Chapter Ten-

“Now,” Luhan said as he stretched out his arms in front of him and cracked his hands. Him and Kami were sitting cross legged on the floor of her room, facing each other and sitting so close that their knees were slightly touching. Kami’s hair was still wet, although now she was nice and warm from the bath she just took, though she still kept herself curled up in a quilted blanket. The voodoo doll that he had given her rested on her nightstand to dry. She stared at Luhan as he continued to crack his neck and shoulders. “Let’s get this started,” he said and reached out his hands, tangling then in Kami’s wet hair until he touched her temples.

Kami closed her eyes and braced herself for what was about to happen. The tingling sensation came just like before, stretching into her skull and wrapping around her brain. It proved here and there, and with each probe the sensation changed into a piercing and burning one. Kami let out a soft whimper when the burning enveloped her whole brain.

“Just try to put up with it,” Luhan grunted, seemingly stressed and having a hard time even though Kami couldn’t see him. “This shouldn’t be as difficult as it is. It’s like your memories aren’t here, as if I have to go through you to get to your memories.”

He continued to speak to her but Kami couldn’t hear what he was saying because different sounds started to fill her ears and shortly after imaged started to appear on the backs of her eyelids.

~+~+~+~+~+~

Princess JaeIn sat in her throne at one of the few balls she was allowed to attend. She uninterestedly watched as the couples twirled around on the dancefloor, purposely avoiding looking at one couple in particular. It was her dad, the King, and her mom, the Queen, that spun effortlessly around the dancefloor, capturing the attention of everyone except their daughter and a few others. Show offs. When will I ever be able to dance at one of these things?

JaeIn sighed and shifted her weight slightly, moving the fabric of her dress so that it wouldn’t ruffle. She sat there alone for most of the night as her mother and father had the time of their lives and greeted all of the guest. It wasn’t until he showed up that a smile finally appeared on her face, of course hidden by the veil.

“Happy birthday Princess,” a soft and luring voice called out to her from her right.

She turned in her chair to see Minseok standing behind her. “Minseok,” she said with a sigh. “Thank you. At least someone remembers that this celebration is for me.”

Minseok smirked at her. “The others know too, they just haven’t been able to sneak away and join you up here yet.”

This time JaeIn rolled her eyes. “Oh yes of course, your loyal fangirls.”

This made Minseok frown and glance across the room. He found several of his fellow warriors trying to escape conversations with girls who had dressed too elaborately for the occasion. “They are much harder to deal with than you think. In my opinion they are who we really have to protect you from. You should see the glares that they send you as they think about ways to take your place.”

JaeIn turned away from him and faced the ballroom again. Looking out of the corner of her eye at him she said, “Maybe you guys wouldn’t have that problem if you just gave them a bit of your time. I mean, one of them out there has to be the ‘princess’ that will sweep you off your feet.”

There was a pause in the conversation and just when JaeIn turned her face to see what was taking him so long to respond she found that he had leaned in to whisper into her ear. “There is no other princess for me than yourself, and I can assure you that that is the same for all of us warriors.”

With a huff and a blush that was hidden behind her veil JaeIn ce again back to the front. “I don’t know how you guys can say that when you haven’t even seen my face.”

A puff of hot air against her ear told her that Minseok was still bent over towards her. “We don’t need to see your face to fall in love with you.”

~+~+~+~+~+~

JaeIn was in her bedroom, standing at the foot of her luxurious bed with her back facing it. The sun had long since set and her head maid, who stood behind her, was helping her change into her sleepwear.

“This war,” JaeIn said. “do you know why father has declared it?”

“You know as well as I do Princess that it is because the Prince of the SuJuan kingdom has taken a liking to you,” replied the light voice from behind her.

JaeIn sighed. “How is it possible for all these guys to take a shine to me when they haven’t even seen my face?” she mumbled to herself.

“What was that?” her maid asked from behind her.

Shaking her head JaeIn replied. “Nothing, nothing.” Then she turned around to face her maid, startling her a bit. In front of JaeIn stood a young women around her age, with long and slightly waving chocolate brown hair, her perfect nose and jawline highlighted by her hair. “You know that when it’s just us two that you can call me by my name. It’s only natural since we’re friends, BoAh.”

~+~+~+~+~+~

Kami found herself gasping for air in the arms of Luhan. “Kami, Kami it’s alright,” he kept mumbling as he patted her hair.

When she regained her breath she turned around in his arms to face him.  “Thanks Luhan. I’m ok now.”

She stood up and weakly walked over to her bed which she collapsed on.

“Are you sure?” Luhan asked her worriedly. “I can stay for a while or call Lay over.”

Kami waved her hand at him as a sign of dismissal. “No it’s alright. I just want to be alone for right now.”

“Alright,” Luhan said hesitantly as he made to exit her room. Before he closed the door he turned back and said to her, “If you need me, you know how to contact me.”

She just nodded her head at him and sighed when he closed the