The Contest Ch. 02

It was a balmy afternoon. Several blankets had been laid on grass under a few trees with yellow green leaves and red cherries. Various beverages and foods were packed in containers of wicker bamboo and wood.

Princess Lagath was very casual. She sat down with her legs closed but she used wild gestures as she spoke, reminding Antonai of quite a few soldiers he had known. She didn't eat many sweets, but she ate very well, taking all the food she could and not being shy about it.

Princess Chohni didn't eat much, but when she did she was very dainty and careful. Sometimes she hid her mouth behind her sleeve or a hand fan as she took something in. Whenever someone made a joke, she would politely laugh as if she was forced to do so. Whenever she spoke she was playful but tense.

Princess Rellenora didn't speak to anyone. She didn't look at anyone. She sat a good distance from everyone. She spat out everything she tasted, but at least she kept tasting. She seemed determined to find something that didn't disgust her.

At one point, as Antonai was listening to a colorful story Lagath was sharing, Yban discreetly whispered in his ear, "Chohni's up to something silly." Then the prince quickly flicked a finger towards the dark haired princess' drooping sleeve.

Chohni took a bowl of spicy powder that was normally used as a condiment. Then she poured a hefty amount into Lagath's cup of tea. Antonai's tail rose, and his hand moved, but Yban gripped his wrist and gave him another whisper. "No, no. Let it happen. This will be fun."

Well ... Yban was always harmless with his own misbehavior. Certainly, he'd be able to judge whether or not something was too dangerous to be an adequate prank. Antonai let the matter be.

When Lagath took her cup of tea to her lips, possibly suffering from a dry throat from all the talking, Antonai heard Yban's breath still.

Gray eyes popping, her throat struggling, Lagath spat a quick stream of spicy tea onto the grass and retched out anything else that could bother her. She even put her weight on one of her hands, her fingernails digging into the earth.

Once she was finally calm, Lagath's red face moved up to look at the two men. Both Yban and Antonai pointed right at Chohni, their faces deadpan. Lagath turned furious eyes towards that princess.

Her hand at her bosom, her eyes wide, as if she was shocked that she had been noticed, and shocked that the two men would easily tattle on her, Chohni spoke with a fluttering voice. "There must be a mistake. I'm far too much of a gentlewoman to do something so petty."

Yban's voice chimed in immediately after Chohni's statement. "No she's not. She's not too much of a gentlewoman at all. She did it. She's as petty as a two year old." Unashamedly, he took Antonai's tail and gave it a gentle tug, which made the Emperor turn to him. "Your Majesty, isn't this an example of sabotage?"

Snatching his tail away, his face grim, Antonai gave his judgment curtly and coldly, even though he was sitting on a picnic blanket and had a bit of sauce on his lip. "I don't approve of her behavior, but this seemed to be more of a joke than anything." He nodded towards Chohni. "I'll be lenient."

As if she was highly infatuated, Chohni gave a dreamy sigh.

"Even so," Antonai said, looking to Lagath and making a barely visible smirk, "if Princess Lagath wishes to retaliate, then I will allow it."

Chohni deflated.

Lagath scooped up the nearest slice of jam covered cake and slapped it right into Chohni's milky smooth face. Chohni's brilliant fingernails quivered and rose to her face as she shrieked.

Yban laughed so hard that he fell over. He was like a toddler. Antonai looked down at him, his braid of hair swinging about, and he calmly asked, "Do you need assistance?"

His good eye closed, his curly hair becoming a bit of a mess, Yban tried to nod, but he was soon gasping and snickering into his hands.

Antonai heard a new splattering noise. Both men looked to see the source. Chohni had apparently thrown another fruity, sticky food item at Lagath, but Lagath was fine. She seemed to have dodged, and the food had gone to Rellenora's head instead.

Slowly blinking, as if she was trying to react but her brain was too lazy, Rellenora tilted her head. Some of the gooey food slid off and plopped onto the blanket underneath her. Then, she reached up to take some of the food between her fingertips, and she brought that bit of food to her stretching tongue.

Rellenora's whole body jerked and quivered as if something had electrocuted her. Then, her face wrinkling in horror, she shot the food out of her mouth. Then she pouted.

The other princesses soon began the most infantile confrontation in the world. It was basically a food fight. They had completely forgotten the concept of civility or even common decency. They threw all the food at each other, ruining each other's clothing and hairstyles. Meanwhile, Rellenora decided to do something else. She walked around, purposely poking her hand or head before certain edible projectiles. Then she would taste whatever she caught. Unfortunately, she rejected everything her tongue touched.

Yban couldn't breathe.

Antonai didn't know if he was disappointed or amused. Two of his fingers curved around one of his silver horns. His tail rose and fell as a cat's might, tapping his blanket.

He let the idiocy continue for thirty seconds more. Then he clapped his hands together and yelled out a command. "Cease! No more! You're all free for now. I need to relax." He bent over to pat Yban's back. The prince was still trying to breathe well. "Let's have a bath, Yban."

The prince collected himself and wiped his eye with one of his knuckles.

Lagath and Chohni both lowered their heads and murmured unpleasant things as they tried to knock excess food off of themselves. Rellenora sucked on her fingers as a toddler would.

***