The Commoner Consort: The Country's Respected Empress

Maya swears to herself ' I should beware of these Royal people… Seems they are Masters in manipulations! I cannot believe that he tricked me to shoot this arrow!'.

Maya lifts the Bow off the ground helplessly to save her face and tries to aim a wooden board placed in a distance in front of her. She is just staring before her and already feels the cold sweats dripping from her forehead. She takes a deep breath and places the arrow against the string of the Bow.

She could feel Xavier's eyes on her and grits her teeth.

'He is making me conscious. ..Is he looking down on me now? He must be!'.

She declares irked "Can you not stare at me?".

Xavier smiles and clears his throat. He mumbles teasingly "I was just surveying your posture of aim, My Lady. You are really new to Archery".

' You are really nervous, aren't you? Why is that? Why didn't you learn further?'.

Ignoring his comment, Maya pulls the string and feels her mind warning her with her father's words.

'I cannot escape from him at this point, can I? This man is ogling at me as if I would cheat him right in front of his eyes with some magic! Huh?'.

She raises her eyebrows 'Should I use my magic? If I did , I could easily win this challenge..But..No… I have to overcome my fear…alone…like always... as a commoner. Not as an Incomplete Soul with Curse!'.

She squints her eyes and pulls the string further according to the distance of the board. Finally, she releases the arrow and gasps shortly at her bold move.

SWOOSH!

THUD!

Xavier looks towards the wooden board with a smile "…" At least she hit the board at her first attempt…

Maya exclaims in midst of her shivering breaths "D-did..it.."

Xavier smiles surprised and scoffs "My Lady, you just shot that arrow in the corner of the board-". Only then he sees her closing her eyes tight as if she is afraid to face the humiliation.

Maya opens her eyes hearing his words and her eyes instantly widened seeing the arrow hit on the board actually.

' How can this be possible?!'.

Bhommi who has been watching everything in silence , speaks finally "Did you use your powers, Sister Maya?".

Maya gets irked and mentally screams 'I did not!'

Bhommi squeals "Do you like Archery the most in all war forms?! Because the Incomplete Souls have the advantages like these. You would be naturally skilled in a skill which you like the most".

Maya shakes her head confused 'I like..Sword fight..more than Archery..but how can I be good at Archery too if that's the truth?'.

Bhommi is taken aback by Maya's reply and frowns suspiciously ' Is she really talented?! She can't be .. How can someone has Incomplete Soul can Master a skill easily other than their most liked one at their first attempt?! Seems, I should pay a short visit to Father...Sister Maya never forgets to surprise me.. How is she doing this? She demolished the Darkest Mist Spell made by me to imprison her very easily.. Now ..Archery. .. Breaking all the predefined boundaries?  Is she only an Incomplete Soul?'.

Xavier scoffs seeing Maya's astonishment "That might have happened accidentally, My Lady. Why don't you try shooting again?".

Bhommi giggles "I thought you might have some hidden skills in you as you are an Incomplete Soul.  Seems, this man is right. . Let's see whether you have the real skill in you, Sister Maya...".

Maya ".." What is wrong with this man and this girl?! I just shot my first ever arrow! And it hit the board!! Did that look like an accidental shot to them?! Let me teach this Prince and this giggling girl a lesson!

Maya grabs another arrow from Xavier's quiver and stands readily to aim the next shot.

She creases her eyebrows and releases the arrow from the string.

SWOOSH!

THUD!

Xavier "..." She is quite impressive...

Bhommi ".." I definitely have to meet my father at once! To enlighten my knowledge further... This girl is making me to work more than I needed!

Maya gasps in delight "It hit!".

Xavier smiles holding the Bow "Let me teach you some more".

After more than an hour period of time, Maya is smiling broadly as if she won the whole world..

While Bhommi had already taken leave from Maya informing that she is going somewhere to know clearly about the Forbidden Magic Spell and will not be around her. She also assured that whenever Maya needs her presence, she would be in front of her in next moment.

Xavier sat on a rock and examining Maya's shots. He asks looking at her in a daze "Shall we go then?".

Maya turns to him and realizes that she has already forgotten about their journey to the Southern Country!

He frowns seeing her smile vanished instantly and asks "Weren't you interested in the matter? Don't you want to know how it will go further?".

Maya asks in disbelief "Honestly? Do you think I was really interested? I just stated what came in my mind in the Imperial Court. If that's why you are taking me with you, then I will never open my mouth!".

Xavier declares standing "It's my Brother's order".

Maya's face turned expressionless at once and only then she realizes how easily that mere human can control her life here.

' He only orders! And everything happens! How can he control everyone?! Why do I feel that he is more powerful than the Emperor? How is he doing this? I feel...a mysterious fear just by hearing about him'.

Without any delay, Xavier and Maya left the Royal Palace. 

Maya was is in eerie at the thought of her being in front of the Crown Prince again, which didn't go unnoticed by Xavier too.

--

Night.

Maya is hugging herself in the carriage. She expected that Xavier would take her alone by horse again. Instead he asked her to get into the carriage as he is concerned about her health. He thought she might be too exhausted to ride a horse after her stunt with Eros and Archery lessons.

Maya feels the carriage stopped and w.h.i.n.es 'How come they reached the Southern Country so early?!'.

She hears several footsteps around the carriage and sits straight.