It was our last night in Chang'an and coincidentally, there was a festival being thrown. The princess was extremely excited to hear that she would be able to attend the festival before we had to leave. All day she zipped from place to place seeing what the locals and what the city had to offer.

"It's so exciting!" She gleamed. "Very different than what the capital has to offer; not as grand but nonetheless just as big and intricate."  

I couldn't agree more, the city sure knew how to put on a festival. There were myriads on colorful decorations, people dressed in the colors of the festival, food vendors advertising their patented foods; it was spectacular to see.

Along with the festivities in the city came the celebration at the inn we were staying in and the innkeeper sticking with the festive atmosphere supplied their guest with flowing wine, courtesy of the old man innkeeper's brother who ran a vineyard for wine production. The innkeeper and his wife did not charge any of their guests for the free for all wine in light of the celebrations. The excitement that greeted the news from the inn's residence was overwhelming, including the princess's.

"I think that is enough for you, princess, you are going to get drunk." I reprimanded Soojung as she was going for her 3 bowl.

"Lighten up servant. It's a celebration. Drink, you barely touched yours. Don't spoil the festivities." She countered.

I frowned. At this rate she would really be drunk if she kept drinking every bowl offered to her from the overly celebratory folks.

I stared at my owl bowl of wine before grasping it and downing the whole thing I one gulp. Unlike Soojung and the rest of the people, I could not get inebriated from the alcohol as having turned in to a monster granted me the ability to dispel an alcohol before it enters into my systems. It was a nice one of the more nicer abilities I inherited from being created.

I watched as the rest of the residents in the inn sang merrily, danced, drank and drank so more as the night wore on. I sat silently in the corner with the princess as she conversed and let herself have a good time, while I slowly drank and ignored everyone. I didn't allow her to wander from the table we sat at and gave any approaching half drunk men to ask her to dance or so forth dangerous glares to leave. I would not let them get close. Gods know what young hormonal men and drinking can make them do. Don't even think about.

Soojung got the sense that all the young men who tried to approached her and soon fled quickly was my fault. She shot me wearily looks but did not complain to me shooing them away with my glares. Rather, she seemed quite pleased with it, besides she had her own icy cold exterior to shoo those idiots away. But it didn't hurt to have an extra deadly aura right behind her to emphasis the "get the hell away now or else" message across when she wasn't interested.

It had to be past midnight when the festive atmosphere vanquished and people finally decided to sleep the tiredness and alcohol induced fun off.

I was the only one still sitting and drinking wine apathetically while everyone was passed out on tables or floors for some matter, sleeping. Even the princess could not escape the toll of heavy drinking and partying.

I scooped the princess up in my arms and headed to our room. I doubt she would remember much in the morning and be sorry she over exhausted on the drinking. I shook my head, I did warn her.

I tucked the princess in the bed when I heard her mumble out, "Why did it have to be you?"

Surprised, I glanced at her face thinking that she was sleep talking, only to be met with her wide awake eyes.

"What?" I whispered.

Soojung stared back at me intently wordlessly.

"Why does it have to be you?" She repeated. "Why does it feel like I want to strangle you but also not?"

I chuckled lightly. "I don't know. Maybe it is because you always were like that to me. Or it must be the wine that is making you talk honestly. They say when drunk, people expose the most secrets and honesty."

She hummed in either agreement or thinking.

"If that is true, than explain to me why do I feel this magnetic force towards you, and I know you feel it too, yet you hold back? You drank just as much as I did, you surely must just be as honest."

My eyes bulged. What?

"I know you like me, I can feel it." She repeated again. But why can't you grasp the fact that I return those same feelings? Are you that blind?!" She shouted.

I could not comprehend what was going on, or more like my brain shut down and would not work.

"I think you've had too much to drink, try to get some sleep, it will help." I tried to reason.

She slapped my hand away as I tried to tuck her in with the covers she threw off. "I am not that drunk!"

"Answer me truthfully. You like me. All the times you've spent with me putting up with my icy princess ways and being so understanding. I thought it was just friendly but then you act so....lovingly towards me it has to be more." She pleaded with her eyes. "I hate you for making me fall for you!"

She....fell for me? This is unreal. All the times