-Kashion-
Prince Kashion was nervous as he knocked on the Princess's door.
He would have liked Oren to be with him, but he was supposed to wait in the hangar and escort them.
He didn't have to wait long before the door opened. It wasn't the Princess who stood there, though. In front of Kashion was a rather small woman. Ah, this must be… what had Oren called her? Pior? Yes, that had to be this Pior—the other attendant. Kashion barely gave her a glance. She looked quite ordinary, didn't even meet his eyes, and said nothing. His gaze wandered into the room and settled on Princess Evlina. She wore a red dress that perfectly complemented her complexion. Kashion grew even more nervous.
"Good morning, Princess. Are you ready?" he finally asked.
Evlina gave her enchanting smile.
"Good morning, Your Highness. Let's go," she said, stepping toward him. Together, they set off. The silent attendant followed unobtrusively.
At the hangar, Oren was already waiting in a small hover vehicle. When they arrived, he got out and let Princess Evlina and Kashion take the lead. Then Prior and Oren got into the vehicle as well. Inside the small hover, the seats were arranged in a circle. It had panoramic windows and an autopilot.
"Are you hungry?" Kashion asked the Princess.
Evlina smiled. "Not yet. But I'm looking forward to the picnic later at the lake," she said. Her voice was known for being clear and pleasant, with a cool, soothing tone.
The hover was quite small, and whatever one said could be heard by everyone. There was no way to have a private conversation with only the person next to you.
Prince Kashion began to tell them a bit about Moon Lake to ease the tension.
"Legend has it that the lake was formed several hundred years ago by a meteorite impact."
-Prior-
Prior looked at Prince Kashion. His voice was truly special. She had to smile inwardly. Probably even mathematical formulas would sound beautiful if he read them aloud—so calm and gentle, yet carrying a certain strength. He had also dressed particularly well today. Prior could see that Evlina was looking at him with enthusiasm. If he weren't a prince, he could easily have acted in a series where all women would have been captivated. It was hard not to laugh at the thought.
Prince Kashion continued with the story that Prior had already encountered in her research. People in Tingdao were also known for romanticizing everything, which Prior secretly found charming.
It wasn't long before they arrived. Prince Kashion and Princess Evlina got out of the hover. As the doors opened, the first thing Prior noticed was silence, followed by the rustle of wind through the grass and the chirping of birds.
She stepped out, and Oren handed her two baskets. He had his hands full as well—after all, it was a royal picnic.
Once Oren and Evlina's attendant had spread the picnic blankets, they all took a seat. The attendants arranged the food on different plates and placed it in front of them. There were various breads, side dishes, fruit, cakes, pastries, and a few simple dishes.
"Help yourselves generously," Kashion said with a grin to Evlina.
"I will," Evlina replied, giving her attendant a few instructions about what she wanted to eat.
Oren and the attendant sat a little to the side and ate as well.
-Kashion-
At the moment, Kashion had eyes only for Evlina and hoped she was enjoying the food. She seemed to be. She kept smiling at him repeatedly.
"Princess," said a warm, bright, melodic voice suddenly. "Would it be alright if I went down to the lake for a little while?" the attendant asked. Kashion was almost surprised that she could even speak.
Evlina laughed. "Yes, Prior, go ahead. If I need anything, I'll let you know," she said.
The attendant stood. Oren glanced at Kashion and said, "I'll accompany her." Kashion nodded. Then he watched as the attendant quickly and purposefully made her way down the hill toward the lake.
"Ah," Evlina sighed. "I could sit here on this blanket all day and enjoy the sun."
Kashion smiled. "Well then, we'll stay as long as we can."
"Excellent," said Evlina.
"Is it very different from Saturn?" Kashion asked.
"Hm," Evlina looked around, "it is different. But I think there are beautiful places everywhere. Just like on Saturn, there are also lovely landscapes here."
"I think so too," Kashion replied.
"It's definitely nice to get away from public life for a bit," Evlina said, smiling.
Kashion took a deep breath as he reached for a cookie. "You're right. Sometimes I feel privileged, but at other times I feel the weight of responsibility on my shoulders." He looked at Evlina. Her gaze was understanding and somewhat comforting. "Sometimes I'm afraid of losing who I really am," he continued, glancing down at the cookie, which was filled with walnuts and red beans, before taking a bite.
Evlina sighed again. "Yes, Prince Kashion. I always try to figure out what others expect from me and then make it part of my personality. That helps. Life becomes much easier. If the majority of my family, the council, and the people are satisfied, then I can be satisfied too."
Kashion looked at her thoughtfully. She had said it so simply—maybe that really was the key. If he adjusted his life to expectations, he could still be happy.
Suddenly, he heard Oren laughing loudly. He and the attendant had already reached the lake. Kashion shook his head. His friend was having fun while he discussed serious topics here.
As if she had read his mind, the Princess said, "It's nice that they're enjoying themselves and getting along. Then we can continue our conversation here relaxed."
Kashion and Evlina continued talking about the visions they each had for their kingdoms.
-Prior-
Down at the lake, Prior laughed. Oren had just told her an anecdote about how Prince Kashion, as a child, had insisted on fishing even though it was raining, making the palace grounds muddy.
"Is the water cold?" Prior asked.
"Try it," Oren replied.
"Gladly," said Prior, dipping her hand into the water. It was very pleasant and soft. Prior had to feel everything herself—it made it all more real for her.
"And?" asked Oren.
"It's perfect," she answered.
"Oh, before I forget," Oren continued. "I made the plum cake I told you about yesterday." He pulled something from his bag and handed it to her.
Prior took it and bit in. It melted in her mouth. Delicious.
"You made this yourself???" she asked incredulously.
Oren laughed. "Yes. I always made it with my mother, and it's one of the few things I can bake well."
"Really good," Prior said. "Your mother can be proud."
Oren smiled. "She is."
Good, Prior thought. She had been worried she might already be dead and had been searching for comforting words.
"Is nature really like this on Saturn? I mean, does it feel the same?"
Prior looked around. "Hm. No, not really. On the surface, it seems similar. Saturn was cultivated after the model of Earth. But things like sand and rocks are different. On Saturn, silver and blue often shimmer even under green trees. It creates a completely different atmosphere. Also breathtaking in its own way. But I must say, Earth feels much calmer to me," she said, almost dreamily.
They chatted a bit more about the differences and then returned to the Princess and Prince. After everything was tidied up, they returned to the palace. Prior was happy and content. Evlina also looked very happy. The excursion had surely been a success for everyone.
-Kashion-
Later, in Kashion's room.
"No, please, let's not play Cheqi today," said Oren.
Kashion was a little disappointed. He would have liked a game with his friend to sort out his thoughts. The excursion had gone perfectly, and Evlina had continued to be a pleasant conversation partner. Still, it had also been a bit exhausting. So much was at stake.
"All right, I'll leave you in peace and play on my Tab later. You even laughed upstairs today. Seems like you get along well with this Pior," Kashion said.
"Prior," Oren corrected.
"Hm?"
"You said Pior, but her name is Prior."
"Oh. Well, it's not that important."
"She's really pleasant, even if she talks a bit too much sometimes," Oren said, laughing.
Talks too much? Kashion couldn't imagine that based on his impression.
"I found it very interesting. She described to me today how different nature is on Saturn and how differently the colors appear. I don't think you can capture that in pictures. She said even the rocks often shimmer blue and silver," Oren continued.
That sounded interesting. Kashion would like to see that with his own eyes. Suddenly, he thought of Evlina's words—that beauty was everywhere. That was true, of course. But somehow, he now regretted not hearing as much about the landscapes as Oren had.
Shortly afterward, he sent Oren away and picked up his Tab. Ready for a game of Cheqi.
-Prior-
Prior was happy to finally be in her room. The Princess still wanted to hear from Talina about her experiences in the lab. Apparently, Tingdao had significantly improved plastic production. That would be interesting for Saturn as well. She would see for herself the next day. Now she could finally rest a little. She picked up her Tab. It was time for some Cheqi.