Wang Li Xun, the Crown Prince, goes out hunting for the Celestial Flower to save his mother from a terminal illness. When he nearly dies from the attack of a mythical beast, he is saved by a mysterious boy who lives in the mountains.
To repay his ki...
Along the way, Li Xun explained to her how he managed to locate her.
According to him, the maids had reported the princess missing from her bedchamber. As such, the entire palace was awakened to carry out the search. Li Xun had dispatched his men and was about to lead the search party, but fortunately the missing royalty showed up at the gates herself.
Her appearance was dishevelled, but she had gone on screaming about how a bunch of rogues were attempting to kidnap her.
This explained how he was able to track down Long'Er's whereabouts quickly. He assured her that the rogues had been rounded up and would be sent to the Law Enforcement Bureau, where they would be locked up until their punishments were determined.
Now that the matter was dealt with, it was time for everyone to return to their rooms. But somehow, she found herself unable to retire for the night yet.
Standing in the courtyard, she found herself trapped in the middle of a staring contest that was taking place between the royal siblings. The princess grasped Long'Er's right arm almost painfully, hiding behind her back and cowering under her brother's stern gaze. She cast her eyes downwards sullenly, pursing her lips in a thin line.
"Li Xue," he addressed her, unsmiling. "Do you know how much trouble you have caused again?"
She pouted unabashedly, obviously not remorseful about her misdeed. "Brother... It's not my fault that we were attacked tonight!"
Li Xun sighed exasperatedly. "You snuck out in the middle of the night and stole my bodyguard in the process. Do you not understand the dangers lurking out there for a girl, much less a royalty? You could have been killed anytime without us knowing," he berated. "Do you not have something to say?"
The princess remained quiet, pondering hard about what to say. After a long silence, she eventually apologised to him. "I'm sorry."
"Not to me."
"Fine." Li Xue turned to Long'Er, staring up at her sheepishly. "I'm sorry, bumpkin."
For some strange reason, as she apologised, there was a certain mixture of awe and admiration in those glistening eyes of hers. After how Long'Er had saved her earlier like a knight in shining armour, Li Xue's attitude towards her changed. She was no longer her grumpy or annoyed self.
"If you are hurt anywhere, please come and find me. I'll help nurse you back to health."
On top of her words, she brazenly winked at Long'Er, which made the latter shudder involuntarily.
Li Xun dismissed his sister with a wave. "Quit fooling around, Li Xue. You should go see Mother. She's worried about you."
Pressing her lips into a small pout, she turned and strode off wordlessly. Her shoulders were slumped and her footsteps were heavy, no doubt she was dreading to face the wrath of her mother.
Watching her leave, Li Xun turned back to Long'Er.
"Come with me."
Without waiting for her response, he walked off in the direction of his quarters, trusting that she would follow him.
And she did. Ever since they returned to the palace, not once had he smiled at her like how he usually would. Was he still upset with her? Should she initiate the conversation by offering her apology once again?
In the end, she did it. Bowing deeply to the prince, she told him, "I'm sorry, Your Highness. I should have persuaded the princess to return to the palace right away."
Surprised, Li Xun's head snapped in her direction. "It's not your fault. I do not blame you, for I'm well aware of my sister's character. She is born to be a troublemaker."
When they entered his room, he brought out a black box from one of the wooden cabinets. He carried it over to the table and settled down on one of the chairs. Patting the one next to him, he instructed her.
"Come, sit here."
She sat down gingerly, taking her time to observe his troubled face. She was starting to doubt if he was really speaking the truth. "Your Highness, what matter has upset you much more than your own sister?"
His body stilled at her question. Slowly, he glanced up and finally looked her in the eye for the first time that night.
"You."
"Me?" she exclaimed, finding it hard to believe what she was hearing.
"Yes, you." With the tip of his fingers, he tapped once against her forehead playfully. "You almost got yourself killed right before my eyes," he explained. "Did you not know how frightened I was? If I was a second late, you would have been killed."
"I didn't have a choice," she tried to explain. "Her Highness's safety was top priority. I had to lure them away from her somehow."
Li Xun shifted in his seat and inched closer to her, hoping to get his point across. "Listen, Long'Er. I'm grateful that you saved my sister, but you shouldn't forget about your own safety. You aren't simply just a bodyguard, you are more than that to me. A friend. Next time if you encounter a similar situation where you're outnumbered, remember to run or scream for help instead."
His concern for her was startling, reminding her how much goodness there was in his heart. "I'm sorry for worrying you," she said, finally understanding the full extent of his concern. "And thank you for saving me back there."
At last, he smiled. "If I had known that bringing you to the palace would bring you such troubles, I should have thought twice back then. But right now, I guess it's too late."
"Troubles?" she repeated, awfully confused. "What else have I gotten myself into?"
Li Xun shot her an odd look, finding it unbelievable that she had not figured it out.
"Who else?" he replied. "My sister."
From the look that Li Xue had given to Long'Er, anyone could tell that it definitely didn't mean anything good. "You better stick close to me and away from my sister, do you understand?" he said. "She's...the epitome of madness itself."
Pouring a cup of tea, he held out the cup to her which she took gratefully, figuring that she must have been thirsty after running about for a few hours
"Remember," he reiterated to her again. "You're my bodyguard. Do not let her wrap you around her finger."
For some reason, his firm orders inclined her to agree quickly without second thoughts. "Yes, Your Highness."
He looked greatly relieved, his face easing into a relaxed smile. "Enough of my nagging," he said. "Now, let's get you fixed instead."
Tired, she was sipping her tea and nodding her head thoughtlessly. When he opened the box, she noticed that it contained a couple of items; medicine and gauze. She watched on as he took out a small container and removed the lid, revealing a greenish-pale salve with a rather strong, minty smell.
"Now," he told her calmly, "take off your clothes."
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A/N: This is the part where everyone screams~ (*v*)/
