran and no need to worry Reliott usually doesn't like interacting with humans, since she likes you I will just let her be." Ziran unknowingly explained so much to someone for the first time in his life.

"Oh, another thing, are you attending the party today? I am pretty sure you are curious about the customs here and I can show you around if you have no problem." Ziran asked eagerly.

"Yeah, I am going to attend the party. But no need to trouble yourself. Riwansa will be there with me." Xiao wasn't used to being close enough to ask for a favour to someone she just met.

"It's no trouble, moreover I have no partner to accompany me there, so it will be a great help if you could agree." Ziran lied through his teeth despite knowing that he just had to ask and there would be no lack of princesses or royalties to be his partner.

"I am afraid I might just embarrass you." Xiao couldn't think of any more excuse.

"Don't worry, just go with the flow. I will take my leave now. Take care of Reliott. I will come to pick you up in the evening." He left without giving her any more chance to find excuses.