May Death Do Us Part

275 Chapter 275 : To win the princess’ heart

That afternoon Eira was subjected to a very boring carriage ride. Apparently Arnold’s choice of showing the princess a good time, was riding around the kindom in a carriage and talking about himself constantly. The man talked about the most mundane of things, starting from when he was born, where he was born, how he was the most adorable pup of the litter, and all his achievements that for some reason he felt would impress the princess.

Eira had never been so bored in her life, even Zhelimir who was riding beside the carriage on horseback could see that the princess couldn’t wait for the hour to be over.

“.... and then when I was knighted by the king in Meria, I not only bought pride upon my gild, but upon my family as well.”

Eira sighed and looked out the window at Zhelimir who was clearly holding back his laughter.

“Are you not impressed princess?” Sir Arnold asked excitedly.

If you have to ask.. Eira thought to herself. She had no idea there were men who were even more infuriating than Jacob.

“Your achievements are very impressive Sir Arnold,” Eira responded flatly and sarcastically. “It’s astonishing as to how you are not wedded with all you have accomplished.”

The blue eyed knight took Eira’s hand in his and kissed it before looking up at her. “Because I was waiting for a woman worthy of me, a woman like you princess.”

*

.....

Eira threw the door of her bedroom open and groaned loudly before throwing herself on the bed, with Zhelimir chuckling as he walked behind her. His chuckles slowly turned into laughter until the blonde was practically on the floor clutching his stomach with tears in his eyes.

Eira sat up and glared angrily at her cousin. “Is any of this funny to you?!”

“It’s so hilarious it’s sad,” Zhelimir responded as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

Eira huffed in irritation. “This is ridiculous, I’ve spent one hour with one man and I already feel like giving this whole thing up!”

“Oh come now Eira, this is the duty of a princess,” he spoke while snickering. “Besides, you have three more suitors to review. Maybe they won’t be as bad as the fist one.”

“This is off to a really bad start,” Eira complained. “And I have to do this for an entire thirty days?! I can’t believe this.”

“Come on, the faster meet these men, the faster we get this day over with..”

“Fine,” the princess finally relented. This entire ordeal would have been much more bearable if she was absolutely sure Elric would be one of the suitors she would meet, but alas, she wasn’t even sure if she would ever see him again..

*

Maxim walked out of a portal and into an alley of some sort that was not too far from the busy Main Street of the Gavarian capital. It had been many years since he was last here, in the central continent where he was born and lived his early childhood days.

After the war that drove their people to Ervelon, this place was almost completely inhabited by humans from what he had heard. But looking at it now, it seemed much balance had been restored. The streets were filled with beings of all races, living, trading and interracting harmoniously like the great cleansing had never occurred.

Maxim had to hand it to king Gareth, even though according to Ronda, he and his wife were selfish people, he had managed to bring back the peace that everyone thought was forever lost.

Maxim pulled his cloak tighter around his body and began to walk along the snow covered pathways. The elf who had teleported him to Gavaria directed Maxim to another elf, his brother who was apparently hopelessly in love with Ronda. So hopelessly in love that the elven woman could ask anything of him and he would do it without giving it a second thought.

The dark haired, handsome elven man, could not tell if Ronda was a very likable woman, or a woman who was highly manipulative. Because it seemed she had so many people wrapped around her little finger.

Maxim reached the main road and saw the building the elf had described to him as where he was to meet the man who would house him until his mission was completed.

He was about to cross the road when someone placed a hand in front of him and stopped him.

“What is the meaning of this?” Maxim asked the man

who, after closer inspection, he could see was some sort of guard or knight.

“Leave way, the princess is passing,” the guard spoke firmly.

“The princess?” Maxim looked ahead and saw a fancy carriage parked next to some shops, in which two men where loading newly purchased items of all

kinds.

Behind the men, was a huge dark haired man who was walking with a woman on his arm.

“Is that the princess?” Maxim muttered in surprise.

“Aye, that is princess Eira,” the guard responded with a broad smile, his voice radiated pride and his expressions revealed somewhat of a boyish crush.

Maxim couldn’t blame him, the princess was absolutely stunning. Her hair, her skin, the way she smiled slightly when the man whose arm she was holding spoke to her, she looked almost unreal.

It was then that Maxim realized. That was the woman he was to poison? That beautiful angel on earth?! The blue eyed elf now began to wonder if Ronda’s revenge was truly Justified by being hurt, or being jealous. Because in all honesty, if Maxim was a woman he would be jealous of Eira as well.

He watched the beautiful princess get onto the carriage, followed by the man she was with. That must have been one of her many eligible suitors, most likely trying to woo her by purchasing her all the fancy things money could buy. It was a good strategy, but not good enough.

The blue eyed elf turned to look at the guard beside him, it would be best to get a bit of information from this man while he had the chance.

“Excuse me,” Maxim spoke, “how does one sign up to be given a chance to try and win the princess’ heart?”

The gaurd studied Maxim for a while before deciding to answer. “Are you a nobleman of any sort? Or maybe a knight?”

The guard had a pretty good eye. The truth is Maxim did not have a single noble bone in his body, but he did not realize that it was that obvious.

“What makes you ask such a question?” Maxim inquired. He wanted to know what he was not doing right so he could rectify it before he met the princess. Because if a mere gaurd could tell he was not nobility, then the princess would see right through him in a second.

“Well first of all,” the guard replied. “Not to sound insulting but the quality of your clothing is average. Most nobles wear garments of the finnest silk and softest wool.”

Maxim nodded in understanding. “Is that all? Just the way I dress then?” He inquired further.

“The way in which you carry yourself as well,” the guard added on. “You seem a little too carefree to be nobility.”

So nobles always had to be on their toes? Of course, most nobles practically had an audience wherever they went, so they were always aware of their environment, how they walked, how they talked

and how they interacted with others.

Maxim chuckled and gave the guard a slow clap, much to the man’s confusion. “Bravo!” The blue eyed elven man exclaimed. “You have a very keen eye my good sir. I had a feeling my poise and etiquette had dwindled a great deal over the years, but I was not aware that it was this bad. Mistaken for a mere commomer? What a shame indeed, my late father lord Marius of Baiviles would have been disappointing.”

The guard arched his eyebrows suspiciously at the elven man beside him. “You are a noble from Baiviles?”

“That I am,” Maxim responded. “But over the years I have been traveling the continent like a free spirit. It was not until my father succumbed to his sickness did I return to take his place as lord.”

Maxim looked up at the guard and smiled. The man was eating his cockamamy story up like a fruit tart on a hot day.

“But it gets lonely you know,” Maxim continued. Selling his lie to the guard even more. “All alone in a castle is not the life I pictured having at such a young age. But then I heard the beautiful princess of Gavaria was looking for a husband, and I immediately knew it was a sign.”

Maxim turned to look at the man fully, ready to hit the final nail of his lie. “But I’m afraid I am not aware of Gavarian protocol,” he explained. “So I ask again, how does one sign up to be given the chance to win the princess’ heart?”