Jofang paced around the palace-hall worriedly, and glared once again at his father Emperor Gongfu.

"No father! I can't just get married to a lady who I distrust!"Jofang continued, clenching his fists,"She's-she's a witch, father!"

"You must,Jo.And if you don't marry her,you will cause a taboo in our land...mind you."

"But I'm not ready.I mean, this is crazy.She's just playing around me and we never loved each other.So what's relationship for, father?"

Gongfu chuckled at his angry son.

"You should have known that the marriage is coming up soon.Just seven months later.That should get you prepared."

"And I'm never gonna be part of it, because it's stupid!so stupid!"

His father patted him,"Son, it's not as stupid as you must have known.Maching is an origin of Hyundai province and we have common alliances with them.Why dislike Maching,now?"

Jofang answered,"Yeah.You know I hated her for so many years and nothing changed.See why I said it's stupid?"he jabbered,sweat leaving his temple.

"My beau, she's the princess of the strongest province just the way she's and you must respect her.Mark that, that's our custom."

Jofang whined,"I don't think I can respect a virago,by marrying her.Infact,why do we have such custom?"

..."Will you behave Manish and summon courage upon yourself?!"Gongfu snapped at his son,"As your father,I know the best and I choose your choice.Maching's your choice,Jo."Gongfu pored over his son's eyes....

Gongfu touched his son's black, curled hair,at first.Then his beards and then his chest.

Jofang actually stood like a puppet and was boiling in ire whenever he thought of Maching, even as his father continuously touched his admirable hair...

"Look at you, son.You are grown and so are are your beards.You now look masculine.And this show how matured you are.Even other princes of the Black world are going jealous over a bae like you"Gongfu drawled.

Jofang looked away in anger.He just thought his father was trying to lure him fall for Maching.Oh, wasn't that folly? Jofang thought.

"Maching fits you.She's as beautiful as an angel and you are handsome. She could change your... everything that stops you from being merry.And lest I forget, she could possibly mother you beautiful children!"

"Enough, father ! Enough! I hate it when you talk about her. She totally is disgusting." Jofang furiously brushed off his body from his father's convincing caress.

" I hate her and so help me God!"

Having heard enough of the disgusting words from his father, Jofang walked away into his room. He made the door bang twice before finally locking it up.

Jofang sat frustrated on the bed, sweat of ire liberating from his head. He wondered how he could marry someone who almost slit his neck when she visited the last time.

"... And father only knows the rumor that she is harmless and beautiful? What if I tell him about her? No ,he wouldn't still believe. He can never believe that Maching is harmful..."

Before Jofang tried brooding deep over what would become of him if he marries Maching, the door pushed open and then, he saw the the 𝑉𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑜 ! She was in his room again, maybe to slit his head and burn him up this time, Jofang thought.

He backed her, staring at the village through the slightly louvered windows, with a full impetus urging him to push Maching away.

"What do you want now?" His voice sounded hoarse and so deep.

"You. It's just you alone, Jo."

Jofang tilted his head and forced out a weird smile which may shrink the sun into an atom.

" Me?", He raised his eyebrows, "You don't have to want me anyways because you can't want me,heh."

He finally turned and watched Maching looking at him like a Chihuahua.

"You don't have to behave this way, Jo. I care for you, which you ought to have known."

"Oh. You cared for me and that's why you have to try my head for a slit, huh? Good, good lover."He scoffed at her, trying not laugh.

"No, Jo. I didn't really meant to slit your head." She whispered, slowly accosting Jofang. She finally touched his chest, "Just look at me and and say yes to our marriage... I love you, Jo. Let's forget about the past, Jo."Now , her sleeky hands went down on Jofang's abdomen.

Feeling disgusted by her rubbish romance, Jofang pushed her and she screamed falling on his bed. Her kimono went loose and exposed her buxom shape of body to the sunrays running through the windows.

She smiled at Jofang.She remembered her mother said exposing the body to the males would lure them closer and she kinda believed because she has tried it on almost all the princes of the Black world.But it seemed like Jofang acted different from other princes she had tasted.

Jofang had turned away at the windows even before her kimono got loose, even though the kimono would go loose as always.He thought everything was supposed to be perfect without her. She was a total obstruction to in every part of his happiness. Everything changed when he just clocked twenty one.

" Jofang?"He felt a hand by his shoulder. He sighed out of tiredness and ire, still staring outwards. "Jofang?"

"You don't have to do this way , Jo. " Maching tugged at his right hand, pulling him to and fro, slowly.

Jofang suddenly brushed off her hand at first, then he looked at her for a while.

He walked to the corner of his room and took out his sword and put on his tux. He felt like going for some swordsmanship practice at mount Òola. He felt his friend, Lu Quishen, the prince of the third Black World kingdom would be heading to the mountain by now. Lu Quishen always met with him by this time at mount Òola.

He wore his sombrero on his curly black hair and left his room for Maching, leaving the door ajar. He didn't even spoke a word to her. "I think she will feel comfortable staying in my room, no problem with that." He whispered, walking briskly.

He walked out of the castle and mounted on his sliver-colored horse. He whipped the horse and it trotted towards the 'Alpha' gate, which automatically opened.

The horse jerked with Jofang, through the slightly filled forest...

Jofang sighted Lu Quishen from a close distance riding on his brown horse, after he had mounted off his and held his sword.

Lu Quishen was his swordsmanship partner as other princes had theirs a. Lu Quishen even as a prince of the third Black World kingdom got married to a common Black kingdom lady. But Jofang as the prince of the first Black World kingdom needs to marry from a royal family, and especially that of Maching as the tradition had stated...

Jofang just wished he had freedom to decide on his own. He neither wanted to marry, nor thought of it. But the tradition had already stood on its ground.

He glanced at Lu Quishen, slightly smiling. "Quick!", He said, towards Lu Quishen.

And soon, Lu Quishen got to the middle of Mount Òola , where Jofang was. He mounted off his horse and put on his tuxedo and held his sheathed sword.

They smiled at each other and shook hands.

"Long time..."Jofang said.

"It was just a week ago that we met last , huh!"Lu Quishen grinned.

"Came so early today."

"Yeah, have no busy stuff to do"

"How are you faring?"

"Good, good." Jofang answered.

The sun shone more brightly. They both looked at each other. They unsheathed their swords, ready for the practice. Jofang normally used Kungfu tactics with his sword and could dodge Lu Quishen's sword attack. And Lu Quishen could also dodge Jofang's sword attack using Taekwondo tactics.

They were both perfect that Jofang barely won Lu Quishen.

DISH! DODGE!

   DISH! DODGE!

DISH! WALLOP! DODGE!...

   And finally, the practice was over. They mounted on their horses and rode slowly. Jofang tossed a bottle of water at Lu Quishen who caught it distinctly.

"Ta," Lu Quishen thanked Jofang.

Jofang nodded.

Lu Quishen took a large gulp and smacked his lips.

"Master Kong really taught us real training. Look at us now. We can't even really win each other, so I think we're perfect. " Lu Quishen said giggling light-heartedly, at Jofang.

Jofang nodded.

There was silence now, but just for a while.

"How about the king and your wife?"Jofang asked looking away.

"The king is doing really fine. And my wife, she's pregnant. I've been somewhat fussy about how she feels, you know, mood swings and women!"

Jofang shrugged.

"How about yours? The king and your wife-to-be ?"

 Lu Quishen's question suddenly came like a rush of wind into Jofang's ear, when he just remembered Maching. He hated her more especially when thinking about her, when she almost slit his neck, if not for a push... She's too evil, Jofang thought.

"She's not my wife-to-be, Lu." In ire, Jofang told Lu Quishen.

"But the marriage will be holding in seven months and everyone is happy that the prince of the first Black World kingdom is about to get married.So what's the heck between you and her?"

"I don't care about the marriage so there's no heck to be said about!"

Lu Quishen stared at Jofang for a big while. He was wondering...

"C'mon,Jo. You are matured enough to know that you have to get married..."

"But I'm not ready for that! Can anyone understand me?"Jofang looked away in grief and touched his temple.

"Do anyone need to remind you that it's a taboo if you don't get married to the princess of the second Black World kingdom? Your father married from the fourth Black World kingdom because the second and third Black World kingdom had no princess, before this new century. See?"

"You don't understand, Lu Quishen. I know it's a big deal that I have to marry Maching but I don't know why I hate her right from when we were both kids. We were never in good terms. My feelings gat me to know that she's evil. She seems to be evil in a sly way."

"You hated her?"

"... Just forget about it. I feel upset" Jofang said, looking away.

"Ok, Jo. If you said so," Lu Quishen shrugged.

 They rode on their horses as the sun slowly setted, from the West.