Harlow listened to Marguerite's words and took in all the information she needed.

"Thank you for the information," Harlow smiled at the white witch and she took her leave. 

Marguerite only waved at the young girl and sighed after Harlow disappeared from sight. She remembered when Raphael and she talked about the dowry almost 18 years ago. Dammit. It's been such a long time.

Harlow's appearance today only reminded Marguerite of how old she had become. It was not a pleasant reminder. How could eighteen years went by so fast?

When Emmelyn came here at that time and spoke about Alexia Adler, her 'sister' from Wintermere, Marguerite already felt so old. Emmelyn called Alexia as… grandma. Ugh.

And Marguerite was older than Alexia. 

She was lucky to receive the youth potion from Raphael, so she could stay young like she was today. However, there was a limit to those potions. And soon she would start aging.

However, she was too prideful to ask Raphael for more potions. She told him many years ago that she wouldn't need them since she would ascend to Cretea and become a goddess herself by competing in the tournament to godhood that was held once every millenia.

She was so sure of her capabilities. Who would have thought she was failed the second round because she was haunted by her past?

The next opportunity would only come in another thousand years. She would be long gone by then.

The beautiful witch touched her flawless cheeks in distraught. She hated aging.

***

When Harlow arrived at the borders of Myreen and stepped into the land, instead of a kingdom of eternal winter and harsh winds like those in Mount Tempest, she thought she ended up in paradise.

If she hadn't known any better then she would assume that this was the place where the gods gathered because of how beautiful the kingdom was. 

Everything was currently in blossom, all of the trees were in a rich and beautiful shade of green and plants grew everywhere in abundance and without a hint of worry.

The sky above them was such a perfect hue of blue, the sun shone down perfectly with warm rays and the road that led to the kingdom from afar was majestic and stunning.

Icecube was just entering the border of Myreen when a person suddenly intercepted her. Harlow was expecting people on dragons like her because this place was a sanctuary for dragons and there were supposedly guards protecting the entire land.

Harlow did not expect a young man around her age or a bit younger. 

Unlike the Crown Princess of Draec, this person was not at all flying on a dragon or even located down below her on a chariot with horses to tell her to land. 

On the contrary, this person was flying in the air. 

"Huh?!" Harlow rubbed her eyes and couldn't believe it.

The young man bravely floating in front of the dragon. He looked at her with a boyish grin and charm. When she thought about it, Harlow realized this he was actually younger than her twin brothers. So, if Damien and Dimitri were now almost sixteen, this teenager might be around fourteen.

He had short and messy ashen hair with brilliant blue eyes and freckled cheeks. Somehow, she thought his face looked oddly familiar. So… had they met before?

Hmmm… it didn't seem like it. Harlow would definitely remember a face like his. He was so good looking, that Harlow could imagine he would grow up to be a really handsome man. 

Hmm… if she had never met him, so, maybe she knew his parents? That's a possibility, right? 

Harlow was a princess from a really big kingdom and her family received many esteemed guests throughout the yers. Maybe she had met his parents?

However, Harlow didn't think too much about it. She was too distracted by the idea that this person was flying without a dragon. Were all people in Myreen simply this powerful or was this young man actually someone important? 

He couldn't be King Alexander Leoralei. The king of Myreen wasn't this young either.

"Who are you?" the young man asked and crossed his arms. "People usually can't get to Myreen by themselves."

Harlow pursed her lips and tried to hide the ice compass that the White Witch gave her but the young man saw it anyway and only kept a grin on his face. He wasn't a soldier from Myreen at all.

"Are you mute? Can't speak?" he waved at her.

Harlow straightened up and looked down at him. She learned how to do it just like her father and created an intimidating yet regal aura. "My name is Harlow Strongmoor, Crown Princess of Draec and I come here in peace to meet with the king. Who are you?"

"A princess huh?" the young man rubbed his chin. "I suppose you wouldn't be able to do anything weird. Okay, follow me and I'll lead you to the castle where they keep their dragons and then you can meet with His Majesty."

Harlow huffed at the young man who rudely ignored her question but still helpfully decided to lead her to the castle. Did this guy think that being the Crown Princess of Draec meant nothing at all?

The way that he referred to the Myreen castle and a place to land somehow showed that this young man was not directly affiliated to the kingdom of Myreen itself. So he wasn't probably related to the king but a guest like her?

She pursed her lips and said, "So you're not from Myreen as well. Do you think you have the right to decide on whether or not to let me in?"

"Oh, so you managed to notice that." The young man only laughed and glanced her way with a twinkle in his eyes. He looked like the type of frivolous young man who actually had brains for once. 

"So?" Harlow asked.

He shrugged carefreely and reminded Harlow of her two brothers. "I've deduced that you aren't a threat and I think I can let you in because I'm currently apprenticing under the king."

"Apprentice?" Harlow batted her eyelashes in confusion.

"Haven't you seen me flying all this time?" the young man grinned and rested his arms behind his head. "King Alexander Leoralei is a great old man who's a powerful wizard so I'm currently training under him."

The Crown Princess of Draec pursed her lips and was far from impressed. She only raised an eyebrow at him and asked. "And who are you to be so important enough for the king to actually make time for you when His Majesty is supposed to be running the kingdom?"

The young man rubbed his chin as if thinking for a moment and then smiled at her. "Okay, since you're a woman and you look like you can keep a secret, my name is Alexei Dimitri, a fledgling young god at your service."

"Huh?" Harlow looked at him in surprise. She was expecting some kind of mage, wizard or something else in the realm of human but she really hadn't realized that she would encounter a god.

This dude must be joking.

"My guardian tells me to keep that a secret, but it wouldn't hurt to let you know, princess." Alexei shrugged and eventually gave her a small smirk. "You must be surprised why I seem so carefree, but what can I do when everyone I see, including you, is mortal?"

.

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From Missrealitybites:

Harlow didn't realize she actually had met Alexei's parent. XD

PS: Thank you so much to everyone who has been reading, supporting, commenting, and loving this book.. I wake up every day feeling excited to write for "The Cursed Prince" because of the endless support I've been receiving.

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