Chapter 10

"I'm Blair, Nice to meet you!"

"Sorry for trying to murder you, I just couldn't stand...argh!"

"Relax, I won't be doing anything of what you're thinking of. In any case, how did you die?"

"The upcoming hunting competition! To hell with this damm plot!" Carlisa kept cursing on. I realized that with her position anyone would be frustrated. I really want to smack my head for not reading the preface that had all the warnings and explanations.

"You are the free-spirit type, aren't ya?" It felt good to talk to someone casually, without the crazy honor titles, whatsoever.

"You bet I am. I'm really glad to find someone who could understand me. The princes always look like mongooses whenever I...you know" She sighed.

"Well then, let's make sure you don't die!" I said after debating with each and every one of my blood cells that pump haemoglobin and scream 'rest!' to shut up.

"What?!" She asked alarmed.

"I said, let's save yourself from dying on the hunting competition."

"But, we don't know how I would die. The book never mentioned a reason."

"It should be a big event of some sort. I thought I could get out of attending and rest this life but I guess if you don't die, I don't die and happily ever after?" I said sarcastically  by wrinkling my nose like an old woman stating the law. Carlisa started laughing.

"That face was perfect for that sentence. You rocked it! Anyway, yeah, I guess your theory make sense. Then a truce?"

"You got a friend!" I held out my hand.

"Since, we aren't adults now who work their butts off, why don't we do a pinky promise?" Carlisa said with a wink.

"So Cliché! Let's do it anyway!" I wrapped my pinky finger with hers and raised my palm for a high five. She gladly took it.

***

Last night, my mum (Lady Ameece) mentioned the hunting competition that was to be held next week. Everyone of the family is to be attended so I accepted that I couldn't skip. I decided to pack more of my pants and shirts than gowns and dresses and even Lady Ameece helped me out, herself.

To be honest, Rose had hidden a whole storage of stylish but comfortable wear to up tend her image. I felt sorry for all the sufferings her body went through.

Carlisa and the 2nd Prince went back after staying for a few hours. Carlisa and I enjoyed a pleasant conversation. I remember the mothers looking at each other with a gleam of pride in their eyes.

The day had finally arrived and we were getting off the carriages at the gate of the main forest of the empire. Many other carriages had arrived and some men rode horses. Lady Ameece and I got on one carriage with Robert while Richard and the Duke rode another. They had planned for all to ride one carriage but the space didn't permit the idea. Lady Ameece and the duke wore clothes to match.

Before the family dispersed, Lady Ameece called for me and hugged me tightly. She wasn't shocked one bit when I asked her to let me join the hunt last night but instead, encouraged me. That was a quality of a mother that I didn't receive in my previous life. My eyes threatened a few tears then.

Just as she let me go, she swiftly handed me a bow with the Duchy's emblem and whispered that the ribbon would keep me safe. I thanked her, wholeheartedly.

Just as I got off, a Royal knight handed me a leaflet containing a gold border with a map of the forest. This could come in handy. A hand slapped my back the moment I shoved the leaflet in my pocket.

"Whatcha doin?" I could note from the sound that it was non-other than Carlisa. Ever since, we found out that we both had reincarnated into a novel, we've been more comfortable with each other and actually shared jokes that would make sense to us. They were highly confidential. There was no way any one could ever hate Carlisa. The girl's an enigma who makes herself comfortable wherever she was!

"Good morning to you too. Should we go hunt? There's no way, you are making me sit at those fussy chairs and expect me to nod my head, graciously.

"No way! Are you crazy?! We have to explore, period." And I officially declare that Carlisa is the extrovert that gets the group stuck in the haunted house!

Carlisa dragged me with her to her frontier desk screaming along that she forgot her supplies at her tent. Her tent had been decorated with yellow crystals. She shoved me in and stopped three seconds in her tracks afterwards in surprise.

"Good morning Carlisa! You forgot your leaflet, so I came to hand it over. Hello Lady Rose!" The Crown prince clad in imperial attire greeted. I greeted back, politely. Carlisa blushed red at a rapid pace. In return, I heard a chuckle from the right.

"Good morning, your highness and Alvin. I must have been clumsy!" Carlisa hurried towards the crown prince.

"How many times have I asked you to not call me 'your highness' everywhere!" The Prince said with a humph.

"It's like we aren't even here, huh, Lady Rose" The chuckler retorted.

"That's the thing with lovers!" I said and we both started laughing.

"Why are you two laughing? Come to think of it, I've never seen you two at the same place at the same time." Carlisa said.

"Never mind that, Shall I come back another time? Oh, Jia make sure to keep your hair on and eyes open. Peace!"

"What does that mean?" I heard the crown prince asking. Carlisa had a knowing expression on her face and she gave me a grateful thumbs-up.

During the previous week, I came with a list of all the possibilities that Carlisa might die and their respective solutions. The most likely situation would be getting eaten alive by an animal at the hunt itself. More precarious situations include, getting poisoned by a snake or poisoned by a venomous plant while adventuring the forest.

A lot of thoughts rang through my mind like a clock tower in operation at midnight that I didn't hear someone behind me until a tap on my shoulder woke me up from my chaotic whorl of thoughts.

"Lady Rose, you really couldn't hear me!" *pant* The 2nd prince approached me.

"Oh, I'm sorry, were you talking to me?" I answered meekly as possible.

"U-um,----" A horn blasted and blocked his words. The hunting contest had officially begun!

A cluster of men with knight uniforms came and approached the 2nd prince. He sighed.

"You should go, your highness!" I said to him with a business smile on my face hiding the annoyance that erupted on my face with the presence of the imperial family. The lesser connection I have with them, the faster my life will be secured in this world. Let's save Carlisa and still run-off when the time comes!

I met up with a sprinting Carlisa from my right and we entered a critter area according to the leaflet. Apparently, my leaflet was much more cleaner than Carlisa's devastated template. It had been through some rough rain and shine and now had been soaked so bad the letters were blurry.

I took her leaflet and, ironically, crushed it so that it won't suffer more.

"Rest in Peace leaflet! You shall be missed dearly by my dear Rose's fists!" Carlisa chanted the words like a funeral conductor.

"A few moments of silence to honor the dead!" I chanted along and we both held our breaths for ten seconds. Carlisa gave up first and we both burst with giggles.

"This is the... reason I like you! Only you... will get the joke... and play along" Carlisa spit the words out slowly unable to catch her breath.

"First breath, then speak. I don't want you dying by laughing too hard, yet" I retorted.

We kept walking along a narrow pathway and we met a few rabbits and baby foxes. Carlisa and I shook our heads at each other and entered the intermediate zones. Here, several small wolves and deers resided. Carlisa took an aim with her bow and arrow to shoot a fox who was preying on a deer while I checked out the surroundings.

A voice out of nowhere interrupted our concentration. A group of young nobles (or should I use the phrase herd of buffoons) came up to us.

"Are you beautiful ladies lost?" The long-nose guy asked. Are they seriously trying to hit on us?!  Carlisa's head dipped down low and a smirk danced on her lips. These guys have no idea that they are up a creek without a paddle!