The Ghost of a Political Marriage

"Umm..." the boy asked hesitantly, probably worried that the enchanting atmosphere would be broken. "So, how do we get out of here?"

Funny he would ask because... I, too, had no idea.

I was already getting a bit irritated as the darkness of the night didn't offer any suggestions. In fact, it answered my woes with an army of fire bugs, as though I was asking for something to make the night more delightful and beautiful.

But, here's the thing. It's night time, and when the sun's out, I've got to run straight back home, because if not... I'm dead. Here I am, twice-killed in a single day by my beloved guardian, Regina.

"I'm gonna be late... again." I let my body fall onto the mini-floating island's soft grass. I allowed myself to dismember the grass from the soil to ease my frustration. "I am so dead... Why did I have to jump into this island... Why??"

"You know..." I heard the boy sit down beside me, sounding utterly at ease. "We can just look at this as a new adventure. Hmm... Sleeping outdoors on a floating isle! Something like that. I bet we'll be the first adventurers to ever do that."

"Yeah, sure," I grumbled. "Except we aren't adventurers. We're children! I'm only a stupid gi-ugh... boy who has no name, and you're a supposed prince."

"Hey!" he shouted, inching closer. "What do you mean 'supposed' prince? Do you still doubt it?"

I laughed at the child's audacity. "Then prove it."

It was dark and the moon barely gave any light from being partially covered by clouds. But, the fire bugs, no matter how annoying they were with all their low buzzing, allowed me to see Sneak's glare in all its glory. But, he doesn't seem to have any way to prove his absurd claim though, judging by his silence. So, I decided to help him out.

"You should just come out and tell the truth, you know," I told him with a smirk. "I won't get angry about you lying about it."

"... I am not lying!" he screamed in agitation.

"Oh, come on," I said, getting more amused as much as I was getting more frustrated by his stubbornness. "If you're so sure, then answer these simple questions, then."

He nodded, desperate to prove his point.

"What's the full name of the crown prince?" I asked.

"MY full name is Kareem Kale of Parivaar Chandra, although outsiders can always call me Charles of House Mond if that suits your tongues," he spat angrily, his face turning red. "This prince is the seventh lunar child of the Goddess Luna, and third son of Emperor Jadhav. This one's introductions might have been overdue, but it's a joy to formally meet you."

I wanted to laugh at his furious expression, but his words did hold truth. And although he had recited it crudely because of his anger, there was an obvious ease to his words, as though he had said this line many times before.

But, well... That may be all there is to it. Memorizing a line many times can easily make one seem like a prince. After all, I've been going through my own version of memorizing, mainly on the ways of a commoner boy so I could easily seem like one.

My judging smile returned to my face, making his arrogant smirk crack a bit.

"Second question: What is the form of the Mond Empire's economic system?" I asked. True, it was a hard question for any child, but not a particularly tricky one for a prince.

"... The Mond Empire has always had a closed economy since the time of our forefathers, but recent attempts of reconciliation with multiple nations around the Aerim Continent, including our greatest rivaling nation, the Kingdom of Saule, has prompted our government to allow an open market in our three major cities, including the royal city capital. Frankly, I believe it is a move that must be made if we are to improve as a nation, but I believe it was too sudden a move."

My brows went up. Now, that wasn't mere memorization at all, but real education. But having the education worthy of a prince doesn't exactly make you one. I asked, "Why do you think so?"

"I don't think it. I believe it." He glared into the night sky. "Father made a hasty move, enough to be called reckless. I simply don't understand why he would open our own capital's market to outsiders, when peace is hardly stable on our own backyards. Not to mention that having a peace treaty with the Saule Kingdom is nothing but stupidity. Every Aerim nation knows the power system of the Kingdom has been imbalanced in the past years, with the rise of their merchant class. Our nation will all the more become stronger if we simply take this chance to attack the Kingdom while they're all still confused about who's leading whom."

I flinched, his words hitting home. But, I had to defend my own Kingdom. "Well, what of the Continental Wars, then? Having an intracontinental war now will only deplete our resources and manpower. Even if the Empire comes on top at the end of it all, won't you be completely defenseless when the other continents set their eyes on you? I, myself, believe Emperor Jadhav was right to force peace on the Aerim nations. This strengthens us all in the long run."

"But what is to say they won't go betraying us on our own doorsteps? We are all but naked babes exposed to the elements with all the nonsense that we've done. We all know how flimsy a single paper is compared to the greed of rulers. It was a hasty move, and the Empire is nothing but a cornered animal, with enemy nations in front and a sea of monsters behind. Not to mention the hostile continents across the waters!"

I glared at him, but I knew he had an incredibly valid point. I scrunched up my brows to think of a rebuttal, but then I arrived at an answer that I myself dreaded to say. "... But what if you had the Kingdom at your back? What if they agreed to this peace treaty completely?"

"Other than the economic treaty?" he asked. "I doubt that would ever happen. They have no reason to do that. And what guarantees can they even give that they'll stick to their word?"

"... A marriage between heirs," I muttered quietly, looking down on the grass, now black instead of vibrant green. "If a political marriage was to occur, won't the alliance be perfectly symbolized?"

"That," he mumbled. "... would actually be a possible solution. But, both my older brothers have their own matches and eldest brother is already married. I doubt having the Kingdom's only princess as the second wife of an imperial prince would portray our alliance in a good light, so... Ahh..."

I stayed silent, allowing him to arrive at the conclusion himself. He quickly turned his head to face me, a wild look in his eyes.

"But then that leaves me... The crown prince," he muttered. "They want the crown prince to have a political marriage?"

"Of course," I replied truthfully, because I knew it was the truth. "Anything for peace."

"But..." he mumbled, confusion and disbelief on his face. "Choice of marriage. That's one of the lunar gifts given to the Empire's crown prince. I have the right to choose whom I marry, unlike my other siblings... I tried so hard to get this title. I-"

"It doesn't matter," I said, glaring at him. "And why do you even still pretend? Are you friends with the prince?"

I expected him to at least shout back at me, but he stayed quiet. Mechanically, he hid his face between his knees, and stayed like that. All curled up, he looked nothing but a small, terrified child.

I sighed and inched closer to him. What I started as a game to tease him probably truly hurt him in the end. Who knew if he was actually close friends with the crown prince? Or if he was part of the royal nobility as well?

But, somehow, I couldn't bring myself to think that he was the crown prince himself, despite all his claims... Because all my life, I had imagined the crown prince to be a monster. A cruel man who would steal me away for political agenda. He was someone who took away my freedom.

But a human being?

I never imagined him like that. I never imagined that he might have been a victim like I was too.

"I'm sorry..." I mumbled to the crown prince in my head, but the boy answered back a grunt, like he was the one I was saying it to.

I sighed. I suppose he will have to do as a replacement for now.

I stared at the fire bugs floating around us. The night was filled with their melancholic blue light. It might have been a peaceful sight if it weren't for the storm of chaotic thoughts swirling around my head.

Looking back on our conversation, I realized there was a world way larger than me as a person. And now that I've talked about it with an outside person, I had gained an understanding about the Kingdom's decisions from my past life... It might not have been that evil for them to make me the sacrificial lamb in a peace-making marriage.

Father probably didn't have a choice but to give me away...

But... It still wasn't right. I don't know why, but messing around with lives, royal or not, female or male, just wasn't right. Even for peace...

"YoohooO!" a soft, yet highly discernible and sultry voice hooted from the main island. I got up hastily and immediately saw the welcomed, yet dreaded, appearance of the blond-haired magician.

"Regina!" I screamed back, hoping I sounded pitiful enough to not be punished later in the evening. "Please help us!"

Then, a gust of baleful wind approached our Isle, making me shield my eyes from the sudden attack. It was rare for the magical barriers of Malaya to malfunction, so I knew it was Regina's own wind magic. Then, before I could even run away in panic, solid hands had gripped my shoulders from behind me. A sweet voice whispered at the back of my neck, "Elly, deary, aren't you a little... late for dinner?"

I cried inwardly. It seems like I would have a mountainload of chores to do back at the Flower House.

Seeing my crumpled up expression, Sneak, who was standing at the corner, suddenly laughed.

And to make it worse, I was barraged with several of Regina's wet kisses all over my head and face as punishment. This made me groan and squirm in disgust, and made Sneak laugh all the more.

"GAH! Regina, stop it!"

"Then, why don't you jump on any more floating islands, why don't you?" she replied before tickling me with more kisses and hugs.

"Ha HA HA Ha!! Qui-Quit it!!!"

"Therion- HA HA HA HA! You look so funny!" the traitor teased a few steps away from us, but that somehow angered Regina because a gust of wind later, the boy was entangled too in our disgusting game of 'Escape the Feral Magician'. He shouted laughingly, "No! N-Not there- AH HA HA HA Stop! I-I order you!!!"

In the middle of laughing and gasping for breath, I would find myself looking at them both. More often, I would observe how wonderful the nameless boy's smiles were.

'You look better when you smile,' I decided.

And somehow, maybe because I was an adult from the inside, I hoped that I would make this young boy smile all the time. After all, that's what a friend was for, right?