I followed Judar through the palace until we reached an open study room filled with bookshelves. The room looked almost like a mini library. Without a single word, Judar ushered me in, closing the door behind us. I peered around the room but no one was openly in sight. I glanced back at Judar but he had plopped down onto a sofa and showed no interest in helping me.

I rolled my eyes and wandered between book shelves until I spotted two shadowy figures sprawled out across the floor.

(What the hell? Are those people?)

I crept closer for a better look until I finally identified the figures to be people lying on the ground and covered in open textbooks. I immediately assumed the worst, thinking they were dead or injured. I reached out towards the closest one. He was lying on his back, a book open and covering his face. Quickly, I snatched the book away, revealing the stranger's identity.

(You've gotta be kidding me.)

Alibaba gave a short snort as he continued napping between the aisles of bookshelves. I kicked at his arm until his eyes rolled open.

"Mei!?" he shot up, shaking the rest of the open books off of his body. "We were just studying, ahaha..." he tried convincing me, rubbing the back of his neck. My eyes drifted over to the other sleeping figure, slumped up against the bookshelf with a scroll rolled out over his face. Alibaba followed my gaze, creeping over to the other boy and waking him up.

The scroll rolled away from his face, exposing dark hair and bright blue eyes that slowly creaked open after being awoken. A dark colored scar resided on the boy's face as well, around his left eye.

"I need to speak with you," I told him quite directly. He only gazed up at me quizzically.

-----

"So you're the new candidate that everyone is making a fuss about. I'm Hakuryuu," the boy said, giving a quick bow before taking a seat across the table in the study.

"Indeed, I am. But let's skip formalities," I suggested, eager to know more about him.

Hakuryuu nodded and politely asked where I'd like to begin. I glanced at Judar, recalling how he'd been the one to say that Hakuryuu and I were alike.

"She's best off hearing about Al Tharmen and your mother," Judar said to Hakuryuu.

In return, Hakuryuu gave a short nod. "A while back, I discovered that my mother was working with Al Tharmen in hopes of trifling with the Kou Empire. She went as far burning many of our family members, sending them to their deaths. I managed to survive the fire, escaping only with a scarred face," Hakuryuu explained, strumming his fingers underneath his eye where his skin had been scarred. "Since then, she's been scheming with Al Tharmen. She makes no effort to really even hide it anymore."

I waited a while before responding solemnly. "I see," was all I could manage as I rehashed memories of my own mother in my mind.

"Sounds awfully familiar, doesn't it, Princess?" Judar asked, taking on a snide tone.

Alibaba, who'd been silently listening to everything, spoke quietly. "Mei?" he asked, gently prodding for more information.

I glanced at Alibaba and then at Judar. I wasn't sure what facts about myself Judar wanted to be kept secret.

"Go on, I've explained to him everything about how you came into being here," Judar informed me.

(So Alibaba knows I'm not even from this generation of candidates. He knows my real identity.)

I let out a quiet sigh before beginning, "Natalia... My Mother... It's been said for generations that she was one of the greatest leaders this nation has ever known. She was powerful and fierce, a force to be reckoned with. She was notorious for always getting her way as well. No one dared go against her or threatened her position as leader because doing so often resulted in someone's death, if not mass genocide. She was a warrior and she raised warriors. Two of us, actually. I was the oldest sibling, Princess of the nation and my younger brother was Prince. Despite her strong reputation, she could not fight her own age. She'd grown old and significantly weaker. On the night of her retirement, I was to be crowned as the nation's new ruler... But Mother didn't fully agree with that. She called upon a group that went by the name 'Al Tharmen'..."

I felt the gazes of Alibaba, Hakuryuu, and even Judar weighing down on me as I continued, "Just before my crowning ceremony, I was found dead in one of the palace rooms. My death was made out to be a suicide but was later ruled out as a homicide carried out by my younger brother. It was rumored that he was jealous of my new leadership and wanted the crown for himself but I knew my brother and I knew he could never carry out something like that. On top of that, I saw my murderer. It was none other than Natalia herself. She had partnered up with Al Tharmen to have me murdered and her son locked away so that she could keep her precious crown."

Alibaba shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he listened while Hakuryuu and Judar grasped my every word with the utmost interest.

"Things only got worse after Al Tharmen became involved and the entire nation crumbled. It was later rebuilt as the Kou Empire. It concerns me greatly that Al Tharmen is still around. More than that, I cannot allow this country to go to ruin again with the same course of action my own mother took. Hakuryuu, under these specific circumstances, history is repeating itself only this time it is your mother, not mine," I said, heart clenching in my chest at the mere thought of his mother being associated with Al Tharmen.

"I see..." Hakuryuu said, stroking his chin as if deep in thought. "I've known of this issue for some time now and have already prepared a plan of action. I've managed to speak with King Sinbad, leader of Sindria. He has agreed to assist me in stripping Al Tharmen from the Kou Empire."

(I've heard of King Sinbad. Everyone gushes at the mere mention of his name. Surely, he must be a valuable asset to have in such a dire situation.)

"I'd like to meet this King Sinbad. I've already heard so many things about him but have yet to meet him. It would be a good chance to solidify an alliance between us in case Al Tharmen did pull any unexpected cards," I suggested.

Alibaba was next to speak, "That's not a bad idea, actually. In fact, I've been staying with Sinbad for a while now. Aladdin is currently with him too. If I''m not mistaken, there'll be a festival held there soon. If we go to Sindria then, it won't look suspicious."

Judar leaned forward in his seat before smirking, "I knew I gathered the right group of people for this. If you're up to it, we'll travel to Sindria within the next few days. Whatdya say, Princess?"

His crimson eyes met mine and I nodded confidently. "To Sindria."