◇┇Chapter one.

            I walked upon the soft green grass of the palace’s garden. Flowers bloomed with the redness of wrath; trees stood for the ages of authority; the land was blessed with nothing but pure victory.

My hands were as sweaty as they seemed to be for I had done a few chores before coming unto the current place I was in. I wore tattered dress of a peasant; my feet were far too tired from moving; my black hair swayed against the harsh and strong blow of the wind just as how the ends of my dress danced in the process; my wrists were held captive by a handcuff’s existence; my skin of ivory was tickled by the sun’s golden light rays; my lips were pursed in silence.

My bright blue eyes were amazed at the wonders of such an elegant castle. The one who lived inside it, however, was known for being a great strategist, a wholesome genius, a talented human blessed with pulchritudinous charms and a numb prince skilled with the best abilities for war and swordmanship. His fame was far more known than his father’s.

“Slave, wait here,” a man with a grown mustache told me. I stopped walking because of his command for he was superior over me.

Suddenly, two armoured men came and approached us with a displeased face. “State your business,” the larger one said.

The man with me stepped up and raised his eyebrows just as how the lines on his forehead formed curve. He looked like a prideful man. “I wish to meet the king for a specification on a certain matter,” he said with a snobbish attitude.

I was absolute disgusted at how highly he thought of himself. He was never that brilliant to start with.

“Is she, in any way, with you?” asked the smaller one.

I’ve received that question twice already. Before the gates, we were interrogated by the guards.

My master nodded. We were escorted by those armoured men towards the castle’s main door. Before barging in, the large one knocked and shouted, “They wish to see the king!”

Later, the door opened. Grand flashy lights shone with radiance, creamy white walls complemented white floors that were rolled over by a majestic red carpet that led to three seats of royalties.

The larger seat was empty like the smaller one beside it to the left. The right one, however, was occupied by a male who seemed like he was around my age.

“I apologize for my parents’ current absence.”

We stopped in front of three stairs before the seats of authority over the kingdom, “Ah, Prince Baekhyun, I believe that my business for your father is quiet important as of the moment,” the man uttered.

“And I believe that I am wise enough to hear it out. Speak,” he demanded.

My master seemed annoyed. Things weren’t going aalong with his plan. I smirked at the turn of events. “Kind sir, I was travelling my way back to our lovely country. On my way, I saw this girl unconscious in the middle of the forest. She doesn’t know where she came from,” he said.

I bowed my head. “Her face is of the nobles and royal-blooded. We might use her someday. She may belong from other kingdoms. We can use her as bait,” he added.

He was absolutely irritating. I wasn’t a toy to be talked about like that. It was honestly annoying.

“Are you. Perhaps, selling her? What’s the catch? This castle has enough servants already,” the prince responded. I raised my head and looked at him.

My eyes widened themselves. I was taken aback by the sight of him. His hair was as dark red as the fresh dripping blood shed by wounded people; his eyes were as sharp as of clashing blades of wrath; his face was the fac