“For Heaven’s sake.” Cheng Xiao entered her room, exhaling through her nostrils.

Bona sat by the window, sewing something. She turned her head and observed Cheng Xiao falling face down on the mattress.

“What’s the matter, Xiao?”

Before an actual answer, Cheng Xiao let out a long growl of frustration.

“My father thought it was a good idea to get me a body guard.”

“Oh, but that’s great!”

Cheng Xiao looked at her in disbelief, her brows drawn together.

“Great?! Great, Bona? I don’t want a body guard! Do I look like I need a body guard?”

Bona bit back a chuckle. Cheng Xiao looked like a little girl throwing a tantrum.

“I think it’s a very good measure of security and your own protection.” She said, returning her attention to the fabric on her hands.

“Come on Bona, not you too…” Cheng Xiao grabbed her pillow to bury her face in it.

“Is he outside?” Bona asked.

“It’s a she, at least. And yes, she’s outside. Her name's Eunseo and she’s the best guard of the squad. Father said she needs to be with me at all times.”

“Oh, you seem to know a lot about her already.”

Cheng Xiao shot her a glare.

“These exact words were said by my father five minutes ago, it’s normal that I still remember them.”

“Of course.” Bona bit back a mischievous smile this time. “I’m sure you’ll get along well.”

♚♚♚

Never.

Cheng Xiao hated her presence. She didn’t want or need her around. Eunseo was like a shadow that followed her everywhere. Worse, actually, since she was there even when there was no light to cast any shadow.

Eunseo didn’t say a word. She just followed, with her perfect posture, and her flawless features didn’t move an inch. Cheng Xiao wondered if she was a machine of some kind, instead of a human being. It was not like she wanted her to talk, but… it felt even more awkward.

And when she did talk, Eunseo got to Cheng Xiao's nerves way too easily.

“Can you please leave? I can’t concentrate with you here.” The princess said, without turning to face Eunseo.

She sat in the grass for meditation, while Eunseo stood a few meters behind her, leaning against a tree, and Cheng Xiao could feel her eyes on her.

“It is my job to be by your side and protect you, Your Highness.”

Cheng Xiao signed loudly, not minding if she heard it or not.

“As, perhaps you know, and if you don’t, you should... I don’t need any protection. I’m the Captain of the Army and the best swordsman of this kingdom, aside from my father. I don’t need a guard to babysit me.”

“I understand, and your abilities are indeed incredible, but as His Majesty said, your safety is more important.” The words left Eunseo's mouth, almost mechanically.

“But I am the Princess of this kingdom, so I order you to leave right now.” Cheng Xiao turned and looked straight into her eyes, making her voice as fierce as she could.

“With all respect, Your Highness, but I have orders from His Majesty, and we are both aware that His Majesty has the supreme authority in this realm.”

Cheng Xiao balled her fists on her lap, burying her nails on her palms. How dared she?!

“In fact, I don’t want you to stand all this time there, you’re going to get bored and tired. Just go back to the castle and have some rest, will you?” If playing authority didn’t work, how about pretending she actually cared?

Eunseo bowed for a couple seconds.

“I really appreciate your kindness and worry, Your Highness, but I’m fine. And I will not be bored, I like the nature very much. And observing Your Highness from this close is to my likings, as well.”

Cheng Xiao couldn't have heard it right, could she?

“L-Look, I just want my moment alone to meditate. I can’t concentrate with you there.” She sounded almost desperate now.

“So, why don’t you, Your Highness, take this as an opportunity to improve your skills? I always hear that meditation is about being in peace with all of your surroundings.”

And for the first time, Cheng Xiao saw some kind of movement on her face. A smirk?!

Eunseo couldn’t be for real.

♚♚♚

Cheng Xiao thought she would get used to her company.

Oh, how wrong she was.

Her capacity of tolerating her kept on decreasing with each passing day. Eunseo had a way to get to her that nobody else ever did. She always seemed to have an answer ready in the tip of her tongue to shatter Cheng Xiao's arguments. And the way she talked to her… Insolent, at best.

Cheng Xiao was done getting dressed for her first training session in the morning when a knock on the door made her turn her head. After an affirmative answer, the door opened.

“May I, Your Highness?” Eunseo asked, peeking inside.

Seeing the mix of expressions in Cheng Xiao's features, Bona walked to the door.

“I’m going to the kitchens to get your breakfast.” She said, earning a wide eyed look from Cheng Xiao.

Bona excused herself and left, closing the door.

“What could you possibly want so early in the morning?” Cheng Xiao asked, grabbing her sword and hanging it on her waist.

“I just wanted to wish Your Highness a good morning.” Eunseo said with a light bow.

The princess was left surprised and with no words to roll off her tongue.

“A-And couldn’t you wait for it? You can leave now.”

“Not even a thank you, or good morning to you too? How cruel, Your Highness.” Eunseo muttered, taking a step forward.

As a reaction, Cheng Xiao took a step back.

“Cruel? I don't owe you anything. Where’s your respect, you little-"

"Were you about to offend me, Your Highness? That proves my point. And way to thank your body guard, don’t you think?” Another step forward.

Y-You?!

“Listen up. I don’t tolerate this kind of behavior. If you don’t want to suffer any consequences, I suggest you leave in this exact moment without one more word.”

Eunseo looked up at the ceiling, like she was considering it, and looked back at her eyes with a smirk.

“And what if I don’t? What is the princess going to do?”

And with another step forward from Eunseo, Cheng Xiao retreated until her back met the wall. Her knees trembled and her teeth gritted against each other, holding her fists that wanted to punch Eunseo so hard.

“Leave immediately. It’s an order, Eunseo.”

The guard chuckled, daring to walk even closer to Cheng Xiao. She towered her, making the princess look like a little kid in fear.

“I like how you take advantage of being a princess to look superior. Well, let me tell you you’re just an insecure, annoying, spoiled, petty brat-“

Cheng Xiao grabbed on Eunseo’s collar and brought her face close to hers, her eyebrows twitching in anger.

“If you say one more word, I swear you’ll never grab a sword and a shield ever again.” Cheng Xiao spat.

“What will you do? Tell your Father?”

“If I have to.”

“Go ahead then. And you want me to stay away from you, right? May your wish become true.” Eunseo said with a satisfying smile.

Cheng Xiao released the grip. Eunseo fixed her clothes and before turning to leave, she approached her and aimed for her ear.

“One day, you might be so deep in trouble that you will wish with all your might that I could be there. So be careful what you wish for.”

♚♚♚

The words kept ringing in Cheng Xiao's ears the whole day.

Nobody, ever, had fronted her like that. It was inconceivable that she would dare say those words to her without as much as a glint of fear or hesitation in her eyes. Cheng Xiao shouldn’t let them get to her, but it was the first time she'd felt so... insulted, so diminished.

She hated – no, she dreaded Eunseo. Her only wish was that she'd just disappear from her life. Maybe her plea had reached the heavens, as she hadn't seen her all day. Cheng Xiao didn’t have a shadow following her around anymore, or someone to disrespect her.

All throughout the day, she kept looking back, making sure she wasn’t being followed.

At last, her time to be alone had arrived. Cheng Xiao sat on the grass, thanking heavens for being truly alone. She missed the feeling of being alone with the nature, without an unwanted presence around.

But then why couldn’t she concentrate at all? She got used to Eunseo's presence, and learned how to focus with another presence nearby.

Cheng Xiao felt uneasy, a knot on her stomach slowly forming. She shot her eyes open and looked at her surroundings. Was she becoming paranoid?

Closing her eyes again, she tried once more to concentrate and gather the elements around her.

But now, something did, in fact, distract her. She stood abruptly, looking around her.

“Eunseo, is that you?” She asked. “If you’re trying to play a prank on me, I’ll make sure that my threat becomes a reality.”

No answer came. Cheng Xiao breathed heavily and turned in front. When she noticed, it was almost too late.

She used her right arm to block a blow that went directly at her head and quickly kicked the person's chest, but another figure was already by her left side, grabbing her arm. Cheng Xiao struggled to set herself free, as the man had an impossibly strong grip, so she launched for his neck. She felt the grip on her arm being released, and finally managed to set free, shoving the guy to the ground, hitting his head hard on the soil. Before she could beat the living soul out of him, an arm s around her neck, pulling her back. As her lungs gasped for oxygen, she gathered all her strength to grab the man's clothes by his shoulders. Leaning forward and with a strong push, she sent the guy flying forward, hitting the ground with his back.

Cheng Xiao choked as she allowed herself to breathe. She didn’t have a second to grasp what happened around her – two other men grabbed her arms as another held her from behind, an arm around her neck and a knife way too close to her face.

“We won’t hurt you if you don’t fight back.” His voice was deep, yet calm and soothing.

“Who the hell are you and what do you want from me?!” Cheng Xiao struggled, and even though she could be stronger than them individually, this time she'd failed to immobilize each one isolated. She couldn't break free from the strength of three men holding her in place simultaneously.

“Just cooperate with us, will you?” He ignored her questions.

Cheng Xiao felt the blood boiling in her veins and her knees tremble. There was no way she would be defeated and taken by this kind of scum.

She looked down at his hand and without thinking, she opened and dug her teeth on it, while elbowing the hardest she could on his stomach. Cheng Xiao felt the taste of blood in as the blade of his knife cut her cheek. The man finally released her and immediately she turned to her right, spiting the blood in to the man’s eyes, making him stumble back.

A punch came from her left but Cheng Xiao dodged it just in time. Twirling her body, she released herself from the last one’s grip. Giving him no time to act, she kicked his gut, making him take a step back, and then she performed a spinning roundhouse kick, landing her foot right on his face, knocking him down at once.

The princess was pulled by her hair with such a strong push that there was no way she could stand. Her body fell on the soft grass with a force pinning her down, aiming for her neck.

Cheng Xiao felt being squeezed in the man's hands, while she punched him where she could in panic. Using the little strength she still had, she grabbed his nose, and using a special technique she learned with her master, she twisted it, a loud noise of a broken bone echoing. She breathed for a second when the guy took his hands to her face.

“You ing !” He shouted, punching her face right in her cut.

Cheng Xiao felt her skull shake and her face burning. She tried to fight back and get him off of her, rolling and tossing around.

“Just knock her out!” Someone growled.

He grabbed a knife from his pocket and turned it around on his hand.

Before he could do something, Cheng Xiao gathered all her remaining energy.

“EUNSEO!”

And finally, the man hit the side of her head with the back of his knife, and her consciousness drifted away.

♚♚♚

A/N: Hi everyone! Well this was a more intense chapter, and it's barely the beginning right kekeke I hope you all are liking this story and how is it going so far! ^^

And thank you so much for the coments and votes already <3