A little girl ran around happily with a smile on her face. She couldn't stop laughing that day, because finally she can spend some time with her beloved father.

Three year old Qian, Princess of the Light Kingdom of Demesne, has always been a good daughter. She always want to play with her father, but she knows her place. She knows that her father is the King, and that he's busy making the kingdom a better place. That's why, days like these are very meaningful for her.

"Father! Let's play hide and seek!" little Qian said, as she jumped in excitement. Her adorable pink dress swayed as she run. Her father chuckled at the sight of his adorable daughter.

"Alright. I'll count to ten, you go hide okay?" King Zhu said. He covered his eyes with his hands as he starts counting. Qian shrieked and quickly ran around the garden to find a good hiding place. She hid behind a bush near the garden's fountain, giggling as she imagined her father panicking to find her.

Unknown to her, her location is pretty obvious to her father. He can very well see her dress peeking from behind the bush. But he knows better than to crush a little girl's excitement right away.

"I wonder where has my little Qian go?" King Zhu said with his voice raised on purpose. He walked past the bush where Qian was hiding. Qian giggled and she peeked out to see her father going before hiding again.

She looked around her in curiosity. She have never gotten the chance to look around her palace's garden, after all.

Then, her eyes caught something. She saw a giant basket under the tree, a bit off the place since the peoples in the castle aren't allowed to have a picnic. She tip-toed to the basket, being the curious girl as she was. She reached it and opened the lid of the basket.

That was the first time she have ever seen something so small.. So cute, so fragile.

She saw a baby, probably three days old, sleeping inside the basket wrapped in a warm blue blanket. She didn't know the baby's gender, but he looks so beautiful. Let's just say it's a he. Carefully she touched the baby's cheeks, and the baby's eyes fluttered open.

The baby's eyes are gold. So shining and captivating. The baby looked at Qian, then looked left and right, seemingly searching for his mother. After realizing that his mother was not there and this stranger was in front of him instead, his eyes got watery and he cried.

Qian panicked, she have never seen a baby before, nor taking care of one. She stood up and looked around, and her father came rushing to her.

"What happened? Why are you crying?" King Zhu asked, clearly afraid that something may have happened to his daughter.

Qian shook her head and she pointed at the basket as her father followed where her finger was pointing at.

"Baby is crying," Qian said, looking like she have done something wrong. "Qian didn't do anything."

King Zhu picked the baby up and tried to calm him down. It worked, as the baby stopped crying slowly and just sobbed silently. King Zhu saw his golden eyes and he himself was mesmerized by it.

King Zhu smiled and turned his head to Qian, who was looking at the baby worriedly. "Don't worry, Qian. He is not hurt. He's probably scared because his mother is not here."

Qian's face brightened up and she grinned happily.

"Where does this baby come from?" King Zhu mumbled. His glance then fell to the basket. He crutched down and looked inside of it. There, he found a letter written on a white paper, all crumpled and messy. The black ink got messed up because it was wet with dots of water.

Please, whoever picked this baby up, please take care of him.

I can never give him the life he deserved, I have failed as a mother. Please take care of him, treat him as your own son.

His name is Kris Wu.

This is my last wish. And I will now disappear from this cruel world.

Kris, Mommy loves you. And I'm sorry.

King Zhu carefully fold the letter as he looked at the baby in his arms. Poor child. I will raise you in the palace, as my daughter's protector. That way, you won't be alone.

King Zhu turned his head to Qian who was trying to read the letter, but failed because she haven't learned how to read. "Qian," King Zhu said.

Qian turned her attention back to him.

"Welcome our new family, Kris."

□■□■□

"Your Highness, please don't run!" Kris yelled as he chased after Qian. He has grown up to be a handsome young man, with golden eyes and golden hair. He have a great responsibility and charisma that he was pointed as the head bodyguard for Qian at a young age. The princess herself has grown to be a beautiful lady with flawless looks. She also received her royal name, Her Royal Highness Princess Victoria Song Qian. She liked the name so much that she insists to be called that instead of Qian.

“No! Don’t want to!” Victoria giggled while running. Sometimes, Kris felt like he wanted to facepalm at the princess. She was older than him but he acted more mature than her. Just now, Victoria ran away because it was time for her to go to the horse-riding class and she didn’t want to, and now Kris has to run after her.

“Aish,” Kris cursed under his breathe. He ran faster and just in a moment, he stood in front of Victoria. The benefits of long legs, surely.

Victoria stopped and widened her eyes as she looked up at Kris. Kris raised his hand, gesturing for the princess to wait because he wanted to catch his breathe. Really, such a large guy with no energy.

Victoria chuckled at him but she yelped when suddenly Kris raised her up on his shoulder. “Hey! Put me down! This isn’t a way to treat a princess!” Victoria said punching Kris’ back. Of course, the guy felt nothing. He scoffed and kept on walking.

By the time they arrived at the horse stable, Victoria has stopped struggling. She pouted and mouthed some mute curse words. Kris laughed and then put her down when he saw someone in distance. The crown prince and the royal horse caretaker. The jet black-haired prince looked up and grinned widely when he saw the both of them. “Kris! Big sis!” he said waving excitedly.

Victoria grumbled when she tidied her dress. “Tao,” she said when she was done. “I told you to just call me Victoria!”

Tao laughed and shook his head. “No way, no matter how much you wanted to feel younger, you are still my older sister,” Tao grinned mischievously. Victoria walked fast to his direction and tried to hit his head, but missed because he dodged her. Tao stuck his tongue out and quickly got on his horse’s back before his sister hit him again.

“Tsk. Coward!” Victoria yelled as Tao ran off with his horse. Victoria turned her head to the horse caretaker and folded her arms. “Where is my Gummy, Minhyuk?”

The brown-haired guy grinned and pointed at the stable at the near end of the corridor. “Over there, Your Highness. I just got his hair groomed!” Minhyuk nodded proudly. The first son of the Kang family has always been the royal horse caretaker, despite being a noble himself. Nobody except Victoria, Kris, and Tao knew though.

Victoria skipped her way to the stable where her horse was. “Gummy~” she said cheerfully. Kris followed right behind her.

“Gummy!” she exclaimed as she hugged the white horse tightly. “How is our Gummy? Do you miss mommy?” Victoria said as she caressed the horse’s hair lovingly, like it was really her own child. The horse whined happily in response. Kris smiled seeing the princess. As much as she disliked having to take a horse-riding class, he knows she have a huge sense of responsibility as a princess.

“I’ll be going then, Your Highness. The King has summoned me,” Kris said. Victoria nonchalantly waved her hand without even looking at him before Kris walked away. But then she turned her head and glanced at his back. It looked sad to Minhyuk’s eyes who were watching from the side. He laughed to himself and shook his head as he continued brushing his horse’s hair.

Meanwhile, Kris stood before the King's presence and he kneeled. "Did you summon me, Your Highness?" Kris asked with his head low.

"Lift your head," the King ordered and Kris did so. "I am going to send Qian to the neighboring kingdom, the Wind Kingdom of Demesne to engage her with the Crown Prince. You are to accompany her along the way."

Kris froze in his place. Engagement? Victoria?

“Are you listening, Kris?” the King said. Kris snapped out of his daze and nodded.

“I will do as you ordered me, Your Highness,” Kris bowed once again. The King smiled and nodded too. “Very good. You two are going to depart tomorrow morning. You are now dismissed,” the King ordered. Kris stood up and bowed again before exiting the chamber.

Engagement.

□■□■□

“Well I hope the Crown Prince is handsome,” Victoria said as she went through her room's door. "Wouldn't want the future princes and princesses to be ugly, right?"

Kris frowned at her, while the Princess herself just glared at him. Victoria sighed and walked pass him, half stomping throughout the way to the carriage. Next to the carriage, the King and Queen were standing, waiting to see their daughter off. Victoria quickly launched herself to her parents' hug when she saw them.

"My little girl," the Queen said lovingly. "Take care along the way, okay?"

Victoria smiled and nodded. She turned to her father and hugged him tightly.

"I didn't want to.." the King whispered. Victoria chuckled and patted him on the back.

"It's okay, Father. I'm okay," Victoria said assuringly. "I have Gummy and Kris beside me."

Kris smiled when he heard Victoria mentioned his name. He quickly bowed when the King shifted his attention to him. "Take care of my daughter, Kris," the King smiled warmly. Kris nodded. "Okay go, you can't waste time!"

Victoria got on the carriage with Kris' help, and he got on too afterwards. Victoria waved to her parents from the carriage as it moved further away from the palace. When she can't see her parents anymore, Victoria leaned against her seat and crossed her arms.

The smile from her face disappeared instantly and she glared at Kris.

"What?" Kris asked.

"You agreed to take me to my engagement?" Victoria asked back.

"Yeah, why?" Kris said as he raised one eyebrow.

"...Nothing," Victoria said before turning her head away. Kris doesn't understand. But Victoria doesn't understand it either. She just didn't like how Kris can casually gave her away to another kingdom, when it means they won't see each other again.

Just thinking about it makes her mad, so Victoria just decided to take a nap.

Kris moved next to her and carefully put her head on his shoulder when she fell asleep. He smiled to himself when he saw her peaceful state.

He then closed his eyes.

She's going to get engaged. And then get married.

This is going to be my last hours as her friend. Her bodyguard. Her personal helper. Her brother. Her closest person...

Then he fell asleep.

□■□■□

Kris woke up when the carriage stopped suddenly. He looked next to him and Victoria was awake too. He carefully moved closer to the front and opened the window to ask the guard that was driving the carriage.

“What’s wrong?” Kris asked. The guard pointed out to the road.

“There’s a woman laying on the ground in our road. Do you want me to get rid of her?” the guard asked. Kris shook his head and then closed his window. He was about to get out of the carriage when Victoria stopped him.

“What happened?” Victoria asked, concerned.

“There’s a woman laying on the ground, I’m going to go see her now,” Kris said as he opened the door. Victoria followed him out.

Kris approached the lady and crouched next to her as Victoria stood next to the carriage watching them.

“Miss? Are you okay?” Kris said as he carefully nudged the woman.

Then it all happened so fast. The lady grabbed Kris by the neck. Victoria shrieked and froze in her place as she tried to sink in what just happened. The lady smirked  to Victoria’s direction and flew away - literally flying -  to the forest right next to the road. Victoria widened her eyes.

“YOU! Stay here, I’ll be back with Kris soon!” Victoria commanded the guard as he just nodded with a pale face. They just met a witch.

Victoria lets Gummy go from the tie and quickly rode her. Cold sweats coming out all over and she just could think of one thing.

Kris.

Please be safe.

Kris struggles in the grip of the witch as they flew through the forest. Then he heard a horse’s steps.

“Do you hear that? Your beloved princess is chasing after you,” the witch chuckled.

“Who are you? Put me down,” Kris demanded as he glared at her.

“Oh, sure,” the witch dropped him down. Kris gasped in surprise. Then he looked around. There was no one beside him. Where did the witch go? Then from distance, he saw Victoria coming to his direction. He stood up and waved to Victoria.

Suddenly he felt someone grabbed his neck from behind. It was the witch. She whispered slowly in his ear.

“This is a present. You’re welcome,” she smirked wickedly before her hand suddenly glows and the light started to engulf Kris. Before Kris passed out, he heard Victoria’s scream.