I woke up in the middle of the night. It was our second night sleeping out in the woods ever since we left the kingdom of Vertez and I'm still not getting used to the loud snoring of the twins. Like seriously, can't they sleep peacefully? It's bad enough that they are loud when they are awake, and even when sleeping, they still can’t shut up!?

I sat up and glared at the twins through the fire before looking bitterly at Nate, who didn’t seem to mind the noise and was sleeping peacefully.

Well, if you count, sleeping like a model who was pursing his lips and smiling creepily. I'd say he was having a good dream.

I had picked up a stick and was about to hurl it at the twins because I was frustrated with being sleep-deprived when I heard someone cough. As I turned around, I noticed PRINCE Ace squatting on the ground with his back against one of the trees. I noticed how his brow creased in pain and sweat formed on his forehead as he groaned silently.

I moved my body so that I was facing him. "Ace? What's wrong?" I asked worriedly in a hushed voice. Despite the fact that the man was the PRINCE of the underworld, I was concerned by the sight of pain on his face.

Ace looked up in surprise before he breathed deeply and sat up straighter. A second later, the pained look on his face vanished when he addressed me with a frown. "I told you it's PRINCE Ace." He said before he looked away. "I'm fine. Go back to bed."

"But-"

"I said go to sleep! I'm taking my first watch." He said firmly without looking at me.

Well, if he's still a jerk, then I think he's going to live for another night. Still, I can't shake off the feeling that something is wrong with him. Perhaps he’s sick?

I averted my gaze from him and turned to the sleeping pigs with a frustrated sigh. "As much as I would love to do that, I can't," I said while glaring at the twins once again.

Ace seemed to follow my gaze. Wordlessly he got up from his spot and walked towards me before taking off his coat and throwing it at my face without warning. I pulled it off of my face and gave him an annoyed look aimed at him.

"Use that to cover your ears. Its material is thick, so it should drown down their pig-like snore a bit." He said before walking back. I was still too stunned by his action that I forgot my manners to say thank you.

Ace sat back down on his spot and when he still saw me looking, he frowned. "What are you still looking at?! Go to sleep!" He growled.

I swallowed and held the coat even tighter before using it as a cushion covering my ears with the sleeves. The material was thick enough that I could almost drown out the snoring. But, despite his coat's assistance, it took me a long time to fall asleep since I kept thinking how this sort of gesture was so out of character coming from PRINCE Ace.

***

"Wakey wakey princess!" I groaned and turned to my side as I tried to block out the sun and the voice of Dan. I need more sleep!

"Good morning, princess! It's time to get up." Ren joined in, and suddenly I felt them poking my cheeks to wake me.

Irritated by their actions, I sprang up from my makeshift bed and glared murderously at them for their disturbance. I grabbed their cheeks and started to pull them harshly. "Good morning? What's good about the freaking morning?!" I yelled at their ears, making them cringe at the intensity.

"What's up with you? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" Dan asked.

"Okay, first, we don't have a bed. And second, WHO'S FAULT DO YOU THINK THIS IS!?!" This time I screamed and threw a thick cloth at them. Ren caught it in mid-air before he looked at it curiously.

"Hey, isn't this PRINCE Ace's coat?" He wondered as he held it up.

Dan looked at it and sniffed. "Hey, you're right, brother." Then he lifted his eyes to look at me. "Why do you have it?" He asked. There was a glimmer of suspicion in his eyes as he threw the question at me.

I opened my mouth to speak but got cut off when someone beat me to it. "She took it." Ace, who suddenly appeared behind them, said. He snatched his coat from Ren before looking at me. "I'll let this slide for now." He said and gave me a long hard look before he left. I gaped at his retreating back with my head fuming in anger.

Did...did he just accuse me of stealing his coat? That liar!! He lent it to me last night! I did not take anything! That walking bastard!

Someone then placed a hand on my head. I looked up to see Nate smiling at me as he handed me bread. "Breakfast?"

"Thanks," I said while taking the bread from him. "What about you guys?"

Nate chuckled. "We're fine. We had ours a while ago while you were sleeping."

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"We could." Said Dan as Ren continued for his brother. "But Ace said to let you sleep for a few more minutes."

I stared at them for a few seconds before I laughed. "I think you guys are delusional. Did you not get enough sleep? That guy is a monster with two large horns and a tail growing at his butt." I said and took a bite from the bread and munching angrily.

The three princes gave me curious looks before they shook their heads. "Well, I say that from here on out, we'll have to hunt for our food." Ace said as soon as he returned. "That was our last bread."

"Hey, I'm all up for hunting." Agreed Ren. "But does anyone know how to clean and skin our loot?"

A thick silence settled in the air while I watched as the princes exchanged glances.

"No."

"I don't know."

"That's disgusting."

"Maybe Ace knows how," I suggested.

Ace threw daggers at me with his eyes. "And what makes you say that?"

"Because you look like someone who has done it before. And I don't mean the animals."

"I haven't." He said, furrowing his brows when he looked at me. "But I could try practicing it on you."

"Woah. No one is skinning anyone alive." Nate said and stood between us when he sensed the growing tension in the air. Once he was sure that none of us would say anything anymore, he grinned. "Alright, now that that is out of the way, I think-"

"We're all gonna die!" Dan screamed in a panic. "We're going to starve to death! None of us knows how to skin or cook! We've been spoiled rotten!"

"S-Shut up, Dan." Ren said, his voice sounding a bit shaky out of fear. "We'll be fine. After all, Rose is a girl, and I bet she knows how to skin. Right, Rose?"

Suddenly all heads turned towards me expectantly. As soon as I understood they were holding to the hope that I knew how to skin an animal and cook, a sensation of dread settled in the pit of my stomach. I took a big gulp. "I-I don't know! I don't know!! I'm sorry!!" I said as I was on the verge of panic. "I'm so sorry!! We do-don't usually hunt in my world, and the loot is already packed in plastic and...and...WHY THE HELL DO YOU GUYS ASSUME THAT GIRLS KNOW HOW TO COOK!?"

"We're dead! We are so dead." Nate declared as he turned around and ran both hands through his hair in frustration.

"But I can't die yet! I haven't pulled enough pranks on the castle guards, and I still have a mission to help my idiotic brother!!"

"What does that even mean!?"

By now, everyone seems to be in distress, especially the twins who were running around in circles. I couldn't blame them, though. I feel like crying myself. "I-I still have my bread. Maybe we could ration it for a while." I offered. The twins stopped running as they eyed the bread.

"Food!" Dan said maniacally and took it from my hands.

"Dan, that is Rose's! Give that back." Ren said and tried to take the bread from his brother, but unfortunately, Dan was stubborn. They were having a tug of war when suddenly, the bread fell from their hands and fell on the ground.

"No!" Nate, Ren, Dan, and I screamed as we grieved at the now fallen bread.

"It's too late!"

"It's over. It was a short and good life at least."

"I still want to live and go to college!" I cried and looked the other way when I heard noises. I saw Ace packing his stuff and loading them all to his horse, looking like he was ready to leave. Unconsciously, I called out to him. "Ace, where are you going?"

Ace paused what he was doing and turned to me. "Obviously, I am going somewhere where we can get supplies." He said calmly.

"Are you leaving without us?" Dan asked.

"As much as I want to, I can't. You two are needed to where we're going." Ace said as he looked at the twins.

The twins exchanged confused glances with each other before looking back at him. "Huh?"

Ace sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose like he was trying to calm himself before he looked at the twins. "We are going to Sanver, you idiots! How can you not know that?! We're practically near the borders of your own kingdom!" Ace looked like he was about to slit their throats out for being stupid.

Upon his words, the twins paused and began to look around them carefully. They would even occasionally point their nose in the air and sniff.

"Now that you've mentioned it....." Ren trailed off.

"...this part of the forest does look familiar." Dan continued.

"Hang on." Said Nate as he looked at the twins. "You mean to tell me that you haven't noticed that we are practically at the doorstep of your own kingdom and you guys didn't notice?"

"Pretty much," Ren admitted as he and his brother grinned sheepishly.

Nate leaned down to whisper to me. "Hold my hand so I wouldn't slap them at the back of their head so hard that it would detach from their body." He said to me.

"I will, but I can't promise you that I would stop you if you do that," I said as I stared at the twins tiredly. If only I had a white glove with me, I would like to slap them as well.

"Why don't you all shut up and get on your horses so we can get going?" By his tone of voice, Ace was either having another PMS or getting irritated. I'm guessing the latter, judging from how he was gritting his teeth.

Wordlessly, we started to move. I got up and started to fold my blanket as I headed towards Cloud. Lately, Ren has been teaching me how to ride on my own. There were times where I almost fell while riding her and thought about quitting. Luckily, he convinced me to try again, and soon, I was able to ride on my own. I'm still unsteady, but I believe I'm getting used to it.

"Need a hand with those?" Nate appeared beside me. Befre I could answer, he took my blanket, gently folded it, and placed it into the satchel on my horse.

I looked at him disapprovingly since I could have dealt with it on my own. But I decided to let it slide because I was tired of one argument for the day. "Thank you, Nate," I told him as I got onto Cloud. She let out a snort as I settled myself on her back.

Meanwhile, Nate was wiping off imaginary tears, and he sniffed. "Our little princess is growing too fast. She's becoming more independent."

"Shut up, Nate," I said through gritted teeth while fighting off a blush. “Stop teasing and-”

"Nathaniel, get on your horse, or so help me, we'll leave you behind!" Even though I didn’t get to finish my words, I chuckled when I saw Nate's expression fall as he heard Ace’s threats. And, as quick as a bullet, Nate made his way to Ryde.

But Ace wasn't done barking orders because he was now yelling at the twins. "Renevier and Daniel, you take the lead. I assume that you know where Sanver is, right?" The twins nodded in unison, which seemed to satisfy Ace as he beckoned them forward to take the lead.