The Princess And The Lord

When Lory woke up, she saw the familiar canopy over her head, she turned her head to the side and she was greeted by Zhao Li Xin's beautiful smile, "Are you really awake now?" Zhao Li Xin lay beside her propping his head up with his fist.

Lory turned her body to the side then rubbed her face against his hard chest and inhaled his masculine scent, and moaned weakly "Yeah..."

"You remember you suddenly screamed after you woke up and then you fell asleep again, I thought you shouted something about stealing cake?" Zhao Li Xin chuckled as Girsha explained that Tiramisu was a type of cake in their old world.

Lory fell silent and the memory came back, her face immediately blushed with embarrassment "Not me, it must be Jay!" she still insisted, "I don't even like Tiramisu that much... it's a bit bitter, I don't like it!" she snorted.

Zhao Li Xin heard Lory's childish reply and she laughed while stroking her back, "You really are naughty girl, aren't you?.....well that's good" he smiled softly.

Lory raised her head "Why?" he look at him in confusion.

"A child can only be naughty when she knows she is loved and everyone will easily forgive her no matter what he does," said Zhao Li Xin.

"Weren't you naughty too when you were little?" asked Lory.

"Naughty isn't the right word to describe me....devious is more precise" Zhao Li Xin smirked as he recalled his past. 

Unlike Lory, he is alone, scared, and hurt all the time even he can't remember the time in her childhood when he didn't feel hurt, and then Zhao Li Xin found himself used with loneliness, sadness, and pain that his feeling gradually became numb.

For Zhao Li Xin a relationship was just a give and take, it was very simple and straightforward, just like his relationship with the Mong brothers, the four King palaces. He gave them a chance to survive and in return, they served him wholeheartedly.

It was simple and clean.

"You must have had a difficult childhood..." Lory caressed his strong jaw lovingly, her heart aching at the thought of what Zhao Li Xin must have been through.

"It's okay" Zhao Li Xin grabbed Lory's hand and kissed the back of her hand "Not that bad, after a while it becomes the norm…" Zhao Li Xin said calmly without the slightest bit of bitterness.

"You taking it, a norm, is the saddest part" Lory sighed.

Zhao Li Xin chuckled he calmly said: "You can't be sad for something you never know, and family loved is something I've never known besides I've seen how shallow family relationships are in the royal family so I never craved it too much" he shrugs indifferently.

"Really, not once?" Lory looked at him doubtfully.

Zhao Li Xin stifled a laugh as he played with a lock of her hair "If I ever felt that way then I get over that feeling very soon..."

Lory bit her lip as she imagine how lonely little Zhao Li Xin was, living alone in a huge palace with no one to protect him or simply welcome him, how hard his life must be.

"You have me now, and not only me there also Mong Ki and Mong Yi by your side even though they are your servants but I can see they really care about you, and don't forger Bei Li Yan, Jin Hao, Wu San Bo, and Jiang Jin Wei, after all these years they remain true and loyal to you" Lory smiled sweetly "In my opinion, they are more than subordinates, more than friends, because of the millions of people who walk on this world you choose these certain people to accompany you so I think they are very special to you whether you realize it or not "

Zhao Li Xin knitted his brows as he contemplate "Hm…I never see it that way…"

"I knew you wouldn't…" Lory wasn't surprised, no one would guess how dense and straightforward Zhao Li Xin was in terms of his personal feelings, Zhao Li Xin didn't like complicated feelings so he liked to simplify everything, but as a result, he sometimes misses the obvious facts that he also cared for them.

"How about you, your childhood seems…different" Zhao Li Xin had seen the glimpse of Lory's past, he saw how carefree and happy Lory was before all the misfortune befell her.

Lory turned around, crossed her arms over her chest then she staring at the canopy with a melancholy smile. "It was different..." Lory muttered under her breath, "Playing with friends, teasing my brother, make trouble with the adults including my father, living wild, taking reckless risks, being punished as the result..." Lory chuckled.

"You were punished?" Zhao Li Xin sounded a little worried.

"Of course...I once wrecked Uncle Reynald's car and my father sentenced me to work as a waitress in some pastry shop for two months" Lory pursed her lips.

His cunning father didn't let Lory use her monthly allowance or the money from hunting beast because he thought it was too easy for her so the wise King thought making her do labors work would be a good lesson for her.

"A princess works as a maid? it must be difficult" Zhao Li Xin was amazed at how eccentric the royal education was in Lory's world.

"Ha, I work in a cake shop, I get free cake every day, I can also take home the leftover cakes for free too, look who's laughing now!" Lory gave a proud snort, but a second later her face fell, "But I've gained five pounds in two months, I never thought it was possible?"

"..."

"By the way, it's not just me, Lucas also works in some auto repair shop when he has time, he likes machine stuff so it was a treat for him," said Lory.

"The future princess and king must work to create chaos among the citizens" guessed Zhao Lixin.

"Only if they knew..." Lory laughed "My dad said working with your people you will understand their struggles, their obstacles, their pain and suffering only then you know what they need...only then you can lead them"

"And you lead them marvelously..." Zhao Li Xin adds in.

"As far as I can go until I can't do it anymore..." she looked at him with profound eyes "My father said Lucient's life was like a shooting star, we came for a moment we burned so fast - so bright that our light will illuminate the entire world until nothing is left for us, but strangely even after I know that I don't feel fear or regret about who I am..."

"Why?" Zhao Li Xin's face contorted.

"Because, everyone in the world has searched the meaning for their existence all of their life, but for me... I know exactly why I'm here and if one day I have no choice but to leave... I won't be afraid... I'm ready" She reach Zhao Li Xin's hand and their fingers intertwine, Lory smiled gently.

Zhao Li Xin felt her heart being squeezed by an invisible blade, he could barely breathe, a foreboding feeling slowly crept within him, "Don't talk as if you're going to leave me, I won't let you believe me when I say you're stuck with me whether in this world or beyond." Zhao Li Xin tightened their grip on their hands in fear that she would disappear if he let go of her hand.

"I know what the world expects you to do, Lory, and you are free to be who you are meant to be, but if God grant me one wish then my wishes is to follow you wherever you go"

When their eyes met, there were no words to say, no more sweet words needs to be spoken, no more heartfelt confession need to declare, no more promised or vowed to be made as their love was evident in both of their eyes.

'I've been through many wars, I've seen many kingdoms rise and fall, I've watched cities burned to ashes and the world fall into darkness. I witness God's prophecies and I have met a Devil who lives in a deep pit of hell, I've seen countless miracles and wonder but meeting you are still the most miraculous moment in my life'

'By fate or by accident, I'm glad to meet you'