A TEST OF WILLPOWER

Chapter 4:

 A Test of Willpower

The air in the palace was heavy with whispers. The servants, the guards, even the nobles had all heard about the commoner girl who had dared to stand up to Prince Lilian. Some found it amusing, others were outraged. But none were as intrigued as the prince himself.

Sitting in his private chamber, Lilian tapped his fingers against the wooden desk, his mind replaying the incident from the previous night. The taste of the tea still lingered on his tongue, as familiar as a forgotten memory. It was unsettling. No one had ever brewed tea like his mother had… until now. And that commoner girl, Mai, had done it effortlessly.

He clenched his jaw. He wouldn't let her get under his skin.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Enter," he said sharply.

A royal guard stepped inside and bowed. "Your Highness, the King requests your presence in the throne room. It is about the girl."

Lilian's brow furrowed. The girl? His father rarely involved himself in trivial palace matters. If the King had taken an interest in Mai, then this was serious.

He stood, smoothing out his tunic. "Very well."

---

Mai stood stiffly before King Eric, her fists clenched at her sides. She had barely slept after the exhausting tasks Lilian had forced upon her, yet here she was, summoned before the ruler of the kingdom.

The King studied her in silence for a long moment before finally speaking. "I have heard much about you, Mai." His voice was deep and authoritative, but not unkind. "It is not often that someone—especially a commoner—dares to defy my son."

Mai lifted her chin. "I am not his servant, Your Majesty. I was brought here to be his tutor. Besides there are lots of maids in the Palace that can be at his berk and calling"

A small smirk tugged at the King's lips. "Indeed. And yet, it seems you have been treated as something else entirely."

Lilian, who stood a few feet away, scoffed. "Perhaps she should have considered that before she spoke out of turn."

Mai shot him a glare. "Speaking the truth is not out of turn. I guess you don't know that yet. Maybe I'd teach you In our fir--"

The King raised a hand, silencing them both. "Enough. This bickering is tiresome." His gaze settled on Mai. "I summoned you here for a reason. Since you are to be my son's tutor, you must first prove yourself worthy."

Mai frowned. "Prove myself?"

The King leaned forward in his throne. "For the next three days, you will endure the same training given to noble-born tutors—etiquette, literature, history, and combat. If you succeed, you may continue your role. If you fail, you will be dismissed from the palace."

Mai's breath caught in her throat. Combat? She had never wielded a sword in her life! And etiquette? She was a commoner, not a lady of the court.

She glanced at Lilian, expecting him to smirk in amusement, but he merely stared at her, his expression unreadable.

The King's voice was final. "Do you accept?"

Mai swallowed hard. This was unfair, but if she refused, she would lose her only chance to fulfill the mission she had been given.

"I accept," she said firmly.

---

The first day of training was brutal.

The court ladies, all daughters of nobles, scoffed as Mai struggled through etiquette lessons. Her curtsy was too low, her posture too stiff. They giggled when she used the wrong fork at lunch, whispering behind their fans.

"Do you see how she holds her teacup? Like a farmer!" one of them sneered.

Mai gritted her teeth, forcing herself to remain calm. She would not give them the satisfaction of seeing her break.

Meanwhile, Lilian observed from the sidelines, his arms crossed. He had expected Mai to lash out, but she remained composed. *Interesting.*

The real challenge came during combat training. The palace guards scoffed at the idea of a commoner learning to fight, but the King's orders were absolute.

"You'll never land a hit," one of the guards, Sir Roderic, chuckled as he handed her a wooden sword. "Try not to embarrass yourself."

Mai tightened her grip. She had no experience, but she refused to back down.

Lilian smirked, stepping forward. "I'll spar with her."

The guards exchanged looks of surprise. "Your Highness, are you sure?"

He shrugged. "It will be amusing."

Mai's jaw clenched. "You want to fight me?"

Lilian twirled his wooden sword. "Let's see if your tongue is as sharp as your blade."

She lunged first, but he easily dodged, tapping her shoulder with the flat of his sword. "Too slow."

Gritting her teeth, she attacked again. He sidestepped effortlessly. "Predictable."

Frustration burned through her. She swung wildly, but he parried every blow with ease.

Then, something strange happened.

A surge of energy coursed through her veins. Her body moved on its own, faster than she had ever moved before. Her sword struck out, aiming for his side.

Lilian barely dodged. His eyes widened. That speed…

Mai blinked, confused by her own movement. What was that?

Lilian recovered quickly, knocking the sword from her hands. He smirked. "Not bad." But inwardly, he was shaken. How had she moved like that?

The day ended with Mai exhausted but determined. Lilian, however, found himself watching her more closely than before. There was something about her… something he couldn't ignore.

As she walked past him that evening, he spoke without thinking. "Who taught you to move like that?"

Mai hesitated. "No one. Besides it doesn't matter"

Lilian frowned. That was not normal.

He watched her disappear down the corridor, his fingers tightening around his sword.

Something about Mai was different. And he intended to find out what.

His body and soul longed to know about her. She was the one and only tutor that managed to make the Prince so crazily curious.

Everything about her was so perfect. Everything was so different in the Palace.